Plastic cards or Magic Bands

[lisatx04]

I recently purchased tickets for our March trip. I ordered the 5 day PH plus water parks and more.
Great! I customized my magic bands online, Great!! Then today, I get 6 plastic cards in the mail. Where are our magic bands?? My daughter is freaking out that we don't have bands. My son is freaking out.
I am going to call tomorrow, but anyone have any ideas??

 

[CAS239]

Your bands won't ship until 30 days out. No need to call

 

[hiroMYhero]

Your MBs are shipped later as part of your resort reservation. You must have purchased your tickets separately and not as part of a package. If you had purchased a package, you wouldn't have received plastic tickets, only MBs.

Tell your kids now you'll have MBs and tickets to use during your trip as they both work in the same manner.

 

[dbavis]

Yeah... you should be able to tell pretty easily in MDE that your magic bands haven't shipped yet. At this point, I'd expect that you will see a count down of the number of days you have left to customize your bands before they ship.

 

[texasgingerbread]

I am purchasing mine separately as well. does that mean my FP won't load on my MB and I'll have to use my ticket?

 

[hiroMYhero]

I am purchasing mine separately as well. does that mean my FP won't load on my MB and I'll have to use my ticket?

Your FPs are linked to your MDE account.

Your MBs are linked to your MDE account and when tapped at park entrances and FP lines, they provide the link to all data in your MDE account.

Nothing is on a MB. It's the "key" to your stored data.

 

[Accident]

just to add, the website will tell you when it's about to and has shipped, you'll even get an email. as mentioned that's roughly 30 days prior to check in.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I recently purchased tickets for our March trip. I ordered the 5 day PH plus water parks and more.
Great! I customized my magic bands online, Great!! Then today, I get 6 plastic cards in the mail. Where are our magic bands?? My daughter is freaking out that we don't have bands. My son is freaking out.
I am going to call tomorrow, but anyone have any ideas??

No need to freak out.
No need to call.
Magic bands can be customized until 30 days prior and then take 24-48 hours to process and then will ship and usually arrive about 3 weeks prior to your trip.
You should easily be able to see that info in MDE. Be sure to have your address on file in the magic band customization section so they can ship them.

I am purchasing mine separately as well. does that mean my FP won't load on my MB and I'll have to use my ticket?

You link your tickets to your MDE account. (If you purchase from Disney directly the tickets will show up right away in your MDE account)
You link your magic bands to your MDE account. (If staying onsite and using the magic bands that are included in your resort stay they will link automatically)

Your FP+ is linked to your MDE.

Magic bands and tickets are just a way to access the FP+ through your MDE.

You can book your FP+ as long as you have tickets linked and you are within your booking window.

You can use your magic band or tickets at the parks to enter the FP+ line as long as everything is linked to MDE.

 

[Michy]

If you live outside the USA you get the cards in the mail instead of the bands but get the bands when you arrive at your resort

 

[NS8VN]

I think the confusion here not covered is that magic bands are NOT tickets. Magic bands identify your MDE account where you can enter tickets, fastpasses, dining reservations, and charge accounts. Your tickets are physically cards, you can use them as they are or add them to your MDE account (if you did not book a package you must add them to your MDE manually) and use your magic bands.

 

[scrapquitler]

I recently purchased tickets for our March trip. I ordered the 5 day PH plus water parks and more.
Great! I customized my magic bands online, Great!! Then today, I get 6 plastic cards in the mail. Where are our magic bands?? My daughter is freaking out that we don't have bands. My son is freaking out.
I am going to call tomorrow, but anyone have any ideas??

Magic bands for resort guests are mailed out approximately 30 days before your check in date.

I'm surprised that they sent plastic tickets at all. I don't remember getting any last year when we bought a package.

 

[scrapquitler]

I am purchasing mine separately as well. does that mean my FP won't load on my MB and I'll have to use my ticket?

DO you have a MDE account? If so, look in there to see if your tickets are linked. IF you tickets show up in the MDE account, they will work interchangeably with your magic bands. If your tickets aren't linked there, you can add them yourself.

 

[hiroMYhero]

The OP's question has been answered and the MagicBand Sticky at the top of the forum page addresses all aspects of MBs and how they function.

Closing this thread.