Do we need or want Magic Bands?

[ceecee101]

We haven’t been to WDW in 13 years but are booked now for November. Split stay between Swan and Contemporary. In the past when we went all the time we used AP cards. We totally missed the whole Magic Band era. So I ordered our park tickets as regular plastic tickets (like having something tangible) with Genie+ and Memory. The cards arrived months ago. Since then I have been reading about MBs and MB+. I realize the first part of our trip at Swan the MB at the hotel isn’t possible.
anyway question is should we bother? We can still use our plastic cards like years ago, right? Are there some advantages I am missing? We’re at Swan 5 days and Contemporary 2 night, 7 Park days. Thoughts? Thanks

 

[Raxel7851]

We haven’t been to WDW in 13 years but are booked now for November. Split stay between Swan and Contemporary. In the past when we went all the time we used AP cards. We totally missed the whole Magic Band era. So I ordered our park tickets as regular plastic tickets (like having something tangible) with Genie+ and Memory. The cards arrived months ago. Since then I have been reading about MBs and MB+. I realize the first part of our trip at Swan the MB at the hotel isn’t possible.
anyway question is should we bother? We can still use our plastic cards like years ago, right? Are there some advantages I am missing? We’re at Swan 5 days and Contemporary 2 night, 7 Park days. Thoughts? Thanks

Personally, I think you’re good to go with just your plastic ticket. The park interactions with the new MB+ is what you may be missing if that’s important to you. If you’re contemplating going again sooner than 13 years, then maybe the MB+ would be a better option.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

We find the best feature of the magicband is not having to dig out our wallet a dozen times a day. Your room key, credit card, photopass card, park tickets, etc are always on your wrist.

It’s definitely not necessary but we find it useful for its convenience.

 

[Vacationeer]

We haven’t been to WDW in 13 years but are booked now for November. Split stay between Swan and Contemporary. In the past when we went all the time we used AP cards. We totally missed the whole Magic Band era. So I ordered our park tickets as regular plastic tickets (like having something tangible) with Genie+ and Memory. The cards arrived months ago. Since then I have been reading about MBs and MB+. I realize the first part of our trip at Swan the MB at the hotel isn’t possible.
anyway question is should we bother? We can still use our plastic cards like years ago, right? Are there some advantages I am missing? We’re at Swan 5 days and Contemporary 2 night, 7 Park days. Thoughts? Thanks

With your Contemporary stay you’re entitled to discount MBs. You can get the plain colored MB2 for $10 each. If you chose to purchase, the MB would work at the parks for your entire trip, even though you’re staying Swan at first. Charging privileges and room access would be limited to your time at Contemporary. Think of a MB as a key that opens your MDE account (My Disney Experience). It really is convenient… and fun To enter the park or Genie Lightening Lane, all you’ll need to do wave your arm. Photopass photographer, again just hold out your arm. For your trip package I think the $10 upgrade cost is well worth it. The more expensive new MagicBand+ is a little harder to justify at this point.

 

[ceecee101]

Ok. I have an Apple Watch so that holds my credit card. We can’t use the MB for a room key for 5 nights at the Swan. The photo pass is on the park ticket. So I think we’ll skip This trip and see how it goes. We were used to all this before, plus cameras in those days as well as paper FPS. Thanks for the input

 

[ceecee101]

With your Contemporary stay you’re entitled to discount MBs. You can get the plain colored MB2 for $10 each. If you chose to purchase, the MB would work at the parks for your entire trip, even though you’re staying Swan at first. Charging privileges and room access would be limited to your time at Contemporary. Think of a MB as a key that opens your MDE account (My Disney Experience). It really is convenient… and fun To enter the park or Genie Lightening Lane, all you’ll need to do wave your arm. Photopass photographer, again just hold out your arm. For your trip package I think the $10 upgrade cost is well worth it. The more expensive new MagicBand+ is a little harder to justify at this point.

$10 total For a watch? That might work. Can I buy online? How do I link the Park tickets that have everything on them (tix, G+,MM) to the watch? If there is a YouTube on this I can watch that.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Are there some advantages I am missing?

I like MagicBands because they're always out and handy. I can drop my wallet in the bottom of a backpack and never need to fish it out of my pocket. I like them especially during pool/water time. When I go to the resort pool, I don't bring my phone or my wallet at all. Everything stays in the room.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The photo pass is on the park ticket.

No. Nothing is "on" the park ticket. The park ticket is nothing.

Everything is on your My Disney Experience profile. Any object (band, ticket, or phone) that links to your My Disney Experience profile has access to your park admission, PhotoPass, and any other entitlements you might have.

If you're going to want on-ride photos, you MUST wear a band or enable MagicMobile on your phone. Photo linking on most attractions requires a device with a battery, meaning a MagicBand or your phone. PhotoPass is the one thing your card CAN'T do.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

$10 total For a watch? That might work. Can I buy online? How do I link the Park tickets that have everything on them (tix, G+,MM) to the watch? If there is a YouTube on this I can watch that.

It's not a watch, it's a a bracelet. It doesn't get linked to anything besides your MyDisneyExperience profile. It'll then be able to access all of your stuff. If you order through MyDisneyExperience, it will be linked automatically.

 

[Vacationeer]

$10 total For a watch? That might work. Can I buy online? How do I link the Park tickets that have everything on them (tix, G+,MM) to the watch? If there is a YouTube on this I can watch that.

Have you been on the WDW site to see your hotel reservations? Do you already have an account set up?

Look for ‘My Plans’, after clicking ‘My Disney Experience’, shown below. Your tix, G+ and MM might already be in there if you purchased direct thru WDW. If not it’s pretty easy to link them (I can walk you through if needed).

Below you’ll see ‘My MagicBands’ from the dropdown window under ‘My Plans’. Try clicking that and if your hotel stay is linked in your account, it will show the discount options to order.

 

[fradz]

Ok. I have an Apple Watch so that holds my credit card.

Then you already have a magic band . We used our apple watches too and never felt like we needed anything else

 

[ceecee101]

Oh OK so I can put stuff on my Apple Watch? That works great, EXCEPT DH does not have one. Do I just get him a cheap MB? Or can I do him and me for entry/G+/LL etc. all from my Apple Watch? Sorry to sound so clueless but we haven’t been in 13 years…

 

[fradz]

Oh OK so I can put stuff on my Apple Watch? That works great, EXCEPT DH does not have one. Do I just get him a cheap MB? Or can I do him and me for entry/G+/LL etc. all from my Apple Watch? Sorry to sound so clueless but we haven’t been in 13 years…

You can put your ticket and therefore key to room, entrance ticket, Genie+ and photos all in there. You can use your apple wallet for payments. Your husband can use the plastic ticket for everything except payments (i think the plastic tickets can't do payments? Not sure)

 

[Tuvalu]

Then you already have a magic band . We used our apple watches too and never felt like we needed anything else

Does your Apple Watch work to unlock your room door? It hasn’t worked for my family on our visits in May, June or July of this year.

 

[fradz]

Does your Apple Watch work to unlock your room door? It hasn’t worked for my family on our visits in May, June or July of this year.

I think it did yeah, if you link your ticket to your iPhone. I don't recall because tbh i was just also carrying the plastic ticket

 

[DisneyfanMA]

I asked a similar question here. I was planning on using my phone to board us all onto rides. Folks here convinced me it was a huge PITA to scan each person in our party in....and the idea of carrying around cards and digging them out each and every time seemed stressful. I decided to drop another $100 for MB2 ($20 ea vs $35 for +). The convenience of just scanning your wrist to get in, at each ride etc outweighed saving a tiny bit of money. The bands arrive in a day or two and I plan to put them into a surprise box with other goodies when we do our reveal to the kids.

 

[ceecee101]

For me in particular don’t see as a plus since I have an Apple Watch with the cards loaded on it already and only 2 people. So we’ll try just using Apple Watch and see how it goes. Will have phone and physical cards as needed backups.