Hooray! Today’s the day we’ve been waiting for since we scheduled our Disney trip eight long months ago–our Magic Bands arrived in the mail!
While not quite as exciting as hopping in the car or getting on the plane, Magic Band day does signify that our vacation is coming soon. It’s actually exactly 22 days away.
So, what is a Magic Band and why am I so excited?
Magic bands are your key to the world at Walt Disney World. They hold your ticket information, open your resort room door, grant access to ride photographs, contain your fast pass and dining reservations, and allow you to charge to your room. You even use your Magic Bands to pay for your meals if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan and to link photos taken by PhotoPass photographers.
Anyone staying in a Disney-owned resort receives a magic band for each person in their party (even infants). Guests can log into their My Disney Experience accounts, scroll down to My Account, and click on Magic Bands and cards. Once there, they will be able so see all the Magic Bands and key cards associated with the account, both active and inactive. They will also be able to choose a color and personalize the Magic Band with a name or short message (up to eight characters).
If you aren’t staying at a Disney resort, you can buy Magic Bands, although they aren’t really necessary. The only true perk is using them with Memory Maker to capture the ride photos and videos. When you stay at the parks, you receive plain Magic Bands unless there is a special promotion. However, if there are some great patterns if you want to spend $20-$50.
Colors
It is possible to have more than one active Magic Band per person. I currently have six–all different colors. Eek! They’re clones of each other, so I can choose the one that matches my outfit for the day. Right now, I have green, red, orange, pink, purple, and yellow. No gray or blue for me. Maybe I’ll order one of those the next time. I’m seriously thinking about using an eyeglass screwdriver to take the middle puck out so that I can have two toned bands.
Dennis currently has six active Magic Bands, as well. He does have blue and gray. Two blues, actually, since his newest one is blue. He tends to wear them after he gets home so his do get a little faded. Currently he has blue, red, green, orange, and gray.
You do have the option to decline new Magic Bands and continue using the old ones. I’ve seen a few craft ideas using Magic Bands, so I’m still ordering them.
Unpacking Your Magic Bands
If you have a room only reservation, you’ll find your Magic Bands inside the box along with a little card explaining what they do and how they work. Magic Bands using Radio Frequency Technology that allows them to be detected at both short and long-range points at the Walt Disney World resort. Most of the time, you’ll use your magic band at a short-range touch point when you are entering the park, paying for goods and services, using your fast passes, or opening your door. The longer range is what’s used for ride photos.
If you have a package that includes room and tickets or room, dining, and tickets, you have a few magical extras in your Magic Band box. Under the Magic Bands, you’ll find luggage tags. The holders for the tags are located inside the tube to which the Magic Bands are attached. The Magic Band color matches the luggage tag. If you ordered orange, you’ll get a Pluto luggage tag. If you ordered gray, you’ll get Minnie and Mickey (although I did get Mickey and Minnie with red the last time). Blue is Donald, and pink is Daisy…and so forth. Also in your box, you’ll find a Magical Extras card and coupons for free entrances to mini-golf at Winter Summerland or Fantasia Gardens and ESPN Wide World of Sports vouchers.
Don’t forget your magic bands at home!
Remember to pack your magic bands in an easily accessible spot. If you are flying, you’ll need them for the Magical Express bus ride from the airport to your hotel. We’ll being using Magical Express to go to Pop Century this trip.
If you do online check-in, you can by-pass the front desk and go straight to your room! The Magic Band will unlock your door. Since our flight gets in around midnight, we’re really looking forward to having one less step.
The good news is that if you do forget your Magic Bands, the Disney resorts usually will give you new ones when you check-in.
Have a wonderful trip and enjoy your stay at the most magical place on Earth!
We’re looking to plan a trip when the boys are older. It should be fun to visit Disney. Great tips on the Magic Bands.
Whoa- these seem like essentials for sure. Last time I went to Disney I was with my mother, post surgery— who knew her slow foot would speed up our lines as she had a handicap pass. Sounds like I’ll need magic bands on our next trip!
I’m not much of a Disney gal but this is a cool product for people that are!
Wow, it’s been such a long time since I’ve gone to Disney, I didn’t know about this! Next time I go, I’ll definitely look into these magic bands 🙂
so futuristic !!!! sounds like you had a lot of fun !!! i want a band too !
I haven’t been to Disney since they started using magic bands, but it sounds like a really cool concept. I remember having to keep track of paper fast paces and actual room keys as well as carry a credit card around, so this would definitely simplify everything.
I had no idea that Disney used a system like that! (Clearly, I haven’t been to meet Mickey yet). What a smart way to organize the details so you can just enjoy your time at the park! Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful idea! I have some friends taking a trip to Disney soon, and I’l make sure they know about these. Because it is so easy to misplace tickets and room keys. Which is what makes these so wonderful. Thanks for a great article! I love learning about things that I can pass on to others, like this.
This is such a great idea! So convenient. I can’t believe they didn’t think of this sooner. Tickets are so easy to misplace.
This is super awesome! I will bookmark this page till my kids are Disney ready. Hopefully it will not be obsolete by then though!
omg one of my best friends is a total disney geek haha he would love this! thanks for sharing!
I’ve seen these posted online a lot but I’ve never really looked into what they were so it is neat finally knowing what they are used for.
Woah! That’s some pretty cool technology! All the power of Disney right on your wrist! Should we ever visit, we will definitely be getting these!
I love that they introduced these. It makes a lot of things go so much smoother. Please update once you’ve created two-tone ones haha
Sounds like Magic Bands make the experience even more special.
Haven’t been to Disney World yet, but I’m definitely going to have to keep this in mind. I didn’t even know Magic Bands were a thing until this post. Pretty convenient!
I used something like this on Spring break with one of those all-inclusive packages. I never knew Disney had this too. I will definitely consider this next trip.
I swear we must have been separated at birth! When our Magic Bands arrive theres almost a ceremony and inevitably my wife cries. And in typical Disney fashion they have all the accessories for Magic Bands and anything else you ever need.
That’s awesome! I had no idea, sounds like a really great experience!
This is awesome and perfect timing, we are just planning a trip to Florida with our daughters! Magic bands sound so interesting, and like a fun part of the Disney experience!
Wow technology is out of the world these days!! 😮 What a great thing to have
We used this for the first time two years ago. We didn’t stay in a resort but we used it for the photo aspect. I loved it. It was so convenient and easy to use.
I don’t visit often but this looks awesome.
I almost forgot! How hard is it to update our magic band and fast passes? I think that would be an awesome step by step blog to have!
Great idea!
Disney really does think of of everything, down to every little detail. It is amazing what all they can do with that kind of technology today. They can track you with GPS, locate lost children, heck I have even hear they have chips inside like Siri or Alexa going into some of the new ones 😉 talk about the complete Disney Interactive.
Wish I wasn’t going to Walt Disney World! Hope you have a great time
I live in Orlando, I have season passes every few years- and I still can’t figure out the magic band. I envy your magic band love. Holy cow one for each outfit?! That is some dedication!
Magic bands were a must when we went in January. I hope you have a great trip! Can’t wait to read about it.