Padgett saw a magnetic therapy, a pseudoscientific alternative medicine practice, wristband in a SkyMall magazine, which claimed to ease sore muscles "while simultaneously improving one's golf swing".

Soon afterward, they created a makeshift xBand (the original code name for the MagicBand) using a velcro strip, a plastic liner, and an RFID tag.

The Icon, which is the removable part of the wristband, can be easily detached using a special screwdriver and transferred to other bands or accessories, such as a keychain.

Additionally, a new interactive game in Galaxy's Edge launched alongside MagicBand+, enabling guests to embark on a quest to collect bounties throughout the land.

The ring and outline on the touchpoint will then light up green if access is granted, while it will turn blue if cast member assistance is required.

[4] Some special edition MagicBands with graphics printed on them will cause the touchpoints to light up different colors and make different noises instead of the default green when access is granted.

[26][27][28] The MagicBands also allow guests to interact, using a system called Storymaker, with screens in rides or queues, such as It's a Small World,[29][30] Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith,[31][32] Haunted Mansion,[33] and Expedition Everest.

[35] The MagicBand system has also been used to enforce COVID-19 safety protocols inside the NBA Bubble for the resumption of the 2019-20 NBA season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex; access to courts and practice facilities requires scanning a MagicBand in order to verify that the wearer has completed mandatory health monitoring protocols.