Question About Magic Bands

[slo]

I could ask this on the Theme Parks Board, but I prefer sticking with you all

Question….

I have a Magic Band from 2021.
Is there a way for me to know if I can use it in December?
I’m sure technology changes and old MBs may not work with current day technology.

If anyone knows the answer to this, please post. These MB+s are expensive and the one I bought last year blew off my wrist on Rockin Rollercoaster. I’m perfectly fine not buying a new one this year if I can use the 2021 one.

Thanks for any info on this

 

[champagne&disney]

You can use it to open doors, tap into the park, etc but it won't pick up ride photos as the battery is likely dead. So as long as you're not using it for ride photos, you'll have no issues.

 

[slo]

You can use it to open doors, tap into the park, etc but it won't pick up ride photos as the battery is likely dead. So as long as you're not using it for ride photos, you'll have no issues.

Thank you for your post

Can I change the battery?
If yes - do I have to do this at WDW or can I do it at home?

If no - that will be ok. My DD20 will have a new MB+ and she will be with me on the rides.

 

[BrianL]

Thank you for your post

Can I change the battery?
If yes - do I have to do this at WDW or can I do it at home?

If no - that will be ok. My DD20 will have a new MB+ and she will be with me on the rides.

You cannot change the battery. The battery is only used for long-range functions. It will work for all tap-points. The Magic Band+ can be recharged. If your daughter will have one, she will get the photos etc. on her account.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

You can use it to open doors, tap into the park, etc but it won't pick up ride photos as the battery is likely dead. So as long as you're not using it for ride photos, you'll have no issues.

Used ours from 2018 in April 2023 & had no issues (except no ride photos, obviously.)

 

[GreatLakes]

Used ours from 2018 in April 2023 & had no issues (except no ride photos, obviously.)

This is my experience as well. I have an MB+ for the next trip just for the ride photos.

 

[slo]

Thank you for the replies

One last question…..
Do I need to redo anything on the Disney App with the old MB or no?
I think I’ll just reuse my old one and save the $35 and put it towards something else.

 

[BrianL]

Thank you for the replies

One last question…..
Do I need to redo anything on the Disney App with the old MB or no?
I think I’ll just reuse my old one and save the $35 and put it towards something else.

You should be able to see what active media you have associated with your account. If the band is still listed, then it should still work. You can have several bands registered at the same time.

 

[tony67]

I recently used my band from 2015\2016 and it was fine - it just does not work for the new stuff as others said - so ride photos for example (unless they have a tap point like space mountain).

No issues getting into parks - if its linked in your Disney account it should work for you.

They seem to be designed so you cant replace the battery - I'm sure that reduces the cost etc..

Here is my post from a few weeks back that shows taking them apart
https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...magicbands-discontinued.3942558/post-65391779

 

[mmbrad02]

I just recently googled around on this topic as we are going in July and I have a handful of bands from 2017-2019 range and didn't want to spend more $$ if I didn't have to. I was told if they still show up in your MDE account, they should still work, so that was my plan.

As for the ride photos -I'm still on the fence about whether I will purchase Memory Maker this trip. If I purchase it, ideally we would have the ride photos but if we don't purchase it, I don't know that I care so much about the ride photos.

I guess what I'm asking may sound a bit sneaky or something but - back in the day you could reach out to an email address (I don't know it off hand) and provide as many details as you could (shirt colors, time, park, location, etc) and they would find your missing pics if they didn't show up. Could you in theory do that if you were truly wanting a specific ride photo?

 

[fla4fun]

I have an old Orange Bird MB from 2019 that I like to use, and it works fine. I don’t purchase the photo package, so not getting photos is no problem for me. I actually have fewer issues using the old band than using my newer MB+ when it comes to things like getting into the park. My sister and BIL have MB which are even older, and theirs work fine for admission and room keys as well.

 

[tony67]

I just recently googled around on this topic as we are going in July and I have a handful of bands from 2017-2019 range and didn't want to spend more $$ if I didn't have to. I was told if they still show up in your MDE account, they should still work, so that was my plan.

As for the ride photos -I'm still on the fence about whether I will purchase Memory Maker this trip. If I purchase it, ideally we would have the ride photos but if we don't purchase it, I don't know that I care so much about the ride photos.

I guess what I'm asking may sound a bit sneaky or something but - back in the day you could reach out to an email address (I don't know it off hand) and provide as many details as you could (shirt colors, time, park, location, etc) and they would find your missing pics if they didn't show up. Could you in theory do that if you were truly wanting a specific ride photo?

You can can provide a time and a picture of the people on the ride they can find it.

I tried using my phone and it worked about 50% of the time for the photos as part of G+. iPhones may work better than android for this.

I sent in the details and they found some of the photos.

I sent it in again and they found the rest of the photos.

This is all done on the site.

 

[slo]

Thank you
Thank you
and
Thank you!

You all are the best!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Lots of information here.

https://loveofthemagic.com/magic-band-guide-mastering-how-to-use-the-magic-band-at-wdw/

 

[cabanafrau]

I thought Disney was pushing sustainable and environmentally friendly practices? Seems like magic bands with the ability to replace batteries would be a no brainer to reduce excess plastic. Curious they haven't done so more than ten years into their introduction.

 

[tony67]

I thought Disney was pushing sustainable and environmentally friendly practices? Seems like magic bands with the ability to replace batteries would be a no brainer to reduce excess plastic. Curious they haven't done so more than ten years into their introduction.

Well the new ones are rechargeable so that is some "progress".

I think the cost to make the battery replicable and still water proof after you replace the battery makes it much more expensive to manufacture.

BTW: If I were going back to Disney I would probably open one of my bands and replace the battery and see how\if it works. I'd just store it in a baggie or some such - not sure. IF there were still radio shacks I'd probably look for some sort of case to build it into.
I have no plans to go back to Disney again...but who knows - no matter how many times I say that every few years I end up back for one reason or another.

 

[cabanafrau]

Well the new ones are rechargeable so that is some "progress".

I think the cost to make the battery replicable and still water proof after you replace the battery makes it much more expensive to manufacture.

BTW: If I were going back to Disney I would probably open one of my bands and replace the battery and see how\if it works. I'd just store it in a baggie or some such - not sure. IF there were still radio shacks I'd probably look for some sort of case to build it into.
I have no plans to go back to Disney again...but who knows - no matter how many times I say that every few years I end up back for one reason or another.

Rechargeable is actually a better option, IMO. For some reason that didn't occur to me.

We haven't been back to Disney since 2013, when MB were still being tested at a few resorts. The crowding and the incessant feeling of being herded deterred us from returning. We've kept abreast of many of the changes since then and now have written off a return altogether because the changes make our preferred touring impossible, particularly with crowds growing over the past decade without capacity increases. DL was our plan if we wanted a Disney trip again, but it seems that a lot of the practices we now dislike at WDW are beginning to show at DL as well. Today's Disney just doesn't fit our vacation preferences anymore so we've moved onto other destinations.

As far as the magic bands, if Disney truly is committed to being greener environmentally, the bands are an obvious means to do so. It shouldn't go unnoticed that the levers they prefer to pull in this regard are those that result in decreased costs for the company.

 

[dcassetta]

You cannot change the battery. The battery is only used for long-range functions. It will work for all tap-points. The Magic Band+ can be recharged. If your daughter will have one, she will get the photos etc. on her account.

So, you can use them with the photographers as they tap your Magic Bend for photos?

 

[dizneegirl]

Yes... they'll work anywhere you can tap. Photographers included.