Magic Band Shipment

[StarshipDisney]

We are going in December for the first time since 2018. I know that the Disney policy on Magic Bands for past trips was to ship them to you 30-days prior to your trip. But that was when they were free.

Is that still the case? My concern is that since you must purchase them now, Disney may ship them to you immediately upon purchase...which is not what I want.

So, if I go into MDE now and select our Magic Band+ for the December trip, will Disney still hold the shipment until 30 days before the trip or will they want to ship immediately. Thanks.

 

[Eric Graham]

I got my magicband+ to finally work. Hooray!

 

[AkiraRaptor]

Ours just arrived. So took about 41 days for me to get mine.

 

[Patcheslee]

Ours just arrived. So took about 41 days for me to get mine.

Ours arrived yesterday as well, ordered release day. Good news is I can break mine in a bit wearing it around the house and see if it comes off without a bit.

 

[Raxel7851]

Apparently they are! However, I’m not sure if the MB’s waiting for us will be the newer MB+, or the older MB2’s. I’m “assuming” they will be the +s. Others have posted about receiving $50 gift cards in addition to their new MB+ when they haven’t arrived in time for their trip. But I’ll let you know after we arrive on the 9th. To be honest, I’d be happy with the older style MB after reading about some of the issues with MB+. Especially the band not staying snapped.

So, an update on our MB+s. We arrived at FW a day early and on Friday morning (9-9), I received a call from the front desk that our MBs arrived overnight and are ready to be picked up. They are the MB+ and they even had our names etched on them. I checked my MDE account and both these MBs, and the ones that were shipped, are linked. So it looks like we’re Good to Go!

 

[StarshipDisney]

Just a follow-up that our Magic Bands arrived today, 22 September 2022. It was 17 days from order to receipt.

Now I must just hope they work when we get there in a few months. Something about a pairing issue with your reservation and they don't work until a cast member fixes them.

 

[AkiraRaptor]

Now I must just hope they work when we get there in a few months. Something about a pairing issue with your reservation and they don't work until a cast member fixes them.

Do they show linked to your account in the Disney App?

 

[DisNerd86]

The battery actually lasts for many years. Since it can only be used in the parks and resorts, it is dormant most of the time. The MB+ does offer some new features, but the actual battery is the same as the free ones sent out in 2015. If you still have an old one linked to your account, it should still work. I always pack the old ones just in case someone in my family loses one.

This has been my experience as well with regard to battery life. We were there in June and my mom used her band from our trip in 2017 without any issues.
I have also never had any problems pairing my band like some others in the thread have noted. But I did appreciate on our last trip that I could use my phone for most things in lieu of my MB because my 5 year old kept taking hers off and leaving it in the room.

 

[StarshipDisney]

Do they show linked to your account in the Disney App?

I see where I bought them. How can you tell if they are linked?

But I did appreciate on our last trip that I could use my phone for most things in lieu of my MB

That I hate. All it means to me is that a good hacker can likely get into your room no problem. I want the Magic Bands to work especially after I had to pay for them.

 

[AkiraRaptor]

I see where I bought them. How can you tell if they are linked?

If you go into the Disney App, select the three lines button at the lower right. Then select "MagicBands and More" from the menu. This should show you all accounts you manage that have magic bands or media that is available. Select the person you wish to manage.

Depending upon how you selected it, selecting the Update line will go strait to managing all types, or selective the "..." will ask you what type (MB+/MB/Admission Card), then take you to the same managing all types and put you in the are you selected.

Now select the MangicBand+, if you are on MangicBand or Admission Card, and you should see all MB+ bands you have that are assigned to that specific person you are on. You'll need to go back and look at other managed people to see their bands.

If your band is here, then its linked to your account and should work barring any technical issues at WDW. But the device is now connected to your account forever more. And this is the same place where you you can Bluetooth pair it to your phone, change the lighting settings, and upgrade the firmware. And I highly recommend you update the firmware before you arrive at Disney.

Also, take note of the band number, should be a 12 digit number just below the picture of the band. That is it's unique ID number. All your media (bands and admission cards) have them.

Now you can go back to the three lines button at the lower right, and scroll to the bottom and select "My Profile". Then select "MagicBands & Cards" from the menu and you should see a list of every MB+/MB/Admission Card you've ever linked to your account again. That unique number should be listed there too. The little pictures may or may not be there, but its the number you're looking for. It should tell you it's active. If it does, you should be good.

Careful you don't accidently deactivate it.

Hope that helps

 

[StarshipDisney]

Hope that helps

Wow. That is quite a procedure. Thanks for writing it out.

All MDE tells me right now is that the bands have been shipped with a tracking number. Obviously, the computer has not yet recognized that the bands have been received. Hopefully that will change soon, or should I best call Disney about it?

And I highly recommend you update the firmware before you arrive at Disney.

So, I need to update the Magic Band? Please don't tell me that.

 

[AkiraRaptor]

Wow. That is quite a procedure. Thanks for writing it out.

All MDE tells me right now is that the bands have been shipped with a tracking number. Obviously, the computer has not yet recognized that the bands have been received. Hopefully that will change soon, or should I best call Disney about it?

It's pretty easy to do, just a little wordy in the instructions so everything was as clear as possible. I think mine showed up in the app a few day's into the shipping, so I could see them in the app before they arrived.

So, I need to update the Magic Band? Please don't tell me that.

Yes, you will, but it's part of the setup process and took me like 5 minuets or less to do. The app steps you through it. You'll basically pair the MB+ with your phone (it's a Bluetooth device), and then there will be an update button that will do the update. And remember, the MB+ works like two devices in one. The original MB features like the old bands and admission media tickets that let you tap into the parks, rides, purchases, and your room. And the new MB+ features. All this extras stuff is for the MB+ stuff. The MB stuff works like the old devices did and doesn't need the setup (or even the usb charging). All your old features will work like before, even if the MB+ charge runs out in the middle of your day.

Its only the MB+ features that need the pairing, charging, lights, vibration, etc.

So its just like before, but now it has added interactive features (lights and vibration) that work with stuff at the parks like the statues, fireworks, Star Wars game, etc. Everything else that you had before will still be there, and you don't need to do anything new to make that part of it to work. Just the simple setup to get the new MB+ features set up.

Good luck, and have fun. BTW, which ones did you choose? We got the Orange Bird and the Mickey Mouse bands.

 

[StarshipDisney]

It's pretty easy to do,

Yes, you will,

Not quoting your full post but thank you very much for this feedback. Hopefully all will work out.

The MB+ selection on MDE was not very many. I am guessing this is because some were sold out. I just got the basic black MB+ with a Mickey face and my wife got the 50th Anniversary Cinderella Castle MB+.

As of this morning, all MDE still says is the bands have been shipped. I cannot seem to get to the page that showed our old bands from 2016 and 2018. I'll give it a week and then try calling Disney to see if they can change the bands from "shipped" status.