News Disneyland Magic Key Program (all pass types will be available to purchase beginning March 5, 2024)

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
It might be based on timing or even the specific Key you have.

I just checked and it appears all reservations for December are gone again. So they are being gobbled up quickly when the notification goes out on social media that reservations are available.
No key for me, just a day ticket, here's the page I was using.


I wonder how many people will not be able to visit Disneyland that weren't aware of this reservation system. I'm glad I got tickets to visit for December a few weeks back.
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
No key for me, just a day ticket, here's the page I was using.


I wonder how many people will not be able to visit Disneyland that weren't aware of this reservation system. I'm glad I got tickets to visit for December a few weeks back.
Yep, even for day tickets it appears December is pretty much all booked up. But this isn't surprising since December is the busiest time of the year for DLR.

BTW, the release of reservations that were mentioned before were for Magic Keys only. As has been previously discussed in this thread Magic Keys appear to have a separate pool of reservations than day tickets. So the release of more for one wouldn't affect the other.
 

DCBaker

Premium Member
Original Poster
"If you waited until now to book a reservation to visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in December you are pretty much out of luck.

After today, daily ticket and annual passholder reservations for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are unavailable for the rest of December.

At the time of publication, reservations for Wednesday, Dec. 1 were still available for visitors wishing to purchase daily tickets — but daily ticket reservations for Dec. 2-31 were sold out.

Magic Key annual passholder reservations were sold out for Dec. 1-31 at the time of publication.

Disneyland fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Christmas decor at the Anaheim theme parks still have a chance with the holiday celebrations stretching through Jan. 9. Reservations were still available Jan. 2-9 for daily tickets, but Magic Key reservations were unavailable through Jan. 9 at the time of publication.

The daily ticket and Magic Key online calendars are dynamic and constantly changing — which means unavailable reservations can become available again at any time."

"Magic Key holders reserve dates from a separate theme park reservation inventory and access calendar than regular day visitors. Disneyland encourages Magic Key passholders to cancel reservations as soon as they realize they aren’t going to use them — freeing up reservations for other keyholders"

 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
If anyone here wants a day in December PM me and I will let you know the exact time I delete my reservations to give you the best shot of snagging one. I have reservations for this Sunday 12/5 and next Sunday 12/12 that I’ll be most likely cancelling. For sure I’ll be cancelling 12/12. Not sure if all of you are aware but the reservation system really is that dynamic. A booked date will pop up the second somebody deletes their reservation.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Amazing that Disney only used to reach capacity once or twice a year and now we have months sold out.

Are they still running reduced capacity because they seem as busy as before?


To me they appear to be running at about 85% capacity of what the worst days looked like pre pandemic. So not quite the madhouse they were before but Defintley not a big enough change to make the reservation system worth it for us the guests.

EDIT: but now I’m wondering how much of just GE being open makes the park appear to be less crowded.
 
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Sailor310

Well-Known Member
My friends and I have reservations for Dec 6, but my parents get into town this Thursday. I'm not sure how our schedule will work out. I might put a head's up on here as well if we decide not to go. Perhaps we should start a separate thread.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
To me they appear to be running at about 85% capacity of what the worst days looked like pre pandemic. So not quite the madhouse they were before but Defintley not a big enough change to make the reservation system worth it for us the guests.

EDIT: but now I’m wondering how much of just GE being open makes the park appear to be less crowded.

It's an interesting thought. What is their overall park capacity right now?

I think the only rides that are closed are the Subs and Small World, right? (The Small World thing is their own fault, and it's gotta hurt to have that big high capacity Christmas ride closed. Another good lesson to never skimp on maintenance, but at least this current crop of TDA execs-du-jour got to learn that lesson without a Columbia or Big Thunder death scene.)

Otherwise, the park is back up and running at full capacity daily. The monorail is back and they're even running the Canoes. All they're really missing is parades and water shows and stage entertainment.

It would seem to me that the overall park capacity for both parks is pretty much as high as they're going to get it now, without resorting to cheap gimmicks in DCA's empty and charmless sound stages. (Frozen Snowland, Disney Dance-Off, video game arcades, etc.)

 

waltography

Well-Known Member
It's an interesting thought. What is their overall park capacity right now?
@mickEblu's estimate of 85% of 2019 daily attendance is also what independent firms have pegged capacity to be at the parks right now:

 

Vegas Disney Fan

Well-Known Member
@mickEblu's estimate of 85% of 2019 daily attendance is also what independent firms have pegged capacity to be at the parks right now:


So the reservation system, in am attempt to spread out crowds and make it less crowded, has done the opposite and increased attendance to 85% sold out every single day.

I’m not sure if this makes me think current management is inept or shrewd. If they wanted to secretly drive up demand by creating a sense of scarcity they’ve accomplished it.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
So the reservation system, in am attempt to spread out crowds and make it less crowded, has done the opposite and increased attendance to 85% sold out every single day.

I’m not sure if this makes me think current management is inept or shrewd. If they wanted to secretly drive up demand by creating a sense of scarcity they’ve accomplished it.

I give TDA credit for trying to rethink and retool what was obviously a broken system (cheap AP's, parking nightmares, closed turnstiles at Christmas, etc.). They'll tweak and fiddle with this new system for at least a year or two.

But I also don't think they are shrewd or particularly brilliant. They're just trying to struggle through a brave new world after an unplanned 14 month long closure. They're trying their best, but they aren't that smart. ;)

Now that Magic Key and day reservations have launched and the App is working, they're likely just making it up as they go along from here on out. They may look forward 60 or 90 days, at best.
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
So the reservation system, in am attempt to spread out crowds and make it less crowded, has done the opposite and increased attendance to 85% sold out every single day.

I’m not sure if this makes me think current management is inept or shrewd. If they wanted to secretly drive up demand by creating a sense of scarcity they’ve accomplished it.
You are right about that. The second something becomes "limited" or "exclusive", more people try to get in on it.

In my case I bought a Disneyland ticket for the middle of October to use in December, knowing that there was a chance the park would book up if I waited.

I'm sure lots of families "considering" going to Disneyland decided to buy tickets and make plans in fear of "missing out".

Props to Disney for doing what they can to organize the mess of people around certain busy times, but better staffing of their parks would make the experience so much better.
 

Anjin

Well-Known Member
So the reservation system, in am attempt to spread out crowds and make it less crowded, has done the opposite and increased attendance to 85% sold out every single day.

I’m not sure if this makes me think current management is inept or shrewd. If they wanted to secretly drive up demand by creating a sense of scarcity they’ve accomplished it.
Based on the evidence so far (reintroducing sorta-APs, maintaining the reservations, and statements from Ken Potrock), I suspect this is pretty close to what Disney wants. They want to fill the park with enough people every day to maintain spending levels without diminishing the experience with overcrowding.

If they are unhappy about anything, my guess is that they would have cut off Magic Key sales earlier since the difficulty in getting reservations is making key holders grumpy.
 

MarvelCharacterNerd

Well-Known Member
I wonder if some of the hold back of dates in December is due to the impending strike vote for DL cast members this week?

Once they know whether they're going to lose an entire park to a strike (DCA cast apparently ratified their contract while DL didn't), the month may free up some dates again... or not.
 

Vegas Disney Fan

Well-Known Member
Now that Magic Key and day reservations have launched and the App is working, they're likely just making it up as they go along from here on out. They may look forward 60 or 90 days, at best.

Sadly you may be right… that’s a horrible way to run a multi billion dollar company though.

If Chapek really is making it up as he goes I give him a year at most before something blows up in his face and the board sends him packing.
 

DrAlice

Well-Known Member
Sadly you may be right… that’s a horrible way to run a multi billion dollar company though.

If Chapek really is making it up as he goes I give him a year at most before something blows up in his face and the board sends him packing.
Well, that might be sooner than you think. The board just elected someone else as chairman (Susan Arnold).
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Well, that might be sooner than you think. The board just elected someone else as chairman (Susan Arnold).
As stated in the other thread, I wouldn't read anything into this appointment. This isn't some sign of Chapek going anywhere, at least not yet. This is more a statement by Disney BOD to show they are serious about inclusion.
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Sadly you may be right… that’s a horrible way to run a multi billion dollar company though.

If Chapek really is making it up as he goes I give him a year at most before something blows up in his face and the board sends him packing.
Sounds like Chapek is winning in all that matters, money.

As much as people may detest him, it seems he managed to make huge cuts to the parks and AP Program and the reaction from consumers was so great that they are selling out of APs.

He made cuts and raised prices, sounds like he's doing good.
 

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