By Disneyland released their 2024-25 “Magic Key” annual passes for the first time on Nov. 6 with over a $100 increase in all four pass types, leading to uneasy emotions from current passholders looking to renew and first-time seeking passholders.
There are four different types of Magic Key annual passes that Disneyland offers.
The cheapest Magic Key is the “Imagine Key” for $599, which is only available for Southern California residents living in zip codes 90000 to 93599.
The Imagine Key was $499 from 2023-24, and for 2024-25, the price increased to $599.
This chart shows the Disneyland Imagine Key benefits and their one and only change for their 2024-25 benefits. Graphic credit: Junior Contreras
The second cheapest Magic Key is the “Enchant Key” for $974.
Last year, the Enchant Key was $849, making it a $125 price increase from 2023.
Similar to the Imagine Key, the Disneyland Enchant Key had one added benefit meant to justify the price increase. Graphic credit: Junior Contreras
Then, there is the second highest Magic Key pass– the “Believe Key” for $1,374.
The Believe Key was $1,249 in 2023, making a $125 jump this year.
The Disneyland Believe Key is the second most expensive Magic Key, although it does come with the same beneficial changes for 2024-25 as the Imagine and Enchant Key. Graphic credit: Junior Contreras
The last and most expensive Magic Key is the “Inspire Key.”
The Inspire Key is $1,749, whereas in 2023 it was $1,649, making it a $100 increase.
The Disneyland Inspire Key comes with higher discounted benefits for parking because of the higher price for the key although it does have the same beneficial change for 2024-25 as the Imagine and Enchant Key. Graphic credit: Junior Contreras
Having viewed the different benefits with all the Magic Keys from last year to this year, it is clear that there are no major changes in the benefits for passholders.
With the high changes in prices and the very low changes in benefits, this led to current passholders and new seeking passholders to rethink their decision on their purchase of a Magic Key, including myself.
I currently have the Enchant Key and I believe it was worth it this past year. It was $849 and paid for itself in about five visits.
The Enchant Key price increase of over $100 made me do a double take on my decision of renewing. With no major park changes or benefits, I questioned what I would be paying an extra $125 for.
This also led Valentina Enriquez, a fourth-year kinesiology exercise science major and Magic Key passholder, to have a “serious” conversation with her family about the pass being worth it this upcoming year.
“When we found out that tickets did increase, we had a talk as a family because we all have passes. I come from a family of four, so it does get pretty pricey. But ultimately we did decide to renew our passes,” Enriquez said.
Family time is a huge reason why Enriquez and her family renewed their passes.
Spending quality family time was also a big reason why Hannah McClung, Magic Key passholder and third-year nursing major, chose to renew her pass.
“My sisters and my mom have a pass, and then my boyfriend [does] too. So, that’s a place for all of us to come together,” McClung said. “Especially [since] I’m older in college and my sisters are both in high school, so there’s not a lot of time and things that we have that bring us all together, and that’s just a place where we can always spend the day together.”
Enriquez, McClung and myself all certainly relate to the fact that we renewed our passes mainly to have these rare opportunities of quality time with our families. However, we all believe that renewing or buying a pass this year is certainly not worth it.
If it was just myself having a pass, I certainly would not be renewing it. But being able to share the joy of having a pass with my family, keeps me renewing it.
McClung said she doesn’t believes the Magic Key pass is worth it for the average college student. “My mom financially supports most of my pass, so if I had to buy it on my own money, I wouldn’t be able to afford it. So for the average college student, no. If there’s somebody helping you buy it, it’s fun,” she said.
With every Magic Key pass increasing at least $100 in price this year, no new rides being added to both parks (aside from the redesign of “Splash Mountain” into “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure”) and lack of a greater change in benefits for passholders, I believe it is not worth it to buy a Magic Key pass if you are currently considering it.
