Disneyland Hopper Ticket Upgrade—Is it Worth It? I have done the math for you and laid out the practical advice on upgrades for tickets on things like hopper passes, Lightning Lane and more.
PLUS: Disneyland has removed park hopping restrictions! Now you can hop anytime you’d like (with valid ticket and reservation).
Disneyland tickets are often the first point of confusion and upgrade choice when booking a Disneyland Resort vacation with many people asking:
- Should I get a park hopper ticket for Disneyland?
- Should I upgrade my ticket for more days at Disneyland?
- Do I need Lightning Lane MultiPass?
These are loaded questions and I want to help break it down for you.
The most basic ticket you can get at Disneyland Resort is a one day, one park ticket. I explain here in detail about why one day tickets are the worst value and will cost you the most per day, especially if you’re visiting on a weekend.
Hopper Ticket Math
Is a Disneyland Park Hopper worth it? A Disneyland Park hopper isn’t always worth it, but here’s the math first to help you decide with money logic in mind.
It used to be that Park Hopper tickets were a flat $65 no matter how many days your ticket was. That’s not the case anymore, so it makes your decision a little more tricky.
Hopper Pros & Cons
👍 YES, you should upgrade to a Park Hopper if:
- Ultimate Flexibility: You want the freedom to hit favorite rides and attractions at both parks on the same day.
- Zero Travel Time: Hopping is incredibly easy since the two park gates are just steps away from each other.
- Crowd Management: If one park gets a sudden rush of crowding, you can easily escape the madness by walking over to the other park.
- Foodie Freedom: Chowing down on the best seasonal food and snacks is easy when you can access both California Adventure and Disneyland.
- Maximize Late Nights: You want to take advantage of late-night hours since Disneyland Park often stays open later than California Adventure.
👎 NO, you should skip the Park Hopper if:
- Less Stress: You feel like switching parks adds unnecessary pressure trying to cram everything into your day.
- You Have a Strategy: You would rather grab a Park Plan download to systematically accomplish your favorites without bouncing back and forth.
- First-Time Visitors: This is your very first visit to Disneyland Resort and you want to keep your experience simple and focused.
- Traveling with Little Ones: You have toddlers or small children in strollers who simply can’t handle the extra walking.
- Budget-Conscious: You are strictly watching your vacation budget and would rather save that extra money for souvenirs or character dining.
Upgrade a Ticket
Can I upgrade my ticket during my trip?
Yes, you can upgrade your Disneyland ticket during your trip. Maybe you have a 2 day ticket, but you decided to go an extra day. Or maybe you decided not to park hop, but are now seeing the convenience a park hopper offers.
Here’s the skinny on upgrading a park ticket during your vacation:
- Visit any ticket booth in the esplanade, the area between Disneyland and California Adventure to see if tickets and reservations are available.
- Pay the price difference for your new upgraded ticket, the original value of your ticket will be applied.
- Make sure all your park reservations are in place before leaving the ticket booth.
Want to upgrade to a Magic Key? Keep reading for more details. Yes, you can also upgrade on the app, but I prefer talking with a person at the booths to make sure all my reservations are still in place and I didn’t miss anything in the process.
Magic Key Upgrade
Should I upgrade to a Magic Key during my trip?
Yes, a Disneyland Magic Key is worth it if you plan to visit Disneyland Resort multiple days throughout the year.
Southern California residents (with valid ID) qualify for lower tier Magic Keys. Non-residents can purchase Annual Passes. All Magic Keys are sold with black out dates and restrictions.
You can upgrade your Disneyland Park ticket during your vacation by following these steps:
- Visit any ticket booth in the esplanade, the area between Disneyland and California Adventure before closing on the last day your ticket is valid.
- OR upgrade on the Disneyland App.
- The paid value of your ticket will be applied to your Magic Key and you only pay the difference.
Add Lightning Lane
Lightning Lane has been around for a while but it’s still complicated for those who don’t visit the parks a ton. Read up on my Lightning Lane tips here.
As you can see in the above photo, there are two line you can wait in—Lightning Lane and Stand-by. Lightning Lane is a paid upgrade.
When you go to the Disneyland app to purchase Lightning Lane, you’re looking for one labeled “Lightning Lane Multi Pass” as pictured below.
This is the one that will give you access to the most Lightning Lane queues at Disneyland Resort.
Yes, I think Lightning Lane Mutli Pass is worth when you buy it in advance and lock in your price here. This “front of the line” pass has been around for years, but has most certainly changed along the way. I explain exactly how it works here.
Lightning Lane Single Pass worth the price?
This is one I don’t usually splurge for. Individual Lightning Lanes are offered for a select few rides and cost to ride per person. I prefer to time it right and use the stand-by line instead.
Add PhotoPass
Did you know there are tons of Disneyland PhotoPass photographers ready to snap your family picture when you’re at Disneyland?
I love stopping for group photos because everyone knows who would be left out . . . Mom or Dad usually gets the bench to snap the pics and you end up at home after a fabulous trip looking for one picture of everyone together.
Is Disneyland PhotoPass worth the price?
PhotoPass alone? No way, totally not worth it. It’s because the price is crazy high and guess what—you can get FREE PhotoPass pictures when you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Just another fabulous perk of that paid upgrade.
I’ve covered all the top Disneyland PhotoPass spots here.
Great info! I’m going to share with my friend who has ::gasp:: never been to Disneyland, but is planning to go.
Thank you Katie, you’re a great friend to share!