Are Magic Bands worth the price? (non resort guests)

[12_Ears_Dad]

Since we are not staying on Disney Property, our tickets come in form of a chipped card. There is an option in the Disney Online store to purchase Magic Bands to link to our tickets for 17.00$ each. I am funding the ticket portion of our group of ten (4 adults, 6 kids) and I am contemplating on whether or not to get the bands. Are the really that much more convenient? Or should we just stick with the cards?

 

[Tuvalu]

Stick with the cards. Since you are a non-resort guest, you won't be able to use the bands for charging privileges or as a room key (considered additional "advantages"). The cards will work just fine for park admission and FP+ entry. Save your money.

 

[sxeensweet]

I personally think it would be worth it eventhough you are not staying on property. Why is because it is on your wrist and no cards have to be pulled in and out for park entry and for all your fast passes etc. The cards can easily get lost that way especially with kids. I would say in my opinion they would definately be worth it!! Plus you can keep your cards as back up if a band is lost or not working by chance etc.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Would you pay all that money for a different looking card?

 

[Rob562]

I agree with the others that it's not worth it *to me* to purchase one, unless they come out with an awesome specialty design one that I definitely must have. (Like if they had a Horizons Band? Totally getting one...)

But just the plain color ones? Save your money. The ticket will be RFID-capable and can be used just like a Band at all touchpoints at the front entrance, FP+, even PhotoPass. The only difference is that it's a card in your pocket/wallet and not something on your wrist.

When I went a couple years ago after the hotels had switched to RFID locks but before Magic Bands were rolled out, I found that if I put my room key in my front-pocket wallet so that it was toward the outside, I just had to hold my wallet up to the reader. It read the key through the wallet. (This is how I handle my RFID subway card at home, too)

But of course "value" and something being "worth it" is strictly the call of the person making the purchase. Something in my life that I find worthy of purchase for myself may be a stupid waste of money for someone else.

-Rob

 

[stevehousse]

That 170 dollars spent buying those bands could be better used elsewhere! Souvenirs, dining, etc...I personally wouldn't buy one.

 

[DManRightHere]

If it is inconvenient to dig for tickets everytime for entry and fastpasses, buy them. May consider if you can use them on future trips too.

Personally, i would probably not buy them. I wonder if you can buy used ones on ebay...

 

[sxeensweet]

If it is inconvenient to dig for tickets everytime for entry and fastpasses, buy them. May consider if you can use them on future trips too.

Personally, i would probably not buy them. I wonder if you can buy used ones on ebay...

If it's been used unfortunately no one else can use it again. Once it is linked to someone's account even if they remove it from the account it can never be linked again to a different person. The only way you can get one on EBay that would work is the ones that have never been linked on an account before.

 

[DManRightHere]

If it's been used unfortunately no one else can use it again. Once it is linked to someone's account even if they remove it from the account it can never be linked again to a different person. The only way you can get one on EBay that would work is the ones that have never been linked on an account before.

Err.. Marketing genius. Sucks for us.

 

[Kosmo1986]

I think it depends on how many days you are going and if you plan to go again soon. The magic band can be used as your ticket, photo pass and your fast pass. It does make it easy and convenient. They are 12.95 in the parks, you can always buy them on your first day there (they sell them in DTD and the resorts too) if you decide to. I would not pay to have them shipped.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

That 170 dollars spent buying those bands could be better used elsewhere! Souvenirs, dining, etc...I personally wouldn't buy one.

this. *maybe* if it was one person...for $170 no.

Just, no.

 

[MickeyMomV]

I think it depends on how many days you are going and if you plan to go again soon. The magic band can be used as your ticket, photo pass and your fast pass. It does make it easy and convenient. They are 12.95 in the parks, you can always buy them on your first day there (they sell them in DTD and the resorts too) if you decide to. I would not pay to have them shipped.

I completely agree that it depends on your length of stay. If you are only there for 3 or 4 days I would skip it. If you are there for a week I would do it. Also you said you are doing the ticket portion of the trip with 4 adults and 6 kids. Sounds like there are 2 families? If so the other fam might want to buy them for their kids and you would only have to buy them for yours. So no matter what wait until you get there before you buy anything.
When we go we give my son disney gift cards to use as his spending money. Once they are spent that is it. I can assure you that one of his purchases will be on a Limited Edition MB that does something special at the touch points. When we get home he will continue to wear it. The kids in your group may want to do the same.

 

[Weather_Lady]

If you want the convenience of "wearing" your pass (personally, I never found it inconvenient to take it from my purse or pocket, but it sounds like others don't like having to keep track of it), but don't want to pay for the Magic Bands (and like those above, I'd say it's not worth the cost), you can always keep your KTTW card in an inexpensive holder on a lanyard around your neck. For half the price of a Magic Band, you can even have a snazzy Mickey-themed one:

http://www.amazon.com/Mickey-Silhouette-Disney-Lanyard-Holder/dp/B00CB0YQHU