A popular item at the Happiest Place on Earth appears to be going away due to smart phones, with the end coming for the interactive MagicBand+ products at Disneyland.
Disneyland officials told The Post that the bands will continue to function as a fun interactive experience for guests at the park, but will soon only be available through Disneystore.com and at the Walt Disney World Resort.
The news comes following a post from Nexstar’s Scott Gustin who said that supplies in the park and at retailers around the famed Anaheim attraction are dwindling.
“MagicBand+ products appear to be on their way out at Disneyland,” Gustin’s post on X read.
“They’re currently available at just three locations, and, from what I understand, the resort is expected to sell through its remaining inventory, with no additional shipments expected.”
According to a description about the bands, visitors can “be a part of the show! MagicBand+ glows with color and pulses with haptic vibrations during World of Color, Fantasmic! and other select nighttime spectaculars.”
“Your MagicBand+ also adds a surprising and magical touch to select experiences at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Park.”
The costs of the band starts at $34.99 and “styles are subject to availability and prices are subject to change without notice,” per the Disneyland website.
According to a report from Inside the Magic, the band debuted at Walt Disney World in 2013. But it wasn’t until 2022, that they became a thing in Disneyland. Early versions weren’t rechargeable and didn’t have LEDs.
The MagicBand+ gives visitors the ultimate park experience, as the silicone park-themed strap functioned not only as one’s ticket to the park, but also to Lightening Lane access too, per the report. They can also be paired with smart phones for personal customization.
However, in Disney World the band does even more and is used as a visitors hotel room key, a credit card to charge purchases, making it that much more attractive, per a WDWNT report.
The report noted that cast members said the bands originally disappeared due to an update, but then that it was postponed, and all the bands didn’t come back to the stores.
“They only brought back the Wanda and the Jasmine and Jafar ones because MagicBands were in demand and those were the only ones they had in stock to ship to the stores,” the report noted.
“Otherwise, Cast Members currently have no update on the future of MagicBand+ at Disneyland,” the report read.
Gustin’s report follows loads of speculation online from guests who have visited both Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland, who have noticed empty shelves of the special merchandise at retailers.
One of the reasons the bands could be a distant memory at Disneyland is because of smart phones, per the Inside The Magic report.
With the use of the Disney Magic mobile app, visitors can access their tickets, book access to Lightning Lanes and order food. The biggest difference is the band has to be charged and most people will already have their phones charged and handy, allowing for everything they need.
However, for those that already have one, Gustin notes that they can still be used in the park, suggesting the technology that brought the experience to visitors will remain in place.
“WIW, this won’t have any immediate impact on MagicBand+ interactives around the resort. You can still check purchase locations in the Disneyland app, and MagicBand+ remains available on DisneyStore.com.”
