Plans change, but changing Disney vacation plans isn’t always easy.
Both Florida’s Walt Disney World and California’s Disneyland began requiring park reservations on top of admission tickets during the pandemic, and the most popular parks can book up quickly around holidays, weekends and other school breaks.
Previously all guests who wanted to modify park reservations had to cancel and start over, a simple process, but one that posed the remote risk of losing a spot altogether for high-demand days.
That’s still the case for Disneyland, which runs on a different system, but Disney World guests can now modify park reservations without canceling, among other changes.
Here’s what travelers heading to either Disney park should know.
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How do I get reservations at Disney parks?
Step one is checking theme park availability, even before purchasing tickets.
Check Disney World’s theme park reservation availability here.
Check Disneyland’s theme park reservation availability here.
Once Disney World guests purchase their tickets, they should immediately make a free park reservation and ensure that everyone in their travel party has reservations as well. As of Aug. 23, reservations can be made for up to 30 people at once, regardless of whether they have annual passes or regular tickets and are staying on or off resort property. Previously, annual passholders had to manage plans in a separate system.
Disneyland guests can make park reservations when purchasing park tickets, in the same transaction. They can also add on Genie+ when purchasing tickets, unlike at Disney World where Genie+ must be purchased separately on the days of park visits.
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Can you make Disneyland, Disney World reservations before buying tickets?
No. Guests can buy tickets without making park reservations, but not the other way around.
How far in advance do you have to reserve a Disney park?
The sooner park reservations are made, the better.
Disney World already allows them to be made into early 2024.
Disneyland reservations can be made 120 days or more in advance.
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Can you change park reservations?
Disney World guests can modify existing reservation dates, parks and party members without canceling reservations, as of Aug. 23.
Disneyland guests still have to cancel their existing reservations, then book new ones. It’s important to confirm availability before making any changes to avoid the odd chance of ending up with no reservations at all if discarded reservations get scooped up by others