News Disney to offer discount on new MagicBand designs as an optional alternative to complimentary solid color MagicBands

[eliza61nyc]

Hey they're cute. lol, I do remember someone on etsy was selling some thing similar, I think she called them "skins" but when I went to find them last year she no longer had them. thinking papa disney gave a "cease and desist" letter.

 

[aliceismad]

Hey they're cute. lol, I do remember someone on etsy was selling some thing similar, I think she called them "skins" but when I went to find them last year she no longer had them. thinking papa disney gave a "cease and desist" letter.

There is at least one place online you can get skins. Davids sent us a coupon for free skins (they're really just stickers) for our trip since we rented through them. They are cute but clearly not officially Disney.

Had this been available through Disney, I would've upgraded. It's a special trip for us, and we don't go often. Next trip(s) will be DLR, so no magic bands there.

 

[LuvWDW2]

There’s skins all over Etsy

 

[ThatMouse]

If you do buy a special Magic Band, they will work even after the battery dies. Just the remote features like on-ride photopass will stop working. If the attractions stop having a place to touch your band to then you may not get your ride photos.

The non-battery part is just NFC which is like a 12 digit number. If your phone has NFC, you can read it with an NFC app (NFC Tools on Android). You could also program your phone to do things by touching it to the Magic Bands. On Android it's called Trigger - Task Launcher.

 

[Minthorne]

On 2.0 bands you can retain your special band and pop in a new puck if the battery dies.

 

[Jon81uk]

Ban (free) straws, but keep generating plastic junk that turns a profit. What hypocrites. But, hey, TWDC gets praise for following the latest environmental fad while people keep shoveling cash in their direction, so it’s a win-win.

This change actually could reduce the number of MagicBands. Previously if you wanted a special print you purchased that in addition to the complimentary single colour band. Now you can get a discount if you take the special band instead of the free one.

So in theory if people choose the discount instead of the free band, those people will only have one band instead of two, reducing the amount of plastic used.

 

[larryz]

This change actually could reduce the number of MagicBands. Previously if you wanted a special print you purchased that in addition to the complimentary single colour band. Now you can get a discount if you take pay $10 more for the special band instead of the free one.

So in theory if people choose the discount instead of the free band, those people will only have one band instead of two, reducing the amount of plastic used.

FTFY. Your point on reducing MBs remains valid, but I think it's important to note the monetary impact of "taking" the alternative to the standard band. They're still making $$$ on your option to select the character bands.

 

[seascape]

FTFY. Your point on reducing MBs remains valid, but I think it's important to note the monetary impact of "taking" the alternative to the standard band. They're still making $$$ on your option to select the character bands.

I know I will be taking the alternative bands and pay for them. I get 4 to 5 a year and alreasy have tons of them. By offering an alternative Disney we will make more money but it also allows us to wear different bands every day. This is definitely a good move for the company.

 

[Nottamus]

Hey they're cute. lol, I do remember someone on etsy was selling some thing similar, I think she called them "skins" but when I went to find them last year she no longer had them. thinking papa disney gave a "cease and desist" letter.

...and skins all over Amazon now as well as Etsy.

For a few, my wife has asked for the gray one, and she (artistically inclined) painted them. They still look new, so whatever paint she used probably will last longer than the battery

 

[Disstevefan1]

I am not one of those "Disney can do no wrong" kind of Disney fans especially when it comes to the parks, but this is GREAT. I have always opt for the free bands that you get when we renew, but if we renew this year, I will take advantage of this!

Good job WDW!

 

[Jon81uk]

FTFY. Your point on reducing MBs remains valid, but I think it's important to note the monetary impact of "taking" the alternative to the standard band. They're still making $$$ on your option to select the character bands.

But I am still saving money overall if I take the option.
Currently I can have a plain band for free and buy a character or themed band for $25.
With the new option I can get a character band only for $10.
Yes I now only get the one band, but I am still saving $15 if I am planning to buy a character band.

If you would never purchase a themed magicband its great, just take the free one. But if someone was planning on buying a themed band and therefore has no need for the plain colour free band they are saving $15.

Yes Disney are still making money, but the overall gain to them is net. Instead of giving out two bands and getting $25 they are giving out one band and getting $10. So the cost to the company is pretty even really.
For the customer its a big gain as you save $15 and get the MagicBand you actually want.

 

[Wngo905]

I might get one for this fall trip...tired of the blue, green, blue, orange, blue, blue, green ones that I have.

and maybe I have.....
Red, yellow, green, red, blue, blue, blue
Red, purple, green, yellow, orange, red, red......

LVD

 

[NormC]

You can go onto MDE and deactivate magic bands to preserve battery life and then reactivate them when you're heading to the parks. I've done this with my Yoda band I got when Star Wars Weekends were still a thing and it still works

That does not preserve the battery. The band doesn't know if it has been activated or not on your account. That is all done on the server side. Your battery is preserved by being at home and not near a call and respond device at the parks requesting a broadcast of its ID. Battery life is 3 - 5 years but Disney has been quoting 2 because they don't want the complaints from users if at 4 years they don't get their Mine Train photo.

 

[JayKZ]

If you do buy a special Magic Band, they will work even after the battery dies. Just the remote features like on-ride photopass will stop working. If the attractions stop having a place to touch your band to then you may not get your ride photos.

The non-battery part is just NFC which is like a 12 digit number. If your phone has NFC, you can read it with an NFC app (NFC Tools on Android). You could also program your phone to do things by touching it to the Magic Bands. On Android it's called Trigger - Task Launcher.

FWIW, the RFID (NFC) part of the MagicBand contains a page of encrypted data in addition to the tag ID. This prevents, or at least makes it much more difficult to clone or forge the MagicBand. Very important when it's used as a payment token, in addition to park admission, room key, etc.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

This will get us to buy the Specialty bands. Never would have before. Good Option Disney.

Same.

I like this option, even tho' it was probably the result of some suit asking, "Is there any way we can get the peeps to buy a MagicBand instead of giving them one for free?"

And/or...lots of people are spending $10 to decorate their free bands; how do we capture that $10? (which is good business.)

On 2.0 bands you can retain you special band and pop in a new puck if the battery dies.

Good point! Wasn’t 100% sure whether to do it because our next real trip will be our last for about two years. But we can take the freebies in two years and slap the guts into our fancy bands. (Assuming they still do the freebies in two years.)

 

[Demarke]

Remember, it's not two years from the date of purchase either, so it's all an approximation. I have had a couple that have lasted much, much less for the ride photos without the touch points (like 7DMT), one was a limited edition that was released originally about a year earlier (who knows when they were manufactured), but it didn't last much longer. These days, I tend to just wear the newest free one or switch out the puck.

I don't know if it would make any difference, but would having a new, activated band linked to your account in your pocket or back pack help establish a redundancy (where even if it doesn't pick up the older one on your wrist, it could still interact with the newer one in your pocket and link up photos)? If so, that could help out people who might like their older one and don't have a newer puck that would match it as a replacement, or those that have a special edition (like the last Epcot anniversary ones) that do a special effect at the touch points (light up in a unique color pattern and/or sound) but don't have the juice left to interact with the remote sensor ride photo systems.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Remember, it's not two years from the date of purchase either, so it's all an approximation. I have had a couple that have lasted much, much less for the ride photos without the touch points (like 7DMT), one was a limited edition that was released originally about a year earlier (who knows when they were manufactured), but it didn't last much longer. These days, I tend to just wear the newest free one or switch out the puck.

I don't know if it would make any difference, but would having a new, activated band linked to your account in your pocket or back pack help establish a redundancy (where even if it doesn't pick up the older one on your wrist, it could still interact with the newer one in your pocket and link up photos)? If so, that could help out people who might like their older one and don't have a newer puck that would match it as a replacement, or those that have a special edition (like the last Epcot anniversary ones) that do a special effect at the touch points (light up in a unique color pattern and/or sound) but don't have the juice left to interact with the remote sensor ride photo systems.

I'm not sure how correct this is, but a friend of mine has said in the past that you could have multiple active magic bands linked to your account. She is an AP holder though...not sure if that would make a difference.

 

[JaxFLBear]

I'm not sure how correct this is, but a friend of mine has said in the past that you could have multiple active magic bands linked to your account.

I currently have nearly 20 active MBs and don't have any issues.

She is an AP holder though...not sure if that would make a difference.

Does not make a difference.

 

[biggy H]

Ban (free) straws, but keep generating plastic junk that turns a profit. What hypocrites. But, hey, TWDC gets praise for following the latest environmental fad while people keep shoveling cash in their direction, so it’s a win-win.

Then again magicbands are re-usable, whether they do get used again is another matter, not a use once item so no comparison really.

 

[Bob Harlem]

Magic Band skins were a thing for a while, you even had some cast members making and selling them outside of work. Disney came down hard on them (even so much as firing several that did) and C&D several that were outside of Disney. And now they are catching up to something that has been around a while.