Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary celebration just kicked off, and already, the crowds are overwhelming.
On May 16, hundreds of guests flooded Main Street, U.S.A., racing to The Emporium before park opening to grab one of the most in-demand items released as part of the Disneyland70 festivities. The Key to Disneyland, a limited-edition $59.99 collectible, triggered a frenzy inside the park’s largest retail location, where guests packed wall-to-wall trying to get their hands on the exclusive souvenir.
The Key to Disneyland is more than a piece of plastic that lights up. Guests can travel around the nine Disneyland Park lands and interact with each themed keyhole. Every interaction unlocks a colorful icon on the physical key. After collecting the icons, guests can use the final keyhole to unlock a compartment on their key containing one of nine mystery pins.
Unsurprisingly, the Key to Disneyland was an immediate hit. It quickly sold out at multiple locations. Some Disney Parks fans have already accused resellers of buying up stock in hopes of flipping the collectible for profit online, despite purchase limits in place. Thankfully, not everyone who braved the Key to Disneyland crowds walked away empty-handed.
One successful Disney Park guest, TikTok user @reynaandroman, captured the chaos at 8:00 a.m. in a video that quickly spread across social media. The store appears completely packed with guests, with little space to move as shoppers crowd shelves and merchandise tables.
@reynaandroman This morning is CRAZY For the Key to Disneyland! 🔑🏰 Secured 2 Before they Sell out Stay tune for part #2 Finding out what pins we get Full Vlog will be up in YouTube Link in bio. #disney #disneyland #keytodisney #keytodisneyland #fyp #fypシ #fup #fupシ #distok #70yearsofdisney
While the Key to Disneyland has sold out at times, it will likely restock throughout the year-long 70th celebration, which runs into summer 2026. Guests hoping to grab one are encouraged to ask merchandise cast members to check nearby stores and locations across Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, the Downtown Disney District, and the Disneyland Resort Hotels.
Though the official birthday for Disneyland Resort is July 17, the celebration began on May 16. With it came themed food, drinks, merchandise, and new and returning entertainment offerings. Disneyland Park brought back fan-favorite offerings like Paint the Night and Wondrous Journeys and introduced the “Celebrate Happy Cavalcade.” At the same time, Disney California Adventure Park debuted the interactive “World of Color Happiness” and reintroduced the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration” parade.
More offerings are still on the way, including the “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” animatronic show and a special anniversary update to the final verse of “it’s a small world,” both scheduled to debut on Disneyland Park’s birthday.
Have you ever rope-dropped a Disney park to buy specific merchandise? Share your story with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
