Disney has suspended sales of its Magic Key annual pass program and will offer California residents a new three-day ticket to Disneyland and California Adventure this summer, Disneyland officials said today.
When Disneyland launched its Magic Key program last August, it meant that, according to Disneyland’s announcement, “you belong to a core community of Disneyland fans who share a passion and love for the park.”
There are four tiers of Magic Key passes that cost anywhere from $399 to $1,399 per year. The $1,399 Dream Keys and $949 Believe Keys sold out late last year, and as of Tuesday, the $649 Enchant Keys and $399 Imagine Keys were no longer available.
Disney officials said the program offers more choice and flexibility, and guests need to book Disneyland and California Adventure, but some fans believe Disney has wrongly advertised “no lockdown dates” at the top level of their program. Buyers have reported difficulty pre-ordering due to the limited number of pre-orders available to tier holders. As a result, a lawsuit was filed against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts last year.
Disneyland theme parks treat Magic Key holders as “second-class ticket holders, artificially limiting Magic Key reservations and the number of key holders who can visit on any given day,” the lawsuit said.
Responding to the lawsuit, Disneyland spokeswoman Liz Jaeger said: “We are aware of the terms of the Magic Key product and we know that many of our guests love the experience these passes provide.” She added: “As the case progresses, we will vigorously Defend our position.”
In fact, there is a no-warranty disclaimer on the Disneyland website.
Those currently in possession of the magic key can still use their passes to make reservations, and park officials said they would be allowed to renew their passes, but no further details were immediately provided.
The Magic Keys program replaces the park’s popular annual pass program, which was canceled in January 2021 in part to limit daily traffic during the coronavirus pandemic.
New three-day tickets start at $249 (Monday-Thursday), or $299 (for eligible guests) any day (including weekends).
An additional $60 three-day “park hopper” ticket can be purchased with either package, allowing guests to move between parks.
Three-day tickets are available for purchase starting Tuesday and can be redeemed for any three-day period between June 13 and September 15, 2022, subject to park reservations.
Single-day tickets are still available, prices vary, and are subject to blackout dates.
The City News Service contributed to this report.