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Credit: Inside the MagicIf you don’t already own a Magic Key, mark your calendars for January 22.
Since COVID-19, Disney’s annual passes have undergone significant changes, reflecting shifts in park operations and visitor dynamics. The company introduced new membership tiers, such as the Magic Key program at Disneyland, which replaced the previous Annual Pass system.
The biggest difference is that visiting Disneyland now requires a reservation, with holders needing to book entry dates in advance, limiting spontaneous Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park visits. Additionally, blackout dates have become more prevalent, particularly for lower-tier memberships, and perks like parking and discounts have also taken a hit.
These updates haven’t gone down well with parkgoers. In 2023, Disneyland Resort settled for $9.5 million (roughly $65 for each member of the class-action case) following a lawsuit over its discontinued Dream Key pass. Plaintiffs claimed the resort misrepresented the pass, alleging that Dream Key holders faced difficulties securing reservations for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, even though Disney had promised unrestricted access with no blockout dates.
Theoretically, the adjustments were introduced to manage crowd levels more effectively while maximizing the guest experience. However, many have singled out the fact that Disneyland Resort now charges considerably more for its passes.
When COVID-19 rolled around in 2020, the prices for Disneyland Annual Passes were $1,449 for the Disney Signature Plus Passport, $1,199 for the Disney Signature, $829 for the Disney Deluxe, $649 for the Disney Flex Passport, and $419 for the Southern California residents’ exclusive Select.
Nowadays, however, the highest tier of the Disneyland Magic Key – the Inspire Key – costs $1,749 (which doesn’t even get you into the parks every day of the year), while the cheapest – the Imagine Key – costs $599 versus the Select Passport.
To complicate matters, these passes aren’t even available all-year-round. Disneyland routinely closes Magic Key sales, driving pent-up demand before it periodically reopens the sale window.
Magic Key Sales Reopen
That exclusive sales window is about to reopen once again.
Disneyland Resort has announced that Magic Key passes go back on sale on January 22, 2025.
As per Disney, all four pass types (Inspire, Believe, Enchant, and Imagine) will be available for purchase while supplies last. The online queue to purchase new passes will open at approximately 8.45 a.m. PST, with sales starting no earlier than 9 a.m. PST.
Magic Keys were most recently available in November 2024, with guests only allowed to renew their passes in the months since. Once Magic Keys are available again, guests will need to be quick; Disneyland Resort typically only makes the passes available for a few days at a time.
Will you be buying a Magic Key?