Disneyland Resort appears to be walking back its resistance to the term “Annual Pass”—and fans are definitely noticing. After years of distancing itself from the phrase, the Disneyland website and official app have now begun referring to Magic Key holders as “Annual Passholders” once again.
The change was first spotted in a Reddit thread titled “Disneyland is now calling Magic Key an ‘annual pass’ after years of shying away from that wording.” The post included screenshots of the updated language now appearing in official communications, such as “Annual Passholder” previews and discounts listed under guest benefits.
A Return to Familiar Language
The term “Magic Key” was introduced in 2021 when Disneyland restructured its original Annual Passholder program following the extended COVID-19 shutdown. At the time, Disney opted to retire the long-standing “Annual Pass” terminology, likely due to a combination of pandemic-era crowd management and evolving guest experience strategies.
But fans never fully adopted the new phrasing. While the term “Magic Key” has remained in official branding, many guests continued to refer to themselves as annual passholders—and now, it seems Disney has decided to follow suit.
The reaction online has been overwhelmingly positive, with hundreds of comments expressing relief and satisfaction that the “Annual Passholder” identity is officially back. One commenter wrote, “I’m so happy! I never stopped calling it an annual pass anyway.”
Magic Key Tiers: A Refresher
Even with the return to the old terminology, Disneyland’s current pass system is still known as the Magic Key Program, and it includes four distinct tiers:
1. Inspire Key – $1,649
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The highest tier
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Reservation-based admission to one or both parks most days of the year
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Up to 20% off Genie+ purchases
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Free parking at the Disneyland Resort
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20% off select merchandise
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15% off select food and beverages
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Fewer blockout dates
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Access to Magic Key exclusive events and perks
2. Believe Key – $1,249
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Reservation-based park access with more blockout dates than Inspire
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50% off standard theme park parking
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10% off select merchandise and food
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Park hopping allowed (with reservation)
3. Enchant Key – $849
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Significantly more blockout dates
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No parking included
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10% discounts on food and merch
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Subject to reservation limits
4. Imagine Key – $499 (Southern California Residents Only)
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The most affordable tier
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Most restrictive calendar
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Limited to SoCal residents in select ZIP codes
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Reservation-based access with the most blockout days
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Includes basic discounts on food and merchandise
Why This Matters
For Disneyland die-hards, being called an Annual Passholder isn’t just semantics—it’s part of their identity. The switch back to the classic wording may seem minor, but to many fans it signals a softening of Disney’s tone toward its most loyal (and vocal) customer base.
Over the past few years, the relationship between Disney and its Annual Passholders has been strained, with frustrations over reservation availability, rising prices, and the elimination of perks like unlimited access. Reintroducing the familiar language of “Annual Pass” may be part of a broader strategy to rebuild goodwill and acknowledge long-term fans.
Whether this rebrand of the rebrand will lead to further changes in policy remains to be seen—but for now, longtime passholders are celebrating a small but satisfying win.
