When you’re at Disney World, there’s a lot of things you need to keep track of (the most important being coming home with the same number of kids you left with!). Magic Bands make your Disney vacation easy. These colorful plastic wrist bands are intelligent devices that give you instant access to all your Disney vacation bookings. You can flash your Magic Band to enter a theme park, unlock your hotel room, pay for stuff, connect to your PhotoPass account, and ride a pre-booked FastPass+ attraction. Magic Bands cost money, but they can be re-used again and again on future Disney vacations. This means you probably want to take good care of them. So, exactly how sturdy are they? More specifically, are Magic Bands waterproof?
Yes, Magic Bands are waterproof. You don’t have to worry if there’s a sudden thunderstorm and you’re outdoors. You don’t even have to worry about getting your Magic Band wet when you’re at a Disney water park or in the pool at your Disney resort hotel.
Continue reading to find out more about Magic Bands and learn some nifty Magic Band care tips.
What are Magic Bands made of? Are they waterproof?
As noted above, Magic Bands are waterproof. You don’t have to worry if they get wet in the rain or even completely submerged in water in a swimming pool. The RFID chip and electronic components inside a Magic Band are covered with TPU, a type of non-latex hypoallergenic plastic material. The bands are flexible and lightweight. This means that most people, including small kids, can wear a Magic Band without problems. However, Magic Bands may not be suitable for people with a plastic or rubber allergy. If that’s the case, you can use a park ticket to enter the Disney theme parks and have guest relations give you a normal hotel room key.
Can you re-use Magic Bands?
Magic Bands are re-usable but they are not transferrable. This means once a Magic Band has been linked to a guest’s Disney account, only that guest can use it. So, you cannot give your old Magic Band to a friend or family member who is going to Disney World. However, you can re-use your Magic Band trip after trip on future Disney vacations.
How long do Magic Bands last?
Magic Bands run on a small battery concealed inside the icon. This battery is a long lasting one and typically remains active for about 2 years before it dies. Once the battery dies, you can’t use the Magic Band anymore at Disney World. However, you can get creative. How about using dead Magic Bands as napkin rings at your kid’s Disney-themed birthday party? Or fashioning a Christmas ornament out of a used Magic Band? Or using old Magic Bands to hold electrical cords and extension cords?
How can I stop my Magic Band falling off?
Disney has designed the Magic Band to be pretty sturdy and secure, so most people don’t have a problem with it falling off. However, if you are one of the few who is nervous about losing it, you can either use an annual pass slider or use Magic Keepers which work like lanyards or keychains with clips.
If you have a Disney Vacations or Annual Pass slider, place the slider on the part of the Magic Band with the holes in it and move it towards the bigger Mickey head. Wear the Magic Band and move the slider towards the smaller Mickey, the part of the band with the prongs. Slide the slider until it holds the two sections of the band together. This will secure the Magic Band to your wrist.
Magic Keepers are lanyard or keychain clips that come with a little screwdriver. The icon in your Magic Band 2 can be removed with the screwdriver (children should do this under adult supervision). This will separate the icon from the plastic bracelet. You can then put the icon inside the Magic Keeper, screw it in, and clip the Magic Keeper onto your backpack or waist. This is a great way to keep a small kid’s Magic Band safe (or prevent a tantrum from a 3-year-old who hates wearing it!)
Magic Band care tips: What NOT to do with your Magic Band
Using a Magic Band at Disney World is easy. Clip it onto your wrist and you’re ready to go. Magic Bands are waterproof and solidly built, so there’s really not much to worry about in terms of caring for it. However, there are some things you should NOT do with your Magic Band. Here’s a quick list.
- If you have pre-ordered your Magic Bands and had them delivered to your home, do NOT pack them in your checked luggage if you’re flying into Orlando. Firstly, they could get lost (it happens). Secondly, you will need your Magic Bands at the airport if you’ve booked Disney’s Magical Express, the motorcoach service from Orlando Airport to your Disney resort hotel.
- Do NOT buy a used Magic Band. As noted, Magic Bands are not transferrable. And so, while it may seem like a bargain to buy a used Magic Band off the internet from a stranger, or to use your relative’s old Magic Band, it won’t work. Each Magic Band is linked to a particular guest account. You don’t want to arrive at Disney World and find that your used Magic Band doesn’t work.
- Do NOT take off your Magic Band when you’re at a Disney water park or in your hotel swimming pool or if there’s a sudden thunderstorm. Your Magic Band is waterproof. If you take if off, you increase the chances of losing it. Magic Bands are safest where they belong – on your wrist. You should essentially plan to wear your Magic Band for your entire vacation. They’re light, practically weightless, so this shouldn’t be a problem.
- Magic Bands are a great way to showcase your personality and enjoy your Disney vacation with your favorite characters on your wrist. However, if you are going to personalize your Magic Band, be careful not to put any adhesives, jewels, or thick paint on the icon. This can create problems at the touch points, making it difficult for the computer to read your Magic Band.
- If you’ve got small kids who are wearing Magic Bands, remember to adjust the size and make the Magic Band smaller if needed. This will prevent the band slipping off a small child’s wrist.
- If you’ve got older people in your party who have less flexible wrists or stiff joints, they may find it difficult to flip the wrist at touch points and kiosks. Here’s a tip. Have them wear their Magic Band with the Mickey head on the inside of the wrist, so they can more easily scan the band at points of sale, etc.
Magic Bands are fully waterproof, so you can take a shower with them, wear them in the rain, and go swimming with them in your hotel pool or water park. Perhaps most convenient of all is using your waterproof Magic Band at a Disney water park – because it means you can charge food and merchandise to your Disney hotel account without carrying cash or cards.
Given that a Magic Band is waterproof, we recommend keeping it on your wrist for your whole vacation. If you do take it off, remember to put it back on. You don’t want to arrive at a theme park entrance and find that you left your Magic Band sitting on your nightstand!