Disney is once again selling Magic Key Annual Passes (APs) for Disneyland & California Adventure as of May 20, 2025! This post covers everything you need to know: where to buy, pricing, virtual queue info, past precedent, how quickly APs might sell out this go-round, 70th Anniversary demand, and more.
Disneyland Resort has resumed sales of Magic Keys several times in the last few years. They seem to be utilizing the “Disney Vault” strategy at this point, attempting to generate FOMO and artificial scarcity. Thus far this year, Magic Key sales resumed in late January and now again a few months later, in late May 2025.
The winter sale remained open for over 2 months, but all tiers of Magic Keys have been sold out and “available for renewal only” since early April. Last year, Magic Key sales resumed three times: January, March, and November. So if you’re not quite ready to purchase an Annual Pass this go-round, you should have another opportunity sometime between August and November–Disney has been pretty consistent with sales resuming again later in the year.
As of the sales resumption on May 20, 2025, only the top two types of Magic Key Annual Passes – Inspire and Believe – will be available for purchase, while supplies last. The online queue is now open, and sales are underway as of 9:00 AM Pacific Time.
A Magic Key can be a great value for guests who plan to visit again and again during the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration, Halloween and Holiday seasons, and other limited-time events. A monthly payment option is available for California residents.
In addition to reservation-based Park Hopper admission, key holders can “multiply their magic” with special discounts and 70th-themed extras just for them, such as complimentary keepsakes and experiences at select times. Plus, a special Magic Key merchandise collection and insulated cooler bag are available for purchase.
Become a Magic Key annual passholder to enjoy reservation-based admission, discounts and special experiences. Plus, a pass can pay for itself in just 4 visits depending on pass type and current availability, according to Disneyland.
The Magic Key virtual queue can be tricky to find–you’ll be able to join here: disneyland.disney.go.com/passes
As always, Magic Keys are subject to selling out and there’s likely to be a lengthy virtual queue when AP sales resume. Given the lengthy virtual queue and how quickly sales have been paused in the past, you should absolutely join the virtual queue ASAP. All of the predictions and speculation above are fun in theory, but that’s what I’d actually do if I didn’t already have a Magic Key.
In reality, how long Magic Keys will be available before selling out yet again is anyone’s guess. The downside of trying to buy ASAP is that you might be in a virtual queue for 8-10 hours on May 20, 2025 versus ~15 minutes if you instead wait until May 21, 2025 at 6 am. The downside of waiting until then is that Magic Keys might all be sold out.
There have been times when all Magic Keys sold out in the day they went on sale; there have been times when all tiers remained available for multiple months. We’ve given up on guessing whether sales will remain open for brief or lengthy windows, as we’ve repeatedly been wrong about this. It seems almost random, with little method to the madness. (In this case, the sales window just closed ~2 months ago, so it would seem like this would be a briefer sales period–but who knows!)
The good news is that Disneyland is going to once again use the ‘notify me’ feature for the virtual queue, so you don’t need to have your eyes glued to a screen all day long, waiting for your turn to come up. More on how to use that below.
For everything else you need to know about Disneyland’s Annual Passholder program before you purchase, see our comprehensive Guide to Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass: 2025 Prices, Perks, Blockout Dates & Discounts.
Here’s a breakdown of current vs. past prices:
- Inspire Magic Key: $1,749 (was $1,649)
- Believe Magic Key: $1,374 (was $1,249)
- Enchant Magic Key: $974 (was $849)
- Imagine Magic Key: $599 (was $499)
Note that Disneyland Increased Prices on Park Tickets, Annual Passes & Lightning Lanes back in October of last year. Prices will likely go up again in October 2025, just as they did in each of the last 4 years.
If Magic Key sales next resume in November 2025, that means this could be your last chance to buy an AP at the current prices. That assumes, of course, that sales don’t resume in the off-season or ahead of Halloween Time at Disneyland.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Magic Key passes during the May 2025 sales window. Will there be another virtual queue lasting well into the evening or even the following day? Will APs sell out in 1-2 days?
Or, have many locals finally gotten their Disney “fix”? Did most locals already buy back in Winter 2025? Will the higher prices result in a significant number of people being priced out, or is there an insatiable desire for all things Disney among locals? Will former Magic Key Passholders take a wait and see approach, or will the ‘Disney Vault’ perceived scarcity strategy spike sales even further?
Our view is that the overriding factor this time is Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary Celebration, which just started. During this blockbuster 18-month event, the following entertainment is debuting or returning: World of Color: Happiness, Paint the Night Parade, Wondrous Journeys Fireworks, Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration, and more.
We’ve already spent several days “Celebrating Happy!” (the awkward tagline of the 70th), and have had a fantastic experience. (See our Review: Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary is Better Than Disney World’s 50th.) It’s great to see both Disneyland and DCA come alive with such a celebratory atmosphere, and there’s a ton of great entertainment and things to do other than attractions. This is exactly the type of stuff that appeals to locals, so we could see positive word of mouth influencing many locals to purchase Magic Keys–especially those who previously took a “break” from Disneyland. We shall see!
How to Use the Virtual Queue for Magic Key Sales
If you choose to submit your email address and opt in to being notified by email when it’s your turn to buy a Magic Key Annual Pass, you’ll receive 2 separate emails containing a unique link. Be sure to confirm the receipt of the first email before closing your browser window. If you don’t receive that first email, check your spam folder for it. If you still don’t see it, re-enter your email address again from the waiting room page.
- First email – Selecting the link in the first email will allow you to check your place in the queue until it’s your turn. You can use the link multiple times to check your status in the queue before it’s your turn.
- Second email – You’ll receive a second email notifying you that your turn for an opportunity to purchase a Magic Key pass is approaching.
From the time your turn begins, you’ll have 10 minutes to use the link to return to the site or you’ll lose your place in line and will need to rejoin the queue. When it’s your turn, you’ll only be able to use your unique link once. The link will no longer work after you use it, whether you purchase a pass or not. So, please be prepared to select your Magic Key pass and check out once you open the link. If you miss your turn, you’ll need to rejoin the queue.
Editorializing, I’ve tested out this system for other special event tickets and it works as advertised. Nevertheless, the big issue, at least from my perspective, is that I don’t always get instant email notifications on my phone when I receive an email. Perhaps this is a personal problem, but this system would be far more useful for me if it offered a text-message notification.
Confirm Your MyDisney Account Payment Method
- You may want to add and save a preferred credit card in your MyDisney account. If you’re a California resident, make sure the credit card has a California billing address in order to use it for monthly payments.
- A limit of $1,000 from a Disney Gift Card can also be used as a method of payment online when you pay in full for a new pass. Only one Disney Gift Card can be used per transaction, so if you have multiple gift cards, combine them in advance. Disney Gift Cards cannot be used to purchase renewals at this time.
Prepare Required Party Information – Each Magic Key pass must be assigned to an individual at the time of purchase (maximum of 10 passes). Passes may not be reassigned after purchase. You will need to provide the following information for each person in your party:
- First and last name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number (Guests 18 years of age and older)
- Email (Guests 18 years of age and older)
Sign In – Sign in to your MyDisney account before visiting the Magic Key page.
Ticket Upgrades – Eligible Disneyland Resort theme park tickets may be upgraded to an available Magic Key pass while passes are available for sale, subject to restrictions.
Pass Upgrades – A current Magic Key pass may be upgraded to an available higher pass type for the remainder of its pass year. The difference in purchase price between the 2 passes must be paid in full at the time of upgrade. The expiration date of the Magic Key pass will not change. Passes may be upgraded at the Disneyland Resort ticket booth only, while passes are available for sale. Please note that you might encounter a wait at the ticket booth.
Enter the Waiting Room to Purchase on May 20, 2025
- Enter the waiting room to purchase a Magic Key pass via the “Purchase Magic Key Passes” link on the Magic Key page. Sales will begin no earlier than 9:00 AM Pacific Time.
- The quantity of passes and pass types available for upgrade or purchase may be limited or unavailable from time to time or at any given time, and updates to pass availability will be displayed on the waiting room page.
- Estimated wait times may fluctuate throughout the sales event. You will see an estimated wait time in the waiting room.
- While you’re in the waiting room, you may be able to sign up to receive an email notification when it’s your turn to purchase. More details on this option will be shared on the waiting room screen.
- Entry to the waiting room does not guarantee the opportunity to purchase a pass.
Keep Your Waiting Room Browser Tab Open – Running multiple browser tabs or manually refreshing the page may remove you from the waiting room. If you are removed, you will have to re-enter the queue at the back of the line.
It’s also wise to copy your unique queue ID (it’s in the URL). This URL/ID can be transferred to other browsers or devices, allowing you to maintain your place in line. This can be especially handy if the virtual queue is several hours long, and you start out on your work computer but then want to transfer to your mobile device or whatever. (Been there, done that!)
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 tons of other places!
Your Thoughts
Surprised that Disney is resuming Magic Key sales during Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary? Will you buying an Annual Pass or not? If so, which one? If not, why not? If you’re an existing Magic Keyholder, have you had difficulty making Disneyland park reservations? 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!