Disney Magic bands are an effortless way to link your onsite room reservation, park tickets, meal plan, and FastPass+ selections. But while you may love their features, there are things you shouldn’t do with them. Here’s our top list of don’ts for things to do with Disney Magic bands.
Remember when there were no Magic bands at Walt Disney World? While it may seem like a lifetime ago, it was only a few years ago. Before Magic bands, we had a key card that gave us access to our resort room and dining plan. It also had our theme park tickets loaded onto it, too.
While it was a good idea at the time, I was always fearful that I’d lose mine and would have to go to additional measures to get a new one.
Enter Magicbands. They’re pretty easy to keep an eye of as they’re on your wrist. They come in colorful styles and special editions as well. But what can’t you do with your Magic band? Here’s the scoop.
Things Not to Do with Disney Magic Bands – Don’t Trade MagicBands with Anyone Else
Once you’ve ordered your MagicBand from the My Disney Experience website, it’s linked to your account and only your account. You can deactivate it, but giving it to someone else to use is against WDW policy.
The first time you use it, you’ll be asked for a fingerprint identification at the park entrance turnstile, so try to remember which finger you used. It will save a huge hassle come time to re-scan it on another day.
If you’ve purchased a MagicBand from the Shop Disney website or inside the parks and haven’t linked it to your account or activated it, you can totally gift it to someone to use.
All you’ll need to do is add a MagicBand to the MDE app or ask Guest Services at the parks to help them add it.
Don’t Forget to Select Fasspass+ Selections at the Proper Time Frame
Update: Fastpass+ is no more, but we’re leaving this one in for posterity. Please keep reading for more tips!
If you’re staying on property at a Walt Disney World resort, you can begin making FastPass+ selections at 60 days out from your first vacation day plus up to a 10-day grace period.
My suggestion is to download the My Disney Experience app, create an account if you don’t already have one, and grab the popular FP+ selections right at 60 days out.
Use for Popular Attractions
Popular attractions include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride in Magic Kingdom and Soarin’ and Test Track at Epcot. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the hot attractions are Smuggler’s Run and Slinky Dog Dash.
As for Animal Kingdom, you’re going to want to lock down Avatar: Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey as soon as you’re able.
If you’re not staying on property, that’s totally cool. You can begin making FP+ selections at 30 days out.
Things Not to Do with Disney Magic Bands – Don’t Forget to Customize Your MagicBands
2021 Update: This year, Disney is discontinuing free MagicBands when you book a resort stay. You can still oder them, and customize them, but it will cost you anywhere from $10 and up.
If you’re staying on property during your vacation, make sure you customize your MagicBands – especially the back of them. As a family of three, many times we end up choosing the same colors (there’s eight color choices at the moment) and it’s super easy to mix them up.
Finger Prints Required at Turnstiles
WDW theme park turnstiles require fingerprint touch identification, so keeping them straight from the beginning will save you a headache. If your vacation is a last-minute one you can grab standard grey ones at the front desk.
If you don’t have time to customize, use a Sharpie or pen to write names on them somewhere, especially if you have similar colors in your traveling party.
Tip: You don’t have to use your first names on them. My family likes to use nicknames or even Disney character names!
Don’t Forget to Wear Magic Bands to the Theme Parks and Water Parks
WDW MagicBands are your literal keys to the theme parks, on-property resort room, and waterparks, so make sure you have them on before you leave your resort room each day.
If you do forget you have two options: head back to your room to retrieve or hit up Guest Services at each entrance and ask for a replacement.
The replacement Magic Bands come in standard grey/black.
Don’t Forget You Can Wear Magic Bands 24/7 – Even to Swim!
There’s no need to take your MagicBands off to swim in the resort pools– they’re completely waterproof. That means you can even take a shower with them on and enjoy the waterparks and splash pads, too! If you have Disney water park tickets for Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, you can use them there, too.
Bonus: Don’t Give Up if You Lose One
Compliments of each MagicBand having a unique code, WDW guest services may be able to track it down. I’ve actually misplaced mine and retrieved it at Lost and found the next day.
The theme parks, restaurants, and resorts are well-oiled machines when it comes to retrieving misplaced items so begin looking at the location you realized it was lost and work your way backward.
You Can Ask Castmembers for Help Finding Your Magic Band
Don’t forget to ask the castmembers for help, either. It’s their jobs.
So many items are misplaced on WDW property everyday – and here’s the scoop on how to get them back!
MagicBand tip:Take a photo of the back of your band in case you lose it – the unique code will be easier to trace if you have it handy!
Do you have another good “don’t” tip for MagicBands? Please let me know in the comment section below!
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