What is more magical than wearable, friction-free, hands-free technology with the power to unlock the Disney parks and with your name etched on it?!?!
Well, besides happily-ever-afters.
And Maleficent, Jafar, or Ursula.
Plus, Rapunzel’s healing hair.
Okay… maybe the competition is too stiff to crown a “most magical” winner either in reality or the Disney universe, but regardless, it’s awesome that both the Most Magical Place On Earth and the Happiest Place On Earth are integrating the most innovative, advanced technology with bespoke Disney tools to make your Disney trip more efficient, exclusive, enjoyable, and generally easier.
Enter Disney MagicBands and Disney MagicBands+.
Whether you like to keep up with the Joneses Mickeys or you’re just curious about all the best ways to enjoy the Disney Parks, Disney MagicBands and MagicBand+ are something you’ll want to know all about.
This article will go into more detail on Disney MagicBands & MagicBands+, including:
- What they are
- How a MagicBand+ is different from a MagicBand
- Their cost
- Other Disney apps & technology to be aware of when you’re visiting the parks
- Where to get a MagicBand or a MagicBand+
If you’re looking for even more vacation hacks and information beyond MagicBands, you can always reach out to the Ear To There Vacationeers who are standing by with our hassle-free, 100% complementary vacation planning services!
What Is A Disney Magic Band?
Disney World and Floridian regulars have had almost a decade enjoying the advantages of these simple, stylish, latex-free, hypoallergenic wristbands with RFID chips and a radio inside that can allow you pleasurable access and personalized accommodation to your favorite Disney experiences.
Now they’ve been upgraded.
And they’re also coming to Disneyland and Californians.
Read on to discover the latest deets on Disney MagicBands and the newly minted Disney MagicBands+ to see how they can improve your next Disney vacation.
Benefits of A Disney MagicBand
Gone are the days of carrying around cash and less environmentally friendly park tickets.
- Get into the parks (remember you need a ticket AND a reservation)
- Get into your resort room (no more pesky, losable keys!)
- Purchase food (quick and easy)
- Purchase merchandise (no need to juggle a wallet and all your treasures!)
- Waterproof for pools and water rides
- Check-in for Lightning Lane entrances and virtual queues
- Links to your Disney PhotoPass photos whenever you get pics taken
- Customizable (and extra designs for Annual Passholders)
What Are Disney Magic Bands+?
With the new and improved Disney MagicBand+, you get all the benefits of the MagicBand mentioned above, plus even more bells and whistles for playing in the park.
It also offers more styles and colors to choose from than ever before – plus, with a resort reservation, you could even get a discount on a customized MagicBand+ if you purchase it in advance.
New features of Disney MagicBands+ at Walt Disney World, FL:
If you’re interested in:
- Customizable, color-changing lights
- Haptic vibrations
- Gesture recognition
- Bluetooth connection to your smartphone
- A rechargeable battery & USB charging cord included
… then MagicBand+ is something you should definitely check out for your next visit to the House of Mouse.
Right now, you can experience these upgrades in three incredibly fabulous interactive Walt Disney World ways:
- Hear, see & feel the hidden secrets of the golden Fab 50 Character Collection sculptures – as well as the spooktacular bronze Halloween statues! – by interacting with them throughout all 4 theme parks.
- Light up the night during the Nighttime Spectaculars and fireworks displays that are part of the joy of Disney evenings in Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
- Become a boss Bounty Hunter by collecting virtual bounties at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios.
New MagicBands+ at Disneyland, CA ~ COMING SOON
The exact specifications and features of the Disneyland MagicBands haven’t been revealed yet, but they’re starting to test and roll out right now.
If you want to be among the first to know about the latest news, make sure you sign-up for our email list at the bottom of this post so we can tell you all about what’s happening with MagicBands, magic vacations, and everything magical Disney.
MagicBand Alternative Option: Disney MagicMobile Service
If you prefer not to use a Disney MagicBand or MagicBand+, you can always use your phone by downloading the Walt Disney World MagicMobile Service.
It has fewer features and may not be as easy as having what is essentially a magic wand strapped to your wrist, but everyone has different needs and preferences so it’s nice to have options.
Plus, you may not want to spend the money to get a MagicBand (yup – unfortunately, they’re not free, as they used to be years ago).
Here’s what you get with Disney MagicMobile:
- Complementary app for iOS or Android
- Customizable themes and designs
- Seamless entry to the parks once you’ve purchased tickets and made your reservation (two different steps – but no worries, we can help you with both)
- Easily purchase food & fun merch
- Efficiently check-in for Lightning Lanes and virtual queues
IMPORTANT NOTE: MagicMobile is not the same as the Walt Disney World Genie or Genie+ services or the Disneyland Genie or Genie+ services offered through the My Disney Experience mobile app.
Disney Genie is a free service that helps you map out your in-park itinerary, providing ride updates, activity or dining recommendations, and scheduling reminders.
Disney Genie+ is a $15 per day per person service that allows you to skip some of the long ride lines with Lightning Lanes along with all the souped-up offerings of the regular Disney Genie service.
But if you don’t feel the need to do Genie+ – because there are still some restrictions on which and how many rides you can get Lightning Lane passes for – you can always purchase a la cartè Lightning Lane entrance access.
These different systems all talk to each another, but they are separate services you need to acquire and organize if you’d like to take advantage of them.
If this is all feeling overwhelming to the point that trying to prep a rocket to outer space might be easier right now, that’s completely understandable.
Like Ariel, they’ve got gadgets and gizmos aplenty. They’ve got whosits and whatsits galore.
Disney is working so hard to be trendy, tech-savvy, and first to the interactive, integrated possibilities party; but as they continue to fine-tune and the rest of us rush to catch up, it’s normal to want a little help navigating whatever the latest is.
That’s what Ear To There Travel is here for.
To help you understand and utilize every vacation opportunity from Day Passes to dinglehoppers, from MagicBands to menus in Epcot – or anything else you might want to (or not!) encounter.
Please reach out anytime with questions and let us take the planning and technology weight off your shoulders, so you can relax and dream of all your future memories or thingamabobs.
Purchasing A Disney MagicBand
Even though a MagicBand or a MagicBand+ is going to feel comfortable, flexible, and nearly weightless, you still do need to procure one for everyone in your party.
Be sure to get them well in advance of your trip so they get to you in time and everyone’s MagicBands can be stylish or goofy, as they please…
Cost of Disney MagicBands & Disney MagicBands+
Prices start at $19.99 for a Disney MagicBand and $34.99 for a Disney MagicBand+, then go up to $48-$58 for some of the limited edition Dooney and Bourke special designs – such as the Main Street Electrical Parade 50th Anniversary Band or particular characters/patterns.
The Best Places To Get A Disney MagicBand & Disney MagicBand+
There are currently three ways to get an official Disney MagicBand or Disney MagicBand+:
- Online in advance through the My Disney Experience portal (**with special discounted pricing for guests who have already purchased reservations or an annual pass)
- Online in advance through shopDisney
- In-person at the following Walt Disney World locations:
- Magic Kingdom Park: Emporium
- EPCOT: Pin Traders – Camera Center
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Celebrity 5 & 10 and Tatooine Traders
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park: Discovery Trading Company
- Disney Springs: Disney’s Pin Traders
- Select merchandise locations at Disney Resort hotels
Again, it can be a lot to sort and think through – and we haven’t even started talking about where you should stay or which character dining experiences not to miss!
That’s why we have made it our full-time job (we’re EarMarked aka officially authorized by Disney) to understand the ins and outs of Disney vacation planning, so all you have to do is dream big and enjoy the magic!
Best of all? Our high-end, white-glove, expert vacation planning services are 100% free.
Take advantage of our complimentary assistance by contacting one of our expert Vacationeers (that’s what we call our travel agents) today to take the stress off your plate and discover all the Disney deals that are waiting for you.