Hi Michelle, welcome to planDisney!
In "Colors of the Wind," Pocahontas sings, "...and we are all connected to each other in a circle, in a hoop that never ends." When planning a Walt Disney World Resort vacation, your entire party should be connected as
Family & Friends in My Disney Experience. A My Disney Experience account is the digital space that houses vacation entitlements for a person's entire Walt Disney World Resort vacation career. My favorite MagicBand 2 design has helped me tap into theme park magic on at least five trips. Determining how you and your stepson are currently connected in My Disney Experience will help us gain access to his MagicBand.
MagicBands are linked to individuals in My Disney Experience; they are nontransferable once linked. Children under the age of 13 cannot have their own My Disney Experience accounts so their vacation entitlements (including MagicBands) are linked to a My Disney Experience account profile managed by an adult. Your stepson's MagicBand is most likely linked to a My Disney Experience account profile housed in his mom's account.
Kindly take a look at your
Family & Friends list. Do you see your stepson's name with the words "Plans managed by me" beside it? If so, your stepson has multiple My Disney Experience account profiles and Cast Member assistance is required to merge the two into one. A friendly Cast Member at the
My Disney Experience, MagicBand and MagicBand+ number will need your account information as well as the email address associated with the mom's My Disney Experience account. Once your stepson's profiles are merged, his MagicBand will automagically connect to any of his vacation entitlements (tickets, theme park reservations, dining reservations, etc) housed in your account. He will also remain connected as Family & Friends with his mom. Only one person can officially manage your stepson's My Disney Experience account profile, but everyone with whom he's connected as Family & Friends will be able to view and make plans for him.
If your stepson does not yet appear on your Family & Friends list, Michelle, your goal is to connect with the My Disney Experience account profile that houses his MagicBand. Here's how:
1. Click "Add a Guest" at the bottom of your Family & Friends List.
2. Click "I'll enter their name and age."
3. You must start by connecting with his mom, so enter her name and age, and then select "Invite this Guest to connect." Enter mom's email address and click "Done." Once his mom accepts the email invitation to connect, she will appear on your Family & Friends list.
4. After your stepson's mom's name appears on your Family & Friends list, once again click "Add a Guest." This time, select "Find through my connected Guests" and your stepson's name should automagically appear because you are connected to his mom as Family & Friends. If not, ask his mom to share her Family & Friends list and try again. Once your stepson's name appears on your Family & Friends list, his MagicBand is ready to use on your trip.
It's smooth planning and sailing on Peter Pan's Flight once you've got the tech stuff figured out, Michelle. I hope your stepson realizes what a magical support system he has. You are the magic!
Reach out anytime.
Choose magic,
Jennifer