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A Beginner’s Guide to Disney’s MagicBands

Post last updated June 17, 2022

MagicBands are the best Disney mail! When your MagicBands show up in your mailbox, you know your Disney trip is right around the corner.

They make so many aspects of your Walt Disney World vacation easier, plus they are a fun souvenir to keep. Side note…there are lots of MagicBand crafts on Pinterest if you’re the crafty type.

If you have questions about MagicBands, how they can enhance your trip, and what exactly to do with them…then you are in the right place!

Today I am going to share some tip and tricks with you for using your MagicBands and all their capabilities in the Disney Parks.

Contents

Disney Magicbands - Beginners Guide Tips Tricks Where to Get Them and Use Them

What is a MagicBand?

Magicbands are waterproof, adjustable wristbands. They have an RFID chip in them, and this allow you to use them for so many things!

Tips and Tricks Disney MagicBands - A Complete Guide

What can a MagicBand do?

A MagicBand allows you entry to the Disney Parks. You “tap into” a park by tapping your MagicBand and verifying with your fingerprint, that you have a park ticket. Once that Mickey head turns green, you are in!

A MagicBand unlocks your Disney Resort room door.

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Your MagicBand is what allows you to charge purchases in the theme parks and restaurants back to your Walt Disney World Resort. Just scan your band, enter your PIN code, and you’ve just bought yourself a new pair of Minnie Ears!

If you have a Disney Dining Plan, your MagicBand redeems your dining credits. When you scan your band, and enter your PIN code, this deducts your meal credits from your dining plan.

MagicBands gain you Magical Express access. No need to fuss around with showing the Cast Member at MCO your resort reservation, or anything else! Just scan your band, they verify you, and whisk you away to your Disney resort.

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Is Disney Worlds PhotoPass Memory Maker worth it plus top tips to get the most out of it

MagicBands add your Photopass photos to your My Disney Experience account. After you have your photo taken by a CastMember in the parks, they scan your band. This allows your photos to show up on your My Disney Experience.

So after seeing all these awesome capabilities of using a MagicBand…are you wondering how to get one?

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How Do I Order a MagicBand?

The easiest way is to book an onsite Walt Disney World Resort Reservation. After you have done so, you can link your resort reservation in your My Disney Experience.

From there, customize and order your MagicBands. Guests can choose from complimentary colors, or you can choose specialty MagicBands for an upcharge.

Your MagicBands will be shipped to you at home, about 3-weeks or so from your arrival date. Guests will see a shipping notification in their email associated with their My Disney Experience account, notifying them that they are on the way!

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MagicBands for Offsite (Non Disney Resort) Guests

Do you prefer a fancier, or perhaps a specialty band? Or, if you are an offsite guest, maybe you want one anyway! Sure!

These guests can purchase a MagicBand from the Disney World resort and parks shops, shopDisney.com, or your local Disney Store.

Should you choose to go this route, be sure to stop at Guest Services before entering the park so your tickets and other features are properly linked to these MagicBands.

How to Use a Disney MagicBand

How Safe are MagicBands? What If I Lose It?

Not only are MagicBands very functional, they are very safe as well. When you arrive at your Walt Disney World Resort, or if you perform online check in, you need to set a PIN number.

This keeps your band safe from someone charging back to your account or redeeming your dining credits if your MagicBand is lost. If you do lose your band, just visit Guest Services. They will give you another one, and make sure all your information is linked!

Where Can I Use a Disney Magic Band

How to Link MagicBands to Dining Credits and More

Your MagicBands “magically” link to My Disney Experience. This is the beauty of the My MagicPlus System that Walt Disney World rolled out several years ago.

This is how you are able to redeem dining credits, and essentially travel to the parks without a park bag! MagicBands “talk” to your My Disney Experience account, with the goal of creating a seamless park experience for guests.

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What Else Can You Do with MagicBands?

Many guests like to decorate their MagicBands. There are many, many Etsy shops that print MagicBand decals. You can also decorate them with stickers, nail polish, and many other things. Pinterest has tons of ideas!

MagicBands also have about a 2-year shelf life. So if you want to use the same ones for multiple trips, you certainly can.

 



About Carrie - A Princess and Her Pirates

Carrie is a born and bred Ohio girl, who loves anything Disney. She has set sail on Disney Cruise Line several times, and has been to the Disney Park so many times, she has lost count! She loves to share joy and pixie dust on her blog, A Princess and Her Pirates. Minnie Mouse is her favorite, and no Disney trip is complete without a visit to 'Ohana!

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