There are a lot of things that probably aren’t the best use of your money when you’re at Disney World.
Main Street USA
Take balloons, for example. You can’t take them on an airplane with you when you travel home, and they are a pain to transport in a car, so you may not want to waste your money on these. But we’re not talking about balloons today. We’re talking about a popular souvenir among many guests and we’re here to tell you, you actually do NOT need it.
MagicBand+ launched at Walt Disney World on July 27, 2022. It does everything a Magicband did plus more. It serves as a Digital Key to enter your Disney World Resort hotel room, serves as your park “ticket” (when linked to pre-purchased valid admission), pay for purchases around the parks (for Disney World Resort hotel guests), enter attraction Lightning Lanes booked through Disney Genie, and connect Disney Photopass pictures to your My Disney Experience account. So many guests think they NEED a Magicband+, but that’s simply not true.
MagicBand+
First, they are expensive at $34.99 and while they come in a variety of colors and themes, you don’t need the band to access those features. To scan into the park, enter your hotel room, and enter your Lightning Lane, you can actually use your phone. The MagicMobile feature allows you to download your park ticket to your device’s wallet and use it just like a MagicBand in these cases.
Welcome to Disney World!
The only features you would miss out on are interacting with the 50 golden statues around the Disney World parks and having the band light up during attractions and shows. As for those statue interactions, we find they just don’t always work. And while the cool lights during parts of attractions and shows, they’re neat — but are you really going to look down at your wrist while riding TRON or watching Fantasmic? Probably not.
Pua and Heihei
We recommend saving your money and buying snacks or unique souvenirs instead! For more Disney tips, be sure to follow DFB!
ALL of the Disney World Rides That Interact With MagicBand+
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
Do you have a MagicBand+? Let us know below.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Could not agree more with this comment. I find it annoying that Disney is pushing them so hard-to the point that you can only use the + band on the cruise ships. While it seems I’m willing to spend a lot of money for the Disney experience, this band is where I draw a hard line!
Very true. Disney does a great job at creating a ‘must have’ atmosphere. A smart consumer will do some investigating a realize there are alternatives.
A tip about the balloons, if you do buy them and they deflate during your trip, take it to a balloon person and they will replace it. Additionally, many retailers can refill them when you get home. We reused our Mickey balloon for the boys birthday months after our trip.
Absolutely nobody needs MagicBand+. However, the OG MagicBand saves a LOT of time and aggravation.
I understand not really needing a balloon but I have ALWAYS loved balloons! So, every time we go to DW my children get me a balloon to enjoy while there and on our last day I find a child who “likes balloons” and I give it to them.
As long as the old Magic Bands continue to work, I’m not shelling out the cash to buy a + version. It’s not even just about the money. The last thing I need is something else to have to recharge. I’m really annoyed that only the + version is going to work on DCL as I do enjoy the convenience of using a band to open doors, etc. But not enough to buy a + version. I’ll stick with a key card and lanyard on the ships.
Absolutely! We got ours early as APs, and luckily, got a discount, too, because we hardly ever wear them. They’re so large, they’re just not that comfortable. The old 100 Years of Magic pins were much better, because you could see them reacting to shows and things more easily.
I think i would prefer using a magic band vs my phone. I wouldn’t want to drain the battery. Also it would come in handy with the dining plan.
Meanwhile it’s getting harder and harder to find the regular MagicBands.
Our regular magic bands still work perfectly. Will not purchase the high priced hype.
The band is like a souvenir.
In time they will be phased out with something new.
And they will be sought out