Thanks for this post. I'm planning to do something similar - staying WDW resort a couple days (2-3), then off-site (approx. 2 weeks), then possibly back to WDW for a couple more days for the tail end of our trip, all the while having multiple park tickets and probably going to the parks while we are offsite. We've been to WDW before, but MagicBands were just being introduced at the time and we weren't able to get one so we had the KTTW cards. So I think I'm understanding this, but I'm still processing some details in my mind. If I'm understanding correctly, the MB is basically the same as a KTTW card but just in a different form, right? So all information would be linked to the account THROUGH the app/Disney Experience and the Band would just be the way for WDW to access that info. Am I right?
With that in mind, with the bands being sent in advance of the trip, how does that work with the Magical Express and Room Only reservations? Somebody mentioned that luggage tags aren't received with Room Only. Are they just not received with the Magic Bands (come separately) or are they not received at all? Are we allowed to do Magical Express from the airport with Room Only reservations?
Also, if the MB is received in advance, how are AP's handled? I've read somewhere that I'd be able to link the number to the MDE in advance (for Fastpass+, etc.), but would I still have to go somewhere and activate the AP info through the MB before going into a Park, or would that be done automatically as I enter the Park (same idea as a card with the finger scan)?
And while I'm thinking of it, how does the AP and MB work for theme park parking? Do the guards just scan the MB or do they do a finger scan (while in the car) also? Never had an AP before (always stayed on site with package deals for park visit trips in the past) but considering all the dynamics for this trip's planning since we'll be off-site for the bulk of the time...