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Disney Suspends Select Annual Pass Sales After Lawsuit Settlement

In November 2021, a multi-million dollar lawsuit was filed against Disney on behalf of Disneyland Annual Passholders — now known as Magic Key Holders. The lawsuit claimed that Disney had engaged in “deceptive” practices with regard to its top-tier Magic Key — the Dream Key. The Dream Key was sold for $1,399 and claimed to have no blackout dates. However, Disney only released a certain number of Magic Key reservations per day, thereby creating artificial blackout dates. Magic Key Holders would go weeks without being able to make park reservations.

disneyland radiator springs closure
Credit: Disney

Disney attempted to have the lawsuit thrown out in court. A judge denied Disney’s motion, saying that based on the way the terms and conditions were written, it was reasonable that a Dream Key Holder would expect to always be able to make park reservations. Last month, Disney announced that it had come to a settlement agreement in the Magic Key lawsuit.

magic key holders ruin disney experience
Credit: Disney

On September 8, some of the details of that settlement were made public. The lawsuit was originally filed for $5 million, but in the end, Disney agreed to pay out almost double that amount — $9.5 million. If every Magic Key Holder who is eligible accepts the settlement, it will be about $67 per person.

Just hours after the settlement amount was released, Disney suspended the sale of its Inspire Magic Key — the Key that replaced the Dream Key. That means that, right now, all Magic Key sales have been suspended. There are typically four available for sale — the Inspire Key, the Believe Key, the Enchant Key, and the Imagine Key.

Disneyland magic key sales suspended
Credit: Disneyland Resort website

All Disneyland Resort Magic Keys are now only available for renewal.

Not the First Sales Suspension

Magic Keys were introduced at Disneyland in August 2021, four months after the theme parks reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic. From the outset, they were incredibly popular. Before ending the original Annual Pass Program, it was estimated that Disneyland had almost 1 million Annual Passholders. Those APs were excited to have their hands on a pass again.

Disney100 Anniversary Disneyland
Credit: Disney

Magic Key sales were so popular that Disney had to suspend them after just a few months. For almost two years, Magic Key sales have been on and off. Typically, when Disney begins selling them again, the sales only last for a few days before they are suspended again. Guests bombard the Disneyland website and wait hours for the chance to purchase their Magic Key.

Disneyland Magic Key holder
Credit: D23

All Magic Keys are available for renewal. Guests can renew their Magic Key up to 30 days before its expiration date. However, if their Key expires, and they don’t renew, they are out of luck and have to wait until the Keys go back on sale and try to purchase it again.

Disney has not announced when it will resume the sale of any or all of Disneyland’s Magic Keys.

Krysten Swensen

A born and bred New England girl living the Disney life in Southern California. I love to read, to watch The Golden Girls, and love everything to do with Disney and Universal. I also love to share daily doses of Disney on my Disney Instagram @BrazzleDazzleDisney!

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