MagicBand+ Guide: Features, Uses, and Tips for Families with Young Kids
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We’ve been using MagicBands for several years now, and they’ve become a regular part of our Walt Disney World visits. As a mom of two young kids, I love anything that makes getting around the parks a little easier, and MagicBand+ has definitely done that for our family.
MagicBand+ isn’t a necessity, but after using it in both the parks and on Disney Cruises, it’s something we’ve really come to appreciate. In this guide, I’ll walk through the different features, share how we use them during our visits, and explain why we think MagicBand+ is worth considering for families traveling with young kids.
Features
MagicBand+ has quite a few features, and over the years we’ve had the chance to use just about all of them. Here’s a closer look at what it can do and how we use each feature during our Disney trips.
Before using your MagicBand+, you’ll first need to link it to your Disney account in the My Disney experience app. Depending on the feature you’re using, you may also need valid park admission, a Disney Resort hotel reservation, or a payment method linked to your account.
Enter the Disney Theme Parks
Each Walt Disney World theme park has touchpoints at the entrance where you’ll tap your ticket card, phone, or MagicBand+ to enter. We’ve tried all three methods over the years, and quickly found that being able to simply tap our wrists is much easier when you’re juggling two young kids, a stroller, bags, and everything else that comes with a park day.
Once you tap your MagicBand+, guests ages 3 and older will need to scan a fingerprint before heading into the park. If you’re visiting with younger kids, don’t worry. They can use an adult’s fingerprint instead. My husband has his fingerprint linked to our older son’s MagicBand to make the entry process a little easier. Kids under 3 don’t need park admission or a MagicBand+ to enter, so they’ll simply walk through with you.
Scan Into Lightning Lanes
Much like at the park entrances, attractions that offer Lightning Lane also have touchpoints where you’ll tap your ticket card, phone, or MagicBand+ before entering the queue. We’ve found using a MagicBand+ to be the easiest option since by that point we’ve usually taken the kids out of the stroller, left our bags behind, and have our hands full.
When you’re using multiple Lightning Lanes throughout the day, those quick taps really start to add up. We love not having to pull out our phones or keep track of ticket cards every time we get to an attraction. Since there’s no fingerprint scan like there is at the park entrance, my 5-year-old really enjoys tapping his own MagicBand+ before getting to a ride. It’s a small thing, but he gets excited to be part of the process.
If you’re still planning your Disney vacation and want to learn more about Lightning Lanes, how they work, and our family’s experience using them, be sure to check out our complete Lightning Lane guide here.
Unlock Your Disney Resort Hotel Room
If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you can use Disney’s Direct-to-Room-Service instead of stopping at the Front Desk when you arrive. Once your resort reservation is linked in the My Disney Experience app, you can check in online before your visit, keep an eye on your room status, and receive updates when your room is ready. When it’s time to head to your room, simply tap your MagicBand+ at the touchpoint on your hotel room door to unlock it.
We’ve used this feature during our stays at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, both during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party season. Depending on when you arrive, the Front Desk can have a pretty long line during busier times of the year while other guests are checking in. Being able to skip that line and head straight to our room has been really helpful when we’re traveling with two young kids who are excited to get going and don’t want to stand around waiting in line.
If we ever have questions after checking in, we can always stop by or call the Front Desk later when it’s more convenient. We’ve used Direct-to-Room Service several times over the years and have never had any issues using our MagicBands to access our room.
Make Purchases
You can also use your MagicBand+ to pay for food, snacks, and merchandise throughout the Walt Disney world theme parks and Disney Resort hotels. Simply link a payment method in the My Disney Experience app and create a four-digit PIN to get started.
This was actually one of the last features I set up because I didn’t think we’d use it very often. That changed after I lost my wallet at Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. It was near the end of the night, we had two tired kids trying to pick out souvenirs in a busy gift shop, and after paying, I set my wallet down for just a second to help them. Without realizing it, I walked away and left it behind.
Thankfully, I was able to get it back, but it reminded me how many things parents are trying to juggle during a busy park day. Since then, I’ve really enjoyed being able to make purchases with my MagicBand+ instead of pulling out my wallet every time we stop for a snack or souvenir. It’s one less thing to keep track of during a busy park day.
Interactive Features
While we mostly use our MagicBands for the convenience, Disney has added a few fun interactive features too. Your MagicBand+ will light up and vibrate during select shows, and you may notice character statues and other interactive elements responding as you explore the parks. They’re little moments that are a fun bonus, especially for kids.
One thing to keep in mind is that these interactive features only work when your MagicBand+ is charged. If the battery runs out, you can still use it for park entry, Lightning Lanes, hotel room access, and purchases without any issues though.
Disney Cruise Line Compatibility
MagicBand+ can be used on board every Disney Cruise Line ship except the Disney Adventure. Just like at Walt Disney World, it adds a lot of hands-free convenience throughout your vacation. You can use it to get on and off the ship, unlock your stateroom door, make purchases, and enjoy certain interactive shows and experiences.
If you’re traveling with kids who plan to spend time in the Oceaneer Club or Oceaneer Lab, there’s another nice benefit. Instead of paying for a separate Oceaneer Band that needs to be returned at the end of your cruise (or you’ll be charged a fee), your child can use their MagicBand+ to check in and out of the kids clubs. On some ships, MagicBand+ can also be used for the ship-wide scavenger hunt games.
We’ve really enjoyed using our MagicBands on Disney Cruises for the same reason we like them in the parks. Being able to tap our wrists instead of digging through bags or pockets makes getting around just a little easier, especially when we’re traveling with young kids.
Things to Know Before You Buy
Whether you’re buying your first MagicBand+ or replacing an older one, there are a couple of things worth keeping in mind.
Sizing
MagicBand+ only comes in one size. If you have young kids, you’ll probably notice quite a bit of extra band after tightening it. We found these inexpensive silicone loops on Amazon that slide onto the band and keep the extra strap from flopping around on smaller wrists.
There’s also a smaller band inside the larger one that can be removed to create a better fit for little kids. Just keep in mind that one it’s removed, it can’t be reattached, so as your child grows, you’d likely need to purchase another MagicBand+.
For our 5-year-old’s MagicBand+, we’ve found that using the silicone loops works well. If he doesn’t want to wear his MagicBand+ that day, either my husband or I will wear it instead.
Charging
MagicBand+ comes with a charging cable, but you’ll need your own USB charging brick. We usually charge ours before a trip and then plug them in each night so they’re ready for the next day.
Only the interactive features require a charged battery. Even if your MagicBand+ runs out of power, you’ll still be able to use it for park entry, Lightning Lanes, hotel room access, and purchases.
If your kids will be using their MagicBand+ to check in and out of the Oceaneer Club or Oceaneer Lab on Disney Cruises, make sure it’s charged before you arrive. Cast Members will need it to have a charge in order to use it for the youth clubs. Otherwise, they’ll have your little one use an Oceaneer Band instead.
Do Kids Need Their Own MagicBand+
As a parent planning a Walt Disney World vacation or Disney Cruise, you may be wondering if your kids need their own MagicBand+. The simple answer is no. Kids under 3 don’t need one, and older kids can still use physical ticket cards or an adult’s phone for many of the same features.
That said, we’ve found having our older son use his own MagicBand+ makes the day a little easier. He can scan into Lightning Lanes himself, tap into the parks (with some help from dad), and use it on Disney Cruise Line without us needing to hand him a ticket card every time. We’ll also be getting one for our younger son once he turns 3 for those same reasons.
Final Thoughts
The first time we visited Walt Disney World with our kids, we decided to use physical ticket cards instead of MagicBands. By the end of the day, we stopped in one of the gift shops and bought MagicBands because we realized how much easier they would make future visits. We’ve been using them ever since.
For our family, the biggest advantage has been the hands-free convenience. Being able to simply tap our wrists instead of searching for a ticket card or phone has been one less thing to think about during a busy park or cruise day.
I also like that they aren’t something we’ve had to keep replacing. We’ve been using the same MagicBands for several years now, and unless one gets lost or we decide we want a different design, I don’t expect we’ll need to buy new ones anytime soon.
Every family travels a little differently, but I hope sharing what has worked for ours helps you plan your next Walt Disney World vacation or Disney Cruise more easily.