Starting in 2021 Walt Disney World Resort will no longer offer free MagicBands to Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests. The announcement came as Disney unveiled its new Disney Park Pass System for guests to reserve their park visits.
Disney will be “retiring” complimentary MagicBand distribution for Disney Resort hotel guests. This comes as Disney begins to lean more into the use of the My Disney Experience app. This brings a lot of the features traditionally utilized on a MagicBand to smart devices instead. Because of the added functionality of the My Disney Experience app, the MagicBands will no longer be offered for free with new reservations or arrivals starting on January 1, 2021.
Those Disney Resort hotel guests who will wish to utilize and purchase MagicBands will still be able to do so. Discounts will be given to those guests as well. Disney will continue to offer new designs and colors offered moving forward. Many of these designs will feature favorite Disney characters. MagicBands will continue to be available in retail locations at Walt Disney World Resort and also on shopDisney.com. MagicBands still will be useable throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
MagicBands will not be required for guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort. Those who opt to not use them can use the My Disney Experience app or a Key to the World card during their visit.
Disney continues to lean into the My Disney Experience app more and more as the Disney Park Pass System utilizes it. Previously, it was used for Fastpass+ reservations and also for virtual queue reservations for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Due to the changes caused by COVID-19, the My Disney Experience app is now being even more heavily utilized.
DAPS MAGIC will continue to follow this story and provide more updates as they become available. What do you think about Disney suspending the offering of free MagicBands in 2021? Will this make Walt Disney World Resort trips simpler or will they be missed? Share your thoughts in the comments below or with DAPS MAGIC on Facebook or Twitter!
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