So annoyed by Magic Band +

[foolish-mortal]

I'm going back to the parks after a couple years. It seems you can only get MB+ now? They're so expensive. I also have friends who are coming for the very first time and only staying a couple days. They likely won't be back - at least not for several years. If they don't purchase MB+ will they have to pull out their tickets or phone for everything?

 

[Wxcaps]

I’m going there in less than 2 weeks and I don’t plan on getting a magic band. I plan on just using my Apple Watch. I realize I can’t open my hotel door or get ride photos, but I don’t really care. I refuse to pay those prices for it.

 

[jeneric997]

If you are staying at a hotel, you can get a Key to the world card. I won't buy a MB+ either. We are limping along on old MBs.

 

[SL6827]

The KTTW cards are so cute too!

 

[DVCjj]

I noticed on MDE today that they are still asking if you want to buy a Magic Band. I'm positive a lot of them if not most are REGULAR Magic Bands. Not free now of course, but the price wasn't bad. $5 or $10 I think. I looked through them all even though I wasn't interested as I have a zillion bands and have had to deactivate all of them but 2 of them. I didn't try to buy any but I definitely had the feeling you still could....at least on the site though not in the stores. I have no desire whatsoever to buy the newfangled ones where the battery runs out constantly and always hear everyone complaining. What a dumb decision on Disney's part.

I have an iWatch always on but don't know how to set up with my Park reservation etc. etc. I think it would be too small for me though. Love the Watch and have had several but never had time or inclination or brain to be honest, to figure everything out.

I HAVE opened the resort door several times with my iPhone when the Magic Band wouldn't (annoyingly often). I see many people using their iPhones to get into the park and make all purchases. I only use mine to prove I'm AP/DVC.

 

[Chuckers]

I noticed on MDE today that they are still asking if you want to buy a Magic Band. I'm positive a lot of them if not most are REGULAR Magic Bands. Not free now of course, but the price wasn't bad. $5 or $10 I think. I looked through them all even though I wasn't interested as I have a zillion bands and have had to deactivate all of them but 2 of them. I didn't try to buy any but I definitely had the feeling you still could....at least on the site though not in the stores. I have no desire whatsoever to buy the newfangled ones where the battery runs out constantly and always hear everyone complaining. What a dumb decision on Disney's part.

I have an iWatch always on but don't know how to set up with my Park reservation etc. etc. I think it would be too small for me though. Love the Watch and have had several but never had time or inclination or brain to be honest, to figure everything out.

I HAVE opened the resort door several times with my iPhone when the Magic Band wouldn't (annoyingly often). I see many people using their iPhones to get into the park and make all purchases. I only use mine to prove I'm AP/DVC.

I just bought my magic band + through MDE. There were no old magic bands available, only +.

 

[Chuckers]

If you've got a package with Disney, you can buy a Magic+ band at a discount if you get it while it can still be shipped to your house. (I *think* that's 11 days out from your arrival date). Mine was $10 off.

 

[champagne&disney]

I noticed on MDE today that they are still asking if you want to buy a Magic Band. I'm positive a lot of them if not most are REGULAR Magic Bands. Not free now of course, but the price wasn't bad. $5 or $10 I think. I looked through them all even though I wasn't interested as I have a zillion bands and have had to deactivate all of them but 2 of them. I didn't try to buy any but I definitely had the feeling you still could....at least on the site though not in the stores. I have no desire whatsoever to buy the newfangled ones where the battery runs out constantly and always hear everyone complaining. What a dumb decision on Disney's part.

I have an iWatch always on but don't know how to set up with my Park reservation etc. etc. I think it would be too small for me though. Love the Watch and have had several but never had time or inclination or brain to be honest, to figure everything out.

I HAVE opened the resort door several times with my iPhone when the Magic Band wouldn't (annoyingly often). I see many people using their iPhones to get into the park and make all purchases. I only use mine to prove I'm AP/DVC.

The Apple Watch can only hold your ticket in your wallet like it does with credit cards so you tap that like you would a MB against the tap points. You can’t do anything else. There is no managing reservations or Genie+ with your Apple Watch.

You add your ticket/pass via the MagicMobile tile on My Disney Experience and creating a card to load into your Apple Wallet on both your iPhone and your Apple Watch takes less than 60 seconds.

 

[Princess Merida]

I agree with OP. I have bands, but my parents can't seem to find theirs and we are bringing my cousin for her first stay so she needs a band. There are currently only themed bands for $25 and Magicband+ available for $35. Ridiculous. $5-$10 is still a money grab, but reasonable at least. My youngest and I go more than the rest of our family and we had bought Magicband+ bands and find them to be a complete waste of money.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I'm going back to the parks after a couple years. It seems you can only get MB+ now? They're so expensive. I also have friends who are coming for the very first time and only staying a couple days. They likely won't be back - at least not for several years. If they don't purchase MB+ will they have to pull out their tickets or phone for everything?

We bought regular magic bands for our trip in 3 weeks. They weren't super expensive and don't need to be charged like the Magic Band+

 

[Neener16]

I'm going back to the parks after a couple years. It seems you can only get MB+ now? They're so expensive. I also have friends who are coming for the very first time and only staying a couple days. They likely won't be back - at least not for several years. If they don't purchase MB+ will they have to pull out their tickets or phone for everything?

I bought a regular band a few weeks ago. I went through the web version not the app.

 

[pixiedust2u]

Weird, I can’t seem to find magic band 2 online through Disney. I was looking recently, and just looked again. I use my old one without an issue, but was looking to get new ones for my kids.
I hate the MagicBand+, the fit is awkward on my small wrists and I don’t want something I have to charge. I also don’t like how there is not a puck holder option for kids. Looks like we will continue to use our old ones!

 

[jeneric997]

We have a reservation coming up and an AP, so I went on the website to pick a MB and they were all MB+, then I scrolled down to see MBs and it sent me to shop Disney and they were also all MB+.

 

[1lilspark]

There are options without MBs

Also with MB 2.0/MB+ 2.0 and uncharged + will still work for short range (room entry, park entry, photos where you need to tap, payment, lighting lanes)

Charged + gives you long range ride photos and interactive elements

 

[Tigger's ally]

I’m going there in less than 2 weeks and I don’t plan on getting a magic band. I plan on just using my Apple Watch. I realize I can’t open my hotel door or get ride photos, but I don’t really care. I refuse to pay those prices for it.

You can open your door with the MDE phone app.

 

[DVCjj]

Weird, I can’t seem to find magic band 2 online through Disney. I was looking recently, and just looked again. I use my old one without an issue, but was looking to get new ones for my kids.
I hate the MagicBand+, the fit is awkward on my small wrists and I don’t want something I have to charge. I also don’t like how there is not a puck holder option for kids. Looks like we will continue to use our old ones!

Like Foolish-Mortal, I only saw the cheaper regular bands on website (laptop) not on the phone APP.
I have a very bad feeling they will soon be eliminated and though I do have several old ones, I’m sure the older they get, batteries might be a problem so maybe I will grab one for DH and I just to have as spares.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have an upcoming reservation and just looked on the website. The only options showing for me to purchase at a discount with our reservation are MB+.

 

[OKW Lover]

I have bands, but my parents can't seem to find theirs and we are bringing my cousin for her first stay so she needs a band.

Why would your cousin need a band?

 

[Princess Merida]

Why would your cousin need a band?

I suppose she doesn't need one, but she is 13 and wants one since all of the other kids have one. It is much easier vs carrying a phone everywhere to open the room door and scan into parks. My kids don't take their phones to the pool so the bands come in handy. I see no reason why Disney can't stock regular magic bands to be ordered for a cost on MDE. There aren't any right now except for the pre-order MK land bands for $25.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Buying MB+s for my 7 person family would be pricey so I bought a MB+ just for me (since I’m the Disney planner) for the ride picture synching and so we could check out the interactive elements but the rest of my party just uses one of their many old regular MBs for tapping into the park and LLs and such. They still work. And it’s nice not to have to worry about charging them