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If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, you have probably heard about Magicbands. But what are they? Where do you get them? And do you even need them? Keep reading to find out if Magicbands are worth the money.
What are they?
A Magicband is a plastic band that you wear on your wrist. It is about the size of a watch. It contains a chip that stores all of your Disney World trip data. This little band on your wrist holds your park tickets, dining reservations, park reservations, Memory Maker, and even your onsite room key.
You can even link your credit card (if staying on property) to your band to easily charge purchases while in the parks.
Additionally, you will find some extra magic throughout the parks when you wear your Magicbands, such as a personalized goodbye message on It’s a Small World.
Where do you get them?
In the past, you could get complimentary Magicbands if you were staying at a Walt Disney World hotel. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Now, if you want Magicbands, you will have to buy them.
You can buy a Magicband in any of the gift shops around Disney World. This includes all of the gift shops in the parks, Disney hotels, and in Disney Springs. You can also find them on the shopDisney website.
Magicbands come in a variety of colors. You can also get specialty bands that feature characters, parks, rides, or seasonal events.
The solid colored bands are $20 each. The specialty ones range from $30 and up, depending on the popularity and rarity of the design.
Once you’ve bought your Magicband, you can use the My Disney Experience app on your phone to link it to your tickets and reservations.
Do you need Magicbands?
While Magicbands aren’t absolutely necessary, they do make your time at Disney World so much more convenient. With these bands, you no longer need to continually pull out your wallet for your park tickets or room key. Your entire trip is contained on your arm.
Thanks to improving technology, you can now use your phone (with the My Disney Experience app) the same way you can use Magicbands. So, you can now get the convenience of the bands without actually having them.
So, when determining whether you actually need the bands (and whether they are worth the money), it really comes down to personal preference.
Many people love using their phones instead. You can save yourself some money if you use the phone you already have. Your phone will also prevent you from having to keep up with one more thing while in the parks.
I, however, prefer using a Magicband than my phone. I can save my phone battery for other things if I don’t need it to access park tickets and reservations. Also, I don’t like having to constantly pull out my phone while playing in the parks. I prefer having all of this information on my arm.
Tips for using your Magicbands
As convenient as Magicbands are, they can be frustrating if you don’t know how to use them. So, here are some tips to make sure using your band is all magic and zero irritation.
- When scanning your band, touch the Mickey head on your band to the Mickey head on the scanner.
- Leave your band in contact with the scanner until the scanner turns a solid color.
- If the scanner turns blue instead of green, see a cast member for help.
- The Magicbands are one size fits all. To make them fit smaller children, peel the colored part away from the grey part of the band.
- If you are concerned about your younger children taking off their bands or losing them, have an adult wear them instead.
- The battery life of Magicbands is about two years, so if you visit again during that time, you can use the same bands or get new ones.
- The bands are waterproof, so no need to take them off while swimming.
Conclusion
Magicbands are one of the greatest additions to Disney World trips ever. I love them! They make the entire vacation so much more convenient by keeping all of your trip details right on your wrist. And opening a hotel room door while carrying a sleeping child at the end of the night has never been easier!
For help planning your Disney World trip, see my step-by-step guide, quick tips, and best resources. To book your trip, head to Disney World’s website. And check out ways to make your Disney World trip special.
Happy travels!
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