What Are MagicBands & Are They Worth It?

You’ve heard about ‘em! You’ve seen ‘em! Now let’s talk about everything else you might want or need to know about MagicBands!

Initially introduced in 2013, MagicBands are plastic bracelets that guests can wear and use around the Walt Disney World Resort. They serve as a park ticket, hotel room key, DIsney Genie+, DAS Pass, PhotoPass and form of payment. In other words, it’s a way for guests to consolidate pretty much everything they might need while on their Walt Disney World vacation down into one wearable device.

The MagicBand itself consists of 2 parts; an icon and a band. Both parts are waterproof [perfect for pool and waterpark fun] and can be separated by removing 2 small screws on the inside of the band. [This can be done using an eyeglass repair kit.] The icon, or puck, is the part of the MagicBand where all the magic happens. This round piece, with a Mickey icon on it, uses RFID technology to do all of the things I mentioned above. The band is made of plastic and houses the icon so that it can be easily worn. Though these bands are sold as one size, they have an outer section that can be removed making it smaller so that kids [and adults with tiny wrists. . . . like myself] can have a good fit.

In the past, guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels would be given complementary MagicBands [one band for each person in your party, per reservation], but this changed in early 2021. Now, guests wanting MagicBands for their upcoming Walt Disney World vacation have the ability to purchase them for a discounted price. Like was the case with the complementary MagicBands, guests can place their order through the MyDisneyExperience App and have their MagicBands engraved with their name. . . . . more on that here in a bit.

Pricing for MagicBands, when ordered prior to your arrival, starts at $5.00 each. This is compared to the $14.99 you’ll pay at the parks or on shopDisney. This includes the solid color MagicBands that would have been complementary prior to the change. Other MagicBands, such as the Sparkly Silver or pre-arrival exclusives like the Disney Parks Food MagicBand, come in at between $10.00 and $20.00 each. This is similar to the way it was prior to the change, where guests would pay an upcharge for MagicBands with more pizzazz.

Credit: Disney

While I can’t argue that something is most certainly more than nothing here, I think it’s worth mentioning that the pre-order pricing for MagicBands is what I’d consider to be fair and reasonable. . . . even when keeping my penny pinching haunts in mind. Though I recognize that it can add up, $5.00 per family member for the convenience of a MagicBand is well worth the money you’re spending.

MagicBands have a grey outer band that can be removed to make the band smaller for those with tiny wrists. Once removed, the grey outer band can not be replaced.

What makes MagicBands worth the money, especially if you’re taking advantage of that $5.00 pre-order price, is how convenient and useful they are. I know I’ve mentioned it a few times today already, but they are an all in one wearable device that you’ll find yourself using a lot throughout the course of your Walt Disney World vacation. Right off the bat, you’ll be using your MagicBand to gain access to all sorts of place. This includes your hotel room, theme parks, water parks and even your resort’s feature pool. You’ll also be using your MagicBands to link ride and PhotoPass photos with your MyDisneyExperience account, use FastPass+ [again, currently unavailable] and/or use DAS Pass.

MagicBands can also be used as a form of payment around the Walt Disney World Resort. In order to do this, guests need to have a major credit card linked to their MagicBand. [This can be done when checking in, whether online or in person at the front desk of your Walt Disney World Resort hotel.] Guests opting to use their MagicBand as a form of payment have a few options to consider. They can choose which bands to link a credit card to, whether and whether or not they’d like to have a spending limit set. Guests will also have to set a pin which helps ensure only authorized purchases are made. Again, all of this can be done when checking in to your Walt Disney World Resort hotel and Cast Members will be more than happy to assist and/or ask any specific questions you may have about this process.

Once everything is set up, making payments using your MagicBand is simple and easy. Simply touch your MagicBand to the reader and enter your pin to make payment. It’s as simple as that!

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Aside from being useful and convenient, MagicBands are also a great way to remember the fun you had on your Walt Disney World vacation. Like I mentioned above, not only do they come in a variety of colors and styles, but they are also engraved when pre-ordered! This engraving is on the back side of the icon, or puck, and usually includes the name of the person that the band belongs to. However, it can be customized to say whatever you’d like in the allotted number of characters.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of souvenirs like this. Not only are they useful while you’re on vacation, but they don’t take up a whole lot of space once you return home. MagicBands not only check both of these boxes, but they can be displayed in a lot of fun ways [such as in shadow boxes or wreaths] or even used for future vacations.

Now that we’ve talked a bit about MagicBands and what they can do, it’s time to answer the $5.00 question. . . . . . are they worth buying? For me, the simple answer to this question is an enthusiastic YES! Convenience is key, especially when visiting a place like Walt Disney World, and MagicBands are just too convenient to pass up. Personally, I like that I can leave the room with nothing more than my MagicBand and still have everything I need, rather than having to reply on multiple devices and cards. I also like that they’re waterproof and comfortable, so you really don’t have to take them off. This is great for parents who have kids to wrangle, forgetful mortals and solo travelers alike!

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Of course, we’d love to know what you think of MagicBands and how you feel about the change [Disney no longer offering complementary MagicBands, but rather a discounted price]!