Disney says next-generation MagicBand+ will debut this summer

BAY LAKE, Fla. – MagicBand+ will be available for guests this summer, Disney announced earlier this week.

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The announcement came Wednesday. The original MagicBand was introduced in 2013 at Walt Disney World, allowing guests to go hands-free for things like park admission, hotel room entry, retail and dining.

“After you enter a theme park, MagicBand+ will come alive at various times with color-changing lights, haptic vibrations and gesture recognition. The wearable will allow you to engage with favorite Disney moments in new ways,” Disney said on its blog last year.

The new MagicBand+ will also include the following features:

• In the “Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters” experience, guests can join the Batuu Bounty Hunters’ Guild in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Using their MagicBand+ to find numerous virtual bounties hidden throughout Black Spire Outpost, guests will follow the band’s light patterns and haptics to complete their mission. Then they will return to the local guild master, who will reward them with galactic credits.
• Guests can embark on the “Disney Fab 50 Quest,” a scavenger hunt throughout the four Walt Disney World theme parks using MagicBand+ to help spread pixie dust and interact with the golden character sculptures. With the Play Disney Parks app, guests can dive deeper into the experience to find hints and keep track of sculptures, which will unlock digital achievements, including an augmented reality feature.
• Allowing visitors to experience nighttime spectaculars in a new way, as you see your band light up and complement the magic in the skies, including the new “Harmonious” at EPCOT and “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom Park.

Disney said MagicBand+ will be available at a discounted price for new and renewing Walt Disney World Annual Passholders.

Current MagicBands will continue to be available, along with the complimentary Disney MagicMobile service that extends MagicBand features, such as park entry, to smart devices.

MagicBand+ will be available at Disneyland Resort later this year. Some of the features will vary between Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

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