How to Use MagicBand+ at Disneyland

MagicBands are wearable pieces of tech that hold your park ticket/Magic Key, and give you access to Lightning Lanes if you’ve purchased the Genie+ add on at Disneyland Resort. MagicBand+ also has interactive elements, such as access to a Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and light and haptic feedback during certain shows at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

MagicBands have been available for a number of years at Walt Disney World in Florida where they can be used to access your hotel and store payment information for food and merchandise purchases, but those features will launch at Disneyland Resort at a later date. It’s also worth mentioning that the previous generations MagicBands can not be used at Disneyland Resort. Only the current MagicBand+ can be used.

Updated: February 19, 2025

There’s quite a few MagicBand+ designs available, with prices ranging from $34.99 to $54.99. MagicBand+ are sold in most stores in both parks and Downtown Disney, including the Emporium on Main Street, Star Traders in Tomorrowland, and many others.

Here’s a couple designs that are specific to Disneyland.
I bought the standard navy blue design because it was the cheapest at $34.99. My Magic Key discount brought it down another $7. Here’s the back of the box. MagicBand+ is easily adjustable for smaller hands without the use of tools. Also included is a proprietary USB charger for the device. Mine thankfully came out of the box fully charged. I’ll jump ahead a little here, my MagicBand+ ended up lasting around 6 hours with heavy use while playing the Batuu Bounty Hunters game. The included USB charger is USB type A, which is unfortunate considering so many phones, chargers, and other devices these days have USB type C charging cables.

Syncing the MagicBand+ to my Disneyland ticket and account was easy and took less than 5 minutes. It’s started by scanning the QR code on the back of the MagicBand+, which took me to a webpage and a link to launch the Disneyland Resort app. From there a series of screens walked me through the process.
More screens showing the pairing process.
After syncing and pairing I was immediately informed an update needed to be applied to the band. This was also quick and painless.

My MagicBand+ was paired and the band gave me a celebratory rainbow lightshow.

A screen in the Disneyland app shows battery level, whose account the band is tied to, and other information and settings.

Entering the park is easy as well. Tell a cast member you have a MagicBand, and they scan the band with their phone. It didn’t take any longer, or went any faster than scanning a park ticket barcode in the Disneyland app.

In 2024 and 2025 Disneyland Resort installed new entrance gates at each park. At some point this year you’ll be able to scan your MagicBand+ at this self service gate and and be admitted into the park. For now, cast members still scan MagicBands with their phones.

Tapping in to an attraction to use a Lighting Lane reservation is also a breeze. When a reservation time arrives, walk up to the scanner and the MagicBand+ up to it. A green light and positive chime will play, signaling it’s okay to enter the Lightning Lane queue.

One of the selling points of MagicBand+ is the Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. To start you need to find the bounty board in Galaxy’s Edge, which is located across from the Droid Depot building. Tapping your band displays some instructions on the Bounty Board screen, and then it sends you on your way.

You’ll also need the Play Disney Parks app installed to play Batuu Bounty Hunters. The gist of the game is that you need to explore Galaxy’s Edge, and your MagicBand+ will flash green and vibrate as you get closer to your next target. If you move farther away, the band will turn red, and if you find your target the band will turn purple. My first target was this door in the marketplace area of the land. When the band is purple you’re instructed to tap the band to your phone. Then a “thermal scanner” will appear. You then scan your target and are able to move on to the next one.

The lights on my MagicBand+ was a bit hard to see in direct sunlight, so keep that in mind when you’re playing.

Here’s the color as seen in the shade. It’s a bit easier to see. There are 20 bounties total, and you don’t have to collect all of them in one go. When you’re done with your bounties, you make your way back to the bounty board and tap a nearby scanner. You’ll earn “credits” which don’t do anything. Think of it more as your score.

The creature who is giving you the bounties will make an appearance via a peephole in the door. That’s pretty cool. I thought the Batuu Bounty Hunters game was less fun than the standard Galaxy’s Edge games already built in to the Play Disney Parks app. In my opinion the Bounty Hunters game is very simple and not very engaging.

Now is the time where I tell you if I think MagicBand+ worth the high asking price. If MagicBand+ added a decent level of convenience along with access to fun and compelling games or interactive elements, I would say, “Yes!” But as it stands right now, MagicBand+ is a little too gimmicky, and is only slightly more convenient than bringing up a barcode on my phone to scan. I mentioned earlier that MagicBand+ will light up and give haptic feedback during certain shows at Disneyland and DCA. All this amounts to is a slight buzz on your wrist and some flashing lights during World of Color and Fantasmic. The last thing in the world I want to do during one of these nighttime spectaculars is look down at my wrist, or hold my wrist up to my face. Are MagicBands worth it at Disneyland Resort? If you don’t purchase Genie+ during your visits the only thing you’ll be using MagicBand+ for is entering the parks and playing the Batuu Bounty Hunters game. Is that worth $35+ dollars to you? That’s up for you to decide. If you frequent both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the same MagicBand+ can be used for both destinations.

What are your hot takes on MagicBand+ at Disneyland Resort? Will you be purchasing one? Let me know in the comments.