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Disneyland Annual Passes: Is A Magic Key Worth It?
The coveted Disneyland Magic Key annual passes are available for sale. Should you buy one?
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Sally French is co-host of the Smart Travel podcast and a writer on NerdWallet's travel team. Before joining NerdWallet as a travel rewards expert in 2020, she wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its sibling site, Wirecutter.
Outside of work, she loves fitness, and she competes in both powerlifting and weightlifting (she can deadlift more than triple bodyweight). Naturally, her travels always involve a fitness component, including a week of cycling up the coastline of Vietnam and a camping trip to the Arctic Circle, where she biked over the sea ice. Other adventures have included hiking 25 miles in one day through Italy's Cinque Terre and climbing the 1,260 steps to Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi, Thailand.
Meghan Coyle is an editor on the Travel Rewards team and the co-host of the Smart Travel podcast. She covers travel credit cards, airline and hotel loyalty programs, and how to travel on points. Meghan is based in Los Angeles and has a love-hate relationship with LAX.
Disneyland Resort's highly coveted Magic Key annual passes remain a top choice for frequent visitors who want to experience the parks multiple times throughout the year. Magic Keys allow passholders to visit Disneyland for one annual price, and they can easily pay for themselves in as few as four visits, depending on the pass type.
But securing one requires some finesse, as Magic Keys typically only go on sale a few times a year and often sell out quickly. Here's what to know about the Magic Key annual passes, whether it's worth it and how to make the most of this opportunity while keeping your budget in check.
Current availability: The Inspire and Believe Key annual passes are currently available for purchase while supplies last.
Coming Jan. 13, 2026: Two additional pass types will go on sale — the Imagine Key (for Southern California residents) and the all-new Explore Key, which replaces the Enchant Key. Sales begin no earlier than 9 a.m. PT on Jan. 13.
Important change: The Enchant Key will no longer be available for sale or renewal. Current Enchant Key holders can continue to use their pass until its expiration date.
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Magic Keys, Disneyland Resort’s annual pass program, offer various tiers with perks beyond Park Hopper theme park admission, including access to purchase exclusive merchandise and dining discounts.
There are four types of Magic Key Passes available for purchase, with the most expensive ones offering fewer blackout dates and more goodies in terms of bigger discounts. Here are the four tiers, their prices and some key details:
Inspire Key
Believe Key
Explore Key (NEW - replaces Enchant Key)
Imagine Key (only available to SoCal residents)
Price
$1,899.
$1,474.
$974.
$599.
Number of visits per year to be “worth it” based on $169 daily ticket prices
12.
9.
6.
4.
Number of theme park reservations that can be held at a time
6.
6.
4.
2.
Parking discounts (at select locations)
Free.
50%.
25%.
25%.
Dining discounts (at select locations)
15%.
10%.
10%.
10%.
Merchandise discounts (at select locations)
20%.
10%.
10%.
10%.
Blackout dates
Few, aside from weeks around Christmas.
Most Saturdays during peak seasons like summer and spring break, plus holidays (including the weeks around Christmas).
Most Saturdays, plus long periods during peak seasons including spring break and Christmas. It also now includes weekdays in June and July (previously blocked on Enchant Key).
Weekends, plus long periods during peak seasons including spring break and Christmas.
New Explore Key highlight: The biggest improvement over the discontinued Enchant Key is that the Explore Key now includes access on weekdays during June and July. This makes it ideal for families who want to visit during summer vacation without upgrading to the more expensive Believe or Inspire tiers.
California resident perks: All pass types are available to California residents with convenient monthly payment options: just $99 down, then monthly payments spread over 12 months at 0% APR. That breaks down to:
Inspire Key: $150/month.
Believe Key: $114.59/month.
Explore Key: $72.92/month.
Imagine Key: $41.67/month.
To purchase the Imagine Key, you must be a Southern California resident living in ZIP codes 90000 to 93599 and you'll need to show proof of eligible residency, such as a valid government-issued photo ID.
Is Magic Key worth it?
Use the table above when considering your spending habits and frequency of visits. If you're someone who visits Disneyland several times a year, the pass can pay for itself quickly in ticket savings alone. Add in the parking, dining and merchandise discounts, and the pass becomes even more valuable.
Stack discounts to save more
Some of these discounts are stackable, too. Flash your annual pass at checkout when buying food, then pay for it with one of the best credit cards for Disney to rack up spending rewards. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 3x points on dining.
Using an Inspire Key for the 20% discount would bring this roughly $30 meal for two — QuesaBirria and Beef Birria Ramen in Disney California Adventure — down to $24.
You could also pair your Magic Key discounts with a discounted Disney gift card. The Target Circle™ Credit Card offers 5% off most Target purchases, including Disney gift cards, which are sold online and in most stores. Show your Magic Key and then pay for your food or merchandise with your gift cards purchased through Target for even more savings.
QuesaBirria at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill and Beef Birria Ramen at Lucky Fortune Cookery. (Photo by Sally French)
Inspire Key ($1,899): Breaks even at about 11 visits per year (based on mid-tier daily ticket prices around $169).
Believe Key ($1,474): Breaks even at about 9 visits.
Explore Key ($974): Breaks even at just 6 visits.
Imagine Key ($599): Breaks even at only 4 visits.
With parking now costing $40 per visit (up from $35 as of October 2025), the free parking benefit on the Inspire Key has become even more valuable. That alone saves you $480 per year if you visit just once a month. Even the 25% parking discount on Explore and Imagine Keys now saves you $10 per visit, bringing parking down to $30.
Why the new Explore Key is a game-changer
The addition of weekdays in June and July to the Explore Key makes it significantly more valuable than the old Enchant Key, especially for families with school-age children. Previously, summer visits required upgrading to the Believe Key ($1,474), but now families can save $500 annually while still accessing the parks during their kids' summer break.
Magic Key holders can save up to 20% on merchandise. (Photo by Sally French)
The case against Magic Key, and better ways to buy discount tickets
Still, Magic Key is not for everyone. The blackout dates may make it difficult to visit enough times to make the cost worth it. You’ll also have to budget for the additional costs of going to Disneyland multiple times, like paying for parking. Even with the 25% parking discount, theme park parking at Disneyland will still cost $26 per visit. If you’re not one to buy souvenirs or you’re more likely to bring your own food into the parks, those discounts may not provide significant savings.
California residents can take advantage of a new 3-day Park Hopper ticket deal for just $249 total (available for purchase starting Dec. 3, 2025, valid Jan. 1 - May 21, 2026). That works out to $83 per day — less than half what you'd pay for regular tickets.
Families with kids ages 3-9 should also consider the new summer kids' ticket deal: starting Jan. 21, 2026, one-day Park Hopper tickets cost just $50 per child for visits between May 22 and Sept. 7, 2026. That's a massive savings compared to the usual $189 price.
Maximize your odds of actually getting a Magic Key
Magic Keys are typically in far shorter supply than demand. Here's how to maximize your odds of being able to buy one in the first place.
For Inspire and Believe Keys (available now):
These passes are currently on sale while supplies last.
Log into your Disney account at Disneyland.com/MagicKey.
Have your payment method ready.
California residents should decide whether to pay in full or use the $99 down payment option with 12 monthly payments at 0% APR.
For Explore and Imagine Keys (sale begins Jan. 13, 2026):
Mark your calendar: Sales begin no earlier than 9 a.m. PT on Jan. 13, 2026.
Log in early: Access your Disney account well before 9 a.m. to ensure you have time to reset passwords or verify account information.
Know which tier you want: Review the benefits and costs ahead of time. The new Explore Key's summer weekday access makes it a strong value proposition for families.
Have a backup plan: If one pass tier sells out, know if you'd be willing to buy another available tier instead.
Decide on payment: California residents should pre-determine whether they'll pay in full or take advantage of the $99 down payment option.
Sign up for alerts: Visit Disneyland.com/MagicKey to get notifications about pass availability.
