Do I need new magic bands, from 2019?

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Do I need new magic bands if they show up on my account from 2018 and I still have them? What could be the problem with old magic bands?

 

[rhenkt]

No. I used mine from 2015. No issues.

 

[eticketplease]

I believe the batteries are only good for 2 years or so they say.
We always buy new ones but have used older ones depending on where we are going.
You can use your Apple Watch, iPhone or android phone to do a lot of the same things if you don't want to buy a new one.

 

[StageTek]

No problem using them to open your room door, charging, or entering the parks.

The long range options like ride videos my not work but you can still use the touch points to see ride photos.

 

[erionm]

Do I need new magic bands if they show up on my account from 2019 and I still have them? What could be the problem with old magic bands?

Once the internal battery dies (2 to 3 years), they will no longer work to automatically link ride photos.

They WILL continue to work for any function where you need to touch the MB to a reader (park entry, room entry, genie+/ll queue entry, etc.).

 

[LRdismom]

just be prepared to buy a new one if it stops working. I had some from 2019 that still worked.

 

[loves to dive]

I have one of the first ones that were given to deluxe guests as "experimental" when they first came out. I still use it every once in a while and have no problems with it. I don't buy ride photos so I can't say if it has worked on those or not but it certainly gets me in my room and into the park.

 

[eticketplease]

I have one of the first ones that were given to deluxe guests as "experimental" when they first came out. I still use it every once in a while and have no problems with it. I don't buy ride photos so I can't say if it has worked on those or not but it certainly gets me in my room and into the park.

If it does work on ride photos they would show up under photos in MDE regardless if you purchased memory maker have it included with your AP or not. If you haven't paid for it they will have a watermark over it wanting you to pay for the image.

 

[gharter]

If you are only using it as a room key, park ticket and charging, then you don't need a new one. If you want to use it for on ride photos, you will need a new one. Detection on rides needs the built in battery and it wears out after about 2 years. None of the other functions use the battery.

 

[over50visits]

I believe the batteries are only good for 2 years or so they say.
We always buy new ones but have used older ones depending on where we are going.
You can use your Apple Watch, iPhone or android phone to do a lot of the same things if you don't want to buy a new one.

The magic band part for gate admission, fast pass, room key, and point of sales continues to work just fine. The unadvertised part of the magic band which is tracking you for data mining purposes and sending you targeted ads does depend on a battery because it broadcasts your information further than the NFC range of the basic functions. So you may be happier with an old magic band that does everything you want it to do but no longer has the tracking abilities.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Once the internal battery dies (2 to 3 years), they will no longer work to automatically link ride photos.

They WILL continue to work for any function where you need to touch the MB to a reader (park entry, room entry, genie+/ll queue entry, etc.).

So how then would you link ride photos? Sorry it's been a while.I cant think!

 

[CarolynFH]

So how then would you link ride photos? Sorry it's been a while.I cant think!

The alternative is to turn on Bluetooth on your phone and allow MDE to connect to Bluetooth. That will link the photos to your account.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

The alternative is to turn on Bluetooth on your phone and allow MDE to connect to Bluetooth. That will link the photos to your account.

Or buy new magic bands?

 

[DavidNYC]

No problem using them to open your room door, charging, or entering the parks.

The long range options like ride videos my not work but you can still use the touch points to see ride photos.

This! A lot of people are confused over the battery issue. Anything that scans directly is not powered by the band and thus not affected by the battery (it actually pulls the power it needs from the station that is scanning it - not from the internal battery). You're on the cusp for the long range stuff. We have some from even before that that still work for those things but no way to truly know once you hit that 2+ year point. But you can always scan the band at the photopass touchpoint as noted.

 

[tjmw2727]

I have an older specialty band that my kids gave me for Christmas several years ago, so I prefer that, and it still works fine. As long as you have at least one newer band for your party you will get the pictures and video so if you find you're not getting those with the bands you have and want them - just purchase a generic band and throw it in your park bag. (Or treat someone to a new band!)

 

[RoseGold]

They don't take ride photos after a couple years. I was really bummed missing the GOTG photo.

 

[BattyMcDoon]

The only reason I caved and got a MagicBand+ was so I would be able to get my ride photos since I pay for them with my AP. Havent been to the parks to use it yet and I'm wondering if I need to have it charged for those or if the charging is really only for the lights/vibrations.

 

[CarolynFH]

The only reason I caved and got a MagicBand+ was so I would be able to get my ride photos since I pay for them with my AP. Havent been to the parks to use it yet and I'm wondering if I need to have it charged for those or if the charging is really only for the lights/vibrations.

Yes, you’ll need to charge it to link ride photos without tap points. The MB needs power for that (but not for tap functions like park admission, Genie+LL, opening resort room door, charging purchases, etc.).

 

[TioAdis78]

We keep ours from 2019 because it was the last trip we got them included in our resort stay and they have our names on them, so sentimental value, I guess?

 

[bluezy]

I have an older specialty band that my kids gave me for Christmas several years ago, so I prefer that, and it still works fine. As long as you have at least one newer band for your party you will get the pictures and video so if you find you're not getting those with the bands you have and want them - just purchase a generic band and throw it in your park bag. (Or treat someone to a new band!)

That works as long as you make sure that Magic Band is on the ride. If the person wearing the band skips a ride (or the person who has it in their bag doesn't remember to hand it off to someone else), those photos won't be captured. You can still use Bluetooth or hit the tap point at the end of the ride (though not all rides have that option anymore). Just something people need to keep in mind when using this method.