DL without Magic Bands-how?

[Juliet25]

My family will be going to DL this summer (first time for most of us). We’re used to WDW and using old Magic Bands. I’d rather not buy Magic Bands (am I correct in thinking I can’t use WDW bands in DL), so what do we use in its place? We’ll have Genie+, so I’m wondering how we check-in for those without Magic Bands. I’ll have my phone to make those reservations, so can I use that as everyone’s ticket and G+?

 

[mdmost]

You would use the Disneyland app for everything. Genie+ and your tickets will be on that. When you book a selection on Genie+, the scan in barcode will be there for each person. You just swipe through them at the Genie+ redemption stations. You just hold your phone under the beam. Pretty easy. You can use one account for everyone or share the account to allow multiple phones to use it. You just have to remember to keep track of who has used what Genie+ selection.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I believe the new MagicBand+ works at Disneyland. But we just used our phones. It was pretty easy except for the fact the scanner isn’t big enough to accommodate my fat wallet phone case. Once I removed the wallet component everything was smooth sailing.

 

[disneychrista]

You would use your ticket either on a phone or printed out.

If you have a newer "+" MagicBand you can use that. I believe you will need to unlink it from your MDE app and link it to the Disneyland app.

 

[Rex1993]

We go to DLR 2x/yr and just finished our first WDW trip and have never used Magicbands. We found it easier to use room keys and the phone at WDW. At DLR magicbands weren’t even a thing until very recently. Honestly, don’t understand the whole magicband thing. You still have to use your phone to choose rides in G+ so it’s not as if you get to ditch the phone.

 

[BrianL]

I believe the new MagicBand+ works at Disneyland. But we just used our phones. It was pretty easy except for the fact the scanner isn’t big enough to accommodate my fat wallet phone case. Once I removed the wallet component everything was smooth sailing.

Yes, a MagicBand+ will work at DLR, even if it has been used at WDW previously (it does need to be linked to the Disneyland app though). Older style Magic Bands will not work at DLR at all.

 

[Tinkaboo]

Magic Bands make the lines go faster…easier to scan in LL if using Genie. If you’re not using Grnie+, don’t bother with a band…unless you’re just looking to accessorize like me…

 

[ClaraOswald]

We go to DLR 2x/yr and just finished our first WDW trip and have never used Magicbands. We found it easier to use room keys and the phone at WDW. At DLR magicbands weren’t even a thing until very recently. Honestly, don’t understand the whole magicband thing. You still have to use your phone to choose rides in G+ so it’s not as if you get to ditch the phone.

Overall, they definitely aren't necessary. However, we used them for the first time at WDW this year and it was really nice to not have to get out my phone at every DAS/G+ return and then have to scan through different barcodes for each person. Instead we each just held our wrist to the scanner.

Of course, because of DAS, we basically used the MB+ on every single ride we went on. If we only did G+ for a few rides a day, getting out my phone and going through the bar codes probably wouldn't be nearly as cumbersome.

 

[DizMe]

I love using MB+. I do a fair amount of park hopping and it's worth the $30 to me for not having to get my phone out all of the time. I also love when the Photopass CMs just tap it to transfer my pics. BUT...I'm only scanning in myself.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

The only thing I would add is that the Disneyland app is a total battery hog, so if you’ll be at the parks more than ~7 hours and relying on it for all scanning, bring a back up battery charger.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

I prefer having the band but it’s not necessary. As others mentioned, you can use your phone, and it is possible to use the same phone for multiple people.

That being said I prefer using magicband, especially with my kids because they don’t have their own device. I don’t have to constantly swipe through my phone to find each persons ticket, or if the kids want to go on a ride without us it makes it much easier.

I think if everyone has their own phone, then it’s not as big a deal.

 

[Porsche4]

On our last trip my daughter was in charge of LL bookings and entrance scanning for the two of us on her phone (we didn't use MB's) and after 7 days of pulling out her phone to scan into LL's all the time my daughter was very over it all. We are definitely getting them this trip for the ease of scanning into rides and the entrance gates as there will be three of us this time in our party. We are also all going to learn how to use the Disney App and take it in turns booking LL's so it spreads the load of being glued to your phone. If you are only in the parks for one or two days then perhaps they are not so important but if you have a longer trip planned I know they are going to be a game changer for us and make it a lot more enjoyable.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I checked in early morning at Villas of Disneyland Hotel a few months back. Given no room keys as room wasn't ready. Got a text hours later when it was. Went straight to the room from the park. MagicBand wouldn't work.

Walked all the way to the DL hotel front desk to let them know. They advised me MagicBands don't work there and I would need to have room keys printed.

I never imagined even for one second that if they have MagicBands at DL, that they wouldn't work on their brand new hotel doors. What are people paying $45 a pop there for?

 

[Porsche4]

I checked in early morning at Villas of Disneyland Hotel a few months back. Given no room keys as room wasn't ready. Got a text hours later when it was. Went straight to the room from the park. MagicBand wouldn't work.

Walked all the way to the DL hotel front desk to let them know. They advised me MagicBands don't work there and I would need to have room keys printed.

I never imagined even for one second that if they have MagicBands at DL, that they wouldn't work on their brand new hotel doors. What are people paying $45 a pop there for?

Its odd isn't it that everything is rolled out and accessible at WDW but not at Disneyland. Surely its exactly the same technology so what is the holdup. Kinda feels like DL is the poor forgotten little brother when in fact being the original surely it is worth also being the standard bearer. Just goes to show Disney holds International visitors as a higher priority to a local park. I really don't like it when a company plays favourites

 

[disneychrista]

I like the idea of the magic band, especially since I will be using DAS. But $40 is a bit excessive. If it were closer to $20 it would be worth it.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I like the idea of the magic band, especially since I will be using DAS. But $40 is a bit excessive. If it were closer to $20 it would be worth it.

Several months ago, I saw some on clearance for around $20 on the Disney website. So check often because maybe that will happen again.

 

[brightlined]

I checked in early morning at Villas of Disneyland Hotel a few months back. Given no room keys as room wasn't ready. Got a text hours later when it was. Went straight to the room from the park. MagicBand wouldn't work.

Walked all the way to the DL hotel front desk to let them know. They advised me MagicBands don't work there and I would need to have room keys printed.

I never imagined even for one second that if they have MagicBands at DL, that they wouldn't work on their brand new hotel doors. What are people paying $45 a pop there for?

The shortest answer: 99% of the people buying them at DLR are non-resort guests.

I talked about this in another thread - WDW spent $1 billion implementing MB tech ten years ago. They could justify the expense because of how many resorts they have and the significantly high percentage of park guests that are also resort guests. (To be fair, there were questions for years as to whether WDW would ever make back its investment.)

By comparison, DLR has a very, very low percentage of park guests that are also resort guests.

DLR doesn't have RFID park media, too. So they did what they could and bridged the gap - all your MB has on it at DLR is your ticket barcode. Everything MB-related is handled by the app exclusively, too. WDW has user profiles to link media and reservations to a specific person - DLR doesn't have that.

Could they do it? Sure. But it would be very expensive and benefit very few of their guests.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I never imagined even for one second that if they have MagicBands at DL, that they wouldn't work on their brand new hotel doors. What are people paying $45 a pop there for?

The ability to scan to enter the park, scan to enter lightening lanes for rides, scan for PhotoPass. It's biggest selling point at Disneyland is a collectible or for people who do not want to have to take their phone out as much to scan into stuff.

I agree with you. For the limited functionality it has in Disneyland, I would not spend that kind of money. If I had a MagicBand+ from a previous trip I would use it or was planning a trip to WDW, I would consider buying it.

 

[DizMe]

If you're an infrequent or one-time Disneyland guest, there isn't much reason to buy MB+ unless you'd also use it at WDW. I don't live that close (I usually fly down from northern California), but I go to DL about 4 times a year, sometimes more. I got both my MB+s on sale and consider the cost well worth it,even at full price.

 

[Steven G]

I checked in early morning at Villas of Disneyland Hotel a few months back. Given no room keys as room wasn't ready. Got a text hours later when it was. Went straight to the room from the park. MagicBand wouldn't work.

Walked all the way to the DL hotel front desk to let them know. They advised me MagicBands don't work there and I would need to have room keys printed.

I never imagined even for one second that if they have MagicBands at DL, that they wouldn't work on their brand new hotel doors. What are people paying $45 a pop there for?

Note that even though MagicBands don't work at the hotels, your phone can be used as a key instead of getting room keys made for you. You do have to link your hotel reservation to the disneyland app (if not already there), but it's a good way to avoid having to go to the front desk.

Contrariwise, I do like having the room keys at the end of the day instead of having to pull up the room key part of the app, so having the room keys may still be a good idea for some!