MagicBand+ to debut July 27 at Walt Disney World

Jul 21, 2022 in "MyMagic+"

MagicBand+
Posted: Thursday July 21, 2022 9:04am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has announced that its next generation of wearable tech, MagicBand+, will debut July 27 2022 at Walt Disney World.

MagicBand+ has all the same capabilities of the original MagicBand, but adds color-changing lights, haptic vibrations, and gesture recognition – plus it pairs to your smartphone using the My Disney Experience app and is rechargeable.

Disney Resort hotel guests may purchase MagicBand+ online at special prices before their arrival. Annual Passholder discounts will also be available on MagicBand+. All guests can buy MagicBand+ in more than 25 styles at select stores across Walt Disney World and online at shopDisney, starting at $34.99.

At Walt Disney World, you can purchase a MagicBand+ at the following locations:

  • Magic Kingdom Park: Emporium
  • EPCOT: Pin Traders – Camera Center
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Celebrity 5 & 10 and Tatooine Traders
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park: Discovery Trading Company
  • Disney Springs: Disney’s Pin Traders
  • Select merchandise locations at Disney Resort hotels

MagicBand+ Exclusive Activities at Walt Disney World

Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters

On Batuu, the bounty hunting business is booming. MagicBand+ is your guide to seeking numerous virtual bounties hidden across Black Spire Outpost with the Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters experience. Vibrations and lights on MagicBand+ guide you down the right path. When you find your Bounty, you can use the Play Disney Parks app’s augmented reality thermal viewer to reveal who’s hiding in the shadows. Local guild master Raga Bua will reward you with galactic credits. Do you have what it takes to join the guild?

Nighttime Spectaculars

MagicBand+ brings the magic of Disney nighttime spectaculars closer than ever before during “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom Park and “Harmonious” at EPCOT! MagicBand+ complements the magic in the skies, lighting up and vibrating in sync with fireworks, visual effects, and music. Your MagicBand+ will also engage as all four theme park icons transform into Beacons of Magic!

Disney Fab 50 Quest

As part of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration, you can interact with the Disney Fab 50 Character Collection throughout all four theme parks with the “Disney Fab 50 Quest.” Help Tinker Bell bring the sculptures to life across all four Walt Disney World theme parks using virtual pixie dust from Tink.

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Ayla17 days ago

If you can, Disney has yet to tell people about it. All they mention with Apple devices is getting into the park and using it for LL.

jpeden17 days ago

For some reason I can't get it to work - it always wants to charge to my credit card and not my room. I would think since they have the key service in the app making it work with the watch wouldn't be too big of a stretch.

JaxFLBear17 days ago

You can room charge using your Apple Watch. That's one of the features of the Disney MagicMobile service. Room entry would require WDW to add support for Apple's Hotel Key functionality. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/magic-mobile/

jpeden17 days ago

I mean I always loved MagicBands and thought they were cool and part of the "Disney" experience at WDW, but now that they're $40 and I can get basically the same functionality from my Apple Watch, I just use that. My wife wears hers and does our back-to-room charging if we need it. If I see one that I absolutely love I'll buy it but at this point I'm content with my current collection of MB2's until they die and will use my Apple Watch as my primary entry mechanism. I'd love if I could charge back to my room with my Apple Watch and unlock my door with it (although it isn't a huge hassle to pull out the iPhone to unlock the door) but it would be nice. However, I know that would cut into MB sales so I doubt they ever actually go with a full integration like that.

JD8017 days ago

I bought them for our family, we've now used them for 2 years and I will be using them again in 10 days. Kids will use them again next year. Except my youngest who lost hers last year. I think you just need to learn to see things through other people's eyes and not just your own. These things are relatively cheap and kids love them. Those silly golden statues always have kids waving at them. My kids love how they buzz or glow in random places. The first time they felt a heartbeat in Mansion? My kids gasped. My 6 year old would scream at me, "DAD! LOOK! ITS GLOWING!" and she would them look around and try to figure out why. It's hilarious and awesome.

Indy_UK17 days ago

Im sorry but what is the point?

UNCgolf17 days ago

Sure -- I probably wouldn't buy one even if I did go regularly because they don't really offer any special functionality I care about (and I don't like wearing stuff on my wrist either), but as someone who just visits WDW once every few years and doesn't do Disney cruises or anything like that, even if I did like it it feels like a hard sell.

Vegas Disney Fan18 days ago

I despise that they aren’t included still but at least they work across all the parks, we’ve been using our old WDW ones (from 2 years ago) at DL this whole year, we bought new ones for DCL but I think we could have just used our old WDW ones there also.

Vegas Disney Fan18 days ago

DL has Magic Bands now too, they can’t be used as keys or payment (yet?) but it’s so nice being able to scan into the parks and DAS/LL with them. Not quite as useful as at WDW but getting there. Magic Bands are one of the things I love about WDW, I’m excited to try them on our upcoming cruise for the first time also, will be cool to be able to use them as keys on DCL also.

UNCgolf18 days ago

Except they cost $36. I can see getting it as an AP/DVC, but if you're not visting Disney regularly it doesn't really seem worth it. You're going to have your phone with you anyways.

Touchdown18 days ago

There the most efficient way to get in, they are easily accessible and the little lights make me smile. Infinitely better then using your phone for everything like DLR.

ToTBellHop18 days ago

Wow! This changes everything!

DisneyDreamer0818 days ago

I feel like it happened during Frozen in August 🤔

DCBaker18 days ago

They've added more theater shows in addition to the Festival of the Lion King. Here's the list of new additions from Scott: