For the past eight years, the Magic Band has simplified Disney World vacations. Using RFID technology, the colorful bands worn on your arm made entering the parks easy as well as opening a hotel room door or entering a FastPass line. And, a quick swipe would pay for dinner and souvenirs. Disney rolled out character-themed Magic Bands and even pricey Dooney & Bourke editions. Now, they’re rolling out a new service that won’t cost you a penny, but may rival the Magic Band in ease of use (if not that cool feeling of a limited edition Dooney & Bourke Magic Band with your favorite character).
MagicMobile Turns Your Phone Into A Park Ticket
The new MagicMobile service turns your smartphone into a park ticket. Rolling out first on Apple devices, we imagine this service will expand to Android devices fairly soon after. Using the My Disney Experience app, guests will be able to create a MagicMobile pass for your phone’s wallet. That can be used just like a Magic Band for various park activities. There’s no launch date for the new service, labeled as “coming soon”.
Disney says “most features will be available by just holding up your smart device near an access point, just like you do with a MagicBand”. There’s no word yet on whether a fingerprint will be required along with your smartphone, similar to a Magic Band. The same goes for whether a 4-digit code will be required to make purchases along with MagicMobile.
Wrapping Up The Magic
While this might seem to be a “pandemic-inspired” innovation to reduce touch points, this is a great development for infrequent Disney World guests and folks who don’t want to pay for (or wear) a Magic Band. We’re all in favor of using technology to make it easier to enjoy Disney World. We just hope to continue seeing great new Magic Bands gracing the wrists of park guests for years to come!
