Disneyland has introduced a new annual pass that will have guests reserving entry into the California theme parks up to 30 days before their visit. The Disneyland Flex Passport, which offers both unrestricted and reservation-based admission on select dates annually, will cost $599 when it debuts May 21, 2019. It’s not just repeat guests that will need to stake their claim prior to hitting the droid shop or the first-ever Star Wars restaurant within Star Wars Land, though. Timed reservations, which were required to enter Galaxy’s Edge during its first month, sold out in just two hours — but you may need a pass to enter later this summer as well. Starting June 24, guests will be required to hold their place in a virtual queue with Star Wars “boarding passes” once the immersive galactic land fills up, according to The Orange County Register. These same-day entry reservations, available within the Disneyland app, will only appear when the land is full and eventually be phased out once demand lowers — but given that Galaxy’s Edge is Disney’s most anticipated theme park opening of all time, don’t expect that anytime soon. The advent of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is likely to bring unprecedented levels of guests to Disneyland. This Flex Passport’s registration system, which is intended to distribute attendance more evenly, is indicative of the California theme park’s ongoing effort to manage crowds while appeasing its repeat visitors. Identical to Disneyland’s popular locals-only Southern California Select Passport but with the addition of reservable dates and availability for residents of any city, the Flex Passport costs $200 more for extra but restricted access — and could be the ideal Disney ticket for excited Star Wars fans. With “request” entry available throughout the entire summer with absolutely no blackout dates, a Flex Passport owner could feasibly visit the outer-galaxy theme park land a half-dozen times before a Southern California Select passholder could. In that sense, the pass is a no-brainer for Star Wars fans with moderate flexibility hoping to pilot the Millennium Falcon or sip a Bantha blue milk in an outer rim cantina more than a few times this summer — as well as throughout the year. This new form of Disneyland admission is two-fold. Like other annual passes, guests can attend either or both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure theme parks on pre-selected dates throughout the year as they wish. Additionally, Flex Passport owners will be able to make reservations for additional days during peak periods, save for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods.<doc-sep>Hoping to ease crowding, Disneyland Resort is introducing an annual pass that lets visitors in on slow days but requires reservations for weekends and other popular times. “We are trying to smooth demand,” said Annika Chase, vice president of marketing and commercial strategy at the resort. The so-called Flex Pass will go on sale May 21 for $599 and can be used with no restrictions on most Mondays through Thursdays — when demand is usually low. But on most weekends and during the high-demand summer months, Flex Pass holders must log onto a Disneyland website or use the resort’s smartphone app to book a reservation as late as the morning of the visit to Disneyland, California Adventure or both. The pass can’t be used at all during two weeks surrounding Christmas. Advertisement By requiring reservations, Disneyland can regulate the number of people who enter the parks by denying access when crowds are heavy and permitting reservations when foot traffic is light, Chase said. The new pass isn’t the first effort by Walt Disney Co. to use pricing to ease crowding. In 2016, Disney began selling daily tickets that cost more on high-demand days and less on low-demand days. After hyping a $1-billion Star Wars land, how does Disney get visitors to leave? » Disney’s biggest rival, Universal Studios Hollywood, also adopted a variable pricing system in 2016, in an effort to ease crowding before it opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area. Theme parks typically don’t disclose their attendance numbers, but the crowds at the Disneyland Resort don’t appear to have been affected much by admission price hikes. In January, the Disneyland Resort announced price increases of up to 25% for daily tickets, annual passes and parking. The increases came less than a year after the resort raised prices by up to 18%. Under the latest increases, a one-day, one-park ticket for Disneyland or California Adventure park climbed to $104 from $97 for low-demand days, such as weekdays in May. That is a 7.2% increase. Meanwhile, the consumer price index for the 12-month period ended in November rose 2.2%. A ticket for regular-demand days increased to $129 from $117, a 10.3% increase. The price of a ticket on peak-demand days jumped to $149 from $135, a 10.4% increase. Daily parking prices rose to $25 from $20 — a 25% increase. Advertisement Annual passes start at $399 for a Select Pass that bars access on more than 300 days of the year and go as high as $1,399 for a Signature Plus pass that comes with no blackout dates and free parking. The Flex Pass will arrive less than two weeks before the May 31 opening of Disneyland’s highly anticipated expansion, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a $1-billion land based on the popular sci-fi franchise. Flex Pass holders can make up to two reservations at a time, up to 30 days in advance. Each reservation is good for up to eight parkgoers who also have Flex Passes. The pass does not include parking but it offers a 10% discount on food and merchandise. If a pass holder abuses the system by making three or more reservations in a 90-day period without showing up to the park or canceling the reservations, Chase said, Disney may block the pass holder from making reservations for a 30-day period. Advertisement “We are trying to find the right balance,” she said. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.<doc-sep>
Disneyland is offering a new annual pass that they hope will help control the massive crowds that visit the park every year. The new Disney Flex Passport will provide guests who want to visit the park multiple times throughout the year a cheaper option, but it comes with a catch. On off-peak days, these pass holders will have unlimited access to the parks. On peak days, however, they will have to make reservations ahead of time through the park’s website or app. The passes will give users access to Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure. In a statement obtained by Fox News, spokesperson Liz Jaeger said, "we are always considering new ways to continue to deliver a world-class guest experience, and this new Annual Pass project will allow us to continue that legacy, while better smoothing demand.” Off-peak days typically occur during months like February through May, September and October, during Monday through Thursday. Some Fridays in January, February, March and November are also available, Fox 11 reports. For weekend days and most days during the busy summer months, pass holders will have to make reservations. Certain days during Spring Break, Thanksgiving week and Christmas break require reservations as well. DISNEYLAND IS LIMITING STAR WARS: GALAXY'S EDGE VISITORS TO FOUR-HOUR WINDOWS There are also several days that are unavailable for pass holders. According to the Disney Parks Blog, pass holders will be able to hold two reservation days up to 30 days in advance of their visit. Obviously, there will only be a limited number of reservations available per day, and they will be affected by various factors, including expected park capacity, closures and other events. The passes will go on sale on May 21 and will immediately go into effect. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This isn’t the first step Disney has taken to control the size of the crowds in their parks. It was recently announced that when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge first opens on May 31, guests will have to reserve a four-hour window to visit the land. Starting June 23, it will become regularly available to all park guests.