Magic Key Benefits & Questions

[CodeGoddess]

WDW veteran who is now a west coast transplant (PNW). We are planning our first DLR trip for this Halloween along with (maybe) getting an annual pass.

I have a couple questions about Magic Key:

1. Is photopass included? (I see extra photopass spots but not specifically stated if it's included.)
2. Do blackout dates change frequently?
3. We want to attend OBB, what are the chances that the weekday dates will be blocked out later when OBB tickets go on sale (they are not blocked now)?
4. Are they any pros or cons to buying a standard ticket and then upgrading to a magic key before our trip is over?
5. With the new reservation system, are there any complications I need to be aware of where Magic Key works differently from standard tickets?

TIA!

 

[Kender]

1) No. No PhotoPass and no way to pay for it as an annual add on.

2) You will be able to view the full year calendar for each tier prior to purchase. These dates do not change to take any away.

3) The block out calendar does not change to take away days even once events are announced. But since OBB is a separately ticketed event and you cannot remain in DCA for the party unless you have an event ticket. If the Key you chose was not blocked, then you would have access to the daytime and afternoon in DCA before having to leave once the party starts. The date will not suddenly become a blocked day because of the party in the evening.

4) You won't have access to any of the discounts or special offerings/giveaways during your visit if you choose to upgrade a ticket at the end of your visit. You also risk a pass selling out before you can upgrade (several people found themselves in this situation when Dream and Believe sold out). If you want a pass, I would buy it to begin with if it is available or when it becomes available. Currently you only have one option for a pass (Enchant) until Dream or Believe go back on sale (we do not know if/when this will happen). You also have to wait until your last day to upgrade or you will likely lose all your reservations on the tickets.

5) You can only reserve up to 90 days in advance. Tickets are 120. But they're different buckets. Tier of pass decides how many reservations you can hold at one time. If you no show for 3 reservations in a rolling 90 day period, you will be barred from making new reservations for 30 days. You have up until 11:59pm the night before your reservation to cancel with no penalty. This is not a restriction imposed on tickets.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Thank you so much!

4) You won't have access to any of the discounts or special offerings/giveaways during your visit if you choose to upgrade a ticket at the end of your visit.

Besides the 10% off food and merch, is there anything else I would be missing?

5) You can only reserve up to 90 days in advance. Tickets are 120. But they're different buckets.

So as long as it's not a blocked out date once the 90 days hits there will still be some available even if the normal ticket one are all booked, correct?

This is our first time getting OBB tickets so I'm trying to wait till those are out while still making sure I can still get other park reservations on the other days. (We are planning a pool morning on OBB day.)

 

[Kender]

If you're getting a pass that only has 10%, yes. But there's sometimes a giveaway for passholders at special ticketed events you would miss out on. And anything additional as well. They're not anything big and great, but there are sometimes exclusives. If they bring back a refillable popcorn bucket, these are only for Keyholders.

As I said, they are different buckets. Buckets are: single park, PH, Magic Keys, and on site hotels. Park reservations for tickets do not usually sell out THAT far in advance. But even if they did, it is not the same bucket as Keys.

If you're staying on site, you can pull from the hotel bucket if you have a ticket or a Key as well. Even if all other buckets are sold out, there's often still availability in the hotel bucket.

You can see the different buckets on this page:

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/av...egments=ticket,ph,ap,resort&defaultSegment=ap

 

[CodeGoddess]

If you no show for 3 reservations in a rolling 90 day period, you will be barred from making new reservations for 30 days.

I would like to book our first day in the parks on arrival for shows and dinner. We probably won't scan in until later in the afternoon. We just need to scan in before park close to not be considered a no-show, correct?

 

[Kender]

I would like to book our first day in the parks on arrival for shows and dinner. We probably won't scan in until later in the afternoon. We just need to scan in before park close to not be considered a no-show, correct?

Correct

 

[CodeGoddess]

Since the park reservations open on a rolling 90 days in advance, do I have to get up each morning and make the park reservations for our trips? eg we have a 4 day trip planned so I am guessing I need to be up at 6am(?) each day to reserve the parks?

Also how fast do the reservations get grabbed up? We have the Enchantment Key and are looking at weekdays during the last full week of October.

 

[pharmama]

Yes, you will have to book each day one by one (no "length of stay" booking like WDW).

Unless something changes drastically between now and then as far as reservations availability and booking you definitely do not need to be online right when reservation open.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Yes, you will have to book each day one by one (no "length of stay" booking like WDW).

Unless something changes drastically between now and then as far as reservations availability and booking you definitely do not need to be online right when reservation open.

Thank you! In the past have they booked out fairly quickly like within a couple hours? I'm worried about it being during the Halloween events so they might be more popular during the week I'm not sure.....

 

[pharmama]

Thank you! In the past have they booked out fairly quickly like within a couple hours? I'm worried about it being during the Halloween events so they might be more popular during the week I'm not sure.....

Not typically, no. For example, the first day after the big summer block out for Enchant became available yesterday and is still open for both parks today. If you're worried, just start keeping an eye on the calendar now and see how things are going as we start to get close to Halloweentime dates being available.

 

[starry_solo]

Just got my key and the first available date isn't open yet (after blackouts) but on the calendar is says "date not available" which is the same thing it says for dates that are blocked out....is it just me, or is that odd? Shouldn't it say something about date not open to book?

 

[CodeGoddess]

Just got my key and the first available date isn't open yet (after blackouts) but on the calendar is says "date not available" which is the same thing it says for dates that are blocked out....is it just me, or is that odd? Shouldn't it say something about date not open to book?

Do you have the magic or enchant key? For enchant I am seeing them.

 

[Beatitude]

For Halloween, snagging OBB tickets will be MUCH more difficult than securing park reservations regardless of whether you’re purchasing tickets or using a magic key. THAT is a far more stress-inducing activity where luck trumps any kind of strategy or plan.

 

[CodeGoddess]

For Halloween, snagging OBB tickets will be MUCH more difficult than securing park reservations regardless of whether you’re purchasing tickets or using a magic key. THAT is a far more stress-inducing activity where luck trumps any kind of strategy or plan.

I heard last year was a pretty big mess. I am hoping to snag one for either the last Tuesday or Thursday in October.

 

[Kender]

Do you have the magic or enchant key? For enchant I am seeing them.

They're all Magic Keys. I think you mean Imagine?

 

[CodeGoddess]

They're all Magic Keys. I think you mean Imagine?

Oops yep mistyped. That's what happens when you have 4-year-old running around next to you.

 

[Kender]

Just got my key and the first available date isn't open yet (after blackouts) but on the calendar is says "date not available" which is the same thing it says for dates that are blocked out....is it just me, or is that odd? Shouldn't it say something about date not open to book?

Nope. That's accurate on the actual booking page. Any date that's not available to book either because it's blocked, all reserved, or the window for it hasn't opened yet will show the backward slash and say "date not available". On the availability calendar that is not the reservation calendar it has a different key. Backwards slash means blocked on that one only. If it's not blocked, but not open to be reserved yet it just shows the date with nothing on it.