Magic Bands : What are they?

Magic Bands are a fairly new addition to Walt Disney World.  They have been in existence for about two years, and during the first year they were completely experimental and not given to everyone.  This allowed the Disney powers that be to see how well things worked and tweak some things before they rolled them out to everyone.

This is how they will be delivered to your home before your WDW trip.
Photo: wordpress.com

The Magic Band is worn like a bracelet, and comes in several different colors:  

Gray (the standard color if you don't choose one, or if wait until you get to your resort or the park to get it)
Yellow
Blue
Pink Red
Green
Orange

When you book your trip, go to the Walt Disney World website, pick a color you like for each person in your party and personalize a name on each of the bands.  The name isn't visible; it's under the band, but it helps identify whose is whose if you have several people in your party. The RFID chip inside is linked to each individual band, so once you link your Magic Band to you it is yours for life.  Your bands will be mailed to you approximately 30 days before your trip.  Be sure to put your Magic Bands on at the airport!  You will be using them to check in for your Magical Express bus at Orlando International Airport, and from then on you will be using them pretty much everywhere until you head back to the airport again.

Photo: passporterboards.com

The Magic Band replaces the former "Key To the World" card, which is a card that was basically used for everything Disney: room key, a credit card for charging to your resort room, accessing the Disney Dining Plan, and for obtaining Fast Passes for the parks.  Magic Bands are waterproof, so you don't have to worry about getting them wet on a water ride, at a water park, or just by sweating throughout the day.  Having a Magic Band on your wrist means you won't have to carry a room key, a credit card, or any other form of ID, so your hands are free and no purse or backpack is really necessary in the parks or when you go to dinner.  Unless you have small children.  Then all bets are off.

The top of each Magic Band has a Mickey head on it that contains an RFID chip, and this is the part that activates everything from your resort room door to credit card charges.  It can even be used for Photo Pass purchases and Fast Pass+ selections.

Photo: mouseonthemind.com

As a Room Key
When you check into your Disney resort, you will touch the Mickey head on your Magic Band to a small Mickey head on the resort desk and enter a PIN.  This will officially activate the credit card charging ability and give you some security.  Children under 10 years of age do not use a PIN, since they generally are not allowed to purchase anything without parental permission (or shouldn't be allowed - who knows how many Mickey ice cream bars they would buy when you're not looking).  When you get to your room, just touch Mickey's head against the Mickey head on your resort room door, and the light will turn green.

Photo: attractionsmagazine.com

As a Credit Card
If you didn't link a credit card to your Magic Band when you personalized them online, you can do so at your resort.  This will allow you to "charge" any purchases you make at the parks, restaurants, and Downtown Disney to your account by just touching your Magic Band to another Mickey head at the time of each purchase.  At the end of your stay, you will get a detailed report with all of your charges listed, and your credit card will list one charge for all of your purchases made via the Magic Bands.  If you have any questionable charges, you can visit the front desk to go over them in person before you leave.

Photo: militarydisneytips.com

For Park Entry
If you purchase your Magic Bands in advance, you can link your theme park tickets to them, as well.  When you get to your first theme park of the trip, you will touch your Magic Band to another Mickey head at the entrance but also use one finger (pick one you will remember) to "activate" the Magic Band at ALL of the parks from that moment on.  Like the PIN associated with the band for credit card charges, the finger you use will be linked to that Magic Band as long as you use it.

Photo: allthingsd.com

For the Dining Plan
If you sign up for the Disney Dining Plan, you can use the Magic Band to track your meals and snacks used on a daily basis.  Depending on the type of Dining Plan you get for your party, you may have a lot of meal choices to keep track of, and you can get a printout from any restaurant or quick service counter to see how many meals and snacks you have left in your plan.

Fast Pass+
This is my absolute favorite benefit of the Magic Bands.  You can make Fast Pass+ reservations on line 60 days in advance, up to three per park (all in the same park), per day, in order to bypass the lines at the parks for some of the more popular rides.  Also, you can reserve Fast Pass+ times for everyone in your party at the same time, so that none of you are separated and can all ride or experience shows together.  At the parks, you can also select a fourth Fast Pass (and a fifth, if you plan it right) after you have used your first three for that particular day.  Not all rides have Fast Pass+ available, but most do.  Also, some rides cannot be chosen together.  (I will go into this in another article.)  Just go to the WDW website when your 'window' opens up at 60 days and start planning for your favorite rides.

Photo Pass
There are photographers everywhere in the parks, and you may want to have your family's picture taken everywhere you go, especially at Character meets and in front of Cinderella's castle (who wouldn't?).  Just ask an available photographer to take your photo, and they will scan your Magic Band and "link" your photos online so that you can view them for 30 days after your trip.  This will allow you to purchase any (or all) of the photos and personalize them with Disney borders and other special effects.  They also take special effects photos that add Tinkerbell and other characters to your photos magically, as you will see online when you view them.  These photographers will also take photos with your camera at no charge to you, so don't be afraid to ask.

Tinkerbell!  Hayley and I didn't see you when the photo was taken!

Other things you may want to be aware of:

Lost...and Found?
If anyone in your party loses their Magic Band, ask a Cast Member where you need to go to replace it as soon as possible.  They will make sure that the old one is deactivated and no one else will be allowed to use them to charge, enter your resort room, or use your passes.  If you find it again, you can reactivate it again, or you can just keep it as another souvenir.

Limited Editions
In addition to the Magic Bands you get for free online when you book your stay, you can also buy Limited Edition Magic Bands at the parks.  These have special designs or cover and include everything from Star Wars themes to Christmas and character designs.

Photo: wdpromedia.com

And this is the coolest marriage proposal idea EVER!

Oh. Em. Geeeeee!
Photo: howheasked.com

Bling it!
There are many, many ways to personalize your Magic Bands, from "skins" to something called "Magic Bandits", and they can be found in many shops throughout the parks.  They can be character pieces or just bright and shiny stuff.  Lots of options there.  You can also purchase some items online from the WDW online store before you go if you'd like:
Yourwdwstore.net

Photo: Pinterest.com

Get your Magic Band before you go!  You don't want to be stuck like this:

Photo: blog.ges.com

That photo seriously made me laugh out loud!

What are you waiting for?  Start planning!