How to use old magic bands

[mikewdw]

What is the procedure to use and activate old magic bands for a new trip? Do they just work or do you have to activate them someway. I can't find a place to link it
Thanks
mikewdw

 

[Bullseye1967]

What is the procedure to use and activate old magic bands for a new trip? Do they just work or do you have to activate them someway. I can't find a place to link it
Thanks
mikewdw

If it is registered in your MDE account it will work fine.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

They will just work unless you went into your magic bands and cards section and deactivated them.
If you did you've have to go back into your magic bands and cards section and activate them.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If it is registered in your MDE account it will work fine.

They will just work unless you went into your magic bands and cards section and deactivated them.
If you did you've have to go back into your magic bands and cards section and activate them.

It's worth checking ahead of time. There have been reports of bands being flagged as lost or stolen, presumably as a security measure for inactive bands. It's very easy to reactivate them if that's the case.

 

[nickys]

If you go into the MDE app, click on your profile and then on “magic bands and cards”. You’ll see a list of your magic bands (and key to the world cards). If it says “active” next to it you’re good to go. If not there should be a reactivate option.

 

[TTA94]

This has probably been asked before but just to clarify, are you able to take old unused Magic Bands to any guest relation location? I have several that I never plan on using again.

 

[Tiggger1966]

use your old magic bands as x-mas tree ornaments, that's what we did works great. Did not know we kept them all till we did this.

 

[nickys]

This has probably been asked before but just to clarify, are you able to take old unused Magic Bands to any guest relation location? I have several that I never plan on using again.

I’m not sure I see the point. If you don’t want to keep them, why not just bin them?

 

[TTA94]

I’m not sure I see the point. If you don’t want to keep them, why not just bin them?

True. Wasn’t sure if guest relations would wipe the info off of them and then recycle? I did already deactivate them on MDE.

 

[nickys]

True. Wasn’t sure if guest relations would wipe the info off of them and then recycle? I did already deactivate them on MDE.

There’s nothing on the actual band. It’s like a key to your MDE account. I assume that deactivating them means it no longer accesses your MDE account and therefore it’s secure.

 

[danlb_2000]

If it is registered in your MDE account it will work fine.

Not necessarily. Our bands were still registered but would not open the door to our hotel, had to go to the front desk to get that fixed.

 

[chptrk]

Is there any way to check and see if the battery in old ones is still good, before I go to WDW?

 

[crawale]

What is the procedure to use and activate old magic bands for a new trip? Do they just work or do you have to activate them someway. I can't find a place to link it
Thanks
mikewdw

If the battery is still good they will just work. Disney gives the life of the battery as approx 2 years.

 

[Rob562]

If the battery is still good they will just work. Disney gives the life of the battery as approx 2 years.

MagicBands will work indefinitely for all tap-to-use functions. The battery only powers long-range reading like for auto ride photo linking.

-Rob

 

[DisneyfanMA]

Assuming magic bands are kind of pointless for NON resort guests in the new era of genie plus? Going in Nov family of 5 and staying off property.

 

[NelleBelle]

We're staying off property and plan on using MBs. I find it a PITA to constantly pull my phone out and tap into every turnstile, especially scrolling over to the correct app where ticket media is stored (multiply that by our party of 5). Necessary? No. Convenient? Definitely. Plus I like having all my ride photos captured.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

We're staying off property and plan on using MBs. I find it a PITA to constantly pull my phone out and tap into every turnstile, especially scrolling over to the correct app where ticket media is stored (multiply that by our party of 5). Necessary? No. Convenient? Definitely. Plus I like having all my ride photos captured.

Having not to been to Disney since like 2008, this is all going to be new for me. I assume I can scan in my wife and 3 kids with my own phone at the ride?

 

[Rob562]

Having not to been to Disney since like 2008, this is all going to be new for me. I assume I can scan in my wife and 3 kids with my own phone at the ride?

You can, but I lost track of how many times we got stuck behind people messing with their phones, trying to get it to read, figuring out what part of the phone to touch, scanning, then swiping, then oops their phone locked, ok that was Bobby's ticket, Bobby come scan your finger, no that's not right, maybe it was Cindy, Cindy try your finger.....

If you won't have MagicBands I suggest going old-school and just get the physical cards and write everyone's name on them. Pass them out and recollect them from children each time you need to scan, if needed.

-Rob

 

[Pete C]

I left my MagicBand in the car once and was like, oh wait! I can just use my phone! Ha, never again. The thing worked about 30% of the time. I had to re-scan several times to get into attractions. I even rebooted my phone once because it refused to scan. MagicBands never fail.