Do I need a magic band to get a boarding pass?

[varnabas]

Do you need a magic band or hard ticket to get a good shot at a boarding pass?

I was just gonna buy a ticket on my phone and head over there one day.. would think lower my chance to get a boarding pass or delay my entry to the park?
Also how do I get into the same boarding group as a friend? Do we have to be a group on my app?

 

[Tuvalu]

You need a physical ticket or MagicBand to enter a park. If you purchase a ticket online you will need to visit a Guest Relations location to get a physical ticket for park entry. You should do this prior to arriving at DHS. You’ll need to be tapped into the park prior to the release of Boarding Groups (currently 8 am). So will anyone you visit with. Guaranteed Boarding Groups are gone within the first minute of release.

To be able to secure the same BG as your friend, you must be linked together in your My Disney Experience accounts.

 

[varnabas]

Thanks for the info! Does needing a physical ticket go for when you buy a ticket with the myDisney app as well? They show a barcode and I was hoping they could just scan that but I guess that barcode is for guest relations?

Do you think I need to go mgm itself to exchange the ticket I bought on app for a physical ticket? Or could I uber it to a disney resort and have their front desk do it? I'm at universal and hate to waste hours and Uber's all the way to the park just to get a stupid ticket the day prior. Animal Kindom lodge is a little closer.

 

[nickys]

The bar code is for Guest Services to scan.

You can go to any park entrance (including Epcot IG) or Disney Springs to get your RFID ticket. Resorts can’t issue them (albeit occasionally the CL concierge will sometimes be able to, but that would be for CL guests).