Disney Park Add-ons You Should Consider on Your Next Visit

in Disney Parks, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

Mickey Mouse in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park with a money bag in his hand showing price increases

Credit: Disney Parks Blog (background)

When planning your next visit to any of the Disney Parks, such as the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, or the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, a number of items are available for Guests to consider to enhance their experience. Throughout this article, we will explore some options you think to add to your Park tickets on your next vacation to Disneyland or Disney World.

A family riding Dumbo the Flying Elephant at the Magic Kingdom.
Credit: Disney

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Unfortunately, as the years have passed, Disney Parks have begun offering less and less with a standard Disney Park ticket and have now started charging Guests with extra add-ons. Some of these include paying a little extra to cut lines, receiving professional photo download access, and parking. As a business, there are certainly some items that make sense to charge extra for. Still, the Disney Parks division, specifically former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek, had been accused of going way too far to try to squeeze out every penny from Disney Park goers.

Due to the continued Disney Park ticket price increases and the addition of controversial features such as the Disney Parks Pass Reservation System and Disney’s Genie Plus, many of the Theme Park add-ons started to receive bad reputations.

family taking a photo at disney world after hours
Credit: Walt Disney World Resort

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Despite some of the unpopular additions throughout the years, according to GoBankingRate.com, there are some add-ons that Disney Park Guests should consider purchasing for their next visit to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. We provide you with a list of those suggested items below:

Standard One-Day Parking Voucher

Price: $30 per voucher at Disneyland

If you plan to drive to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, and spend the day there, you’ll need to park at the Disneyland parking lot.

The next time you visit Disneyland, you should consider adding the one-day parking voucher as your add-on. The parking pass voucher provides one day of paid parking for Disneyland and California Adventure Guests. However, please make sure that you take note that the parking voucher does not guarantee you a parking spot in the lot. Since parking spaces could be limited at Disneyland Resort, the best recommendation is to arrive before the Park opens to find a parking place.

aerial view hollywood studios parking lot

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Genie+

Price: $25 per ticket at Disneyland, $15 (and up) per ticket at Walt Disney World Resort (fees vary by date at both locations)

Want to add extra convenience and save time waiting in line for attractions on your next Disney Parks visit? The Genie+ add-on allows Disney parkgoers to enjoy even more magic and helps streamline their Park visit by helping organize their attraction list.

Use Genie+ to enter the attraction where you’d like to use the Lightning Lane entrance to avoid waiting in long lines. Please be aware that the Lightning Lane option is only available at select Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort attractions and experiences. You can also better navigate your day at the parks by using the interactive map in the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort mobile applications to see Genie+ recommendations on attractions and experiences you are near when visiting the Disney Parks.

Logo for Disney Genie+ on a blue background with a winking Genie head from Aladdin.
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

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Individual Lightning Lane Entrance

Price: Varies by attraction and Park

If you don’t want to buy Genie+ but still want to access Lightning Lane, parkgoers can purchase Lightning Lane entrances à la carte. In your My Disney Experience app, choose “Tip Board” and select the individual Lightning Lane experience. Then, follow the prompts to make the Purchase.

The price of individual Lightning Lane entrances will vary depending on the Park and attraction. Remember, you may only purchase a separate Lightning Lane entry for up to two experiences per day. Only one Lightning Lane entry may be purchased at a time.

DCA Lightning Lane
Credit: Five Fires Twitter

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Memory Maker

Price: Between $69 to $199 at Walt Disney World Resort

Memory Maker is probably the best way to keep cherished photos and videos from your Disney trip forever. Disney’s Memory Maker add-on includes photos taken at all four Disney Parks and more than 100 locations. It takes three steps to use the Memory Maker. First, Disney photographers will take your photos. Then, you can link these photos to your Disney account and view them through the My Disney Experience app. Activate your Memory Maker and download your images.

The cost of the Memory Maker add-on varies depending on the type you purchase. The Memory Maker (Advance Purchase) is $169 for parkgoers who want to buy it in advance for their trip. For $199, you may purchase the Memory Maker (During and Post-Vacation) if you decide you want the Memory Maker during your Disney trip. Memory Maker One Day is also available for $69 for the one day of your choice.

A PhotoPass Cast Member takes a photo facing the camera in front of Cinderella Castle.
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

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Park Hopper

Price: $65 per ticket at Disneyland, $63 to $78 per ticket at Walt Disney World Resort (fees vary by date/access at both locations)

Are you looking to visit multiple Disney Parks on the same day? When purchasing, you might want to add the Park Hopper add-on to your Disney Parks tickets.

Purchasing a Park Hopper add-on, the price is per ticket and considers the number of days you’re in the parks. At Disneyland, a Park Hopper add-on costs $65 per ticket. Once you specify your first choice Park, purchasing a Park Hopper add-on allows Disneyland visitors to enter the second Park after 11 a.m. They may go between Disneyland and California Adventure based on availability. The price drops if you buy multiple-day tickets with the Park Hopper add-on.

The Park Hopper add-on is also available for Walt Disney World Resort visitors. However, the cost of the add-on varies depending on your Park choice. For example, those visiting the Magic Kingdom for one day will pay around $159 for their Park ticket. Those adding a Park Hopper to their access will pay around $222, at about $63 for the Park Hopper add-on. If you decide to visit Animal Kingdom and add a Park Hopper, this totals roughly $222 per ticket. The Park Hopper for Animal Kingdom would amount to about $78 since Animal Kingdom is the least expensive Walt Disney World Resort Park. The total price, of course, is the same no matter which Park you visit first. It’s also important to note that ticket prices vary depending on when you call.

Park Hopper Option
credit: Disney

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So there you have it. Even though some add-ons have received some criticism in the past, it doesn’t mean the add-ons should be avoided altogether. Consider purchasing some of these for your next visit to Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort.

Which is your favorite item to add-on to your tickets when visiting the Disney Parks? Let us know by leaving us a comment below.

in Disney Parks, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

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