Welcome to planDisney, Andrew! It's always such a pleasure to hear from a fellow U.K. resident heading to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Disney bands (known as MagicBand or MagicBand+ in the United States) provide access to Disney Resort hotel rooms, theme park tickets, and more. A Disney band is not required to enter the Parks, and many features can be accessed through the My Disney Experience App. That said, we always have great fun choosing from the bunch of options.
I'm a see before I buy type, so selecting a band, widely available across various retail locations throughout Walt Disney World, is my preferred way to purchase. There's the perfect choice for everyone, from Frozen fans to Grogu gurus. Once you've found your perfect match, it takes mere moments to link with the My Disney Experience App, and Cast Members can always help if needed. We've set this up for a family of four within 5 minutes.
As a fellow U.K. resident, it isn't possible to have a Disney band shipped here before departure, but it is possible to purchase beforehand if you add your
Disney Resort hotel as the shipping address and Guest details. You should then be able to pick up your Disney Band from the front desk. A fee is likely for this delivery - another reason why I like to purchase on arrival.
Andrew, I hope this information helps, and please pop back with any other questions. I'm so excited for you to experience all the latest thrills at Walt Disney World. Try to nab a
virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run- it's particularly spectacular at night! In fact, some of the knowledgeable planDisney panelists Samantha, Raquel, and Matt spoke with Amiyrah about the
latest and greatest thrills at Walt Disney World - it's worth the watch!
Have a magical time, Louise.