I’ve only been half-concentrating about how WDW is operating nowadays.
Earlier this year I became obsessed with Magic Bands. I already had a reasonable collection and I added a few more. I have added a very nice Dooney & Bourke one and an equally nice Club 33 one. Neither has been used in-park.
But are they even a thing any more? If / when I go in October, I won’t be staying on property, so will they serve any purpose at all? Other than to look cool.
But to answer the original question, I love picking which band I am going to wear with which outfit. Do bracelets or earrings or necklaces serve a real purpose? No, and yet people wear them. Wear your beautiful Disney accessories with pride! Who cares if you “need” them or not.
ETA - We all have 5 or 6 each, but I fully intend to get a new one for each of our 3 different resort stays next spring. And then more for our fall stays. Which is weird, because in real life I wear no jewelry/accessories other than my wedding ring. I love magic bands!!!
Incidentally, wearing Club 33 merch does not get you any kind of special treatment. I showed up to CG wearing my Club 33 baseball cap and they told me I had to take it off before they would let me in the restaurant.
Oh MBs are still definitely used both directly and indirectly. Park Entry, rides that that put your name up on the screen (rockin roller coaster, small world, star tours etc…), photopass photographers, it also tracks where you are in the ride for some of the photos (7DMT for example), purchases, and of course… they track you through the parks in general too.