MagicBand+ at Disney World: Everything You Need to Know (Pricing, Launch Date, Designs)
MagicBand+ is the next generation of Walt Disney World’s wearable technology, with interactive features for the 50th Anniversary. This guide covers everything you need to know: base pricing, launch date, photos of designs, and how the MagicBand Plus will work in Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and the other parks. (Updated July 13, 2022.)
To begin, fears of the MagicBand’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Back when the MagicMobile contactless phone feature launched last year, many Walt Disney World fans feared that meant the death of the MagicBand. To be fair, this was a valid concern–as Disney also did away with free MagicBands for resort guests.
Our perspective at the time was that Walt Disney World would continue to sell MagicBands as long as guests continued to buy them. MagicMobile is a free service, whereas the company makes a ton of money from fans who collect limited edition designs or casually purchase new colors and styles before every trip. To that point, Walt Disney World introduced more MagicBands in trendy new colors and more recently. (See New MagicBand Upgrade Options for a look at the styles already available—when in stock.)
July 13, 2022 Update: It’s been a while since Walt Disney World last offered an official update on MagicBand Plus, which is (still) slated to launch in Summer 2022. Previously, it was our understanding–based on credible rumors–that the MagicBand+ would launch about a month ago. However, that did not happen.
This was despite an early shipment of the MagicBand+ being placed on shelves at World of Disney and sold in early May. Those were quickly pulled from inventory after being sold for only a few hours. However, that did result in a couple dozen MagicBand+ being “out in the wild” for over two months at this point.
We have not heard anything credible about the cause of the delay in launching the MagicBand+ at Walt Disney World. It could be a matter of inventory–that supply chain disruptions have meant insufficient supply for the company to be comfortable selling them at a larger scale.
It could also be because in-park infrastructure work isn’t quite finished. We had heard rumblings that the bounty hunter mini-game at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was the cause of delays, but we’re not certain of that. Regardless, this work now appears to be completed.
This summer, we had the chance to play-test the MagicBand+ and learned several things about it.
First, MagicBand+ works exactly like a normal MagicBand, meaning you can scan it to enter the parks or Lightning Lanes. Unlike those, when it’s activated, the MagicBand+ will light up in rainbow colors.
Next, the MagicBand+ will interact with the 50th Anniversary statues around Walt Disney World. This was previously announced, but the company didn’t clarify how that would happen.
Now we know that when you wave at the statue while wearing a MagicBand+, the characters will talk to you (those with voices) or a message or other effect will play. We tested this out with the Mickey Mouse statue, and he had a few different greetings.
This will also be integrated with the Play Disney Parks app on your phone, so you can also “collect” interactions with the characters by finding them all in every park. The app component of this has been dubbed the “Disney Fab 50 Quest.” It’s a scavenger hunt throughout the four Walt Disney World theme parks using MagicBand+ to “help spread pixie dust and interact with the golden character sculptures.”
This was all pretty underwhelming, especially as compared to what other Disney theme parks (see commentary below) have done with interactive anniversary statues in the past. It doesn’t feel like the statues were originally designed in tandem with the MagicBand+ interactivity, but instead interactivity was added after the fact. Kids might enjoy this, but it didn’t do much for us.
The other minigame is Batuu Bounty Hunters in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This one is much more interesting and engaging–you use your MagicBand+ to track down virtual bounties throughout the land, with hotter/colder interactive feedback from the band. Once you’ve located the bounty, you scan with the Play Disney Parks app to collect them to return to the guild master.
These bounties start out pretty easy to find, but get progressively more difficult as you continue to collect them. Imagineering indicated that this could be more of a long-form experience spread over multiple days if you wanted to move up the ranks. We really liked this and found it to be an iterative improvement on the interactivity already in Batuu. It’s also nice that most of this game revolves around the MagicBand+ itself, rather than the app screen.
You can learn more about these interactive experiences in MagicBand+ Minigames: 50th Anniversary Quest & Star Wars Batuu Bounty Hunters.
Below are all of the different MagicBand designs that will be released with the initial rollout:
As you can see, there are solid colors, 50th Anniversary designs, fireworks, the Partners statue, princesses and bounty hunters, and a variety of family options.
Walt Disney World has indicated that this is just the first batch of designs, with more to debut in the future.
We also have a few more MagicBand+ details to share. First, the retail price of the solid ‘core colors’ of MagicBand+ will be priced at $29.99. (Typically, there’s a pre-arrival discount for on-site resort guests, so expect this style to cost $19.99 or $24.99 for hotel guests once it’s available in that system…which may not be right away.)
Expect the limited release designs, like the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary MagicBand+ styles, to have premium pricing. We don’t have specifics to share on those, but it’s likely the initial designs will cost $39.99 or $49.99 and increase from there, similar to regular MagicBands.
Second, unlike the current generation of MagicBand 2.0 products, the MagicBand+ must be charged for use. It comes with a charger and USB cord, which attaches to the underside of the Mickey head.
That’s all the updates for today. We’re still expecting a release date to be announced any day now. Unless further delayed, it’s highly likely that MagicBand+ will be released in July 2022. (We’d put the chances at over 80%.) If not this month, almost certainly in August. Problems are always possible, but the wearables themselves are ready to go and programming is finished…so it’s not really clear what the hold-up is at this point.
Earlier this summer, Walt Disney World issued an official update about its MagicBand upgrade program that offers discounted pre-arrival for on-site resort hotel guests as well as Annual Passholders. In this, Disney warns of Limited MagicBand Upgrade Availability.
In a statement, Walt Disney World says the problems are “due to ongoing, industry-wide supply chain challenges, MagicBands may have limited availability or be unavailable in some styles. Our teams are working to improve our selection over the coming weeks and recommend Guests continue to check back to see if their preferred style is available.”
While this update obviously does not directly concern the MagicBand+, it’s a related issue. There are a couple reasons for the delay of MagicBand+, one of which is the same underlying problem causing limited OG MagicBand availability: supply chain disruptions. As is evident from the construction walls in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, there is also still some in-park programming to be done and touchpoints to install.
Even after the MagicBand+ does launch in Summer 2022, there’s no guarantee it’ll be easy to find unless the outstanding supply chain issues are resolved and the company is able to procure adequate inventory. It could be released in July 2022, with the entire initial shipment selling out in two weeks, and then nothing again October or December 2022. It’s also possible there’s sufficient inventory for store shelves, but not for shopDisney.com or the pre-arrival MagicBand upgrade option. We truly don’t know–and won’t know until after the official release.
Prior to this, Disney teased a variety of details about the MagicBand+ coming to Walt Disney World. Here’s the official announcement from the company about the next evolution of MagicBands, coming in Summer 2022:
The original MagicBand was introduced in 2013 at Walt Disney World, making the guest experience in the theme parks and resorts more convenient and hands-free for things like park and guest room entry, retail and dining, Disney’s PhotoPass service, and more. MagicBand+ will retain those popular features and add functionality that unlocks new moments of magic for guests.
After you enter a Walt Disney World theme park, MagicBand+ will come alive at various times with color-changing lights, haptic vibrations, and gesture recognition.
The wearable will allow you to engage with favorite Disney moments in new ways, including:
- Play like a bounty hunter in a galaxy far, far away and find virtual bounties throughout Black Spire Outpost in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Interact with the “Disney Fab 50 Character Collection,” the golden sculptures spread throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks.
- Experience nighttime spectaculars in a new way as you see your band light up and complement the magic in the skies, including the new “Harmonious” at EPCOT and “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom.
MagicBand+ will be available for purchase beginning in Summer 2022, including a discounted, pre-arrival price for Disney Resort hotel guests as well as new and renewing Walt Disney World Annual Passholders.
Current MagicBands will continue to be available, too, along with the complimentary Disney MagicMobile service that extends MagicBand features, such as park entry, to smart devices. MagicBand+ will help immerse you in Disney stories and connect with characters you love like never before.
In addition to Walt Disney World, the MagicBand+ wearable technology and “Hey, Disney!” voice assistant, announced for Walt Disney World Resort, will be coming to Disneyland Resort in 2022!
This will mark the first time MagicBand+ will be available at Disneyland Resort to enhance the guest experience with hands-free convenience. Some of the features of MagicBand+ will vary between Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort and we’ll share details in the months ahead. The “Hey, Disney!” voice assistant will work alongside Alexa on Amazon Echo devices and also will begin rolling out to guest rooms across the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.
In terms of commentary, the first thing that jumps to mind with MagicBand+ is Glow with the Show.
You might recall those color-changing and “magical” Mickey Ear Hats that interacted with Fantasmic!, Wishes, Celebrate the Magic, and even the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.
Or you might not, since Glow with the Show was a colossal flop. It debuted at Disneyland, and even with prominent in-store displays and multiple giveaways and some truly cool PR photos, very few guests purchased Glow with the Show ears.
The problem was that they were bulky, cumbersome, and–critically–the person spending the money on Glow with the Show ears could not benefit from how they interacted with shows and changed colors, since you cannot see the top of your own head.
It would seem that MagicBand+ solves for that problem, as you can see your own wrist.
Interestingly, everyone in the teaser video watching nighttime spectaculars has their arm around someone else, so they also cannot see the interactive effects. Once we get one of these puppies, we’ll be holding our arms out during every nighttime spectacular!
The other thing this reminds us of is the interactive statues that Tokyo Disney Resort has done for pretty much every anniversary in the last decade.
With those, you’ve purchased a wand or lanyard, and those unlock a light and musical feature on the statue itself. I’m guessing this won’t be quite so elaborate since the statues appear pretty static, but it should still be cool. Moreover, it’s a window into the type of interactivity that could be possible in the future.
As someone who is absolutely obsessed with colorful lights and interactive objects, I love the idea of the MagicBand+ and will probably end up buying one–depending upon the cost–when they’re released.
I’ve passed up a lot of MagicBands recently with designs I’ve liked because wearing one has felt a bit like ‘dead weight’ (especially with an Apple Watch on the other wrist).
I know there are ardent MagicBand fans out there, but I cannot be alone in this sentiment. When the device was released back in 2013, wearable technology wasn’t really a thing. In the years since, all sorts of smart watches and other devices have been released, raising the technical bar every single year.
By contrast, MagicBands have only seen one major redesign, and have felt–at least from a tech perspective–a bit archaic. I realize that for many people, that’s the appeal of MagicBands–having technology that doesn’t require looking at a screen but still makes life more convenient. Regardless, this should also revitalize and modernize the MagicBand, giving it a bit more kinetic energy. We’re excited!
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the MagicBand Plus? Will you be purchasing these new interactive wearables when they go on sale at Walt Disney World in Summer 2022? Will you hold off on purchasing current gen MagicBands now that an overhaul/upgrade is on the horizon, or do you not really care about the interactivity? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
What’s happening with Hoop Dee Doo?
I am not usually one to upgrade a magic band. I have for my daughter a few times. But I want one of these! $40 is my limit, though. Any idea on when prices will be released? I think they’re cool
I am glad Magic Mobile is not the future. I have seen it cause so many problems at the turnstile and I’ve only been here a few days. There is also a QR code that users have to scan in each queue to hook the phone up to the photo pass, and a number of them are completely unreadable, or really confusingly worded so *everyone* thinks they have to stop and scan the code.
JC – Wait times weren’t accurate: they were actually the usual overestimates. I walked onto Space Mountain today at 2pm, which was annoying because it was hot and I wanted more time out of the sun.
Off topic- but has anyone else checked wait times on MDX app today? Wait times are incredibly low for this date. I’m really surprised. Assuming the times on the app are accurate of course.
any thoughts/predictions of availability for pre-arrival orders if we already ordered the traditional style 50th Anniversary bands for our 2022 trip? We are staying on site for 10 days and this is a “shut up and take my money” kinda thing.
These seem similar to the bracelets Taylor Swift (well, venue employees) handed out at her 1989 and Reputation tours- the bracelets lit up in connection with the music. It was very fun to see in a stadium. Curious how it’ll be at WDW!
Will they still be waterproof? One of the best things about the original bands was how much easier they made a trip to a waterpark as you didn’t need to take cash / cards / keys etc.
Seems pretty neat ala wands at Universal. Would be nice if they had an app so your smart watch did the same thing instead of a separate device.
I’m very glad that glow with the show died. I’m short and I want to see the fireworks, not your glowing hat in front of me. 🙂
This sounds potentially cool, though. Although I would still have some concern over bright light near me vs show farther away.
LOVE this announcement.
Finally a reason to live for 2022.
So last night 9/29 after the fireworks it was walk on everything Splash Mt, , Big Thunder, Pirates, 15 min wait for jUNGLE CRUISE. Biggest crowd I’ve seen all week was last nights last HEA Fireworks.
Today a bit busy at HS but not terrible. 80 mins for ROTR which is not terrible for a ride that hot AND so much better that people have the choice to wait or move on, Virtual Que bites the big one. Which reminds me I had a 15 min wait for Gideon to buy a bag of bites. That’s not a bad wait time and it’s worth it to go inside and take photos. Very unique. My wife loves her pistachio cookie but it’ so sweet she only needs two bites a day. 6 bucks for a cookie that lasts a week or more making it less than a dollar a day. I personally didn’t care for any of the cookies in the bites bag or my triple chocolate.
Finally, a merchandise line that should benefit me even if I don’t buy into it! (I’m hoping the increased power requirements require at least a slightly different interface to WDW IT programs. My Disney Experience really needs some reprogramming, especially if Genie isn’t a replacement app but just some new code thrown onto a program that seems to be getting less stable over time.)
That being said, maybe I’ll lean into getting older and get a fake Mickey Mouse watch band that always points to the time for the three o’clock parade.
PegP, Totally agree with you. I love to take photos and video of the fireworks and nighttime shows. Who needs one more thing to deal with and look at? I hope all of the buzzing, beeping and glowing from people wearing these crazy things doesn’t take away from those of us who aren’t interested enjoying the shows. Sounds like when someone yacks on the phone in a movie theater!
Smart – looks like some Imagineers went to a Coldplay concert and got a good idea!
Totally agree with you. I love to take photos and video of the fireworks and nighttime shows. Who needs one more thing to deal with and look at? I hope all of the buzzing, beeping and glowing from people wearing these crazy things doesn’t take away from those of us who aren’t interested enjoying the shows. Sounds like when someone yacks on the phone in a movie theater!
LOVE this. Great idea! I’m a bit fan of magic bands, so anything that improves or expands what they can do is a win for me.
The battery concern is number one with me. I love Magic Bands, although I don’t wear them on my wrist (I put them on the adjusting strap on the back of my cap). I have purchased a few special ones for my special ones (family) and they love Minnie, and Tink, and all the others. Keeping Magic Bands is good news and encouraging to me. We’re at WDW starting next Wed. (10/6) I wish the new ones were ready now. Guess I’ll just have to struggle with my old Dooney and Bourke DVC members band. But one again, without a replaceable battery, the band will rapidly be just a static decoration – especially if it is lighting, vibrating, beeping, etc. all the time. [Can’t wait for your photos of Beacons of Magic]
Finally! A super smart move Disney! Personal interaction within the park was seriously lacking. The singular experience you get at other parks, aka wands at Universal, bands at MarioWorld, and Tokyo Disney, are beloved because they aren’t phone app based but tangible. The loss of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom and limited character interaction took a lot of that away. I am so happy this is a step in the right direction! Hopefully they will add more games/interactions in the park if these are well received.
We are headed back at the beginning of February. I hope we can pick some of these up to support the push for more interactions besides an expensive droid in one section of one park (also well received even if expensive). I have a toddler who will love it!
I. For one, am actually excited about this! I think the interactive feature will especially appeal to my kids. I hated the thought of Disney doing away with the convenience of magic bands and having to worry about my phone battery going dead, or losing my phone, in order to access the Lightning lanes. (Though I guess I’ll still have to worry about that in order to access Genie+ in the parks.) Hopefully this means the old magicbands are also here to stay for a while. I loved them, especially for the kids. As I’ve said before, I’m all for Disney increasing revenue with optional add-ons like this, if they turn around the profit and invest in some meaningful ways to genuinely improve guest experience, like more rides, Magical Express service, entertainment, etc. We’ll see about that….
This (to me) is a colossal waste of money that can be better spent elsewhere in the parks. I don’t know how much they’ll cost, but considering how Disney now charges an outrageous amount for their Limited Edition Magic Bands (up to $60) that don’t do anything more than a plain blue Magic Band, I’m sure the cost for a band that glows to the fireworks will be ridiculous. Will people really be watching their Magic Bands glowing during the fireworks show instead of watching the fireworks? Seems to me that this is just a status symbol Magic Band and nothing more. Hard pass.