All you need to know about Disneyland ticket costs and extras

Buying theme park tickets is often the largest expense of a Disneyland getaway. Do you really need Park Hopper passes, which allow visits to multiple parks in one day? Are there safe and legitimate ways to save on tickets? And how does the Disneyland reservations system function? Grasping your options is crucial for enjoying your time at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Having frequented Disneyland for the past couple of decades, I’ve tried nearly every type of ticket available, including the annual pass (now referred to as a Magic Key).

Here’s everything you should know about purchasing Disneyland tickets to ensure you make the best decision for your visit.

Fundamentals of Disneyland tickets

One-day tickets

Let’s begin with the most straightforward choice: one-day tickets for a single park at Disneyland. There are two parks available (Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park), and a one-day ticket grants access to just one of them.

Prices for single-day tickets at Disneyland vary and are categorized into multiple tiers based on your chosen visit date. However, there’s no price difference between tickets for Disneyland Park and those for Disney California Adventure Park. The pricing for single-day, one-park-per-day tickets is as follows:

• Tier 0 — $104
• Tier 1 — $119
• Tier 2 — $134
• Tier 3 — $154
• Tier 4 — $169
• Tier 5 — $184
• Tier 6 — $194

At Disney, adults are defined as anyone aged 10 and older, while child tickets are for ages 3 to 9. Admission is free for those under 3 years old.

Disneyland organizes its days into a tier system about six months ahead of time. For instance, current one-day ticket prices are available only through December, aligning with its park reservations calendar, which is released 180 days in advance.

As expected, peak times (such as weekends and holidays) are classified as higher-tier days. Generally, Tier 0 days (the most affordable) fall midweek during low-demand months and can be rare. If you're uncertain about your visit date or anticipate needing to change your plans after booking, it’s safest (though pricier) to buy the highest-tier ticket. Upgrading to a higher tier later is typically not an option.

Multiday tickets

For those planning an extended stay at Disneyland, multiday tickets are available. The price per day generally decreases the longer your visit. The simplest multiday ticket allows access to one park each day. Therefore, with a three-day, one-park-per-day ticket, guests could enjoy two days at Disneyland Park and one day at Disney California Adventure, but visiting both parks on the same day isn’t permitted.

Unlike Walt Disney World Resort, where multiday ticket prices vary based on your visit date, Disneyland’s multiday ticket pricing is refreshingly consistent. There are no tiers to worry about for ticket holders.

Standard prices for multiday, one-park-per-day tickets in 2024 are:

• Two-day ticket — $310
• Three-day ticket — $390
• Four-day ticket — $445
• Five-day ticket — $480

Multiday tickets are valid for an additional 13 days after their initial use. This makes them an excellent option for out-of-town visitors wanting to explore the park over several days. However, this also means they’re less suitable for locals who prefer to space out multiple visits over a longer timeframe.

Options and extras for Disneyland tickets

Naturally, there are various add-ons that can raise the cost of tickets for guests visiting Disneyland. Some of these ticket enhancements include:

Park Hopper option

The standard tickets at Disneyland allow entry to just one park each day, but guests can opt for the Park Hopper option at an extra fee. True to its name, Park Hopper tickets let visitors "hop" between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure as many times as they like throughout the day. Given that the parks are in close proximity, moving between them is much simpler than at Disney World.

What is the price increase for the Park Hopper feature? It varies based on the duration of your visit.

• One-day Park Hopper — $65
• Two-day Park Hopper — $65
• Three-day Park Hopper — $70
• Four-day Park Hopper — $70
• Five-day Park Hopper — $75

My family enjoys the flexibility of switching between parks if one becomes too busy on any given day. Over the years, park-hopping has been a key part of our strategy to avoid long lines at Disneyland. I often suggest Park Hopper tickets to most of my friends, except for those planning a two-day visit who wish to dedicate one day to each park.

However, moving forward, there is a new limitation on park-hopping: a time restriction. Guests can only park-hop after 11 a.m., depending on capacity limitations. This new rule might reduce the value of the Park Hopper option compared to the past.

Disney Genie+

Since the introduction of Disney Genie+ in December 2021, it has become essential for my visits to Disneyland. Disney Genie+ enables guests to bypass the standby line for a quicker Lightning Lane experience at selected attractions and offers additional benefits such as unlimited PhotoPass downloads during your trip.

At Disneyland, you can add Disney Genie+ to your vacation package or purchase it on the day of your visit; however, buying it in advance can save you money.

• Prearrival Disney Genie+ — $30
• Day-of Disney Genie+ — price varies, starting at $30

Most of the top attractions at Disneyland are included with Genie+, but you will still need to buy an Individual Lightning Lane entry for access to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure Park.

The reservation system at Disneyland

There’s an additional factor to consider when it comes to Disneyland tickets: Starting in 2021, alongside purchasing admission, guests are now required to secure daily reservations in advance for the theme park they wish to enter each day.

When you buy tickets directly from Disneyland, the reservations process is built into the ticket purchasing flow. If you buy tickets from other sources (often to get discounts), you’ll need to make reservations after acquiring your ticket and then link it to your Disneyland account.

Before you think about buying tickets, it's wise to consult Disneyland's reservation calendar to check for availability. It’s crucial to confirm that the parks you plan to visit can accept new reservations on your chosen dates.

Keep in mind that there are two different calendars for reservations: one for single-park tickets and another for Park Hopper tickets. Be sure to select the tab that corresponds to the ticket type you intend to purchase.

Discounts on Disneyland tickets and the optimal times to purchase

Sadly, significant ticket discounts for Disneyland are not feasible (and if you come across them, they are likely scams, so it's best to avoid those). However, there are still methods to save money.

Discounts on single and multiday Disneyland tickets

A straightforward way to save is by buying multiday tickets to Disneyland through a reputable ticket broker like Get Away Today or Undercover Tourist.

These brokers frequently offer tickets priced several dollars lower than the official Disney rates, and their tickets include the same benefits and convenience. Occasionally, you might even come across extra promotions, such as a fifth-day-free deal, which can further reduce costs. Make sure to compare prices, as they change regularly.

Disneyland seldom discounts its one-day tickets, so don’t spend time hunting for deals if you're visiting for just a single day. The easiest way to save on one-day tickets is to purchase discounted Disney gift cards and use them to pay directly for your ticket with Disney. If you score a significant discount on the gift cards, they can sometimes outshine the prices from ticket brokers for multiday tickets.

Certainly, there are several other outlets for finding discounts (like Costco, AAA, and grocery stores), but they typically don’t beat the prices from ticket brokers or the savings from using discounted Disney gift cards.

Discounts for military personnel

If you're part of an eligible group, there are a few additional ticket discounts worth noting. Historically, the most significant savings are available to military members and their spouses. These tickets can only be purchased at select military bases, and some blackout dates may apply. For 2024, the military ticket prices at Disneyland are as follows:

• Three-day Park Hopper ticket: $268.50
• Four-day Park Hopper ticket: $314.25

Price hikes

Be on the lookout for those dreaded ticket price hikes. The most recent increase occurred in October 2023. It’s probably obvious that the optimal time to purchase Disneyland tickets is right before a price increase occurs. Fortunately, there is a workaround!

Even after a price increase, discount ticket brokers may offer tickets at the previous year's prices for a limited time (typically about one to two weeks following the announcement). Therefore, I strongly encourage you to start planning your Disneyland vacation now if you intend to visit in late 2024 or 2025 to secure these lower rates.

Disneyland annual passes — now referred to as Magic Keys

Lastly, annual passes are another avenue for obtaining discounted theme park admission to Disneyland. In the summer of 2021, Disneyland overhauled its annual pass program, rebranding the passes as "Magic Keys."

Guests planning a trip to Disneyland Resort might find that a Magic Key offers better value than purchasing two or more multiday tickets. Annual passes also tend to be more advantageous for many local residents of Southern California.

The key (pun intended) is to crunch the numbers. Don't forget to factor in the extra savings from Magic Key discounts on dining, shopping, and parking, which can really add up.

It’s crucial to read the fine print and check if each type of pass has blackout dates that may interfere with your travel plans. Multiday tickets come with no blackout dates, providing greater flexibility for visits any day of the year.

It’s also essential to review the Magic Key reservations calendar. This calendar has different availability and often fills up more quickly than the one for standard park tickets. If you’re unable to plan that far ahead, a Magic Key might leave you stranded if the date you want to visit is already booked.

Acquiring a Magic Key can sometimes be tricky. Disney paused sales of Magic Keys on June 5, and there’s no indication of when they might resume.

Check out TPG's comprehensive guide to Disneyland Magic Keys for all the necessary details.

The bottom line

Tickets are certainly a significant expense when it comes to visiting Disneyland. However, with some planning, a careful assessment of the extras you need, and knowledge of available discounts, it’s still feasible to save a considerable amount of money.

If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland, consider these tips to save both money and time:

• Your complete guide to visiting Disneyland
• Top Disneyland hotels in and around the park
• Optimal times to visit Disneyland
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