8 of the biggest mistakes I made while visiting Disney World for one day

I should have gotten a physical ticket card or a MagicBand instead of using my phone all day.

There are three ticket options at Disney parks.

Option No. 1 — the one I took — was to use my phone as my ticket through the Disney app. This was easy, but I didn’t anticipate how much I’d be using my phone for other tasks at Disney as well.

I was constantly checking the app to see what the wait times were at rides. I also used my phone to take pictures, check the weather, and check the length of the security line at the Orlando airport.

Luckily, I took a portable charger because if my phone battery had completely drained, I wouldn’t have been able to enter any other parks or use my Lightning Lanes.

Your ticket is also supposed to be your key for a locker when you go on thrill rides. When I went on the TRON ride, I instead had to ask a cast member who provided me with a temporary keycard.

In the future, I would probably choose option No. 2, which is to head to a Will Call ticket booth and obtain a physical key card for free. It’s one less thing to rely on your phone for, and you get a physical keepsake from your trip.

Option No. 3 is to purchase a MagicBand, which is like a smartwatch but for Disney parks.

They’re cool and can be a cute fashion statement, but they’re not free. A basic one starts at $35, but limited-edition bands can be as much as $65. If I was going to the parks frequently, I’d invest in one, but since I’m an infrequent visitor, it seems unnecessary.