Disneyland’s line-cutting perk has gone from the most affordable to the most expensive among Southern California theme parks with the introduction of a pricey new front-of-the-line option aimed at VIP big spenders.
Disneyland’s new $400 Lightning Lane Premier Pass lets visitors skip the lines at 24 rides without making a return time reservation.
A new study by the Mickey Visit theme park blog compares line-cutting prices at major theme parks in the United States.
The eye-popping price tag of Disneyland’s new Premier Pass is $81 to $330 higher than similar premium line-cutting perks at Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California, according to Mickey Visit.
Disneyland’s $32 Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which requires visitors to make return time reservations for 22 rides, remains one of the best bargains among local parks.
It’s $8 to $167 cheaper than rivals’ basic line-cutting perks, according to Mickey Visit.
How do line-skipping services compare at other Southern California theme parks? Let’s take a closer look.
All of the front-of-the-line passes at local parks let visitors skip the standby line and jump on select attractions faster. But each pass comes with different rules, options and prices.
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure
The price tag of Disneyland’s new Premier Pass will remain steady at $400 through Dec. 31 during the pilot rollout. Prices will range between $300 and $400 starting Jan. 1.
The Premier Pass allows visitors a single ride on each available Lightning Lane attraction at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure — including Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers.
The big perk is that visitors can ride any Lightning Lane attraction any time they want without scheduling a return time in the Disneyland app.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal’s Express pass at Universal Studios Hollywood costs $199 to $319, according to Mickey Visit.
The big difference with Universal’s pass is that it includes admission to the park, rather than being an upcharge add-on.
Bundling in the cost of the Premier Pass with a Disneyland ticket would bring the total price tag to $404 to $681, depending on Disney’s variable pricing calendar.
Universal Express also lets visitors skip the lines on unlimited rides — rather than just once per ride at Disneyland and California Adventure.
Knott’s Berry Farm
The Fast Lane pass costs $74 to $129, according to Mickey Visit, and allows unlimited rides on various attractions throughout the day.
Knott’s limits the number of Fast Lane wristbands sold daily and doesn’t sell them at all on some weekdays.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
The Flash Pass costs $170 to $275, according to Mickey Visit.
Magic Mountain’s highest-priced Flash Pass Ultimate gives visitors immediate access to the priority boarding lane. Flash Pass Premium cuts the wait time in half.
The Flash Pass holds a virtual spot in line for visitors, who can make one reservation at a time.
SeaWorld San Diego
Quick Queue Unlimited and Reserved Seating Plus cost $40 to $70, according to Mickey Visit.
The SeaWorld perks get visitors reserved seating for shows and unlimited front-of-the-line access to five rides plus onetime line-skipping access to the Arctic Rescue attraction.
Legoland California
The Reserve & Ride Ultimate pass costs $100 to $135, according to Mickey Visit.
Visitors make reservations for attractions using the Reserve & Ride option in the Legoland app and wait in a virtual queue until it’s their turn. Reservations must be used or canceled before making another.
Legoland promises Reserve & Ride reduces wait times on 17 attractions by 25% to 90%.