New Ticket Deal, 180 Day Reservation Window, Genie+ Additions & More Coming to Disneyland
Disneyland Resort has announced a few fairly big changes to the California parks aimed at improving the guest experience and value for money in Late 2023 and 2024. This post shares details of the deals, changes, and perks, as well as potential motivations for the moves, and more.
This is the second time we’ve seen Disney share a ‘bundle’ of (mostly) good news like this, with the first time happening at the beginning of the year with Good Changes Coming to Disneyland: Park Hopping, Ticket Prices, PhotoPass & Annual Passes.
Personally, I don’t think today’s lineup of news is nearly as positive. From my perspective, it’s a bigger deal for what it ‘represents,’ which is that Disneyland is cognizant of the need to improve guest satisfaction and value for money. Given the tone and angle of this news, it would seem that’s especially true with families. Let’s dig in…
Beginning October 24, 2023, guests can purchase a child’s ticket (valid only for children ages 3-9) to Disneyland Resort theme parks for as low as $50 per child, per day with a special kids’ ticket offer. Guests will be able to choose from 1, 2 or 3-Day Park tickets, with upgrades such as Park Hopper tickets or Disney Genie+ service also available to add on. These limited-time child tickets are a great value, and will be valid for use between January 8, 2024 through March 10, 2024. This ticket will have no blockout dates, and appears that it’ll be valid for both weekdays and weekends!
These special offer tickets will expire 13 days after the first day of use or on March 10, 2024, whichever occurs first. To enter a park, both a theme park reservation and a valid ticket for the same park on the same date are required. Theme park reservations for Kids’ Special Offer Ticket holders are limited in number and subject to the availability of park reservations allocated to the Kids’ Special Offer Tickets as determined by Disney and theme park capacity.
Reservation availability for Kids’ Special Offer Ticket holders is not guaranteed for any date, and reservations may be difficult to get for any particular date, especially as the ticket expiration date approaches. To ensure best availability, make reservations early. On any given date, park reservations may be available for general theme park tickets even though park reservations allocated to the Kids’ Special Offer Tickets are fully reserved. Kids’ Special Offer Ticket holders are not entitled to any reservations Disney makes available to others. Subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice. Sales may be paused from time to time or terminated at any time.
Speaking of park reservations, guests purchasing or holding theme park tickets will be able to view the theme park reservation calendar and book visits for dates up to 180 days in advance starting later in October 2023. This will help you have greater visibility into the theme park ticket options at a variety of price points on the calendar for the days you’d like to visit, including select days with tickets priced at $104 per day.
There aren’t any of these days this month or in December 2023, but there are a scattering of $104 days in November 2023 before Thanksgiving, as well as throughout January 2024. It’s likely we’ll also see more $104 dates in February (outside of Presidents’ Day and Ski Week) and maybe in early March 2024–before Spring Break arrives in full force.
Personally, this is non-news in my view. Park reservations for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have become much easier to book, with it being very rare for dates on the regular ticket calendars to fill up more than a few weeks in advance. I can’t recall the last time anything was gone over a month in advance, but Thanksgiving and Christmas could buck that trend. So really, this gives the illusion of greater convenience or whatever, but changes very little in reality.
Nevertheless, I know how Disney planners are and there’s undeniably value in peace of mind. If I were planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disneyland a year in advance from halfway around the United States or even another country, I might feel similarly. So I’m not pooh-poohing this change, either.
I do worry about Disneyland extending its reservation windows too much, (artificially) raising the stakes, and turning the planning process into Walt Disney World 2.0, though. The California parks are better enjoyed in a more laid back manner, and should stay that way. But I digress.
Another change is coming to the Genie+ service, as Disneyland is adding two family-friendly attractions to the bundle. First, the Little Mermaid dark ride at Disney California Adventure will join Genie+ in November 2023.
Second, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will switch from an Individual Lightning Lane to a regular Genie+ Lightning Lane sometime “soon.” Disneyland offers no indication as to when–it could be this month, next month, or sometime in December.
I don’t exactly love the idea of the Little Mermaid dark ride adding a Lightning Lane, especially after seeing what it’s done to Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue. Hopefully, this being higher capacity will mean it won’t have the same issues as there.
With that said, this will offer only illusory value to the Genie+ service, as skipping the line was not necessary here in the first place. A Lightning Lane here is a solution in search of a problem. It’ll only be “necessary” after the fact, when standby wait times increase due to the Lightning Lane. It’ll also be interesting to see the logistics of the Lightning Lane and standby line, merge point, and so forth.
On the other hand, moving Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway to Genie+ is a great move…well, for casual tourists who buy the line-skipping bundle! It’ll add more value for money to Genie+ and removes an unnecessary Individual Lightning Lane that offered poor value for money and was typically an immediate return (for a reason!).
As someone who does not buy Genie+ at Disneyland, I selfishly wouldn’t mind it retaining the Individual Lightning Lane. Sales for that were really slow, so the standby line moved at a pretty brisk pace (posted wait times have been incredibly overinflated for months). With Genie+ added, I can only assume actual standby wait times for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway are about to worsen.
Everything you need to know, including ride priorities, where it’s NOT necessary to buy Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, and much more is covered in our Guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Disneyland and DCA. (If you’re wondering why we haven’t done many updates on Genie+ at Disneyland Resort, it’s not because we don’t use it…it’s because there isn’t much to say. The system works just as well now as it did last year. Aside from ride roster changes and price increases, nothing ‘newsworthy’ has happened.)
Finally, as an extra bonus for Magic Key Annual Passholders, Disneyland is introducing “Magic Key Extras Unlocked.” According to the company, this is a new and “easy way to discover all the cool extras and experiences that are part of the Magic Key community!”
Disneyland reports that it’ll be rolling out Magic Key Extras Unlocked soon, and it’ll include a preview of a festive Disney PhotoPass Magic Shot and complimentary holiday tote bag coming in November (while supplies last), and a new Magic Key popcorn bucket – with $1.75 refills for a limited time – available for purchase starting in January (while supplies last).
To learn more, visit the magic Key Extras Unlocked section on Disneyland.com or the Magic Key portal on the Disneyland app. Whether you’re a frequent Disneyland Resort visitor or you’re planning for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, there are so many ways you can choose to customize and prioritize your picks and preferences.
Call me cynical, but my first thought when reading about Magic Key Extras Unlocked was that this is a goodwill move to get ahead of backlash over upcoming price increases. Although Disneyland did not detail any pricing changes along with these announcements, we’re pretty confident it’s coming within the next couple of weeks. (See Price Increases Likely Coming Soon for Late 2023 & 2024 at Disney World & Disneyland.)
No Magic Keys are currently available for purchase, but perhaps that will change post-price increase. (Not being available won’t stop Disney from raising prices on them, if that’s the plan.) I wouldn’t necessarily count on that, especially heading into the heart of the holidays, as Disneyland is likely to be pretty consistently busy between October and mid-January 2024.
Due to California’s slower reopening than Florida, pent-up demand at Disneyland has lagged Walt Disney World. But if the latter is any indication, Disneyland is likewise going to hit a wall in early 2024, and will need to pull its own “levers” to entice back locals and tourists. Resuming Magic Key sales and offer more AP appreciation is probably one way of achieving that.
Ultimately, it’ll be interesting to see what happens in 2024 with revenge travel clearly fizzling out. Disneyland is likely on a similar trajectory as Walt Disney World has been for the last ~6 months, albeit with different demographics. Nevertheless, if the Florida parks are any indication, we’re going to see more discounts and improvements to the guest experience to lure back disillusioned fans. The big difference is that Disneyland only has 3 on-site hotels and a lot more locals that don’t need or want resorts, so more will necessarily have to happen with the in-park experience.
I’ve said it before, but my money is on entertainment. Unless guest satisfaction on it was really bad (doubtful), bringing back Rogers: The Musical in 2024 is obvious. It also seems probable that Wondrous Journeys will return, but I could see Disney withholding that until summer and bringing back something else this winter (please no Mickey Mix Magic!). Beyond the obvious, my personal wish list would be topped by Paint the Night and the new scenes added to a reimagined Fantasmic. I also would love to see Remember…Dreams Come True again, and another cultural event at Disney California Adventure.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of these changes at Disneyland? Will these positively impact your visits to the parks? Even if they will not benefit you, personally, do you applaud these as incremental steps in the right direction? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
“A Lightning Lane here is a solution in search of a problem.”
I like to think of it as creating a new problem (adding LL to TLM) to “fix” an old problem (adding LL to M&S caused logistical problems, so move them to TLM) because actually solving the root cause is a long term issue (DCA needs more attractions with low/no height requirements). Hey, bringing back Rogers: The Musical works there, too!
I was traumatized upon exposure to Mickey’s Mix Magic, one of the worst DLR shows in years. Who is that show for? The sound of DJ Mickey pumping up the crowd with a falsetto “awwww yeahh!” will haunt me for the rest of my days.
It’s bad, but it has a tendency to grow on you after seeing it too many times. Like one of those so-bad-they’re-good cult classic movies.
There should never, ever be any kind of ‘DJ’ nonsense in the parks, anywhere. It doesn’t belong.
My husband and I have the best memory of Mix Magic but for the opposite reason that Disney probably intended. We spent our first dating anniversary in 2019 at Disneyland and had the perfect romantic day – lunch in the Blue Bayou, riding all of our favorite rides, getting pictures with our favorite characters, etc. – and were looking forward to the cherry on top: a classic Disney firework show that would make us both tear up with love and nostalgia. Imagine our utter shock and bafflement when DJ Mickey launched us into the weirdest kid-oriented rave with EDM mixes of Disney songs. We laughed the whole way home at how bad and ridiculous it was. It sure is a Disney memory we’ll never forget!
Paint the Night was the best nighttime parade Disneyland has ever had in my opinion. Ridiculous they have not brought it back.
Wondrous Journeys is my favorite nighttime firework show at the park ever. There’s just no way this does not make a return in 2024.
That one-two punch combined would put this park ahead of Tokyo for nighttime entertainment in my mind. It might even be TOO much goodness all in one place…
Fantasmic-Wondrous Journeys-Paint the Night would surpass either Tokyo park. Totally agree.
Personally, I think PtN lags pretty far behind Dreamlights, but the superior fireworks and Fantasmic more than bridge the gap.
A DLR parade engineer told me that the Paint Parade was a technical nightmare. The computers synching the lights, sound, movement, etc were the problem and why the parade was retired earlier than we all expected. That said, you would have assume the technology has improved in the last 8 years…IF they upgraded it.
I’ve heard a lot about issues with Paint the Night over the years. In particular, it’s rough on performers and very maintenance-intensive. I don’t know about the tech issues, but that wouldn’t surprise me. When originally designed, it had the ability to interact with the Glow with the Show/Made with Magic stuff. That never was ‘enabled’ at Disneyland, but I assume it’s still in the underlying tech infrastructure.
But they also have never destroyed and repurposed the floats–and even rebuilt a new one in 2018 (long after all of the issues were known)–so I assume it’ll still return at some point.
“I don’t exactly love the idea of the Little Mermaid dark ride adding a Lightning Lane, especially after seeing what it’s done to Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue.”
Yup. Seeing what is (no argument allowed!) the worst dark ride at the resort having backed up standby lines is astounding to me.
I’m assuming the $50/day for a child is only with a 3-day, one-park-per-day ticket. Making it $150. Right now that same 3-day ticket is $340. That’s substantial savings for a family with young children.
For a second, I thought this was Disneyland going to the former 180 day dining window that WDW had. I’m happy that’s not happening, but what needs to happen for reservation is NOT a longer window, but for them to go away entirely. If they’re touting a 180 day window, I sure hope that means they’ll get their act together about posting DLR hours. They are never going to be the worldwide tourist destination they claim to want to be if they do the California thing of posting hours a month or two out, and it’s not as if they don’t have a general idea of what their hours are going to be.
Not a fan of the idea of Mermaid going onto Genie. I really, really miss my first few visits when Mansion, Small World, Monsters Inc, Buzz, TSMM, etc. weren’t on any line skipping service. The park needs MORE rides that you can do at any time without prohibitive waits-not less. That Magic Kingdom visit I did in 2021 just before Genie was released really showed me how much better the experience is if these services just don’t exist. If Disney wants to keep them around, they need to dramatically hike their prices to Universal levels so that not nearly as many people are using them IMO.
Wondrous Journeys was phenomenal, so I’m a little nervous that they’re being so hesitant to announce the obvious thing-bringing it back-while WOC One plays on.
Finally, as a non-local, I’m finally about at the point where I can’t justify ticket prices if they go much higher. I remember when it used to be about $15 to add another parkhopper day once you got to day four or so. It’s really disappointing because I love DLR, but the ticket I typically buy (5 day parkhopper with Genie) is already more than I can really justify. I know capitalism is gonna capitalism, but I’d like to think that there’s a point where people will balk. I’m about at that point and I can’t be alone.
I think Wonderous Journeys is probably going to be the ‘late spring/ summer season show’ at Disneyland for the next couple of years although they probably won’t say its the permenant summer show like remember dreams come true because of marketing. If the feedback is as strong as Tom suggests will definately be back as part of the rotation. It might not be winter early spring though because that seems to be the rtime where they bring back one of the older shows to get people in the park for the ‘off/magic keyholders season’.
Agreed 180 dining would have been a bit bleugh fortunately even disneyworld isnt doing that atm and I agree having boilerplate hours 6 months out would be nice but I don’t think it likely even having it 2 and a half months out instead of the 1 month so I can plan for fireworks or not fireworks would be nice though given how it used to be with fantasmic dining packagest!
Agree about the park hours bit. It’s hard to think about getting a reservation for next April when we don’t even have park hours for Thanksgiving! If they want to “train” visitors to book that far out, they gotta give us some idea of what the hours will be! Even 60 days (current dining booking window) would be an improvement.
Seriously, what is the deal with people and the popcorn bucket refills? Do you really eat that much popcorn? I hear people whining about this all over the place…
Little Mermaid (and Buzz Lighyear) on genie + are just a shame. It turns walk on attractions into 30+ minute waits unless you pay to play. How disappointing.
Not sure on this one. MMRR going to Genie plus seems to be a bonus for people like me-the mad Brit who flies over once or twice a year and plans to spend weeks in the Parks.Ariel’s Adventure seems to be at best a lateral. Haunted Mansion was fine until the genie plus/ fastpases went in and now is awkwardly busy at all times. If it happens to Arial which is normally a 10-15 minute wait I feel like its a negative step.
I think I agree with you on the entertainment and rides. Soaring over California will be back for March for Food and Wine and possibly a bit longer, Rogers: The Musical is obvious and relatively cheap compared what you could put in the theatre instead and eats people. Main Street Electrical Parade will show up whilst fantasmic is down I think we all know that although goodness knows what happened to Paint the Night at this point Im starting to think someone has spectromagiced the floats 🙁 .
I think given disney is on a nostalgia kick with Disney Dreams coming back in Paris alonmg with Happily Ever in Magic Kingdom. Remember Dreams Come True is a distinct possiblity for the not summer season although they seem to like Disneyland Forever for some reason even though its not really disneyland-I agree hopefully not Mickeys Mixed Magic-shudders.
I think/hope they’ll actually go for Paint the Night this time. (The floats are still in Southern California, safely in storage.) It feels like they’ve gone to the Main Street Electrical Parade well one too many times in the last ~5 years, and I don’t think it’ll move the needle in the same way.
Wondrous Journeys has sky-high guest satisfaction, so it’s a different scenario than Paris or Magic Kingdom (where the replacement shows did not). Still, I think there’s a good chance Disneyland “withholds” it in the winter to try to build up excitement for its return later in the summer. Disneyland has been pretty strategic about rotating its fireworks shows. I could see that continuing with a return of Disneyland Forever or RDCT.
I think I can guess, but what has Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue being added to the Genie+ service done to it?
It went from being a perpetual near walk-on to having 30+ minute wait times and the standby queue coming to a standstill at times.
Granted, part of that could be attributed to DCA just being busier in general, but MaxPass/Genie+ certainly did not help.
Ack, what a bummer! Good to know for our upcoming trip though. Thanks!