Hi Michele,
Welcome back to planDisney! It's great to hEAR from you again!
I'm happy to let you know that your
MagicBands should work just fine on your trip, even though they'll be about a year old when you go.
MagicBands are reusable, and I can share from my own personal experience that my MagicBands have all lasted for several years. Sometimes I like to bring a few MagicBands with me and switch them out each day, depending on the color of my outfit or the theme park we'll be visiting that day. They can be a fun way to express your Disney style! The only trouble I've ever had with MagicBands is when I've had
too many listed as "Active" on my account, as that can confuse the system. If you have older
MagicBands or cards linked to your My Disney Experience account that you know you won't be using, I'd recommend deactivating them, but I wouldn't worry about that for your new ones. Deactivating them simply means that they're not going to link to your My Disney Experience account any longer (and is an action that can be undone!), so that won't have any impact on their battery life.
Thanks so much for visiting us again at planDisney, Michele, and please feel free to stop by anytime with questions about your upcoming trip. I hope it's truly magical!
Missy