When did MagicBands go out if style?

[NUHuskies#1]

Just returned from a quick weekend trip at WL. (First time at WL and loved it!) Unfortunately we felt like we were the only ones wearing bands. I like the convenience of the band and not worrying about keeping my phone charged to unlock room. Are people just carrying phones and room cards now?

 

[HopperFan]

We still use ours, and I own an iPhone and iWatch (and found them too slow).

I think they began to be less popular when (1) Disney stopped including them with your resort room (2) the new ones are triple the cost as the original ones. Adding another $50 a person when you can just ask for a card sometimes makes no sense to spend that. Fortunately mine work just fine and I haven't bought a new one in about 4 years.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

i expect many folks found alternatives for their Disney vacations when the free MBs were discontinued. But we just spent a couple weeks there earlier this year and saw many people wearing MBs. Even saw many folks buying them in the gift shops. So they are still a valid option, but I'm sure the options available on the phone and the smart watches and the good-old-fashioned cards are now a go-to for some families. We just find the MBs so easy and convenient during our stay!

 

[Dave006]

I like the convenience of the band and not worrying about keeping my phone charged to unlock room. Are people just carrying phones and room cards now?

Yes on smartphone usage and MDE improvements but mostly due to the cost going from Free with every resort stay to $45 or more and the less then flexible need to charge a MB+ to fully enable all features.

Dave

 

[DaviVascaino]

Just returned from a quick weekend trip at WL. (First time at WL and loved it!) Unfortunately we felt like we were the only ones wearing bands. I like the convenience of the band and not worrying about keeping my phone charged to unlock room. Are people just carrying phones and room cards now?

interesting, I was there in February and saw a bunch of people wearing magic band

 

[mom2rtk]

I assume it was when you had to start paying for them yourself.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I saw a bunch in late January. We buy new ones before each trip

 

[reddog21]

I love the phone/watch for everything other than the room key. I'm not a huge fan of going into the app to unlock the door, we use if frequently but it's not my favorite Disney IT expierance.

 

[Smugpugmug]

No idea why but I've never been able to get my phone to work for opening the hotel door so in that sense I LOVE the Magicbands. I use mine every trip but yeah now that they're $45+ that can really add up especially for a family.

The last time I was in WDW was early January and I remember noticing that most people around me were using key cards for park entry and LLs.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

When Disney started charging onsite guests for magic bands.
I haven't bought one since 2021 and I'm not likely to buy another.
I also don't want to charge the magicband+.
I also won't use my phone as a magic band.
Instead I'll just get a key to the world card if I want something other than my old magic bands.

 

[petrola]

we use our MB! love the convenience of not having to fumble for my phone or keycard! We have so many that still work from over the years. Only my little guy has the MB+ because it has Donald on it AND it worked as a room key on DCL. The rest of us use the regular old MagicBand - also I really love mine - it has Moana on it!

 

[gottalovepluto]

They started to go out of style when they weren’t free anymore, that accelerated as their costs climbed.

I still saw many last week but nothing like 2019. Since you have to be on your phone monitoring LL or wait times or food orders anyway I get why more people are just opting for phones or free cards vs shelling out $40 $45/person for a MB whose sole purpose is for use during a Disney vacation.

 

[tofubeast]

I have the newer MB+ but I honestly hate having to "worry" about charging it each night. I already have enough to charge with phones and battery banks. I typically just use my non + MBs. I prob will just use my watch and keep a MB for entering the room or pool time.

 

[BrianL]

I was there over the weekend too, and while I did see a lot of bands, it did seem like fewer than previously. I have an MB+ and my parents had some onld ones that I dug out for them. My sister tried to use her Apple Watch, but it would never work for the resort room, so we got her a card. I don't think she ever tried it at a tap point, but I am not sure it would have worked. Seems complicated. I did see more people using their phones though in general.

 

[Miffy]

We still use ours, but we're using MB2, not MB+. I occasionally use my MB+, which I think I paid $35 for since it was part of a resort stay, but still far too much $ for what it is. And I see plenty of other people using their MBs, often not the + version.

 

[kanerf]

The Magic Band Plus's are rechargeable so should last for years. You won't need to buy a new one every trip and just keep the one you bought and charge it before get to the park.

 

[mom2rtk]

The Magic Band Plus's are rechargeable so should last for years. You won't need to buy a new one every trip and just keep the one you bought and charge it before get to the park.

But they are also pricey. Especially if you are buying them for a whole family. And if you have say 4 people in your group, that's 4 more chargers to plug in every night.

 

[TikiRob]

Definitely the lack of free bands and further reliance on MDE has melted usaged. I still see many with them.

We still use ours every trip. No better feeling than getting off the plane and putting on our MagicBands!

 

[Dave006]

My sister tried to use her Apple Watch, but it would never work for the resort room, so we got her a card.

Smartwatches still don't work to for resort room access. Your Sister was not doing anything wrong. It is a limitation of the "MagicMobile" service and MDE.

Dave

 

[BrianL]

Smartwatches still don't work to for resort room access. Your Sister was not doing anything wrong. It is a limitation of the "MagicMobile" service and MDE.

Dave

The front desk did try to help and they seemed to think that it would work, but then again I got a few peices of incorrect advice from CMs, so you know.... They were very nice though.