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Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy?

by Leap on April 23, 2023 33 Los Angeles

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy?If you're planning to visit the Happiest Place on Earth, "How long should I visit?" and "Which tickets should I get?" are probably your first questions ... well, right after "How do I get Disneyland discount tickets?" Lucky for you, we have answers!

We know the Disneyland Resort is a great value and the ultimate in family fun. There is so much hoppenin' at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and there are so many memories to be made. But still, there are so many decisions, especially around Disneyland tickets. Everyone wants to pick the best ticket and the right number of days for the best price. On top of that, you might wonder if you should get park hopper tickets and/or tickets loaded with Genie+. Today, we'll explore all of the options so you can decide which Disneyland discount tickets to purchase!

Before we hop into the specifics, we should note that as an authorized seller, we're able to offer authentic Disneyland tickets at a discount. These are the same tickets you would purchase at the gate for hoppin' good prices. We guarantee the lowest Disneyland prices on multi-day tickets. If you find a lower rate from another authorized seller, just give us a call and we'll price match. Plus, our Disneyland tickets are refundable for up to 365 days. If your plans might change, you can feel safe purchasing tickets through us. Disneyland tickets purchased directly through Disneyland are not refundable.

If you already know which tickets you want, jump straight to our Disneyland ticket page and buy them. For those of you who still aren't sure, read on!

How Many Days Do You Need at Disneyland?

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Disneyland ticket at front gate

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy - Disneyland Discount Tickets - Disneyland Entrance

Families routinely spend a week or longer at Disney World, enjoying its four parks, two water parks and two shopping/entertainment areas (spread out over land roughly the size of San Francisco!). On the other hand, Disneyland's size lends itself to shorter visits.

At Disneyland, the entrances to the two parks plus the Downtown Disney entertainment area are within a minute or two of each other. Many of the hotels are a few minutes walk or a short drive away. With less travel time and ground to cover at Disneyland, you can spend three to five days in the parks and experience it all. Plus Disneyland Park has so much to do that you'll need a few extra days to experience it all.

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Girl with Minnie on Toontown

What are your interests? If you have small children, you can easily spend a few hours exploring and playing in the refurbished Mickey's Toontown. If you have Star Wars fans in your party, you could easily spend several hours in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. You can drink in the Cantina, fly the Millennium Falcon, join the Rebellion and escape the First Order on Rise of the Resistance. You could also go bounty hunting with your MagicBand+ and the Play Disney Parks app. Or you can hack, scan, translate or tune into communication signals with the DataPad. You want to allow enough time to experience these lands without feeling rushed.

We offer 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-day tickets to Disneyland Resort. The discounts are really evident if you purchase multi-day tickets. While our new 1-day ticket offerings are not less than Disneyland's prices, they come with our refund policy, so that might be of value to you if your plans are subject to change. We always display the final costs of our online tickets upfront so there are no surprises when you go to check out. (Psst ... sometimes we have sales, lowering our already low prices, so keep an eye out for those, especially around holidays. Jump on them when you see them!)

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Woman scans cargo with Datapad

How much entertainment you want to experience can affect how much time you need. A family that is all about the rides can knock those out quickly in about two days, especially with our tools and tips to maximize time.

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Girl at Bibbidi Bobbidi

A family that also wants to see parades, shows, nighttime spectaculars, holiday or festival offerings, meet characters, visit Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and enjoy character dining or table-service restaurants will move at a slower pace and need to factor in waiting time (sometimes hours) for those experiences. Those travelers will want a few more days to experience everything.

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Magic happens Parade

Many families also plan visits to Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain and other LA attractions or even make a trip to nearby San Diego to visit Legoland, SeaWorld or the San Diego Zoo. We recommend you also factor in what else you want to do during your visit. we have discount tickets for all those parks too (plus Sesame Place San Diego)!

For our visits to LA and San Diego, we always plan at least one fun beach day, and my wife, Flora, insists on at least one day of shopping. If you need a rental car to do some SoCal exploring, we have another money-saving hack for you. When you are purchasing your Disneyland tickets, put your car rental in the cart. You'll see the price drop by 50 percent when bundling your rental car with a hotel or theme park ticket purchase. (We also have discount hotel rates!)

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Drinks at Food and WineMost families opt for three days in the Disneyland parks, and two is the recommended minimum. First-time visitors should plan at least a three-day visit and maybe a four-day visit, depending on how busy the park is (see the best times to visit Disneyland for suggestions). We recommend adding a day if you are visiting during a celebration such as the Disney 100 anniversary celebration, Food & Wine Festival, Halloween Time or Holiday Time. There is so much entertainment and food to try, you'll want that extra day to do it all.

If it's a less busy time of year, it will be easier to experience the major attractions in less time. The amount of days you decide to visit the parks also depends on whether you'll be park hopping or not. Don't froget — Disneyland introduced date-based, tiered pricing for single-day tickets a couple of years ago! The adult 1-day tickets can vary from $104 to $179 or more for one-park-per-day base tickets. If you are looking for cheap Disneyland tickets, our multi-day tickets can cost as little as $79 per day.

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Disneyland ticket

Unless you're visiting during a non-peak time, the tiered 1-day ticket pricing adds an additional complexity (and potential cost) that you can avoid if you purchase multi-day tickets. Multi-day tickets are not subject to these tiers. Another great thing about all Disneyland Undercover Tourist tickets is that they are refundable up to 365 days after purchase. Other Disneyland tickets are not.

Depending on the time of year, some nighttime shows such as Fantasmic! and fireworks may be offered only on select days of the week, specifically weekends. A multi-day ticket can allow you to visit on a less busy weekday, but also catch great entertainment on the weekend. That way you get the best of both worlds.

Disneyland Ticket Types — Base or Park Hoppers

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Scanning into park with MagicBand

There are two ticket types available for Disneyland: the base ticket or park hopper (both of them come with Genie+ options, which we will talk about later). The base ticket gets you into one park per day. The park hopper allows you to hop between the two parks in the resort on the same day. With the park hopper, you can hop as many times as you like. Unfortunately, you cannot hop by using base tickets. Because of this, most families choose park hoppers. We'll share the reasons why (and whether we think Disneyland park hoppers are worth it) below.

Keep in mind that it is much cheaper to hop on a multi-day ticket vs. a 1-day ticket. It costs $65 to add park hopping to a 1-day ticket. It costs $60, in total, to add park hopping to a 2 through 5-day multi-day ticket. (Yes that is $5 less to hop more days!) It breaks down to $12 per day to hop on a 5-day ticket. We love being able to hop, especially when it comes to catching our must-see nighttime spectaculars, which might be in a different park from where we spent the day.

When you make your Disneyland reservations with a park hopper ticket, you choose the park you want to start your day in. Then, beginning at 11 a.m., you can hop back and forth between the parks. If you arrive after 11 a.m., you can go to either park.

Most multi-day tickets have a limited time period in which they can be used. After the first visit, you have 13 days to use the other days and complete your remaining visits. There are no blackout dates for multi-day tickets. The exception to this rule is the limited-time promotional SoCal or California resident tickets. These tickets may have different restrictions and blackouts and can be used on three different days over a several-month span. Look for SoCal tickets from January to May 25, and California resident tickets in the summer June 12 through Sept. 28, 2023. We sell those with a heftier discount too!

Is the Disneyland Park Hopper Worth It?

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Lobster nachos at Lamplight Lounge

We think park hopping is worthwhile for longer trips, and not just because we frogs like hopping! The main reason is convenience. With Disneyland and Disney California Adventure so close, it's easy to hop between them. In fact, you could spend your day hopping back and forth between the parks if you wanted. That's what we tend to do when we visit. Some people even hop as part of their ride strategy, since you can make Genie+ reservations in either park. It also opens up a larger variety of dining options.

It doesn't cost that much to add on park hoppers at Disneyland, and that's another reason we think they're worth it. You want to maximize your time in the parks, and Disneyland often staggers park closing times. Typically, Disney California Adventure closes at 10 p.m. and Disneyland closes at 12 a.m. Our best time to visit Disneyland post has some exceptions to watch out for when it comes to park hours and more hopful information.

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - World of Color

By purchasing park hoppers, you can hop to the park open later, catching World of Color at Disney California Adventure and then Fantasmic! at Disneyland on the nights that it is shown. The only reason not to purchase park hoppers is if your budget just doesn't allow it or you only have one day or just a couple of hours to spend at the parks. For example, if you were attending a nearby convention for a few days and could only spend evenings at Disneyland, then adding on park hoppers probably doesn't make sense. If you have small children, you can get by without hopping, as one park may be enough for them each day.

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Fantasmic finale

If you have a longer trip, get the hopper. If you have a 1-day trip or maybe a 2-day trip, we say you can skip the hopper to save money. You can just fully explore one park a day. But if you only have one day to see it all, you should get the park hopper. It comes down to your budget and what attractions are most important to you. If you are going to hop with a 1-day ticket, get the Genie+ service. We recommend starting in Disney California Adventure and then hopping to Disneyland. You'll have to identify your top few attractions in each park to do it all in one day.

Hop When Staying at a Nearby Hotel

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Kids at pool Disneyland Hotel

If you are staying at a nearby hotel or one of the three Disneyland Resort properties, you may want to hop. You can visit one park in the morning. Take a break midday to swim or nap. Then hop to the other park for the evening. Guests of one of the Disneyland Resort hotels can also take advantage of Early Entry. Early Entry allows guests admission 30 minutes before park opening during every day of a hotel stay at either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park (with ticket and reservation). Read more about the benefits of staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel.

A Fifth Day Free?

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Chip and Dale

If you are debating between a 4-day and a 5-day ticket, it costs under $18 to add on the fifth day through Undercover Tourist. So, if you had a half day on arrival or checkout day of your trip, you might want to add that fifth day. If you compared an Undercover Tourist 5-day ticket with a 4-day ticket through Disneyland, you'll see that our 5-day base ticket is actually cheaper than Disneyland's 4-day base ticket. It's like getting that fifth day free and having money left over for a churro.

Genie+ Tickets

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Women on Matterhorn

One more thing to consider is if you want to purchase a Genie+ ticket. You can purchase single, multi-day and hopper tickets pre-loaded with Genie+. At Disneyland (as opposed to Disney World) you can purchase cheap Disneyland tickets loaded with Genie+ in advance. We have several posts about this optional service that allows you to skip the lines for certain attractions. These might help you decide whether to get a Genie+ ticket or wait until you enter the park each day:

Genie+ is offered with tickets for the lowest rate. In fact, our discount Disneyland tickets with Genie+ are the cheapest way to get Genie+ — and they come with extra savings. If you do not purchase Genie+ tickets, you can purchase the service in the theme park through the Disneyland app. Keep in mind, the price of the service can vary per day. That means, if you decide to get Genie+ every day, then you could end up paying a few dollars more for it by waiting until you enter the park. We like to buy Genie+ park hoppers because hopping makes Genie+ a better value. You can access up to 20 rides across both parks using Genie+. In addition, Genie+ can be used across parks, allowing you to enter the other park and head straight to the ride you selected ahead of time. We love skipping lines!

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Family looking at phone by the castle

When should you get Genie+ tickets:

  • If you plan to use Genie+ every day of your trip
  • You use PhotoPass photographers (images are included with Genie+)
  • When you want to lock in the lowest price
  • You want to be ready to go and start reserving rides as soon as you enter a theme park.
  • When park hopping
  • When you have some people who want to ride thrills and others who don't. That way the riders can get through the lines and back to the group faster. (In that case, purchase Genie+ tickets in advance for some party members but not for others.)

Which Disneyland Ticket Should You Buy? - Girl and mom meet MickeyWhen you might want to wait to purchase Genie+:

  • If you do not plan to use Genie+ every day of your trip
  • If you do not plan to ride thrill rides or most of the attractions on Genie+
  • When you are visiting with toddlers who do not meet the height requirements for most Genie+ rides.
  • If you're not sure if you want it and want to see how lines are the day you visit

So there you have it, the full scoop on Disneyland ticket discounts, cheap Disneyland tickets and our recommendations on which to get as you plan your trip!

Have questions about which discount Disneyland ticket is right for you? Drop us a line! Once you decide on tickets, check out our hopful Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park plans. Don't froget, we're now selling Disneyland discount tickets.

Related: Best Time to Visit Disneyland

Related: How to Save Money on Disneyland Tickets

Keep hopping!

Keep hopping, Leap!
View Comments
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Oct 12, 2022 at 3:02 p.m. Jennafer Says...

Does undercovertourist offer 1 day 1 park tickets?

Reply
Oct 12, 2022 at 11:23 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jennafer!

Unfrogtunately, we do not offer 1-Day Disneyland tickets.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Feb 9, 2020 at 6:23 p.m. Jennifer R Schultz Says...

If I buy advance tickets here will we be able to use them during "peak" days??

Reply
Feb 10, 2020 at 11:21 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jennifer!

Most of our tickets can be used any day, without restriction, through Jan. 12, 2021 (tickets expire 13 days after first use, or on Jan. 12, 2021, at which point they'd need to be exchanged at Will Call). On occasion, some of our promotional tickets will have to be used by a certain date. You can see all of the details by clicking the name of the ticket, then "View Ticket Details." Or, feel free to give us a call at 1 (800) 846-1302 - we'll be hoppy to help you find the perfect ticket!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 8, 2020 at 9:06 a.m. Jeanine Says...

We have been planning on 4 days--one park per day. The fourth day was for doing the last few items and for having added flexibility. We tend to take a while to get going, and we have a baby. But we also have older kids, and I saw that there's a three day kid's ticket sale. With the new part of the park, can we still do everything in 3 days, or is it worth it to spend the money on four? Thanks.

Reply
Jan 9, 2020 at 8:18 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jeanine!

It’s a tough call. That 3-day promo is such a great deal! You can spend one day at DCA and two at Disneyland. You may not see it all but you can do a lot, especially if you use MaxPass and can divide up and keep the older kids going while the baby naps. You could use the fourth day for character dining, swimming at the hotel pool and Downtown Disney shopping or playing.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Aug 4, 2019 at 9:27 p.m. Cinthia Says...

Hi! We're planning on going to California in mid-November and I was wondering if it'd be better to get a hopper and do both parks in one day or reserve a day for each park without the hopper, giving that we're willing to skip most rides that are duplicated in WDW and that we'd like to see the parades and nighttime shows in both parks.

Your blog is a life saver, thank you so much!

Reply
Aug 5, 2019 at 3:13 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

It's our pleasure, Cinthia - thanks for taking the time to hop by!

We recommend two days for the parks, so take a day for each park. Be sure to use MaxPass and to reserve your Fantasmic! and World of Color FASTPASSes first thing in the morning. The show FASTPASSes are at the bottom of the list of ride FASTPASSes.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Apr 15, 2019 at 12:55 a.m. Barbara Says...

How can I be sure your tickets are authentic? I need for 5 people and I would hate to get there and they not honor them.

Reply
Apr 15, 2019 at 8:03 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Barbara!

You can check out our customer reviews here to learn more about the experience other customers have had with us over the years (and you may also hear or see some comments from others in the Frog Pond throughout the blog!). You can also see our mentions in the media here (reputable sources like The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Forbes). All of our Disneyland tickets are RFID enabled, allowing you to head straight to the gate! If you have any questions about how our tickets work, you can access our FAQ here, or feel free to give Customer Service a call at 1 (800) 846-1302 - they'll be hoppy to answer any additional questions that you may have!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Apr 5, 2019 at 8:05 p.m. Andrew Says...

Part of your article is no longer accurate. Disney no longer allows you to hold FASTPASSes for both parks since the systems became linked when they introduced MaxPass.

Reply
Apr 10, 2019 at 9:53 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the feedback! We've made the adjustment!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 22, 2019 at 9:03 p.m. Michael Morgan Says...

Four day single park vs 3 day hopper - What do think is better?

Reply
Mar 25, 2019 at 9:48 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Michael!

At Disneyland, we recommend a Park Hopper since the parks are so close, making it extra convenient to hop from one to the other. But this also depends on your family and your preferences! For smaller tadpoles, sticking to one park a day may be plenty, in which case the four day single park ticket may be preferable for your family.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 13, 2019 at 3:27 a.m. QuadMomma Says...

If I buy a 3 day pass, can we add an extra day once we are there for cost of the difference between the 3 and 4 day ticket? I don't want to pay for a single day ticket, if we want to stay longer, and I don't want to overpay if we only go 3 days.

Reply
Mar 13, 2019 at 7:51 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi QuadMomma,

You sure can! Just visit a ticket booth and they'll get you upgraded.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 4, 2019 at 9:59 p.m. Dono Says...

If we buy a 3 Day pass and not hopper passes can you upgrade the 3rd day to a hopper pass at the park?

Reply
Mar 5, 2019 at 8:07 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Dono,

Yes, you can upgrade to a Hopper at the parks.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 10, 2020 at 12:29 a.m. VH Says...

I was searching info for our first upcoming Disneyland trip in two weeks and found your website with plenty of information. I was wondering whether we could upgrade the third day ticket to a hopper as we do not want hop during first two days. Found the answer in the comment section Thanks ???? If I upgrade the third day ticket to a hopper how much we should pay extra per ticket ?

Reply
Jan 10, 2020 at 9:40 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi VH!

You certainly can upgrade just one day to a park hopper! Our suggestion, though, would be to just get a park hopper for all three days. The price to upgrade is going to be about $50-$55, which is going to apply whether you buy a one-day park hopper or a three-day park hopper. In other words, you'll pay the same amount to hop for the entirety of your trip as you would for just one day. Hope this helps!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Nov 19, 2018 at 7:34 p.m. Jessica Says...

I am going to Disneyland soon and it's going to be a Field trip with my class I want to know since I am 16 what will I need in order to purchase a ticket?

Reply
Nov 29, 2018 at 6 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jessica!

Usually group tickets for field trips are purchased through the school, so check with the school first to be sure. Sometimes the tickets are cheaper through the school since they are buying in bulk. If the school is not selling them, you can purchase discounted tickets through us and link them in the Disneyland app.

If you are purchasing in person at a ticket booth, you can pay with cash, or a credit card or debit card in your name. If you do not have a credit card, you can use a parent’s card to purchase online or through the app, but not in person at the booth. They will ask for ID to match the credit card at the booth. Hope this helps :)

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jun 25, 2018 at 9:50 a.m. Odessa Says...

My fiance and I are getting married in Sept. 2020. We are planning to get 3 day park hopper tickets w/ possibly maxpass. What I would like to know is, can I pick up tickets at the booth if I order online, and can I pick them up the a day or two before we actually go into the park? (I want to have paper tickets but not mailed to me)

Reply
Jun 27, 2018 at 8:59 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Odessa,

You can print out tickets from the email you'll receive or have them scanned on your mobile device. When you enter the park, you will receive a paper ticket at the turnstile. You don’t need to wait in any line at the ticket booth to get the paper ticket because you receive it upon entering the park!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Dec 17, 2017 at 2:14 a.m. Krista Says...

It appears some Good Neighbor Hotels sell discounted tickets, do you know if they generally sell them less than purchasing online? Thank you!

Reply
Mar 23, 2017 at 6:25 p.m. jessjane Says...

When hopping, is the wait to get into each park long? Like do you spend 15 minutes each hop waiting to get into the park? Just curious.

Reply
Mar 23, 2017 at 1:36 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jess,

The wait time to get into each park will differ depending on the time of day, and on which park. The mornings will be busiest, with late afternoon to early evenings also busy with people coming back from Downtown Disney shopping or hotels.

Keep Hopping!

Leap

Reply
Oct 16, 2014 at 4:19 p.m. DisneyDorkTom.com Says...

People who tend to stick to one park per day, or hop just once, should probably also avoid park hopper passes. In a 3-day trip, it's so easy to pre-plan 2 full days in Disneyland and 1 full day in California Adventure that hopping doesn't become a requirement. If you can do that small amount of pre-planning it could easily save you $156 total (for a party of four). That's a meal for 4 at Thunder Mountain Ranch BBQ and a few souvenirs for the kids that are covered by the Hopper savings. I think hopping makes more sense for people who want to totally wing it and explore as they go.

Reply
Apr 21, 2019 at 5:40 p.m. Sherry Says...

I completely agree with you!!! Last year my husband and I bought park hoppers for our family and only used it on our very last day. We had 4 day park hoppers. We were encouraged to get park hoppers because Disneyland can become crowded so many guests will go to DCA once that happens. However, this was not the case for us on our very first visit as a family. I also noticed that once DCA closed many would go over to Disneyland because they stayed open later. For our family, we stayed in the park we initially decided to go to because there is soooooo much to do!!!! We didnt even leave the park until late in the evening or at DCA when it closed????. This year we are doing a 5 day 1 park per day. Spending 3 days at Disneyland and 2 days at DCA.

Reply
Mar 23, 2019 at 2:10 p.m. Zsanara Says...

Thank you for this info. We have been to Disneyworld twice and want to try Disneyland this time. I am wondering how many days it takes to get through the two parks. I don't like park hopper tickets we like to focus on one park at a time. Any advice?

Reply
Jan 20, 2016 at 9:48 p.m. Rachelle Says...

I agree. We don't do park hopping because going back and forth between the parks is tiring. We'd rather focus on a specific area each day and take things a little bit slower instead of zig zagging between rides because our feet get worn out too quickly if we are bouncing around too much.

Reply
Mar 9, 2019 at 12:16 a.m. AnnieF Says...

Thank you this was awesome advice! This is our first time at disney and we have 3 older kids. We have been talking to people and trying to decide if we need a hopper or not. But first timers I would assume take it slower and go through a whole park at a time and then switch to the other park. I am hoping that is how it goes and is the best choice for a first time family?

Reply
Oct 16, 2014 at 1:23 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Great suggestion, DisneyDorkTom! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Reply
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Undercover Tourist is the leading supplier of online discount tickets to Orlando, Florida-area attractions, including Walt Disney World® Resort, Universal Orlando Resort™, SeaWorld® Orlando, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort and more.

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