Anyone Tried to us Magic Band after 1.5 years?

Yes, I have problems with some of my older bands with ride photos. It will still get you into the park but that's about it. It's a bummer too because it's my 45th anniv HM Dooney one. Switching out the puck makes it lose it cool effects at the tapstiles. So I just carry a newer one in my bag.
 
This same thing happened to me on our last trip. I was so thankful that the cast member thoroughly explained the issue to me! I had nearly 20 active bands on my account and he told me I could keep amassing them if I’d like, but to have no more than 9 active bands at one time if I wanted to have all of my magicbands working properly. Basically, every time you tap, the system only recognizes “the top” 9 active bands and the one you’re using must be one of those 9. But! The next time you tap, the system has shuffled your active bands and a new 9 are on top. This is why re-tapping generally solves the problem with a glitchy band.... it’s just got to be shuffled into the top 9 and then it works!

You can, of course, deactivate and reactivate your magicbands easily through MDE... you never have to kill one off permanently. 😉 So, although there is no limit on how many you can own, you should keep an eye on how many you have active.
I have 19 bands and only activate the ones I'm taking on my trip, so for my upcoming trip I only have the 5 that I'm bringing with me (I would take 6, one for each day of the trip, but I'm planning on buying one while I'm there). I had issues on a trip in August 2018 because of how many bands I have, I only had 12 or so at that point, and ever since then I make sure I only have the ones with me activated and it solved all the issues.
 


Is there a way to test this before having to have it fail on a ride photo? We have been using first gen limited edition ones for a while now and come to think of it. One time I do believe we didn't get a photo, but all the other times we did so I would suspect some are working and some not? We have the awesome mickey and donald lightsaber ones and we really don't want to give them up! I did get a new Valentine's day one so I could just take one for the team and give up mine and let everyone keep the old ones.
 


Hi. I've seen several threads on the long-range RFID magic band battery life. However, I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use an old magic band 1-2 years later? Did it capture your ride photos? I'd like to know how many have used it & how many still worked. I'm going to Disney this summer with bands that will be 1.5 years old but wondering if buying a new one is a must for the ride photos? TIA
Have used 3 year old bands. Also, the radio that handles ride photos is a passive chip, it doesn't use the battery. Same with the chip that turns Mickey green.
 
Had mine since July 2015. Works just fine (knock wood!) no probs with photos, room key, park tickets or charging (too bad charges don’t get lost in Disney computer ether...)
 
They actually do not need batteries at all for admission. The battery is only for long range things like ride photos automatically appearing on your account.
That's why I didn't get a Haunted Mansion photo!!
 
Hi. I've seen several threads on the long-range RFID magic band battery life. However, I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use an old magic band 1-2 years later? Did it capture your ride photos? I'd like to know how many have used it & how many still worked. I'm going to Disney this summer with bands that will be 1.5 years old but wondering if buying a new one is a must for the ride photos? TIA

I have some that are four plus years old and they work fine.
 
We were at Disney last week and I brought magic bands from Spring of 2016 and October of 2018. I tried to unlock my room with both of them and they both worked. I did not try them for anything else.
 
Mine is from 2014, same one, still going! I stay off site, so I'm not getting free ones :) It's lost some of it's function, like having your name pop up at the end of It's a small world, etc., but, as others said, otherwise works fine.
 
Yep. "Don't Crush that Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers". c. 1970

Aw! High School!

Steve
 

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