Hands-on with Walt Disney World's MagicBand replacement - MagicMobile on iPhone and Apple Watch

Mar 22, 2021 in "MyMagic+"

Gallery / 12 Photos
Disney MagicMobile screenshots

See all 12

Posted: Monday March 22, 2021 4:07pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

MagicMobile, Disney's iPhone and Apple Watch MagicBand replacement, is now available for some guests at Walt Disney World via a recent update to the My Disney Experience app.

Disney MagicMobile service is billed as a convenient and contactless way to access MagicBand features like theme park entry through the power of your iPhone, Apple Watch and coming later - Android devices. Most features will be available by just holding up your smart device near an access point, just like you do with a MagicBand. You can choose to use Disney MagicMobile service or a MagicBand, and can alternate between the two for added flexibility.

The setup process is incredibly easy. Using the official My Disney Experience app, you choose which guests in your account to setup for MagicMobile access.

Disney MagicMobile screenshots

Next you get to choose a virtual pass style - which is the pass that will be displayed in your device wallet. There are lots of designs, including park specific, passholder and even favorite park food offerings.

Disney MagicMobile screenshots

The final step is adding the pass to the Wallet app, where My Disney Experience transfers your pass to the digital wallet on your iPhone and Apple Watch.

Disney MagicMobile screenshots

The pass works without waking up the device or using FaceID or TouchID, and can also work when out of usable battery life.

Disney MagicMobile screenshots

And here is what it looks like in the Wallet app on Apple Watch. The Apple Watch version is animated, and shows off some nice shimmering effects.

Disney MagicMobile screenshots

And this is how it appears in the Wallet app on iPhone. You can go back at anytime into My Disney Experience to change your pass style for a different look.

Disney MagicMobile screenshots

And that's it. You can now use your iPhone or Apple Watch in place of your MagicBand in the parks. We'll be testing it out this week, so keep a look-out for updates on how it performs.

MagicMobile allows you to enter a park with your iPhone or Apple Watch in place of a MagicBand

So far, MagicMobile is only available for iPhone and Apple Watch, but Disney has said that it will be coming to Android at a later date.

With this new offering, Disney has has already retired complimentary MagicBand distribution to Disney Resort hotel at the start of 2021. For those who don't wish to use MagicMobile, Disney Resort hotel guests will continue to have the option to purchase new MagicBands at a discount, and retail purchase of MagicBands for all guests will remain available.

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

BrianLo25 days ago

I know I’m bumping an older thread. I completely slept on this - but at some point express pass has been added to iPhone as well for the pass. So it also works with a dead iphone. Discount affiliations are also nested in the Apple wallet pass (DVC Y, annual pass, etc). Honestly this is a pretty slick and advanced usage that I’ve only experienced in Japan so far with their transit passes

JeffHNov 18, 2021

You can now use a reloadable card (like a 5% discounted Target Disney gift card or your Disney Visa rewards card) to pay off your resort bill and now get that 5% (or more with the Sam's black Friday gift card deal) ALL your purchases in addition to your resort bill.

jaklgreenNov 18, 2021

I use the same card so this does nothing for me.

nickysNov 17, 2021

Finally!

dreday3Nov 17, 2021

We were trying everything at food/wine - finally the CM just told me to remove it for fear of the angry mob forming behind me in line! 🤣

donsullivanNov 17, 2021

It charges back to your room folio account if you are a Disney hotel guest with that set up.

nickysNov 17, 2021

So does this charge direct to the card on file, or is it charging back to the room like when buying merchandise?

donsullivanNov 17, 2021

I have a friend who described the same issue ( I use iPhone). It seems the issue is you need to manually trigger Google Pay first and then tap the payment point. If you don’t do that MagicMobile intercepts the RFID read so Google Pay never sees it. I have to do exactly the same thing on iPhone or Watch I just double tap the watch button to trigger ApplePay and it works fine.

dreday3Nov 17, 2021

Since this was bumped... I never was able to add Google Pay when paying with mobile order, but just used one of my credit cards and it charged card directly. I was able to use Google Pay directly at stores/kiosks, but ONLY after I removed the magic mobile cards from my G-pay! Whenever I tried to pay, it kept automatically defaulting to the magic mobile card and not the card I wanted to use attached to G-pay. A lot of people were having that issue and cast members told me just to remove magic mobile card if not using (which I wasn't).

Disstevefan1Nov 17, 2021

I wish the card on file could be a rewards card of a gift card or some sort of reloadable card, not tied to any account.

DCBakerNov 17, 2021

Addition to MagicMobile - "NEW: Charge food and merchandise purchases to the payment card on file at your Disney Resort hotel room during your stay" https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/11/disney-magicmobile-service-enjoy-new-features-and-fun-designs-celebrating-walt-disney-world-resort-50th-anniversary/

CaptainAmericaOct 06, 2021

I read the post I was responding to as if she wanted to use Google Pay to pay with a credit card, not MM.

ItsBillyOct 06, 2021

You never need to open the Google Pay app. To ensure that the MagicMobile pass is transmitted, don't unlock your phone. Just have the screen on and phone locked. Payment cards need the phone to be unlocked, but again, you still don't need to open the app unless you're paying with a card other than your default.