Magic band outside states

[manakin]

Hello everyone!
I booked my disney trip (after 4 years, so excited!)
It's a bit early, but I tried to have a look at the avaible selections of Magic bands but, on the Magic bands page told me that "due to my region" I won't be able to purchase a magic band. I thought that they could send it to the hotel directly, even if I live in Europe...

any advice? am I doing something wrong?

thank you very much!

 

[Plague]

When we got a complimentary band with resort bookings then UK/non-US residents had to get it, or a pre-ordered special, when checking in to the resort. US residents could get them posted out.
Now there is no complimentary one and you can (nearly have to) use your phone for stuff that service has been withdrawn. We have to buy when we get there * .

It's a pain for sure as any favourite designs might not be in the shop(s) when we arrive.

( * For now anyway. I'll not be surprised if they reintroduce an order in advance service in the future as they will want to maximise uptake of the new SuperMagic Bands.)

 

[manakin]

I know they are not anymore complimentary, but what puzzled me was that the website says really clear that you can buy it and they will be shipped to the hotel and not home...
btw, that is sooo sad also, I think is also bad that I have to pay a magic band full price when all disney resort guest have a little discount...

so they don't even give you a card and you have to just use just your phone?

 

[Plague]

the website says really clear that you can buy it and they will be shipped to the hotel and not home...

I can't find that. In the Magic Band area of MDE it says explicitly "Guests residing in the United States and Canada".
Did you find an old help page or something? There is still a fair amount of old text knocking about.

I think is also bad that I have to pay a magic band full price when all disney resort guest have a little discount...

We might be able to use that resort discount. *

so they don't even give you a card and you have to just use just your phone?

I think you can get a card for free. *

( * I haven't looked too hard yet as I've 140 days to go and this stuff seems to change every few weeks, so ... )

 

[manakin]

I can't find that. In the Magic Band area of MDE it says explicitly "Guests residing in the United States and Canada".
Did you find an old help page or something? There is still a fair amount of old text knocking about.

Probably I found something old, I was so sure to have found that on the Disneyworld website

( * I haven't looked too hard yet as I've 140 days to go and this stuff seems to change every few weeks, so ... )

well, mine is in 300 days so.....that shows how much I'm already excited/anxious to come back there!
but it's so frustrating to see that in few years so many things have changed so drastically...

btw, thank you so much for your help! so much appreciated

 

[Parisfreak]

Try using a VPN to simulate that you connect from USA, go the American Disney World website, login, and then you can see the magic bands. It worked for me. You can also purchase them, but I didn't do it yet, so don't know if it's possible to end the purchase

 

[cliveywolves]

We booked via the US website via a VPN end of last year it was way cheaper for room only. We already have park tickets sorted and always book flights separately, We definitely got magic bands included and it did confirm won’t be posted but will be available at the front desk when we checkin

 

[gismo1554]

You need to use a VPN to purchase the magic bands with the room booking. Def don't bother yet as Magic Band 3 are due out this month and have more functionality so will be a better option.

 

[Plague]

and have more functionality so will be a better option.

Not for me. They are bigger/bulkier, more expensive, need charging and don't appear to do anything 'useful' that the standard band doesn't already do.

I'm hoping they don't drop the standard ones, but even if they keep them I imagine that all the special designs will only appear on the new ones.

 

[gismo1554]

Not for me. They are bigger/bulkier, more expensive, need charging and don't appear to do anything 'useful' that the standard band doesn't already do.

I'm hoping they don't drop the standard ones, but even if they keep them I imagine that all the special designs will only appear on the new ones.

Ha ha fair. Mind you they are about the same price as some of the fancier bands these days. With the charging have you heard how frequently they require this? I like the fact that they are chargeable as means hopefully the link to photos is also chargeable but who knows.

 

[zavandor]

Not for me. They are bigger/bulkier, more expensive, need charging and don't appear to do anything 'useful' that the standard band doesn't already do.

I'm hoping they don't drop the standard ones, but even if they keep them I imagine that all the special designs will only appear on the new ones.

Not yet, but some interactive features in the parks may require them in the future. Maybe the new bounty hunter game in Galaxy Edge and certainly interactions with the 50th statues. I had fun with the old Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, if it's something similar I might purchase a new band just for that.

You need to use a VPN to purchase the magic bands with the room booking. Def don't bother yet as Magic Band 3 are due out this month and have more functionality so will be a better option.

Speaking about VPNs one was needed a few months ago to use Genie+ too, not sure if they have fixed that yet.

 

[manakin]

Thank you all for the replies!

This VPN thing is interesting....I found it silly that you can "trick" the system so easily xD
but good to know that it's possible!
I'll wait till next year so they have the new magic bands (plus maybe some better avaibility)

thank you all!

 

[Plague]

Not yet, but some interactive features in the parks may require them in the future. Maybe the new bounty hunter game in Galaxy Edge and certainly interactions with the 50th statues.

Indeed, but none of the stuff they've announced so far is my kind of thing, so having to buy the larger and more expensive device would annoying.

Given that a family of four, say, would really only need one interactive MB I'd hope Disney will keep the less clever ones going, but as money is involved I don't hold very much hope.

 

[nursejackie]

If there's a updated version of the magic band being released does that mean my old one cannot be reactivated? I have 14 still showing as 'active' on MDE so I am bringing two of those. I had read they can be used again. I really want to use a band rather than my phone, but don't want to have to pay for one. We're staying at CSR.

 

[Plague]

If there's a updated version of the magic band being released does that mean my old one cannot be reactivated? I have 14 still showing as 'active' on MDE so I am bringing two of those. I had read they can be used again. I really want to use a band rather than my phone, but don't want to have to pay for one. We're staying at CSR.

AFAIK old bands will still work provided they are linked/active on your account.
The only catch is that the batteries in them tend to only last a couple of years. (They are a bit like a car remote key - there is an active part for remote locking/unlocking which needs battery power, and an RFID section that allows the car to start - no battery needed.)
An old band should open doors, give park access and work on payment terminals - anywhere you hold it close to the reader - as that uses the RFID. What it won't do if the battery is gone is trigger 'distant' things like personal ride photo logging.
But I would think you should be able to set your phone up to handle the active stuff, which it doesn't need to be brought out for.

 

[nursejackie]

AFAIK old bands will still work provided they are linked/active on your account.
The only catch is that the batteries in them tend to only last a couple of years. (They are a bit like a car remote key - there is an active part for remote locking/unlocking which needs battery power, and an RFID section that allows the car to start - no battery needed.)
An old band should open doors, give park access and work on payment terminals - anywhere you hold it close to the reader - as that uses the RFID. What it won't do if the battery is gone is trigger 'distant' things like personal ride photo logging.
But I would think you should be able to set your phone up to handle the active stuff, which it doesn't need to be brought out for.

That's good to know thank you. I have no idea how old the active ones are, but due to going to other Disney parks and the pandemic delaying our return, we haven't been to WDW for almost 5 years so whether the batteries will work or not I have no idea, I can only hope.

 

[gismo1554]

So anything more than 2 years old the batteries wont work. We used 2019 ones in May this year. Only thing it didn't do was pick up ride photos. For us this wasn't a huge issue as we just contacted the photo pass people after the ride and they sorted them for us (well 1 still missing but 1 out of them was fine), Your batteries def wont work that long ago. Bluetooth on the phone will though - which we had on but forgot to take phone on ride duh!

 

[nursejackie]

So anything more than 2 years old the batteries wont work.

That's a bummer. We'll buy some on our first park day, it's be fun to have a themed one for a change, for me it'll definitely be a 50th celebration Magic Band.

 

[gismo1554]

That's a bummer. We'll buy some on our first park day, it's be fun to have a themed one for a change, for me it'll definitely be a 50th celebration Magic Band.

As said though its only 1 very small feature that doesn't work and definitely isn't worth the cost to buy a new one in my opinion. The old bands work for everything else and ride photos you just have ask them to look for after you've done the ride. There are only about 12 rides that have photos that require this. Honestly unless you love the new bands I wouldn't bother

 

[MadScouser]

I had back and forth on this for our trip in April... the pre-purchase discount is only opne to US

I tried the VPN link (and saw the bands) - but when i went to pay for them, it declined and wouldnt connect - even though it was a dispatch to the hotel

I even spoke with disney on this (45 min hold and back and forth as they didnt know answer initially) until they confirmed its currently only US residents and their is effectively a geo-block on the site

You can if you are DVC get a discount on purchases when you to WDW - and to be fair, linking to the MDE app is very straightforward