Magic Bands

[Inga]

Is it worth it to have your magic bands at aulani for room key and charging to the room? I assume that can be sync’d through the Disney app, not the Aulani app, or am I incorrect?

 

[Kristie71]

aulani does not use magic bands as your room key / charge. It is used at Aunties to monitor the wereabouts of your children.

 

[Inga]

aulani does not use magic bands as your room key / charge. It is used at Aunties to monitor the wereabouts of your children.

Ok thank you!

 

[suzy_q]

I used my magic band last week to charge at Ulu's--just tap your magic band instead of the room key. I was also able to use it at the towel station to get my pool wristband and to get into my room.

 

[Inga]

I used my magic band last week to charge at Ulu's--just tap your magic band instead of the room key. I was also able to use it at the towel station to get my pool wristband and to get into my room.

Oh! OK....good to know, but conflicting experiences!

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

Mine did not work. YMMV

 

[Finlanda]

Oh! OK....good to know, but conflicting experiences!

How did you link your magic band?
If via app - what app?
Thank you!

I used my magic band last week to charge at Ulu's--just tap your magic band instead of the room key. I was also able to use it at the towel station to get my pool wristband and to get into my room.

How did you link your magic band?
If via app - what app?
Thank you!

 

[Paul Stupin]

Though there seem to be sporadic reports of the occasional magic band working, my experience is that basically no one at Aulani uses them, a lot of the staff has no idea what they are, none are on sale anywhere on property, and no one wears them.

 

[808blessing]

My friends said they used them there at Christmas. I’ll ask again.

 

[corgi_monster]

I’m here now and my magic band from 2019 worked to open my door. I was able to use it to pick up my pool bands/towels as well. I haven’t tried charging on it yet.

Before you get to Aulani, log in to My Disney Experience and make sure your band is activated. I had to reactivate mine to get it to work.

 

[EpcotNerd]

I’m here now and my magic band from 2019 worked to open my door. I was able to use it to pick up my pool bands/towels as well. I haven’t tried charging on it yet.

Before you get to Aulani, log in to My Disney Experience and make sure your band is activated. I had to reactivate mine to get it to work.

So if it's active on the WDW My Disney Experience app it will automatically link to your Aulani reservation? How does it know that? Because it's the same email?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So if it's active on the WDW My Disney Experience app it will automatically link to your Aulani reservation? How does it know that? Because it's the same email?

The band doesn't link to your reservation directly. The band links to YOU and YOU link to your reservation.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Fwiw, this was posted on ShopDisney for about a year going back to pre-COVID.

 

[Kristie71]

I used my magic band last week to charge at Ulu's--just tap your magic band instead of the room key. I was also able to use it at the towel station to get my pool wristband and to get into my room.

Wow! When did they start this? The last i heard last year was the bands only worked at Aunties.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Wow! When did they start this? The last i heard last year was the bands only worked at Aunties.

Auntie's bands only work at Auntie's, that's still true (or would be if Auntie's was open).

 

[Paul Stupin]

Fwiw, this was posted on ShopDisney for about a year going back to pre-COVID.

View attachment 578801

As you said, that ad is not recent. No bands were being sold when I was there in April and there was no talk of magic bands at all. Maybe there is some workaround people are using, since every once in a while someone on these boards says they have used their bands, but the tech is certainly not being either promoted or encouraged at the resort. I asked at the front desk and was told magic bands weren't being used, and she wasn't aware of any plans to introduce them. I used to think they were coming sooner or later, but it seems like they're being slowly phased out at WDW in favor of mobile phones, so I doubt they'll ever pop up at Aulani.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

As you said, that ad is not recent.

The ad is *current.* It's literally up on ShopDisney.com right now.

No bands were being sold when I was there in April and there was no talk of magic bands at all. Maybe there is some workaround people are using, since every once in a while someone on these boards says they have used their bands, but the tech is certainly not being either promoted or encouraged at the resort. I asked at the front desk and was told magic bands weren't being used, and she wasn't aware of any plans to introduce them.

There's no special tech, really. The tech in a MagicBand is no different than the tech in the plastic room keys they're using currently. It's short-range RFID, that's it. They don't need to do any major system changes or upgrades to roll bands out, they just need to stick them on the shelves and start selling them.

I used to think they were coming sooner or later, but it seems like they're being slowly phased out at WDW in favor of mobile phones, so I doubt they'll ever pop up at Aulani.

I don't agree that they're being phased out at WDW. They've obviously moved from complimentary to for-purchase, but I don't think they're phasing them out any time soon. Mobile Magic is simply not a good user experience. The "magic" of the Magic Bands is that they're go-anywhere, waterproof, and immediately accessible at all times. That makes them perfect for Aulani, which is basically a mini water park. I know I'm in the minority and I sound like an old man, but I don't want to be carrying around my smartphone all day when I'm going to the pool and beach.

I have no idea what Disney's manufacturing cost is on each band, but I have to imagine that they're going to continue to sell them at $5 to $50 a pop for as long as people are willing to buy them.

 

[Paul Stupin]

The ad is *current.* It's literally up on ShopDisney.com right now.


There's no special tech, really. The tech in a MagicBand is no different than the tech in the plastic room keys they're using currently. It's short-range RFID, that's it. They don't need to do any major system changes or upgrades to roll bands out, they just need to stick them on the shelves and start selling them.


I don't agree that they're being phased out at WDW. They've obviously moved from complimentary to for-purchase, but I don't think they're phasing them out any time soon. Mobile Magic is simply not a good user experience. The "magic" of the Magic Bands is that they're go-anywhere, waterproof, and immediately accessible at all times. That makes them perfect for Aulani, which is basically a mini water park. I know I'm in the minority and I sound like an old man, but I don't want to be carrying around my smartphone all day when I'm going to the pool and beach.

I have no idea what Disney's manufacturing cost is on each band, but I have to imagine that they're going to continue to sell them at $5 to $50 a pop for as long as people are willing to buy them.

That ad has been sitting on the website for over a year and nothing has happened. I’m frustrated because I’d love magic bands to come to Aulani. We’ve been twice in the last six months, once in Jan, once in April. Each time I’ve asked if there were any plans to introduce them to the resort, and each time I’ve been told no. So my takeaway is that though some people might have used the tech to get them to work at the resort, since the tech is similar to a key card, there’s not going to be any formal roll out. When we’re there, we never see anyone wearing them.