Summary
These days, visiting a Disney theme park isn’t as simple as just purchasing tickets. Since reopening in 2021, Disneyland and Walt Disney World have implemented significant changes, including park capacity limits. Currently, all guests aged three and older are required to make theme park reservations in addition to holding a valid admission ticket (there’s no extra charge for making a reservation).
The process of securing park passes is relatively straightforward, but there are important guidelines to keep in mind. Below is a comprehensive guide on how to navigate Disney park reservations for your next magical vacation.
Checking Disney Theme Park Reservation Availability
Before purchasing your theme park tickets and planning your trip, it is crucial to check the Disney World or Disneyland reservation calendars. Due to high demand and reduced capacities, it’s possible that some or all theme parks may be fully booked on your desired travel dates. Therefore, be sure to review the calendars to confirm availability before purchasing your tickets.
How to Make Disney World Theme Park Reservations
The Disney Park Pass reservation system differentiates availability by three ticket types: individually purchased tickets, tickets for guests staying at select resort hotels with a vacation package, and annual passes. The availability of reservations varies for each category, so it is essential to ensure you are consulting the appropriate calendar. After purchasing your tickets or vacation package, remember to link them to your profile before making online reservations. Additionally, you can modify your reservation; however, be cautious and recheck the calendar for availability before altering your plans. At present, Disney World theme park reservations are available through January 18, 2024.
How to Make Disneyland Theme Park Reservations
The Disneyland reservation system operates similarly to that of Disney World, with some key differences. After purchasing tickets, you will need to form your party, select your desired day and theme park, and confirm your reservation. Keep in mind that availability varies by ticket type, including one-park-per-day tickets and Park Hopper tickets. Notably, if you possess a multi-day ticket or a Magic Key annual pass, a park reservation is necessary for each visit day.
Theme Park Reservations and Park Hopper
Both Disney resorts are currently offering Park Hopper tickets, allowing guests the opportunity to visit more than one theme park in a single day. At Disneyland, guests holding Park Hopper tickets must secure a reservation for their first park of the day, and they can start heading to the subsequent park after 2 p.m. Similarly, at Disney World, it is necessary to reserve the first theme park for the day before transitioning to another park after 11 a.m. (Note that hours may vary, and the day’s Park Hopper hours can be found on the park hours calendar). If a park reaches its capacity, it is possible that access to additional theme parks may not be granted. In such cases, notifications will be sent through the My Disney Experience app or Disneyland app.
