Hiya Erica! Welcome to planDisney!
I'm excited you are heading to the
Most Magical Place on Earth in just a few months. Even better yet, getting a chance to cheer on the dance team will be a great experience. My daughter is part of a cheer team and we cannot wait until she gets the opportunity to perform at Walt Disney World one day.
MagicBands or
MagicBand+ can be purchased at any time leading up to your stay by heading over to the shopDisney website. You'll find a variety of designs to choose from, including some themed with your favorite Disney characters. Once you receive them, you can link them to your
My Disney Experience account by using the ID number located on the backside of the band. Once you log on to your account, select "My MagicBands and Cards" and scroll down until you find "Link." You'll enter the ID number and select the Guest you want to link this specific band to. You do not need to wait until you receive your park tickets to purchase a band or link it to your account. Once your park tickets are issued and assigned, your MagicBand will automatically work for entry into the parks.
To qualify for a discounted MagicBand or MagicBand+ at a pre-arrival price, you will need to be staying in a
Disney Resorts hotel during your visit. Once that resort reservation is linked to your account, you can log into your My Disney Experience account to see what bands are currently being offered. If ordered in enough time, you can have them delivered directly to your home. Otherwise, they will be shipped to your Disney Resorts hotel for you to pick up once you arrive. These bands will already be linked to your account once they are ordered.
If you don't end up purchasing them ahead of time, you can always do so upon your arrival. Many of the merchandise locations at each of the theme parks and Disney Resorts hotels will sell a variety of designs.
World of Disney at Disney Springs will offer the widest selection to choose from if you happen to stop there during your travels.
Erica, I hope this information helps you plan for your stay!
Stop back and see us again at planDisney!
Happy holidays!
Greg