Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass- Details, Pass Benefits (2024)

The Disneyland Magic Key program is the current name for the Annual Pass program at the Disneyland Resort. The pass sales have been paused on and off throughout the past year. Disneyland Magic Key passes were recently back on sale in January of 2024 before they were sold out once again, but they are again available for purchase.

The passes come in four different tiers with various levels of theme park access, retail and dining discounts plus special benefits just for Magic Key holders. Keep reading for details of each pass, prices, and current updates on the Magic Key program.

And, be sure to join our FREE Mickey Visit newsletter so you don’t miss critical news updates like this one and exclusive deals for your trips.

2024 Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passes Going On Sale!

Magic Key Annual Passes will go on sale for all four pass types starting on Tuesday March 5, 2024. You will be able to enter the waiting room to purchase no earlier than 8:45 am PT, and sales will begin no earlier than 9 am PT.

As part of a change Disneyland is testing to improve ticket virtual queues, you can be notified by email when it is your turn to purchase passes. Disneyland is also updating messaging in the waiting room to inform guests of the potential for limited availability of passes and sellouts before the time of their turn. To make it easier to find the monthly payment option for California residents, Disneyland is offering reminders on the checkout page for guests to log in to see their available options. Disneyland’s technology teams have also been making improvements to guest flow in response to high demand, with reduced wait times as a result.

Update March 6, 2024! After a very hectic sale of the Magic Key passes in January 2024 we were expecting another rush for passes. Instead, it has been quiet and uneventful. Thanks to the updates to the virtual queue process and additional information that Disney has shared on the landing pages the process has been much more smooth. You can see those improvements below.

At this point, three of the four Magic Key Annual Passes remain on sale. The only pass that is only available for renewal is the Southern California Imagine Key pass. Currently, the virtual queue to enter and purchase the passes is nonexistent and it is the easiest it has been in the past year to purchase a pass. When the passes first went on sale yesterday there was an hour long stated wait in the virtual queue but it quickly went away.

Here’s a look at the current listing page with all of the currently available passes.

We believe there must be a higher volume of passes being sold during this window as compared to the sale in January. If they were selling the same amount now that they did in January we believe that they would have been sold out by now. Even with that said, we highly recommend that you purchase your pass now if you are hoping to get one. These Magic Key passes could easily all stop being sold at any point.

Some may point to this moment and say that people have reached a breaking point with the Magic Key blockout dates and increased Disneyland ticket prices, but I would bet that this is not an issue of demand but instead of Disney’s increase of supply. For whatever reason, perhaps they are choosing to increase the amount of people who can access the parks as the end of the SoCal discount ticket offer and child spring ticket offer wrap up.

You can see more details below for tips on Magic Key sales and more information about the purchasing process.

Tips for 2024 Magic Key Sales

We have a few tips for you in preparation for the Disneyland Magic Key sales! Disney has also shared some tips in general around the Magic Key offering.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of buying your key. The below tips include things like how to make sure your address is up to date for monthly payment eligibility, how to use and combine gift cards for pass purchases, and how to upgrade eligible tickets.

Here are the main takeaways from the Buying Guide you’ll want to consider:

• Review the pass types, benefits, and blockout dates. You can see the list of 2024-2025 Magic Key blockout dates to see if reservations for your desired dates are available for the pass type you’re considering.
• You’ll need to have a Disney account to purchase Magic Key passes online. If you don’t have a Disney account, make sure to create one in advance of when Magic Key passes go on sale. If you’re a California resident, your stored Disney account address needs to be a California address to see monthly payment options for Magic Key passes.
• Confirm your Disney account payment method by adding and saving a preferred credit card. Make sure your stored credit card has a California billing address if you’re a California resident to use it for monthly payments.
• You can use a Disney Gift Card as a method of payment online when paying in full for a new pass (maximum of $1000 from a Disney Gift Card). Only one gift card can be used per transaction, so make sure to combine them in advance if you have multiple. You can’t use Disney Gift Cards to purchase renewals.
• Be prepared to provide required party information, as each Magic Key pass is assigned to an individual person at the time of purchase (maximum of 10 passes). Passes can’t be reassigned after purchase. Be prepared to provide first and last name, date of birth, address, and for guests 18 years and older, a phone number and email.
• Ticket/Pass upgrades: Eligible Disneyland Resort theme park tickets may be upgraded to an available Magic Key pass. A current Magic Key pass can be upgraded to an available higher pass type for the remainder of its pass year. If you choose to do this, the difference in purchase price between the 2 passes must be paid in full when you go to upgrade, and the expiration date of the Magic Key pass will not change. Passes may be upgraded at the Disneyland Resort ticket booth only, while passes are available for sale.
• On March 5 when Magic Key passes go on sale:
  • You will sign into your Disney account before visiting the Magic Key sales page. You will enter the waiting room to purchase your passes no earlier than 8:45 am Pacific Time. You can do this via the “Purchase Magic Key Passes” link on the Magic Key page.
  • When you arrive in the waiting room for the sale, you will be automatically added to the queue. Sales will start no sooner than 9:00 am Pacific Time.
  • Estimated wait times may fluctuate, and you’ll see an estimated wait time in the waiting room. When your wait time is less than an hour, it will update in minute increments. When you enter the queue, you’ll be able to see status updates informing you about limited availability or sellouts based on your entry time.
  • If you aren’t signing up to be notified by email when it’s your turn, make sure to keep your waiting room browser tab open. Running multiple browser tabs or manually refreshing the page could remove you from the waiting room.
  • Being in the waiting room doesn’t guarantee the opportunity to purchase a pass.
  • Keep in mind that passes are nontransferable and nonrefundable. Make sure you don’t have multiple people in your party purchasing passes.
• You can be notified by email when it’s your time to purchase passes. If you opt for this, you’ll be sent two separate emails containing a unique link. Confirm the receipt of the first email before closing your browser window. For the first email, selecting the link will allow you to check your place in the queue until it is your turn to purchase, and you can keep using this same link multiple times to check. The second email you’ll receive is a notification that your turn to purchase a Magic Key pass is approaching. When your turn arrives, you’ll have 10 minutes to use the link to return to the site, or else you’ll lose your place in line and need to rejoin the queue.

Important! Disney is strongly encouraging all guests to purchase new passes online, and not at an on-property ticket booth. There will be Cast Members at on-property ticket booths to assist with transactions that cannot be completed online (for example, eligible ticket upgrades). Here’s everything Disney has shared about the buying process tomorrow.

Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passes Past Sale

After a busy day of sales at Disneyland on January 10, 2024, all four Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passes once again sold out. The Enchant Key, Believe Key, Inspire Key, and Imagine Key all sold out for new purchases. Those with these passes already could renew them if they do so within 30 days of their pass expiring.

When the Magic Key Annual Pass sales went live during the January sale, some of the links that Disney had sent out were not working. We cautioned our readers from going to the parks to try and purchase because the lines at the ticket booths were 3-4 hours long and they were not moving quickly. As we feared (and cautioned above) the website crashed and the queue didn’t open for nearly 4o minutes.

The speed of this sell out for the passes was even faster than our initial predictions. We knew that the pass levels would sell out, but thought that the top tier Inspire Key would remain available for longer as it has in the past. The January sale demonstrated the massive pent up demand fans have for Annual Passes to Disneyland. It may also represent the fact that fans now realize that if they want a pass they should jump on any opportunity that they have to purchase one because they may not be sold again for quite some time.

Generally I believe that this system of dropping passes and creating a mad rush is extremely flawed. Before the COVID parks closure, the Annual Pass process was very smooth and easy to access. The problem here is that Disney is really trying to transition the park from a locals playground to a global vacation destination. When Disney was coming out of COVID we mused whether they would even bring back a standard pass system. I still believe that a ticket “book” of discounted days to be used throughout the year would be better than unlimited access. Let us buy packs of 5, 10, and 20 days. It would cause locals to be much more deliberate with their time in the parks and to force everyone to visit the parks in the same style of touring. It would also open up more opportunity for those to visit.

My biggest concern with the pass system is that it is preventing new Disney fans from coming into the system. Many of the frequent visitors that I know furthered their Disneyland fandom by upgrading their one day park ticket to a pass at the end of a trip. That pass then led to many more visits and a newfound love of the parks. Today that pathway is closed and only those who are very online and already paying attention have the opportunity to become a passholder.

Right now we are at a difficult in between for the pass system where there is the general Annual Pass being offered, but the general availability of the pass and then availability of dates once you have the pass is so limited that its a game up until your park day of whether you are even able to get in. This is a tough in between. On one hand Disneyland sees the strategic goal of moving to all multi-day ticket holders and on the other there’s someone in finance and merchandise that understands the value of having passholders buying new merchandise and dining.

I also totally see the value of passholders from a park fan perspective. The Magic Key Holders function as our BS detector. They prevent Disney from keeping anything that is stale. Old rides are refreshed, menus are swapped out, and merchandise is created. There is a reason that the Disneyland 2024 events calendar has so much variety. It is in service of multiple visits throughout the year from the same guest. This is something that Walt Disney World doesn’t get to enjoy in the same way. So, we need locals at the parks. Disneyland just hasn’t figured out quite the right way to execute on this.

Disney has made some moves towards the ticket pack idea with their ongoing use of the SoCal discount tickets. In fact, for those who weren’t able to get passes I would encourage you to look into the three day discount SoCal resident ticket which allows for use of days throughout the spring period. There is such a busy season of spring events at Disneyland that are largely geared towards locals that would be great to enjoy.

Now, we are in the process of updating our when will Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passes return article. At this point we can use some past deduction to understand what the likely timing for the return of a pass may be. We also know that Disney stated last year that “Disneyland Resort will make select Magic Key passes available for new sales from time to time.” Though that statement was referencing last year, we know that Disney wants to keep offering passes throughout the year.

Disney continues to offer freebies for Magic Key Holders. Check out the recently announced set of extras available for Magic Key Holders here.

We will update our Mickey Visit newsletter subscribers with more information about the return of the passes as we get it. Be sure to join our FREE newsletter here for all the key updates.

Renewals remain available for all pass types up to 30 days before pass expiration.

2023 Price Increase For Magic Key Passes

As part of the recent Disneyland ticket price increase, Magic Key Passes have also undergone a price adjustment. Each of the four pass types has increased in price, some more significantly than others, and we will break down the new pricing below with a comparison of old vs. new pricing. The Enchant Key had the biggest price increase, followed by the Believe Key, Imagine Key, and Inspire Key.

Read our thoughts on when we expect Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passes to be on sale again.

Though this news was announced today that the Magic Key Annual Passes will are increasing in price, the passes are not going on sale to new buyers at this time. Renewals remain open for all current passholders. We anticipate that Disney will open up sales for the passes again soon now that they have increased prices and have largely sorted out the recent passholder lawsuit. Disney has made comments that they are dedicated to opening the pass program up to new participants throughout the year.

Below, you can see a table of the changes in pricing per Magic Key pass:

In the sections below you can find the additional details for what benefits are included with which pass types.

Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass Benefits

Alongside the Magic Key price increase, Disneyland is introducing Magic Key Extras Unlocked, which is described as “a new, easy way to discover all of the cool extras and experiences that are part of the Magic Key community.” These offerings are designed to enhance the experience of Magic Key holders, featuring experiences that may include the following:

Special Experiences

• Magic Key holder special experiences, at select times during the year
• Special keepsakes designed for Magic Key holders
• Early access to purchase a limited number of tickets for select events
• Magic Key Disney PhotoPass opportunities featuring special photo locations and more

Merchandise, Dining, and Special Discounts

• Access to Magic Key terrace, a dining location for Magic Key holders and their Guests
• Magic Key-themed merchandise and food & beverage novelties
• Menu items crafted for Magic Key holders
• Savings on Disneyland Resort hotel stays from time to time
• Discounts at participating locations at the Downtown Disney District

As part of Magic Key Extras Unlocked, Disneyland is introducing the following coming soon:

• A preview of a festive Disney PhotoPass Magic Shot and complimentary holiday tote bag coming in November (while
  supplies last)
• A new Magic Key popcorn bucket – with $1.75 refills for a limited time – available for purchase starting in January (while supplies last).

Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass Overview and Recent Changes

The Magic Key program at Disneyland has seen a few changes but overall, the main structure of the program has remained the same. Changes to the program included the addition of new special benefits for Magic Keyholders and a large change to the top-tier pass offered.

Magic Keyholders receive 20% off Disneyland Genie Plus when they purchase for one-off uses in the parks. This discount will not apply to the a la carte Lightning Lane purchases and there is still not an option to fully add Genie Plus to your Magic Key at a discounted yearly rate.

The two top tiers of passes also receive complimentary Disney PhotoPass downloads during all their Disneyland Resort visits.

Perhaps the most drastic change to the program we saw since the launch of the program is that the completely unblocked “Dream Key” was replaced with the “Inspire Key”. This new top-tier pass has the two weeks around the Disneyland Christmas and Disneyland New Year’s Eve holiday completely blocked out. There will be no Magic Keyholders in the theme parks during these two weeks. This will be a very interesting time to be in the parks to see how the vibe shifts with only single and multi-day Disneyland ticket holders.

Discount Hack for Disneyland Annual Pass Program

NOTE: The below hack to save on Disneyland Magic Keys does not work for renewals of passes. This hack will work once again when new Magic Key passes go on sale.

There is a HACK to save money on the Disneyland Annual Pass program. You can purchase our exclusively discounted tickets from Get Away Today and upgrade those tickets into your Annual Pass at the full rack rate of the tickets.

Here’s an example. When you purchase a Disneyland 4-day park hopper ticket through ourprivate discount links to Get Away Today you only pay $381 per ticket instead of the ticket booth rate of $395. That’s a savings of $14 per ticket. That savings will be passed on to you if you upgrade your ticket to an Annual Pass. The full value of the $395 ticket will be applied towards your Annual Pass payment even though you only paid $381. There is an even bigger savings when you purchase a 4-day EXTRA DAY FREE ticket that is valid for five days for $392 as opposed to the $415 ticket booth rate. That is a $23 per ticket savings!

The steps for upgrading a discounted ticket into an Annual Pass are:

1. Purchase your discounted Disneyland ticket viaour private links to Get Away Today so that you get an additional savings
2. Make your park reservations for any time within the 13 days of the first use of the ticket
3. On the final day of your ticket after you have entered the park for the first time, go into the Disneyland app and select the option to upgrade your ticket to a Magic Key Disneyland Annual Pass. That’s right, it is so simple you only have to use your app!

The only ticket type that cannot be upgraded to an Annual Passport is any of the California resident ticket specials. If you purchased one of these tickets from Get Away Today and you want to switch the ticket so that you can upgrade to an Annual Pass, reach out to them and they will help you make the switch.

Disneyland Annual Pass 2023 Types and Prices

• Only available for Southern California Residents living in zip codes 90000 to 93599
• 2 park reservations at a time
• 10% off select merchandise
• 10% off select food & beverage
• 25% off standard theme parking at select lots (excluding block out dates)
• 20% off Disney Genie+ service day of visit

Theme Park Reservations

All Magic Key holders will be required to make a Disneyland theme park reservation for their visit. You can book a reservation up to 90 days in advance.

Magic Key Benefits

There are a variety of additional Magic Key holder benefits to enjoy throughout the year – including:

• Access the Magic Key portal in the Disneyland app, where you’ll find relevant news, an overview of benefits, custom content, special offers and more.
• Magic Key Terrace: a re-imagined lounge just for Magic Key holders and their guests
• Magic Key Holder Month: a month-long celebration of Magic Key holders
• Special Experiences & Collectibles: access exciting, unique experiences and collectible keepsakes designed with you in mind—including special offerings during festivals!
• First Access Opportunities: be among the first to have the opportunity to access exciting new offerings at the Disneyland Resort throughout the year, including select new merchandise collections
• Downtown Disney District: discounts at participating locations
• Magic Key Merchandise, Novelties, Menu Items and More: Show your Magic Key pride! Opportunity to purchase Magic Key holder-themed popcorn buckets, sippers and menu items throughout the year.
• Magic Key Disney PhotoPass Opportunities: enjoy special photo spots and other opportunities sprinkled in throughout the year.
• Magic Key embroidery: special options available for Magic Key holders at select locations in the parks

Previous Magic Key Pass Sales 2023 Details

Pass sales restarted on April 11, 2023 around 9 am PT, with upgrades and new sales available. At the time, the Believe and Enchant key were unavailable for new buyers, and upgrades of existing passes to a higher pass tier could only be completed at a ticket booth.

As of January 23, 2023, Disneyland updated the Magic Key sales process to remove the virtual queue that was in place when the passes went on sale again.

Though Disney has previously opened and closed the sales of the Magic Key passes due to overwhelming demand and their goals to limit the number of pass holders, the move to remove the virtual queue is a positive sign that Magic Key passes may stay on sale on a more regular basis. This is in line with the commitment by the Disney Parks leadership that guest complaints were being heard.

Disney is in a difficult situation to balance the high demand for Magic Key passes and the park experience. They want to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the Disneyland experience while also preserving a high-end park experience for all guests.

Disney has shared with us that all passes are subject to availability and that certain pass levels may not be available from time to time. With this said, if you are not currently a Magic Keyholder and want to join the program, I would not wait when passes go on sale, as they can sell out at any moment.

Start Planning Your Disneyland Vacation!

The best way to get started is by subscribing to our FREE deals newsletter here. Subscribers receive helpful planning tips, Disney deals exclusive to our readers, and access to the lowest-priced park tickets around. Check out our other helpful resources for planning your trip:

• Disneyland Parades Guide- Get the Best Spot!
• Best Times to Visit Disneyland
• Fantasmic! Dining Packages and Virtual Queue Guide
• Disneyland Grand Californian Review- Is It Worth the Price?