Disneyland Resort has introduced 4 pretty important modifications to the California parks that may enhance the visitor expertise and worth for cash in 2023. This submit shares particulars of the additions and subtractions, potential motivations for the strikes, and extra.
Disney begins the announcement by showcasing all that’s to come back to Disneyland Resort within the subsequent few months, and the way grateful the corporate is for everybody who visits and celebrates Lunar New Year from January 20 to February 15, Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival from March 3 to April 25, 2023.
Then there’s the Disney100 celebration at Disneyland Resort launching on January 27, 2023 with new nighttime spectaculars in each parks, plus the opening of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and particular choices all yr. On high of that, there are two massive returns: that of the short-lived Magic Happens parade on February 24 and the reimagined Mickey’s Toontown on March 8, 2023.
As you start to plan your journeys to the Happiest Place on Earth in 2023, there are a couple of thrilling updates to share…
More Less Expensive Ticket Dates
The Disneyland Resort reservation calendar will now provide almost two months’ value of $104 park ticket dates all through 2023, which implies extra alternatives to get pleasure from our lowest one-day, one-park ticket value.
In his letter to Cast Members, Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro calls this “significantly increasing the number of days” that park tickets are $104.
Park Hopping Moves to 11 am
Beginning February 4, 2023, company who enter a Disneyland or Disney California Adventure with a Magic Key move or a Park Hopper ticket could start crossing over between the parks two hours earlier – beginning at 11 a.m. Pacific.
This means much more magic and extra enjoyable on your day as you get pleasure from the very best of what each Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure have to supply. (Or in our case, consuming an earlier lunch at DCA, which has extra meals we favor proper now.)
Free PicturePass On-Ride Photos
As a thank-you to Disneyland Resort company, Disney is making PicturePass digital photograph downloads captured on any attraction throughout a park go to, complimentary for all ticketed park company on the Disneyland app beginning February 4, 2023 and persevering with all through the Disney100 celebration on the Disneyland Resort. Disney PicturePass attraction photographs can be found at these areas.
Disneyland:
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
Disney California Adventure:
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoaster
- Radiator Springs Racers
Near the exits of every of those sights, a preview wall allows you to view photographs taken on-ride. You can hyperlink your 8-character Attraction ID, positioned on the preview photographs, through the Disneyland app or on Disneyland.com.
More Magic Key Passholdin’
Disneyland has seen unprecedented demand for the Magic Key Annual Pass program, as evidenced by the colossal digital queue and the way rapidly APs offered out when gross sales resumed again in the course of the begin of final yr’s vacation season. The Magic Key program offers reservation-based admission to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure all year long.
Disneyland Resort will make choose Magic Key passes out there for brand spanking new gross sales once in a while all through 2023 as move stock turns into out there. Check out our submit: When Will Magic Key Sales Resume at Disneyland? for predictions about when AP gross sales are more likely to happen once more.
In the meantime, the parks are at the moment providing their 2023 Southern California Resident Disneyland Ticket Discount. If visiting in the course of the begin of the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration or for Lunar New Year is important–and you reside in SoCal–that’s interim alternative for eligible company to buy a particular 3-day weekday ticket legitimate by May 25, 2023.
Before we delve into the commentary, right here’s an identical message from Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences & Product to Cast Members (consolidated for readability:
Happy New Year everybody!
What a tremendous yr we had! There was a lot to have fun – a brand new cruise ship, Avengers Campus at Disneyland Paris, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Walt Disney World Resort, the announcement of Storyliving by Disney, award profitable client merchandise, books, and video games and a ton extra. So, I needed to begin off the brand new yr by saying how PROUD and THANKFUL I’m for every of you. You are an unbelievable workforce!
Not solely did you introduce thrilling new merchandise and experiences to our company, however you additionally navigated by a big quantity of change by way of how we function our enterprise. These modifications had been centered on creating a greater expertise for our company and constructing a future the place we’re continuously introducing new tales and experiences throughout the globe. Of course, change is rarely straightforward, and I need to specific my gratitude to all of you for the way you rose to the problem and helped reshape our future.
As we step into this brilliant future it can be crucial that we constantly evolve to assist ship the very best visitor expertise potential. Many of you already know that I’m within the parks pretty usually … and I take heed to you and to our company concerning the issues which can be working … in addition to the issues which may want some change. And, as we enter this new yr, I need you to be the primary to listen to about a couple of enhancements that we’re going to be making – particularly ones that our company have requested for and also you’ve shared with me. And whereas this doesn’t tackle everybody’s suggestions, these modifications will improve flexibility and add worth to our company’ expertise.
I’m enthusiastic about all of those modifications and provides and need you to know that we’re dedicated to listening, adapting, and staying relentlessly targeted on making the visitor expertise at our Disney parks even higher.
I imagine there’s no different place like Disney and naturally, nothing helps our company join with Disney such as you do. And whereas it’s straightforward to have fun the merchandise we make, the moments we create, and the experiences we offer … I feel it’s necessary that we acknowledge all of YOU who make it occur.
Thank you for all that you simply do. Here’s to a tremendous 2023! Cheers!
Josh
Our Commentary About Disneyland’s 4 Ps
Fair warning: the primary few paragraphs of this are going to be rehashed from in the present day’s 3 BIG Changes at Walt Disney World to Improve Guest Experience & Value! That’s as a result of that was written first and, admittedly, it’s been our most important focus relating to guest-unfriendly modifications in the previous few years.
While Disneyland actually wasn’t spared from Bob Chapek’s Reign of Terror™️, the implications had been hardly as disastrous at Disneyland. Sure, free QuickPass went away and costs elevated, however Chapek milked the Walt Disney World money cow to the purpose that it was virtually put out to pasture (to combine livestock metaphors).
Suffice to say, these strikes are vindication for Disney followers who had excessive hopes for large modifications following the Firing of Bob Chapek and Rehiring Bob Iger as CEO. I don’t need to rehash the numerous articles and sky-high expectations that had been raised within the weeks after Iger returned, however probably the most notable and related one coated how Bob Iger was “alarmed” by Disneyland value will increase, and was involved that Chapek was “killing the soul” of Disney.
Even early in his return, it was rumored that Iger had plans to undo Chapek’s modifications, with a concentrate on constructing on the corporate’s wealthy historical past and legacy of “creativity, innovation, and inspiration.“ You also might recall that Iger sent a holiday letter to fans, indicating his intent to exceed our “highest expectations” in 2023. Some of you may’ve considered that as a hole company end-of-year e-newsletter, one which talks sport however is meaningless with out motion to help it. Well, in the present day is that motion!
Admittedly, the specifics right here will not be as thrilling as at Walt Disney World. Nevertheless, these are incrementally optimistic modifications. Moving ahead the park hopping time is one step nearer to eliminating it fully. I do know this one bugs a number of locals, however even when doing Early Entry or rope drop, I can’t consider a time once I’ve needed to Park Hop earlier than 11 am. It seems like that is ‘close enough’ to an answer, and I think anybody nonetheless complaining is doing so out of precept somewhat than pragmatism.
Free on-ride photographs are additionally good. This one doesn’t positively affect us that a lot as I discover myself driving virtually all of these sights alone as a result of they’re too intense for Sarah (we each do Radiator Springs Racers, however virtually at all times through Single Rider). Nevertheless, a optimistic change is a optimistic change–even when it’s one that doesn’t personally profit us!
To that time, probably the most optimistic information of all right here is the rise in variety of $104 days. This goes to be the change that generates the least discourse, however it’s unquestionably probably the most consequential. Many followers feign indignation about “Disney pricing out the middle class.” However, this actually usually signifies that they’ll now not afford out-of-state Annual Passes or are unable to justify a number of journeys per yr. It ought to go with out saying, however visiting fewer instances per yr or taking much less extravagant Disney holidays just isn’t the identical factor as being priced out.
For our half, we have now lengthy “advocated” for Disney rising Annual Pass costs if it meant a corresponding lower to single day ticket costs. Of course, that’s not how demand, market pricing, or guest-balancing schemes work–so it has at all times been a place of precept. Nevertheless, our level was that–if a fan is really involved about Americans being priced out of the parks–the suitable advocacy is for a discount in costs for the bottom barrier to entry product–not Annual Passes or Deluxe Resorts.
Ultimately, I’m cognizant of the fact that there are a selection of financial concerns that go into pricing. Off-season ticket costs are doubtless being lowered, a minimum of partly, as a result of Disneyland is forecasting decrease demand for these dates, and anticipating surplus capability. I additionally know that one of many causes each Disneyland and Walt Disney World have maintained their lowest costs is for the sake of promoting. (To that time, the true transfer right here could be to decrease some dates to $99.)
Regardless of the underlying motivations, the top consequence is identical: Disneyland turns into extra accessible, and visiting is a actuality for some households who in any other case could be priced out. For us, that’s crucial. Keeping Disneyland inside attain as a rite-of-passage for as many children as potential–even when just for a single day–is an efficient factor. Although this can be an unpopular opinion in Disneyland fan circles, single-day ticket costs are rather more necessary within the grand scheme of issues than the costs set for Magic Key Passes.
While visiting Disneyland is a luxurious or non-necessity within the grand scheme of issues, that once-in-a-lifetime go to to Disneyland for a small little one is formative and consequential. Far extra so than us entitled Passholes who drop in on a regular basis and deal with Disneyland like a glorified model of the Glendale Galleria. So kudos to Disney on bettering the provision of the most cost effective tickets. It’s an necessary transfer, even when it doesn’t generate a lot, if any, fan goodwill.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site inns in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
What do you consider these modifications at Disneyland? Will these positively affect your visits to the parks? Even if they are going to not profit you, personally, do you applaud these as incremental steps in the appropriate route? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!