Hey Howdy Hey Sandra and welcome to planDisney!
Even though you technically do not have to have
MagicBands in the parks, these are still my preferred way to navigate the parks. It is a big family event to pick out just the right one for our trip to fit our Disney personality. Recently, with the release of
Disney MagicMobile Service, you do not necessarily have to have the MagicBands and now are paying for them. This makes us more likely to reuse the older ones so let's go through what I have found out about the older ones.
You are totally right that you can reuse them and you can even have them reassigned to different members of your party, which Cast Members onsite will have to do or you can call Disney to try and get this done, but it depends on how old they are. I have discussed this with a Cast Member and they informed me that the batteries usually last about two years until the MagicBands are more of a souvenir as you are not able to replace the batteries. So this really would depend more on how old the MagicBands are if you wanted to try them. You can always take them down with you and have a Cast Member test them out when you check-in, but if they are close to two years old, I would not count on them working.
If you wanted to
call Disney before leaving to have the bands reassigned, you can do this at (407) 939-4397 and a Cast Member will be happy to help. If you wanted to look into more options in case they did not work, you can look not only on the Disney site but also at
ShopDisney where they have MagicBands that you might not be able to find on the Disney site. Just make sure you select the right shipping to get them in plenty of time for your trip!
You also have the option of setting up a MagicMobile pass and then looking for MagicBands when you get to Walt Disney World. You have so much more of a selection there as you will find availability in your resort, Disney Springs and many locations in the parks. The MagicMobile pass is easily set up on your smart device and works just like a MagicBand. You can use both interchangeably throughout your trip as well if you wanted.
I hope this information is helpful and good luck with your final weeks of preparation for your upcoming trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth! If you have any further questions let us know, we are happy to help!
Have a Magical Day,
Nick