Menu

Disney Continues Pause on New Theme Park Reservations in 2023

The Disney Park Pass Reservation System has been a contentious topic between the company and Guests, many of whom have become quite vocal on social media regarding their disdain for the system.

The reservation system was put in place for Guests visiting the theme parks at both the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort when reopening began earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, state and local restrictions created around CDC-recommended health and safety guidelines forced capacity limits and social distancing modifications at the Parks. As a result, enforcing a reservation system was a logical step (that many businesses even outside the theme park industry) took to help keep Guests and Cast Members safe.

RELATED: What No One Tells You About Your First Visit to Disneyland

Along with the Disney Park Pass Reservation System came changes to Park Hopping at Disney Parks, with Guests now unable to hop to their second Park of the day until 2:00 p.m. (based on availability.) Today, all other restrictions placed due to COVID-19, including distancing and mask requirements, have been removed from the theme parks, but the reservation system it seems is here to stay.

For Guests visiting the Disneyland Resort, Disney noted in its latest update on Disney100 that new reservations for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are still paused from January 8, 2023. Dates beyond January 8 were first paused last month when the company announced that Disneyland will be at the center of the Disney100 celebration which kicks off on January 27, 2022.

Credit: Disney

While Disney’s most recent update did point out that the pause will be lifted in the coming weeks, this surely does make it more challenging to plan a trip to the Disneyland Resort right now. And, considering the process of securing airfare (especially at a reasonable rate) and accommodations, some Guests who would need to travel to Southern California are likely on the fence about booking trips before reservations are available.

Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek has routinely praised the reservation system in the company’s quarterly earnings calls, where he notes that the Guest experience is improved due to the Park’s ability to control capacity. Similarly, the company has referred to Magic Key Holders (Disneyland Annual Passholders) as an “unfavorable attendance mix,” and Chapek has made similar comments while comparing Passholders to day Guests in recent interviews.

Family with phone

Credit: Disney

With the reservation system here to stay, and Annual Passes remaining unavailable to purchase for most Guests, on top of periodic pauses in reservation availability, planning a trip to Disney Parks may be more challenging than ever. If you do plan a trip to either Disneyland or Walt Disney World before reservations are made available, you may want to confirm change and cancellation policies with other travel arrangements, including airfare, hotels, and rental cars, just to be safe.

For now, we will continue to monitor new reservation availability at Disneyland for when the system is restarted after January 8, 2023, and we will be back here with all the latest news as we have it on Disney Tips.

About Brittany DiCologero

Brittany is a New England-based writer focused on the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. She is the author of "Red, White, and Disney: The Myths and Reality of American History at the Walt Disney World Resort," and "Brittany Earns Her Ears."