Are Magicbands worth it?

[ChisJo]

Thinking of getting some magicbands for our upcoming trip. We know that in the future we will be back, but how long into the future, we don't know at this moment in time. I like the convenience of them. We are not staying on property, but the luxury of not having to pull out our tickets every time seems appealing. But are they worth the expense? We'd be spending about $75+ for them for our family. We would have to go out of our way to get them (we're going to Disney Springs before going to the parks, so we'd get them there and connect them to our cards at that point), but I'm willing to if the feedback is positive.

 

[22Tink]

If I wasn’t staying onsite I probably wouldn’t pay to get them but that’s just me. The nicest part of the magic band for us it that it is our hotel room key and allows us to charge to the room, but those perks don’t apply when staying offsite. Even though it’s handy, I wouldn’t buy them just to replace tickets. I go to DLR more so I guess I’m used to using the paper tickets and I just wear them in a lanyard around my neck. I’d put that $75+ towards a character meal or dessert party! Another thing to consider is MB battery life. If you don’t know when you’re going back next the MB batteries may be dead by then. I think they only last 2-3 years? Just my 2 cents and others will probably chime in with different opinions! Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[mab2012]

I'm another who wouldn't have paid to buy them explicitly. Maybe for my kids, but definitely not for the adults. They are a minor convenience, but IMO not worth the expense.

They do have batteries and the lifetime of those batteries is not indefinite, but the touchpoints are passive transmission (ie. do not require battery power). The only thing the batteries are used for is location tracking - so photos/videos on certain rides, and personalized messages on some attractions. Your magic bands will still work for getting you into the park and scanning into fastpass lines, even if the batteries die.

The only other thing I would consider is that they are moderately easy to lose. My family of four has lost two over the span of several trips, and found several more that others have lost. They snap on reasonably securely, but all it takes is to catch it on something for it to pop off, and in some situations (eg. pulling a backpack on or off) it is easy not to notice.

 

[LYSE]

Not worth paying for IMHO and I love MBs

 

[ChisJo]

Good feedback. Thanks everyone. I was completely on the fence, but will probably just put my money towards something else. Maybe next time we'll stay on property and get them then. Thanks again!

 

[bankr63]

The only reason I would (staying offsite) is if I had photopass. I would want the ride photos to link up to my account automatically.

 

[deedubb]

Looks like I'm in the minority, but I would absolutely buy them. The cheap ones are about $12-13 each, so quite inexpensive, and it would double as a souvenir. I despise the cards and they are a lot easier to lose. The MB is so much more convenient for entry/FP+/photos. There are also some rides (eg 7DMT) that snap a photo of you on the ride if you have a MB. Buy some Bitbelts off amazon to prevent the MB from unclasping and being lost. A CM told me the batteries last about 5 years.

 

[Silvermist999]

Looks like I'm in the minority, but I would absolutely buy them. The cheap ones are about $12-13 each, so quite inexpensive, and it would double as a souvenir. I despise the cards and they are a lot easier to lose. The MB is so much more convenient for entry/FP+/photos. There are also some rides (eg 7DMT) that snap a photo of you on the ride if you have a MB. Buy some Bitbelts off amazon to prevent the MB from unclasping and being lost. A CM told me the batteries last about 5 years.

I agree! Plus it's annoying since I would be the designated keeper of all the cards and have to distribute them out to DH and the kids at entry/FP+ and then collect them back, too much work, ugh!

 

[flav]

I like the convenience of MB and the independence it gives everyone. Have you checked if an hotel room is available for that same 75$? You would get those MB included and a pool access to that hotel the check-in and check-out days.

 

[isabellea]

I like the convenience of MB and the independence it gives everyone. Have you checked if an hotel room is available for that same 75$? You would get those MB included and a pool access to that hotel the check-in and check-out days.

Plus a room or campsite would give you free parking on check-in and check-out day and access to FP+ at 60 days for those days.

We like to stay onsite so we have multiple sets of MB. We are going to Disneyland in April and I think I will miss them. If they offered the equivalent at DLR, I would buy some for the convenience, even if staying offsite there.

 

[Sue M]

Pre MB we used to wear lanyards to keep our card, and FPs!

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I would say, "no", not if you're staying somewhere outside of the Disney Bubble, especially if you haven't purchased the PhotoPass+ package and don't plan to.

Now I think the MB's are a great accompaniment to an on-property, in-the-Bubble, PhotoPass+ package with Memory Maker but that's my family's touring style.

 

[AngelDisney]

I wouldn’t pay for them. We usually stay onsite and have them for free. We use lanyards at Universal Orlando and we don’t feel it’s less fun without the convenience of the magic bands. We stay onsite as well for the Express Pass access. I do miss photopass+ though.

 

[jcourtney]

When we went in 2016 we booked a campsite for the night just to get the magic bands and 2 days free parking. It was totally worth it. I love the magic bands and my 4 year old son LOVED scanning it for fast passes etc.

 

[youngdeb12]

I found having the magic bands on our recent trip was much easier than dealing with the cards that we had on our DL trip last year. We did stay on-site and used it to charge everything to our room (which I must say was super convenient) but when dealing with a family, it was much easier to have them keep track of their own bands than having to dig for cards every time we needed them.

 

[ChisJo]

I like the convenience of MB and the independence it gives everyone. Have you checked if an hotel room is available for that same 75$? You would get those MB included and a pool access to that hotel the check-in and check-out days.

Definitely no rooms available for that price when we are there (its the week after Easter and no rooms onsite have anything for a decent price )

 

[isabellea]

Definitely no rooms available for that price when we are there (its the week after Easter and no rooms onsite have anything for a decent price )

Have you looked at campsites? Campsites also gives you MB (up to 8 or 10) and 2 days of free parking + EMH on checkin and checkout days.

 

[friedela]

We bought them for our 2 kids who REALLY wanted them and honestly, they stayed on their wrists for the first half day and they didn't want them after that. They were about $40 by the time we had them shipped to a family member, then shipped to us. then plus the skins I bought for both of them and to me they were a waste of money.

 

[ChisJo]

Have you looked at campsites? Campsites also gives you MB (up to 8 or 10) and 2 days of free parking + EMH on checkin and checkout days.

I've never used the campsites there, but the thought of taking camping gear on top of all of our other stuff doesn't seem like its worth it for 1 night.

 

[isabellea]

I've never used the campsites there, but the thought of taking camping gear on top of all of our other stuff doesn't seem like its worth it for 1 night.

If you read the Thowaway room thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/throwaway-room-offsite-to-onsite-stays-update.3539209/
You will see that many book a campsite with no plan on staying there. They only get the magic bands and free parking that come as perks with the reservation.