How does one get Magic Bands for a stay at Swan?

[Incomudro]

Ok, after much personal debate - and a recent discussion with my wife - it looks like a stay at the Swan vs Caribbean Beach is going to be our choice for April 2020.
For all our other Disney stays, I booked on line through Disney at we got our Magic Bands in the mail.
Sinc

 

[jgj123]

You would have to purchase one from Disney and you could use it with your MDE account and linked park tickets just as you would if you were staying offsite..

The Swan and Dolphin don't use Magic Bands as they are not owned and operated by Disney.

 

[Tom P.]

If you are staying at the Swan and Dolphin, you do not get MagicBands included in your package cost. You would have to purchase them separately. You can order a variety of MagicBand's online or purchase them in various locations on Disney property, including at the Swan and Dolphin themselves. Also, if you have MagicBands from previous trips, those will still work as well.

Note that the MagicBand will NOT serve as your room key, nor will you be able to use them for charging privileges in the park, when staying at Swan and Dolphin. They will primarily be for your park tickets and FastPass reservations.

 

[John park hopper]

Correct me if I am wrong I think you can use ones from a previous trip (don't think they can be more than a couple of years old)

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Purchase one or use an old one.

 

[correcaminos]

Correct me if I am wrong I think you can use ones from a previous trip (don't think they can be more than a couple of years old)

You can use the bands indefinitely. Only thing that won't work are the long range things like pictures from rides you do not tap to get.

 

[Incomudro]

Thank you all so much.
I've saved my old bands - the most recent will probably be 3 years old by the time of our trip.
I'm not sure if my wife and son's saved theirs, but I'll purchase them if need be.

 

[Jon81uk]

Thank you all so much.
I've saved my old bands - the most recent will probably be 3 years old by the time of our trip.
I'm not sure if my wife and son's saved theirs, but I'll purchase them if need be.

Unless you are buying Memory Maker, it might not be worth spending the cash on the bands, you can just use the plastic tickets and tap to redeem FastPasses. The only significant advantage with the Magic Band is that you have automatic addition of ride photos to your photopass account and there are some rides that you can only get the photo with a Magic Band.

 

[Incomudro]

Unless you are buying Memory Maker, it might not be worth spending the cash on the bands, you can just use the plastic tickets and tap to redeem FastPasses. The only significant advantage with the Magic Band is that you have automatic addition of ride photos to your photopass account and there are some rides that you can only get the photo with a Magic Band.

Good to know.
For me, the best part of the Magic Bands is the ability to put purchases on them - no fumbling for credit cards.
But I see that this feature isn't enabled if one stays at Swalphin.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

You can buy them in the parks, online at places like ShopDisney and even at the airport (when the Disney store reopens).

But... As a frequent guest at the Swalphin I can suggest that you not bother. Why? For one, they're $24.99 EACH (and not complimentary) since you're not staying at a "Disney Resort" technically. Second, you can't charge things to them and third, they don't work as room keys - also for the same reason. All they're really good for then - is admittance to the parks, Photopass and FP. A pretty big hit to their functionality, if you ask me.

We're still using our MB from a couple of trips ago (and hoping they still work, LOL).

 

[Jon81uk]

Good to know.
For me, the best part of the Magic Bands is the ability to put purchases on them - no fumbling for credit cards.
But I see that this feature isn't enabled if one stays at Swalphin.

Yes, the ability to charge to your room account is unique to staying at a Disney hotel and of course worked even before Magic Bands.

 

[Kevin_W]

We just stayed at the Dolphin recently. Until doing so, I didn't realize how much I liked being able to pay/charge to room with the MagicBand rather than pulling my wallet out all the time! I still found MB's to be worth having just for FP, however.

 

[nickys]

Some people use a lanyard to hold their RFID ticket, which is a lot easier than fumbling around in a pocket I imagine.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

We bought them for our stay at the Swan in Dec 2017. It was only good for park tickets/fast passes...but after fumbling around with cards and lanyard issues from a Disneyland trip, I appreciated at least having this all in our bands. Like @Kevin_W noted, you don't realize how much you might miss using your band as a room key/payment method until you can't.

 

[Janir]

Some people use a lanyard to hold their RFID ticket, which is a lot easier than fumbling around in a pocket I imagine.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B076PQ4DSW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Holds a few cards as well. It is $12 however. But there are cheaper versions.

 

[Incomudro]

Well, this past weekend I booked a stay at Dolphin!
I am so psyched.
More so than my two sons and my wife - though they are all excited too.
Wow, the Dolphin is nice!

 

[Incomudro]

Well, this past weekend I booked a stay at Dolphin!
I am so psyched.
More so than my two sons and my wife - though they are all excited too.
Wow, the Dolphin is nice!

Oh, and I received an email from Dolphin the other day.
Yesterday, I phoned Dolphin to ask if they had a confirmation number, and sure enough - they did.
Entered the number on the My Disney Experience page, and all is well!