Disneyland Magic Key holders will be granted extra benefits for the Disney100 Celebration at the Disneyland Resort. According to the Disneyland App, these perks will begin no earlier than January 9, 2023. The offerings include new exclusive food, merchandise, and photo ops. But are they really just a band-aid to make up for more block-out days across all tiers (and likely price increases) in the new year?
Here are the details …
Upcoming Disneyland Magic Key Benefits for 2023
Pay a visit to the Magic Key Portal on the Disneyland App, and you will be greeted with a screen detailing these upcoming benefits. They include:
- New menu items at the Magic Key Terrace, like Barbeque Short Rib Sliders and a Mint Julep Cocktail (we’re glad to hear about this one because the current menu isn’t as enticing as the previous one featuring festival favorites)
- A Disney100-themed popcorn bucket with $1.50 refills through February 12 (possibly a good perk if you are visiting a lot in that short window and eat a lot of popcorn)
- An exclusive art print by Asia Ellington as a gift
- Magic Key holders booking the Walt’s Main Street Story Tour between January 9 and 26 will receive a commemorative button. (This tour should always come with an exclusive pin as the old tours did, not a limited time button. This disappoints us)
- A Magic Key-themed Pandora charm available for purchase
- From January 9 through 19, two special PhotoPass Magic Shots at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure with complimentary downloads
Our Thoughts
Being a Disneyland Magic Key holder has been a bittersweet experience recently, with even the highest tier pass being blocked out for the holidays for the first time ever. And these new Magic Key benefits, while nice, feel more like a preemptive bandaid for the even more restrictive blockout dates and likely price increase that will befall Magic Key holders in 2023. And some of the perks, like the Photopass Magic Shots or the button gifted during the tour, might not be utilized by everyone. And most of these perks require you to buy something, which is really just a way for Disneyland to make even more money off of you.
It appears that Disney’s top pass will have two additional days blocked out during the holidays in 2023. And Imagine and Enchant keys have months at a time they can’t visit at all, with the Imagine key blockouts having been rearranged to keep Keyholders out of the parks from mid-November until January, effectively denying them the entire holiday season.
(Click below to see your full Magic Key schedule for 2023)
What Could Disney Do To Improve The Magic Keys
So, what could Disney offer that might make Magic Key holders feel more appreciated and make all the restrictions and high prices more worthwhile? Here are are few of our suggestions:
- Extended parking benefits, regardless of whether or not you have a park reservation that day. Merchants in Downtown Disney really suffered during the Magic Key holiday blockout period this year without all the regulars to help fill up bars and buy last-minute holiday gifts. So an increased parking benefit for Magic Keys would benefit not just Keyholders but Disney as well. In addition, Disney might even extend occasional free parking vouchers to lower-tier Magic Keys for use on lower-traffic days to get them to either visit the parks or shop in Downtown Disney.
- Guaranteed Reservation Perk – For each pass level, we’d like to see a certain number of guaranteed days that could be redeemed every year regardless of blockout calendars. Even just one or two days would be appreciated. Reservations would ensure that the parks wouldn’t be overrun (and they could exempt the busiest days like New Year’s Eve).
- Change the refill eligibility period of the Magic Key popcorn bucket to the length of the pass rather than just until February 12 (charge a bit more, but make the benefit truly magical).
- A refillable Magic Key-themed mug, also refillable for the length of the pass.
- Greater discounts on merchandise and dining. At present, Magic Keys get you 10 percent off of merchandise and dining, except for the Inspire Key, which has 20 percent off of merchandise and 15 percent off of dining. Increase the amount of savings permanently or multiple times a year announced well in advance.
Let’s Hear from You
What are your thoughts on these new Magic Key benefits for 2023? Are you satisfied with the offerings? Is there something else you wish Disney would offer instead? Let us know in the comments below!
