Taking a trip to the Magic Kingdom anytime soon? Disney is about to make your experience a lot more convenient, and that means replacing MagicBands with the MagicMobile service for smartphones and smartwatches.
Making Magical Moments With Your Smartphone
MagicBands were initially launched in 2013 in the Walt Disney World Resort. You scan these plastic bracelets at various NFC access points throughout Disney, and it grants you access to your hotel room, gives you admittance to different theme parks, and even lets you charge purchases to your hotel room.
Now, Disney is giving users an alternative to the MagicBands: the MagicMobile service. Disney outlined the details of this change in a post on the Disney Parks blog. Instead of having to purchase and then wear a MagicBand around all day, you can now simply scan access points with your phone or smartwatch.
To get started with the MagicMobile service, you’ll have to download the My Disney Experience app. From here, you’ll be able to create your pass within the app, and then add it to your device’s digital wallet. You can then wave your phone at access points across Disney, just like you would with a MagicBand.
For now, the MagicMobile service will only be available on iPhones and Apple Watches, and is set to debut “in phases starting later this year.”
If you own an Android device, you’ll have to use a MagicBand for a bit longer. And anyone who just wants to continue using the MagicBand will still able to—guests will be given the choice to use either one (or both, if they’d like).
Disney didn’t specify what exactly the MagicMobile service will be able to do. While it will most likely have the same features as a MagicBand, it remains unclear if it will come with any additional perks.
The MagicMobile service is being rolled out at just the right time: when the world is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Swapping the MagicBand for the MagicMobile service is a smart choice for Disney, as the touchless service will likely make guests feel more comfortable at its parks.
Disney World’s Tech Gets Smarter
The MagicMobile service will only be available at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Disneyland doesn’t support the MagicBand feature, which means it won’t be getting the MagicMobile service either.
MagicBands are creative tools, and they definitely give Disney parks a more fantastical feel. Hopefully, using the MagicMobile service in place of the MagicBands won’t change that magical feeling for guests.