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 they will never forget.
Yet once you pass through those gates, the next step is up to you as you enter this ultimate family destination, whether you’re 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 Southern California local, visiting from out of town, or staying at one of the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort, we’re sure you can’t wait to enter the parks as quickly as possible.
If you’ve been wondering about the easiest ways to enter The Happiest Place on Earth, we’ve got plenty of answers about the upgrades to the entrance gates at Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park.
Where Can I Find the Entry Turnstiles at the Resort?
The esplanade is located between Disneyland and California Adventure and is the main entrance to both parks. You may be used to seeing turnstiles 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: Guests with a valid park admission or Magic Key pass and reservation to Disneyland park can travel straight to Tomorrowland on this highway in the sky.
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: Hotel guests at the Disneyland Resort can soon discover Disney California Adventure by entering the park near Grizzly Peak with a valid park admission or Magic Key pass and a Disney California Adventure park reservation.
- Near Pixar Place Hotel: From 30 minutes before park opening until noon 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 a reservation to the park.
How Do I Use the New Entry Gates at Disneyland?
Once you’re ready to start the fun, 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 easily!
- Step 1: To enter each park, you will scan each 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 their own picture by pressing the camera icon on the screen to capture their 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 you are snapping the photo!
- Step 3: Once your ticket is scanned and the photo is digitally attached to it, the entry gates will automatically swing open, allowing 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 them. If you have a multi-day ticket or a Magic Key pass, you will only have to take your picture linked to your ticket once, 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 you can get to your next ride or make your lunch reservation in time.
What is New About This Entry Experience?
These updates at the Disneyland and California Adventure entryways aim to improve the arrival experience by adding even more gates.
While a cast member will still be present at the park entrances to validate tickets and photos and welcome guests 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 for tapping your MagicBand+, allowing for easy, 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 your little one at both theme parks once you pass through the entry gates – make sure to hop on a kid-friendly ride like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Mickey’s Toontown, catch “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” when it debuts 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’ve purchased your tickets and made your theme park reservation, 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” and load your tickets to the app by selecting “Link Tickets & Passes,” you’ll be ready to head toward the entry gates to scan your tickets and enter the park. Feel free to use the Disneyland app or tap your MagicBand+ to enter the access points!
With additional planning tools, exclusive content, and park updates, including ride wait times and showtimes, the Disneyland app is your new best friend when visiting the resort during your 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 you’re 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. Just scan your admission media and come on in!
What Else is Coming to Disneyland Resort?
The Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration is right around the corner, beginning May 16, with limited-time entertainment, colorful décor, themed food and beverages, collectible merchandise, and so much more! For all the details on this milestone celebration, follow along with the Guide to the 70th Anniversary at Disneyland Resort.
Meanwhile, some new and returning entertainment offerings are coming to the parks beginning this spring in harmony with the special entertainment coming for the resort’s 70th anniversary. 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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