Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy: What is a DisneyBand?

DisneyBand+ is a wristband that you can use like a room key on your Disney cruise. You might wonder why you’d want to pay for a bracelet that opens your door, but it actually does a bit more. Starting at the port, you can use DisneyBand+ can to check in for your cruise. Then, while aboard, you can use DisneyBand to

• Unlock your stateroom door
• Pay for purchases
• Link photos to your account
• Get on and off the ship at ports of call
• For kids, check into and out of the Oceaneer Club

Finally, the DisneyBand+ interacts with some locations and entertainment on the ship. For instance, you’ll find that your DisneyBand lights up with the show on Pirate Night. And when I was in the Skyline Lounge on the Disney Fantasy, my band “twinkled” (for lack of a better word) when the backdrop changed.

DisneyBand+ costs $35 and up, and you get a $10 discount if you pre-order before your cruise. If you decide you want one while you’re on board, you can find them in the onboard gift shops. But if the cost is a sticking point, we have a question: have you been to the Disney parks?

If you’ve been to Disney World and you’re thinking that this sounds a lot like a MagicBand, you’re not wrong. The most recent version of MagicBand, the MagicBand+, is exactly the same as a DisneyBand+. The only difference is that the DisneyBand+ will have cruise-themed designs. If you have a MagicBand+ from a trip to the parks, you can use it on the ship without buying a separate DisneyBand+. If you guess that this means you can reuse a DisneyBand+ from cruise to cruise, you’re right about that too.

DisneyBand+ is battery-powered. If you are like me, your first thought could be “Ugh, another thing to keep charged.” There’s good news on that front. You’ll want to charge the band before you first get on board, but it only needs a charge to interact with the entertainment. You can still use a DisneyBand+ to unlock your stateroom door even if the battery is dead.

Your next question might be: is it worth it? DisneyBand+ is absolutely not necessary for a Disney Cruise. In fact, you’ll still be issued a plastic Key to the World Card even if you have a DisneyBand. But it was very convenient.

DisneyBand+ is waterproof, and it was nice to go to the pools without having to worry about keeping track of my room card. On previous cruises, I never thought “Oh, this is such a pain” as I dug out my card while walking toward our cabin. But I definitely felt that it was nicer to just walk up to the door and tap my wrist. Personally, I probably wouldn’t buy one for a 3-day cruise. But over a week I’d feel like I’d gotten good value out of it.

Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy is for first-time Disney cruisers looking to learn about the DCL experience. Got a question about a term that’s unfamiliar to you? Suggest it in the comments below!