Credit: DisneyA deal has been reached in a lawsuit for thousands of Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass holders, but the system remains the same. In the end, it’s the guests that lost, and Disney remains on top, as always.
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The Magic Key Pass Lawsuit Explained
Disneyland has introduced four types of Magic Key passes, each with its pricing structure. In the past, the highest-tier pass, formerly known as the “Dream” key, used to grant you access to the park “every single day of the year,” as stated in a press release from 2021. However, the current highest-tier pass, rebranded as the “Inspire” key, now offers admission to the theme parks “on most days of the year,” according to Disneyland’s official website.
In 2021, the “Magic Key” pass allowed guests to enter Disneyland parks without worrying about blackout dates; according to the official Disneyland website, these passes were sold to hundreds and thousands of Disney guests.
Disney unveiled its Magic Key pass program about two years back, which marked the retirement of the previous Annual Pass Program at the theme parks. This unique ticket allowed pass-holders to enjoy year-round access to a Disney park.
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Disney Lied, the Lawsuit Happened, and Now a Settlement Has Been Reached
The Walt Disney Company has agreed to pay $9.5 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit. This lawsuit had accused the entertainment giant of engaging in “deceptive business practices” concerning its Disneyland Annual Pass program, as indicated in a court document filed on Thursday.
The federal lawsuit initially filed in California, alleged that certain holders of Disneyland’s “Magic Key” annual passes faced challenges in making park reservations on specific days during 2021. This was despite them being promised “unrestricted access” to the Anaheim, California parks.
The lawsuit claims that potentially “thousands of individuals” who possessed Magic Key passes may have been impacted and are eligible to participate in the class-action case. As a result of the settlement, each member of the class-action lawsuit is expected to receive approximately $67.41, as mentioned in the court filing.
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The next step involves a judge granting preliminary approval for the agreed-upon settlement. Subsequently, the judge will carefully evaluate the terms of the deal before providing a final confirmation. According to CNN, this information comes from David Marcus, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Disneyland officials expressed their contentment with resolving this matter in a statement attributed to Disneyland officials.
Those who held passes and were involved in the class action can anticipate receiving a notification about the settlement in the coming months. This notification will inform them about the expected payment. The judge will schedule a final approval hearing to confirm the agreement officially. Marcus also mentioned how the settlement is only the first step in this deal and process and that the entire process will likely take somewhere within three months to complete.
Disneyland Magic Key Program Explained
Disneyland Resort in California introduced a new Annual Pass program called the “Disneyland Magic Key” program. This program replaced the previous Annual Pass program and offered several tiers of passes with varying benefits and access levels. However, please note that details about the Disneyland Magic Key program may have changed since my last update. I recommend checking the official Disneyland Resort website or contacting Disney for current information.
Here’s a general overview of the Disneyland Magic Key passes based on the information available up to September 2021:
Dream Key:
This was the highest tier of the Disneyland Magic Key program.
Passholders with the Dream Key had access to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park on most days of the year, with no blackout dates. They could make park reservations for multiple days and enjoy discounts on dining and merchandise.
Believe Key:
The Believe Key offered access to both parks on most days of the year but had some blackout dates, typically during busier periods.
Passholders could make park reservations multiple days in advance and receive discounts on dining and merchandise.
Enchant Key:
The Enchant Key allowed access to both parks on select days, with more blackout dates than the higher tiers.
Passholders could make park reservations for multiple days and receive discounts on dining and merchandise.
Imagine Key:
The Imagine Key was the most budget-friendly option.
Passholders with the Imagine Key had access to one or both parks on select days, with more blackout dates than higher-tier passes.
They could make park reservations for a few days and receive discounts on dining and merchandise.
Benefits: Besides park access, Disneyland Magic Key pass holders typically received honors such as discounts on dining and merchandise, access to exclusive events and experiences, and more.
Reservations: Like the previous Annual Pass program, the Disneyland Magic Key program required pass holders to make park reservations for the days they planned to visit, even if their pass had no blackout dates.
A Magic Key holder, like an Inspire key holder, can visit Disneyland in southern California if they follow the rules listed above. Like Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland guests must make a park reservation if they want to enter either of the parks. The best things about a Magic Keyholder are the opportunity to enter Disneyland with a better chance than most guests, access magic key sales, have good magic key terms, make a theme park reservation quicker, and access the information conveniently from the Disneyland app. Regardless of pass type, key holders get special access to Disney magic.