Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass: Price Increase, All Details
The Disneyland Magic Key program is the current name for the Annual Pass program at the Disneyland Resort.
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.
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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:
| Pass Type | Old Pricing | New Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Inspire | $1,599 | $1,649 |
| Belive | $1,099 | $1,249 |
| Enchant | $699 | $849 |
| Imagine | $449 | $499 |
In the sections below you can find the additional details for what benefits are included with which pass types.
NEW 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 our private 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:
- Purchase your discounted Disneyland ticket via our private links to Get Away Today so that you get an additional savings
- Make your park reservations for any time within the 13 days of the first use of the ticket
- 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
Currently, Disney has paused new sales of Magic Key passes. At this time, current Magic Key holders can renew their passes during their renewal window (currently up to 30 days prior to the pass expiration date). Note that the number of passes and pass types available for renewal or purchase may be limited, and certain pass types may be unavailable during certain times or only available only for renewals.
Below, we will share the types of Magic Key passes that are offered in 2023 and the benefits they include. Click here for the blackout dates from Disneyland, as this will be important information to know for when you select your pass!
Inspire Key Pass
$1,649
The Inspire Key Pass includes:
- 6 park reservations at a time
- Standard theme park included at select lots (excluding block out dates)
- 20% off select merchandise
- 15% off select food & beverage
- 20% off Disney Genie+ service day of visit
- Unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads
Believe Key Pass
$1,249
The Believe Key Pass includes:
- 6 park reservations at a time
- 50% off standard theme parking at select lots (excluding block out dates)
- 10% off select merchandise
- 10% off select food & beverage
- 20% off Disney Genie+ service day of visit
- Unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads
Enchant Key Pass
$849
The Enchant Key Pass includes:
- 4 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
Imagine Key Pass
$499
The Imagine Key Pass includes:
- 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.
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Curious if there’s any info on the sale of new magic keys? Or are they only renewing for existing magic keys holders?
New Magic Keys will go on sale once Disneyland has made sure that all current Magic Key passholders are able to renew and get the pass they would like. Make sure to join our FREE Mickey Visit newsletter for information on when new passes go on sale!
Say I purchase tickets for October, and make a reservation for then. When passes become available will I be able to upgrade to a pass, or will I have to wait till I am physically In the parks to upgrade to a pass?
From Disney – “You can upgrade tickets to a Magic Key once the first day of your ticket has been activated (once you have scanned into the park), but in order to do that new sales have to be available for the pass type you’re interested in. We recommend people upgrade on the last usage day of their ticket, and it can be done via the app if you want!”
Is there going to be a down payment with renewals or just the monthly payments if we go that route again? I saw the prices for the monthly payments and it look like it doesn’t include a down payment.
I had the same question. I think you’re right, no down payment, only the monthly payment!
From Disney – “No down payment required for renewals! Monthly payments remain an option for CA residents.”
What does it mean to have 4 park reservations at a time? 4 days of reservations?
Correct. You can hold reservations for four days at a time.
My daughter turned 3 while we had our passes (family with 2 parents 2 kids), I’m worried if I renew ours I won’t be able to purchase her a pass. Has anyone dealt with this? Is there a special way to get her a new pass as part of renewing our family’s passes.
Hi Britt,
We expect new passes to go on sale somewhat quickly after the renewals period takes place. I will check with Disney to see if there is any nuance based on your situation.
Gavin
YOU SAY: “New Magic Keys will go on sale once Disneyland has made sure that all current Magic Key passholders are able to renew and get the pass they would like.”
THIS MAKES NO SENSE! I bought my Magic Key Believe when they went on sale last year, but did not validate it until October 3rd. I am out of State. So, you say here that I CAN get what I had, but you say above, I will have to get what is available at the time when I renew and I am within 30 days not until September 3! So, which is it? Will they “reserve” my BELIEVE KEY for me or won’t they? They could potentially sell out by the time I reach my renewal date. ALSO, you said “PURCHASE DATE”. That does not ring true either because even though I “purchased” mine on opening day of the passes going on sale last year, I still cannot renew until I am 30 days out from validating it. So, again, there is a threefold problem here.
So, can you set the record straight? I am sure I am not the only one in this situation. It would be nice for Disney to offer the 12 monthly payments to the people who are actually staying at their expensive hotels instead of those who can drop in anytime. Chumps!
You will be able to renew or upgrade your pass once you are within 30 days of your expiration date. The will not hold any pass for you. The Believe level may or may not be sold out by September 3rd, but if I had to guess it will not sell out that quickly. Again, this is just a guess.
My pass does not expire until the end of January, am I able to wait until then to renew, or should I upgrade ?
Not sure entirely how this works because who knows if passes will be available next year.
You will not be able to upgrade or renew until you are within 30 days of your pass’s expiration.
Can you give me the TL:DR on this please. If I purchase the top tier, I get all the “perks”. But what dates (if any) are restricted one tier down? I ask because my husband NEVER goes without me and doesn’t need parking or shopping discounts, he only needs to be able to reserve the same exact dates as myself. I know last year, some keys had weekend blockouts – I can’t get a key like that for hubby. He has to be able to get same dates as myself. Thank you.
The blockout dates do vary between the top tier key and the one tier below. For that matter, all tiers have different blockout dates. For you to have identical dates you will have to get the same pass.
Will the new magic key expire on renewal date or first visit after renewal date? Say I renew next week, but don’t visit until end of September. Will my expiration date be my renewal date? My same expiration date as now? Or the first visit after renewal?
the option to upgrade a regular park ticket will not be available yet since the Magic Keys are ONLY on a renewal basis, until further notice.
so you should remove this part of your article, or add this information. because it’s currently incorrect.
how can i upgrade my magic key pass
Has anyone renewed their pass yet? I just waited in the queue all day, when it was finally my turn, it wouldn’t let me order. Now I’m back in the queue from the start again. Is there a workaround for the glitch? The error said can not renew through app, but I was just clicking through the links that were popping up.
I don’t understand how I, a DVC member who has spent tens of thousands of dollars on Disney, will not give me the option to get a new Magic Key pass?! It makes zero sense. People are suing for not getting into the park with their current Magic Keys…if anyone deserves extra perks it’s the DVC members who spend up to hundreds of thousands of dollars , not including annual dues.
My family have all renewed our Enchant keys except for my daughter who isnt able to renew until end of Dec. Will she be able to renew her Enchant key still ?
I currently have a multi-day ticket and reservations in January. If I upgrade my ticket to the magic key before then, how does it work for the reservations I already have?
I was in the que for 5 hours and finally purchased and said it was processing for over 20 minutes then it said no items in cart. Anyone else have this happen. So upsetting now starting over.
Hi There – We are from Canada have being Annual Pass Holders since 2003, we were saddened by the sudden pausing of the Believe pass . We are wondering if Disney would be releasing Magic Key Passes for out of country guests, we could only visit Disney twice during our past existing passes, with the last AP not being able to use because of the Covid Closures. We could not renew because of the covid measures of travel, now we could. It would be wonderful if Disney would allow our Family to purchase one or two Believe Magic Key pass’s, the most days that we would use would be ten days for each visit , per pass. Could you ask Disney if they would consider an Annual Pass for out of town folks like us.. we would not mind if it was only limited to 30 days maximum . Also if we would be able to be included in the renewal program, as our last AP pass was voided because of the Virus . Thank you so much.. Bjorne Cindy and Family..