The Magic Key Program offers Disney fans a four-tier program, with prices ranging from $399 a year all the way up to $1399.
Disneyland in California was revealed as the third most expensive theme park for families in the new report by the personal finance experts at money.co.uk with a day pass for two adults and two children costing $544.94 – but could a new park pass be a better option for Disney adventure seekers?
Here’s the low down:
Imagine Key – annual cost: $399
The cheapest option is only exclusively available for Southern California residents living in the Californian Zip codes 90000 to 93599. The plan gives Disney-lovers admission on select days of the year to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure. Pass holders can make up to two park reservations at a time, and you also get 10% discounts on select merchandise and food.
Plus, there’s also a monthly option, where guests can pay $19 a month for a year after a down payment of $179. So if you’re a local and don’t mind missing out on the busiest and most popular times of the year, this is the best plan for you.
Enchant Key – annual cost: $649
The next available pass is an option for anybody in the world, but it will cost an extra $250. The pass appears to be equivalent to the Imagine Key in terms of merchandise and food discounts and reservations at either park will still only be available on select dates throughout the year.
This pass allows you to make up to four park reservations at a time. If you live anywhere in California you can pay by the month instead of in a lump sum, with a $179 down payment and then a $40 a month fee.
Believe Key – annual cost: $949
Now this pass is for the true Disney fanatics. Although the Believe Key doesn’t get you unlimited access, it does let you into either park on most days of the year. So it’ll have less blackout dates than the lower tier plans. It also lets you make six reservations at a time, gets you the same 10% discounts, and gets you a 50% discount on parking. The Believe Key is also available in a monthly plan for California residents, at $65 a month after the standard $179 down payment.
Dream Key – annual cost: $1399
Finally, if you want to go to Disneyland whenever you feel like it, and have the money to make that possible, the Dream Key gets you admission to both parks every day of the year, as long as you make a reservation. This plan lets you make up to six reservations at a time, knocks 20% off the price of select merchandise, 15% off select food and drink, and gets you free parking. And as always, California residents can break it up by month, with a $179 down payment and a monthly fee of $102.
How should you go about deciding if these new passes are right for you?
For Southern California residents within the Zip code area for the Imagine Key pass, it is more cost effective to purchase the annual pass as you can save $145.94 as opposed to spending $544.94 for a day pass for two adults and two children. As a pass holder you can also make up to two park reservations at a time and get access to discounts on selected merchandise and food.
Regular Disneyland day pass tickets are expensive, so if you are planning to visit the parks multiple times per year, the Magic Key might be right for you. If you only intend to visit the park once for a family break it will be more cost effective to pay for day admissions at $544.94 rather than the annual cost of $649 for an Enchant pass.
If you are a frequent visitor it might be worth investing in an annual pass if you regularly add the price of a Parkhopper ticket onto your standard ticket admission and also pay for discounts within the park, a Magic Key pass will be a smarter financial investment for those planning on visiting more than once a year.
If you’d like to use the research, please credit money.co.uk with a link to their Best Value Theme Parks Report here: https://www.money.co.uk/
Below, I’ve pasted the full best value for money theme park tickets table for more detailed insight.
Theme Park |
Location |
Cost of a Family Ticket |
Parque Mundo Aventura |
Bogotá, Colombia |
$52.33 |
Hopi Hari |
São Paulo, Brazil |
$54.71 |
Liseberg |
Gothenburg, Sweden |
$56.13 |
Gold Reef City |
Johannesburg, South Africa |
$56.19 |
Tivoli Gardens |
Copenhagen, Denmark |
$62.36 |
Fantasilandia |
Santiago, Chile |
$65.84 |
Six Flags México |
Mexico City, Mexico |
$70.76 |
Bakken |
Klampenborg, Denmark |
$86.89 |
Gardaland |
Ronchi, Italy |
$95.32 |
Six Flags Over Georgia |
Georgia, USA |
$100.53 |
Beto Carrero World |
Penha, Brazil |
$104.37 |
Six Flags Great Adventure |
New Jersey, USA |
$124.66 |
Isla Mágica |
Seville, Spain |
$128.71 |
Puy du Fou |
Les Epesses, France |
$152.55 |
Siam Park |
Tenerife, Spain |
$152.55 |
Canada’s Wonderland |
Toronto, Canada |
$168.95 |
Carowinds |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
$168.99 |
Leolandia |
Bergamo, Italy |
$169.24 |
Heide Park Resort |
Soltau, Germany |
$171.63 |
Blackpool Pleasure Beach |
Blackpool, UK |
$180.19 |
Kings Island |
Ohio, USA |
$181.07 |
Six Flags Magic Mountain |
California, USA |
$181.07 |
Chessington World of Adventures Resort |
Chessington, UK |
$188.51 |
Cedar Point |
Ohio, USA |
$189.11 |
Fårup Sommerland |
Fårup, Denmark |
$190.39 |
Djurs Sommerland |
Djursland, Denmark |
$192.96 |
Efteling |
Kaatsheuvel, Holland |
$195.46 |
Parque Warner Madrid |
Madrid, Spain |
$199.63 |
Astérix Park |
Plailly, France |
$207.38 |
Hersheypark |
Pennsylvania, USA |
$212.65 |
Prater |
Leopoldstadt, Austria |
$214.53 |
Alton Towers |
Staffordshire, England |
$216.26 |
Gröna Lund |
Stockholm, Sweden |
$220.43 |
Parque de la Costa |
Buenos Aires, Argentina |
$224.34 |
PortAventura |
Catalonia, Spain |
$228.84 |
Phantasialand |
Brühl, Germany |
$236.00 |
Europa Park |
Rust, Germany |
$243.15 |
Knott’s Berry Farm |
Buena Park, USA |
$249.49 |
Tibidabo Amusement Park |
Barcelona, Spain |
$257.61 |
Thorpe Park Resort |
Surrey, England |
$277.26 |
Ferrari World |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
$287.60 |
Dollywood Parks & Resorts |
Knoxville-Smoky Mountains, Tennessee |
$338.70 |
Warner Bros. Movie World |
Oxenford, Australia |
$343.84 |
Disneyland Paris |
Paris, France |
$348.14 |
Dreamworld |
Queensland, Australia |
$377.51 |
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay |
Tampa Bay, USA |
$386.23 |
Universal Studios Hollywood |
California, USA |
$506.98 |
Disneyland Resort |
Anaheim, USA |
$545.20 |
Walt Disney World Resort |
Orlando, Florida |
$624.79 |
Universal Orlando Resort |
Orlando, Florida |
$649.82 |