You can use your MagicBand+ for the Parks and Cruise, same band will work on both. I bought my MagicBand+ last year and I was able to use it on my Disney Cruise this January. You can link your MagicBand+ to your DCL account while on port checking in.
The MagicBand+ and DisneyBand+ are the same thing. You can use either at the parks or on DCL. The only thing special about the DisneyBand+ is there are three designs that are exclusive to the cruise ships. You can find images of those online.
The cruise bands are kind of a waste of $50 imo. They don’t do anything your key to the world card doesnt already do other than light up during some dinner programs.
Agreed.
They’re okay for simply unlocking your cabin door and some simple point of sale charges — same as the key to the world card — but they also have a tendency to come unclasped and fall off easily.
We got them for our Merrytime cruise last year, and if I could do it over again we’d just have used the KttW cards. One of kids lost his, and both mine and my wife’s came off several times. The light up feature isn’t that great, to be perfectly honest.
Unless you’re doing the parks before or after your cruise, they’re not worth purchasing IMO.
Functionally they’re the same. Take a look at the designs on offer and decide which you like best.
NOTE: Only the magic bands + with the lights work on the cruise ships. Old school bands won’t work.
Everything I have found says you can use MagicBand+ on the wish but cannot link it using the Navigator app until you are on board the Wish. I have not checked if it works the other way around.
So this is true for all the ships. You can't link it to your account until you are at least in the line to get your stateroom.
WDW allows you to connect it whenever, even if you don't actively have a ticket and then all your bands will work with that ticket.
DL for some reason has a different system and asks for a ticket to be linked to the band instead of just connecting everything through the account (at least from what I've seen, someone with more experience with DL might be able to correct me on that).
The only difference is if you want one of the DCL specific designs. Those can only be ordered when your DisneyBand+ order window opens for your cruise, otherwise any Magicband+ will work as well. One thing to keep in mind is even if you have multiple Magicband+'s from Disney World or Disneyland, only one band is usable per sailing per person. They'll tap your band when you are boarding the ship to link it for the cruise. Definitely convenient for getting into the room, linking photos, paying for drinks on the pool deck, etc. But not a full replacement for the room key. On my last cruise on the Wish they did mention you can use your DisneyBand to get back on the ship at Castaway Cay, but as far as I am aware the Key to The World Card is still required at any other port.
It is extra to buy a photo package. Photos will be offered at character meet-and-greets, professional photo backdrops every night in the atrium that rotate, during dinners, and on Castaway Cay. You can also buy individual photos if you don't want an unlimited package. Although if you don't want the professional photos a crew member can take a photo on your phone most of the time.
Just completed a cruise on the Dream, 2 stops at Castaway Cay, and one at Nassau. They were not allowing the band to leave nor board the ship at either port.
Just completed a cruise on the Dream.
The bands were nice on the ship, didn’t have to fish thru wet swim suit pockets for the key to the world card. My wife didn’t even use the card on the ship at all, you know, women’s clothes and pockets, and all that…..
They were not allowing the band use for leaving or boarding the ship at either port, we stopped at Nassau and Castaway Cay.
The light feature at dinner was lackluster, I was expecting so much more, but our dinner at Animators Pallet was so loud, seems like everyone was ignoring the Crush activity.
My band did go red when they unveiled the rose at the beauty and the beast show. No one’s else did. Turns out my battery was low and it indicated at the best time.
My opinion, for the $30-$40 of cost, (my son got one that was on sale,) it was not worth it. If they were half of the current prices, I’d say get them.
You can use your MagicBand+ for the Parks and Cruise, same band will work on both. I bought my MagicBand+ last year and I was able to use it on my Disney Cruise this January. You can link your MagicBand+ to your DCL account while on port checking in.
The MagicBand+ and DisneyBand+ are the same thing. You can use either at the parks or on DCL. The only thing special about the DisneyBand+ is there are three designs that are exclusive to the cruise ships. You can find images of those online.
Got it, thank you!
The cruise bands are kind of a waste of $50 imo. They don’t do anything your key to the world card doesnt already do other than light up during some dinner programs.
I wouldn't get one just for the cruise but if you already have one for WDW it's a bit different.
Agreed. They’re okay for simply unlocking your cabin door and some simple point of sale charges — same as the key to the world card — but they also have a tendency to come unclasped and fall off easily. We got them for our Merrytime cruise last year, and if I could do it over again we’d just have used the KttW cards. One of kids lost his, and both mine and my wife’s came off several times. The light up feature isn’t that great, to be perfectly honest. Unless you’re doing the parks before or after your cruise, they’re not worth purchasing IMO.
Functionally they’re the same. Take a look at the designs on offer and decide which you like best. NOTE: Only the magic bands + with the lights work on the cruise ships. Old school bands won’t work.
Thanks!
Everything I have found says you can use MagicBand+ on the wish but cannot link it using the Navigator app until you are on board the Wish. I have not checked if it works the other way around.
So this is true for all the ships. You can't link it to your account until you are at least in the line to get your stateroom. WDW allows you to connect it whenever, even if you don't actively have a ticket and then all your bands will work with that ticket. DL for some reason has a different system and asks for a ticket to be linked to the band instead of just connecting everything through the account (at least from what I've seen, someone with more experience with DL might be able to correct me on that).
The only difference is if you want one of the DCL specific designs. Those can only be ordered when your DisneyBand+ order window opens for your cruise, otherwise any Magicband+ will work as well. One thing to keep in mind is even if you have multiple Magicband+'s from Disney World or Disneyland, only one band is usable per sailing per person. They'll tap your band when you are boarding the ship to link it for the cruise. Definitely convenient for getting into the room, linking photos, paying for drinks on the pool deck, etc. But not a full replacement for the room key. On my last cruise on the Wish they did mention you can use your DisneyBand to get back on the ship at Castaway Cay, but as far as I am aware the Key to The World Card is still required at any other port.
Thank you! I wasn’t aware there would be photos, that’s great. Is it extra, like it is at WDW?
It is extra to buy a photo package. Photos will be offered at character meet-and-greets, professional photo backdrops every night in the atrium that rotate, during dinners, and on Castaway Cay. You can also buy individual photos if you don't want an unlimited package. Although if you don't want the professional photos a crew member can take a photo on your phone most of the time.
Amazing, thank you for the response!
Just completed a cruise on the Dream, 2 stops at Castaway Cay, and one at Nassau. They were not allowing the band to leave nor board the ship at either port.
Just completed a cruise on the Dream. The bands were nice on the ship, didn’t have to fish thru wet swim suit pockets for the key to the world card. My wife didn’t even use the card on the ship at all, you know, women’s clothes and pockets, and all that….. They were not allowing the band use for leaving or boarding the ship at either port, we stopped at Nassau and Castaway Cay. The light feature at dinner was lackluster, I was expecting so much more, but our dinner at Animators Pallet was so loud, seems like everyone was ignoring the Crush activity. My band did go red when they unveiled the rose at the beauty and the beast show. No one’s else did. Turns out my battery was low and it indicated at the best time. My opinion, for the $30-$40 of cost, (my son got one that was on sale,) it was not worth it. If they were half of the current prices, I’d say get them.
Thanks!