Hi there, Gwynne, and welcome to planDisney!
Thanks for stopping by to ask us this question. I’m often in awe of the magic that we’re immersed in at Walt Disney World Resort. Some part of that magic is the cool tech that we can use to make the most of our vacations. I am more than happy to share some of the capability differences between
MagicBands+ and an Apple Watch.
First things first, let’s talk about what an Apple Watch can do for you while at The Most Magical Place on Earth (besides track all of those steps that you’ll get in every day). You can use an Apple Watch to scan into the Disney Parks and
Lightning Lane entrances because you can store your theme park ticket in your digital wallet. You can also use it to scan for Disney PhotoPass photos.
You can set up your digital theme park ticket or Walt Disney World annual pass by using
MagicMobile Service. You can set this up by making sure that your theme park ticket is linked to your MyDisney account. Then, create your digital ticket in the My Disney Experience App. Click on the three horizontal lines in the bottom corner of the menu. Find “Set Up MagicMobile Entry” and follow the directions from there to pick your card design and save it to your digital wallet.
However, as much as I love to use my Apple Watch at the theme parks, you’re not able to use it like you can a MagicBand+. This is especially true if you’re staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel. You can’t use an Apple Watch to open up your hotel door or make purchases to add to your hotel folio around property like you can with a MagicBand+.
AN EXTRA GEM: You can use your My Disney Experience App-connected smartphone to enter your hotel room though. This is a cool feature that the hotels at Walt Disney World Resort have!
A MagicBand+ can also interact with fun, interactive effects around the Resort. While our Apple Watches can do some pretty neat things, a MagicBand+’s lighting and haptics are always a surprise when exploring the theme parks. Gwynne, I’m sending pixie dust your way! If you have any additional Disney vacation planning questions,
reach out to us here at planDisney. Magic always,
LeAndra