This post is all about the new upgraded entry gates at Disneyland.
For so many guests, it’s a rite of passage to head through the entry gates of Disneyland park for the first time, allowing them to enter a world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy in a truly unforgettable moment that they will always remember.
Yet the next step once passing through those gates is up to them as they enter this ultimate family destination, whether they are looking to board a classic attraction like Haunted Mansion, snack on a legendary Disney treat or pose for a picture in front of an iconic location like Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Whether you’re a local, visiting from out-of-town, or staying at one of the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort, Disney knows you can’t wait to enter the parks as quickly as possible.
Wondering about the easiest ways to enter The Happiest Place on Earth? We’ve got plenty of answers about the upgrades to the entry gates at the entrances for Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park.
Where Can I Find the Entry Turnstiles at the Resort?
Located at the main entrance to both Disneyland and California Adventure, you can enter the parks through the esplanade located between both theme parks. You’ve seen turnstiles located at these entry points over the years but you will be delighted to see modernized new entry gates.
Pro Tip: Select guests with valid theme park admission can also skip the main entrances by entering at three other locations:
- Aboard the Disneyland Monorail via Downtown Disney District station: If you have a valid park admission or Magic Key pass and reservation to Disneyland park you can travel straight to Tomorrowland on this highway in the sky.
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: If you’re a guest at the Disneyland Resort you can soon discover Disney California Adventure by entering the park near Grizzly Peak with a valid park admission or Magic Key pass and reservation to Disney California Adventure park.
- Near Pixar Place Hotel: 30 minutes prior to park opening until 12 p.m. PST, hotel guests at the Disneyland Resort can enter Disney California Adventure by entering the park near Goofy’s Sky School with a valid park admission or Magic Key pass and reservation to Disney California Adventure park.
How Do I Use the New Entry Gates at Disneyland?
Once you are ready to start the fun, you can head over to the entrance gate of your choice. Every gate is ADA compliant, allowing all guests with ECVs, wheelchairs, and strollers to use and pass through them with ease!
- Step 1: To enter each park, you will scan your ticket using screens present at individual entry gates.
- Step 2: Once each ticket is scanned, every guest in your group will then use the screen to take your own picture by pressing the camera icon on the screen to capture your photo. And don’t worry about the kids: each entry gate is equipped with camera technology that will automatically adjust to each guest’s height while snapping the photo!
- Step 3: Once each ticket is scanned and the photo is digitally attached to your tickets, the entry gates will automatically swing open for your party to head into the park together.
What is the Entry Process Like?
Many guests want to kick off their early morning at the resort by quickly scanning their tickets at the entrance gates so they can pick up their food and beverages they mobile ordered from Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe or head toward a popular attraction like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
At each entrance gate, you will be able to scan your tickets and take your own pictures to attach to your tickets. If you have a multi-day ticket or a Magic Key pass, you will only have to take your picture linked to your ticket one time, making this process smooth for returning guests!
While this new process allows guests to scan their tickets by themselves, a nearby cast member will also be there to help so guests can get to their next ride or make your lunch reservation in time.
What is New About This Entry Experience?
These updates at the entryways to Disneyland and California Adventure aim to improve the arrival experience with even more gates than before.
While a cast member will still be present at the park entrances to validate tickets and photos and welcome you to the resort, newly accessible gates will open automatically after you scan your ticket and take a photo, including for guests with ECVs, wheelchairs, and strollers.
The updated entry gates will also have an access point to tap your MagicBand+, allowing for easy and hands-free access.
How Does My Toddler Enter the Parks?
All guests under the age of 3 do not need a valid admission ticket or theme park reservation to enter either park, though all guests ages 3 years old and above must have both. Guests over the age of 3 will follow the same process of scanning and capturing a photo when entering, with an adult’s help of course!
And there’s plenty to do with little ones at both theme parks once passing through the entry gates – you can hop on a kid-friendly ride like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Mickey’s Toontown, catch “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” which debuted on May 16, or dance and play at the Fantasyland Theatre with Pixar Pals Playtime Party when it returns for a limited time beginning May 23!
Can I Use the Disneyland App or MagicBand+ to Enter?
Of course! Once you purchase your tickets and make theme park reservations, you can open the Disneyland app* and select the menu (the three horizontal lines in the bottom right of the navigation bar).
Then, once you tap “My Tickets and Passes,” load tickets to the app by selecting “Link Tickets & Passes.” You will be all set to head toward the entry gates to scan your tickets and enter the park. You can use the Disneyland app or tap your MagicBand+ to the access points to enter!
With additional planning tools, exclusive content and park updates including ride wait times and showtimes, the Disneyland app is everyone’s new best friend when visiting the resort over the course of their stay.
Are There Any Disney-Inspired Features?
There are! Each entry gate features animated clips of beloved characters welcoming and eventually bidding farewell to guests upon entering and exiting, with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit at California Adventure!
How Do I Re-Enter the Parks?
Whether trying to catch the dazzling nighttime return of the upcoming “Paint the Night” parade in Disneyland park or looking to take in the sights and sounds of “World of Color Happiness!” in Disney California Adventure park, the process remains the same for all guests when re-entering the parks with a theme park reservation and a valid ticket for the same day. You just scan your admission media and come on in!
What Else is Coming to Disneyland Resort?
The Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration began on May 16, with limited-time entertainment, colorful décor, themed food and beverages, collectible merchandise, and so much more! For more details on this milestone celebration, follow us here on the website and on our social media channels. You can read more about some of the new delights for the 70th Celebration here.
Meanwhile, some new and returning entertainment offerings are coming to the parks beginning this spring in harmony with the special entertainment coming for the 70th anniversary of the resort. You can continue the fun in the Downtown Disney District, where you can enjoy new dining and shopping, with more locations coming in the future to this dynamic outdoor promenade.
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