Updated Government Rule Adds Per-Person Fee To Countless Disney Vacations

Your next flight to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, or Universal Studios Hollywood could come with a government fee. On Thursday, the Transportation Security Administration published a proposed new rule for travelers in the Federal Register, indicating that the policy could take effect as soon as 30 days from November 20.

New Rule For Your Flight to Disney

According to ABC News, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed an $18 fee for domestic airline travelers who do not utilize a REAL ID or a valid passport. Beginning in May 2025, all travelers aged 18 and older are required to have a REAL ID or a passport to pass through TSA checkpoints at all United States airports.

However, for the last few months, the TSA has allowed travelers with ineligible identification to undergo additional security screening and identity confirmation before boarding their flights.

Still, the TSA wants to encourage travelers to have updated, secure identification before getting on their flight to the Disney parks (or anywhere else). Under the proposed new rule, published in the Federal Register on Thursday, adults without a REAL ID or passport would have to pay an $18 fee to undergo additional security screening at the airport.

Cruicially, the TSA doesn’t guarantee that agents will be able to validate those travelers’ identification, and those without the required documentation could still be turned away from flying.

“This notice serves as a next step in the process in REAL ID compliance, which was signed into law more than 20 years ago and finally implemented by Secretary [Kristi] Noem as of May 2025,” a TSA spokesperson told ABC. “TSA is working with stakeholders and partners to ensure both security and efficiency at our checkpoints. Additional guidance will be announced in the coming days.”

Who Would Be Impacted?

The proposed rule would impact adult Americans without a REAL ID or passport flying from somewhere in the United States to another domestic destination (travelers typically need passports for international trips, with some exceptions for flights into Mexico and Canada).

Under the new policy, the $18 fee would allow passengers to pass through the security checkpoint without the required documentation for a period of ten days. Any affected guests on a Disney Park vacation shorter than ten days wouldn’t need to pay at TSA for their return flight home.

When Does the Policy Take Effect?

The publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register marks the beginning of a public comment period. According to government policy, anything written in the Federal Register cannot take effect less than 30 days after publication. This means that the earliest the TSA could start charging travelers $18 would be December 20, 2025–right before Christmas.

The TSA hasn’t specified how it will charge travelers these fees or provided further details about the planned implementation. Follow Inside the Magic for updates on this and other policies that could impact your next theme park vacation!

Do you have your REAL ID yet? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!