MagicBand Plus Secrets & Guide | Is it Worth the Cost?

Have you heard about the new MagicBand Plus at Disney World? A lot of Disney fans have been anxiously waiting for these new MagicBands. These bands are just like the old MagicBands, but with a little extra magic. I spent a few days at Disney World to test out the new MagicBand Plus. 

MagicBand Plus Secrets & Guide

Watch our MagicBand Plus Guide with Secrets for your next vacation or scroll down for the details.

Cost of MagicBand Plus

Let’s first talk about price. You do have to buy the MagicBand Plus. You can pre-order your MagicBands when you book a Disney World vacation. This will help save you a little bit of money. The pre-order prices range from $24.99-34.99. 

If you wait to buy your MagicBand Plus at Disney World, the prices are a bit higher. The prices range from $34.99-44.99. The plain colors are less expensive. The more decorative MagicBands are at the more expensive $44.99 price tag. 

How to Use MagicBand Plus

As soon as you get your MagicBands Plus, you will want to charge it. If you buy it at the Disney Parks, be sure you bring a portable charger. You will want to make sure the MagicBands are fully charged before using them. Your band will light up green when it is fully charged. Many of the experiences do not work unless it is fully charged.

Set Up Your MagicBand Plus

Let’s set up your MagicBand. The first thing you will want to do is add the My Disney Experience App to your phone (if you do not currently have this app). Once you have the app, you can start the process to turn on your MagicBand. There is a button on the back of your MagicBand. Press it and hold it for a couple seconds. 

Once it turns on, you will tap your MagicBand to your smart phone. This will direct you to instructions on your My Disney Experience App. You will assign the MagicBand to the correct family member and then it will pair the phone to the MagicBand. You will follow the instructions step by step.

Setting up the MagicBand Plus was very easy and just took a few minutes.

Basics of MagicBand Plus

Let’s talk about what makes the MagicBand Plus different. The MagicBand Plus does all of the same things as the MagicBands. You can open your Disney Resort, enter the Disney Parks, and pay for food and merchandise. The MagicBand Plus currently have (3) additional magical experiences. Let’s break down those experiences.

Evening Show Entertainment

First is the enhanced nighttime spectaculars. Do you remember the Glow Ears? Years ago, Disney had Mickey Mouse ears that would light up during the evening shows. They were amazing, especially at Magic Kingdom. 

The MagicBand Plus are similar to the Glow Ears. During the Enchantment and Harmonious shows, your MagicBand will light up and vibrate with the show. 

I tested mine out for the Enchantment show at Magic Kingdom. It lights up and vibrates a few times during the show. It did not really dance with the music, but just lit up a few times. I look forward to testing it at Harmonious to see if it works better at that show.

Disney Fab 50 Quest

A fun activity for the kid is the Disney Fab 50 Quest with the new MagicBands. Kids love this quest. There are 50 golden statues throughout the Disney World Parks for the 50th Anniversary Celebration. The MagicBand Plus actually interacts with these characters. The characters may say something or play music. This only happens with the MagicBand+. 

This one took myself and (3) Disney Cast Members to figure out. Finally it was just a random test that figured it out. Once we figured it out, it was really fun.

The first thing you will want to do is upload a new version of the Disney Play app to your smartphone. The Disney Fab 50 Quest runs on this app. Be sure you download the latest version.

As you walk up to a golden statue, your MagicBand+ will light up and vibrate. Stop where that happens. For me, it was close to 10 feet away from the statue. Other people were right in front of the statue.

Then you will wave at the statue with a huge wave above your head (like you are waving for someone to find you in a crowd of people). Once that happens, the gold character will say something or play music.

Once I figured out that trick, it worked every single time. This activity is a lot of fun!

Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters at Galaxy’s Edge

Did you ever want to be a bounty hunter? My favorite activity with the MagicBand+ is the Batuu Bounty Hunters game at Galaxy’s Edge. You will put your bounty hunter skills to the test as you hunt for virtual bounties throughout Galaxy’s Edge.

We did find out that the MagicBands can overheat in the Florida heat. We had to turn my MagicBand off for a few minutes to let it cool down. A few other things to keep in mind for this game. You need a fully charged battery on your MagicBand Plus. Finally, be sure you also have an updated version of the Disney Play app. 

Let’s jump into the game. Once you arrive to Galaxy’s Edge, you will look for the Bounty Board. Go up to the Bounty Board and tap your MagicBand+. There will be a brief show that walks you through the process and then shows your bounty. 

Then the hunt begins. You will watch your MagicBand, it changes colors. So, what do those colors mean?

• Green is GOOD!  The green color on your MagicBand+ means you are going the right direction.
• Red is BAD! If your MagicBand+ turns red, you are going the wrong direction. 
• Purple is BOUNTY FOUND! If your MagicBand turns purple you found the bounty.

Once your MagicBand turns purple, you know you have found your bounty. You will scan your MagicBand. Then you will open your app and scan the door to find your bounty. Once you capture the bounty, you will go to the Guildmasters’ Hideout. This is located right next to the Bounty Board. You will tap your MagicBand to receive your credits.

Then it starts all over again. You can go back to the Bounty Board to find another bounty. This experience can take 1 ½ -2 hours (if all goes well). I did like this experience, even with all of the glitches. I will definitely come back and try it again with the kids.

I know these MagicBands have a lot more magic coming soon.

I hope my tips help you with your MagicBand+ experience. Have you tried the MagicBands+ yet? What did you think?