MagicBand+ Issues

[mickeyluv'r]

We do wear BitBelts on our MB ever since we had one fly off on an attraction. But if the only way to get the MB+ to work at interactive places is to remove them, that would get old in a minute.

We didn't have to take them off to get the interactions to work, we took them off because that was the safest way to carry them. A CM suggested we could also use a rubber band, but that isn't very attractive.

Beyond that though, ours didn't pair properly. One never paired, the rest paired intermittently. It was weird. The tracking aspect sometimes worked, and the bands would light up to announce we were walking by a sensor, but then the statues music would only work part of the time.

After spending two hours in guest services to no avail, we eventually gave up on the idea of them working.

 

[RoseGold]

We didn't have to take them off to get the interactions to work, we took them off because that was the safest way to carry them.

What on earth. These things sound like a disaster.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

What on earth. These things sound like a disaster.

If I had to choose again, I'd say go with the not-plus bands, especially if you have an Android device.

They did work to open room door and to enter the parks, things the regular bands do. If the battery keeps working, I suppose we can keep recharging them for multiple years (longer than the other bands), but then we'd still have to worry about them falling off.

Maybe WDW will fix the problems, but I'm inclined to say WDW should not be selling them until they are fixed. I have a feeling WDW will just stop selling them.

In a way though, it is helpful to know we were not the only people having problems with them.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

They work for regular tapping and ride photos still. They were probably waving the bands around at the statues. Also, the new bands seem to pop off much easier. My fiance almost lost his a few times because it just popped off his wrist and he didnt feel it.

We do have the AP band thing that we use to keep the bands on so we'll be sure to add it to the + bands too. Good reminder, thanks

 

[Mrs.AMC]

We didn't have to take them off to get the interactions to work, we took them off because that was the safest way to carry them. A CM suggested we could also use a rubber band, but that isn't very attractive.

Beyond that though, ours didn't pair properly. One never paired, the rest paired intermittently. It was weird. The tracking aspect sometimes worked, and the bands would light up to announce we were walking by a sensor, but then the statues music would only work part of the time.

After spending two hours in guest services to no avail, we eventually gave up on the idea of them working.

So did they never pair at all or just not pair well once at the parks?
All of ours paired easily with our phones when we first got them
We'll see on Friday how they do in the park

 

[SkyGuy]

They work for regular tapping and ride photos still. They were probably waving the bands around at the statues. Also, the new bands seem to pop off much easier. My fiance almost lost his a few times because it just popped off his wrist and he didnt feel it.

100% agree! I was happy I always bring some of the magic band protectors. Mine popped off a few times before I grabbed a protector. Plus, I thought it was oddly large. I thought about removing the extra peice to make it kid-sized, but then I’d have lost half the graphics. I left it as-is, but it rattled about my wrist.

We also saw people frantically waving at statues. At least that was humorous.

 

[cluce]

100% agree! I was happy I always bring some of the magic band protectors. Mine popped off a few times before I grabbed a protector. Plus, I thought it was oddly large. I thought about removing the extra peice to make it kid-sized, but then I’d have lost half the graphics. I left it as-is, but it rattled about my wrist.

We also saw people frantically waving at statues. At least that was humorous.

Haha I was definitely one of those people! My fiance said I looked like a crazy person haha. He actually made his into the kid size and it still popped off just as much I dont think he lost a lot of graphics... but I dont quite remember

 

[KVacc]

We do wear BitBelts on our MB ever since we had one fly off on an attraction. But if the only way to get the MB+ to work at interactive places is to remove them, that would get old in a minute.

Thanks for this tip! I never heard of these.

 

[DaviVascaino]

If I had to choose again, I'd say go with the not-plus bands, especially if you have an Android device.

They did work to open room door and to enter the parks, things the regular bands do. If the battery keeps working, I suppose we can keep recharging them for multiple years (longer than the other bands), but then we'd still have to worry about them falling off.

Maybe WDW will fix the problems, but I'm inclined to say WDW should not be selling them until they are fixed. I have a feeling WDW will just stop selling them.

In a way though, it is helpful to know we were not the only people having problems with them.

I have an android phone, all my 4 magicband plus worked fine .

 

[DaviVascaino]

We do wear BitBelts on our MB ever since we had one fly off on an attraction. But if the only way to get the MB+ to work at interactive places is to remove them, that would get old in a minute.

great idea, but that specific model does not work for magicband plus.

Edit: after checking their website, it works for plus

 

[cmarsh31]

I used my new MB+ at the end of August - paired fine, charged fine. Yes, the first day I was one of those people waving my band at the statues, but after a few tries, you get the hang of it and it's actually pretty fun. In just 2 days (with park hopping) we "caught" all the statues for the challenge. They even work in a monsoon under a poncho (I was already soaked anyway, might as well get the rest of the statues).

 

[KVacc]

great idea, but that specific model does not work for magicband plus.

It doesn’t? I was just going to start looking at these.

 

[Fangorn]

So just an update on our stolen MB+. Called Disney this morning (the MDE number listed on the invoice that was still in the package). Only took about 5 minutes to get through to someone and another 5 minutes to get it all worked out. Disney has reissued our bands and they will be waiting for us at the Poly. They also have deactivated the stolen ones and those no longer appear on my MDE account.

Steve

 

[DaviVascaino]

It doesn’t? I was just going to start looking at these.

It actually does. An Amazon reviewer said it does not but apparently fits just fine

 

[MIChessGuy]

May I inquire whether years of wearing the prior-gen MB without issue has any bearing on the MB+? I just got my MB+ linked and paired, but now it sounds like it's going to fall off all the time.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

May I inquire whether years of wearing the prior-gen MB without issue has any bearing on the MB+? I just got my MB+ linked and paired, but now it sounds like it's going to fall off all the time.

I don't know if your band will be a problem. I can only say most of our plus bands had this problem, and it got worse the more we wore them. In the past, we did not have this problem. That's not to say no bands ever came of, but it wasn't so common as to be a significant problem for us.


To say this another way, the plus bands need to come off to be charged, but WDW did not improve the locking mechanism to account for that daily wear and tear. The more we had to take them off, the looser the band became.

My advice is just to be aware.