I recently spent the day in Disneyland park and learned about The Premier Pass. If you haven’t heard of it, it is the top tier of Disneyland's line-skipping system. For one flat price per person, you get one-time entry to each available Lightning Lane attraction across both Disneyland Resort parks for a single day, including the most in-demand rides and some digital photo downloads. It isn't cheap, and it isn't always easy to get.
Here's how it works:
Step 1: Sort out your ticket and park reservation first
You can't buy Premier Pass on its own. Disney requires valid admission and a park reservation before it will sell you any Lightning Lane pass. A park hopper ticket is strongly worth considering here, since the pass works across both parks, and hopping lets you get full value out of it.
Step 2: Link your whole party in the Disneyland app
Everyone in your group needs to be connected in the app before you buy, so the purchase covers the right people. Do this the day before, not at 6:59am even though I did it around 8am on the day I hit the park because I’m crazy like that :)
Step 3: Set an alarm for 7:00am Pacific, exactly seven days out
This is the step that trips people up. Premier Pass goes on sale in the Disneyland app up to seven days before your visit, starting at 7:00am Pacific, in very limited quantities. It sells out on busy days, so treat it like concert tickets. Be in the app and logged in before 7:00. I am guessing with the outrageous price, it shouldn’t sell out too often but always better safe than sorry.
Step 4: Know what you'll pay
Price depends on the date. As of summer 2026, most dates land at $349 or $399 per person, with $400 and up held for holiday weeks. Keep an eye on fall pricing too: Disneyland raised the peak price to a record $449 last October around Fall Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve, and another increase this October wouldn't be a surprise. I paid $299 for the day and I still wonder if it was with it vs the traditional Lightning Pass system.
Step 5: Use it however you like on the day
This is the part that makes the price make sense for some people. There are no return windows to book, you just walk up to any included attraction's Lightning Lane whenever it suits you. The catch: each attraction's Lightning Lane only works once per day, so a second ride on a favorite means the regular standby line.
Step 6: Plan your day to get your money's worth
Getting to the parks right at opening helps a lot. Hit the rides with the worst standby waits during the busiest part of the day and save the lower-demand stuff for the evening.
Is it worth it?
Depends heavily on the date. Also, on how many days you’ll spend in the park and to be blunt, how much disposable income you’ve got. On a quieter December weekday, you could probably get almost as much done with the cheaper Multi Pass, but on the packed days leading into New Year's Eve, you absolutely couldn't. Premier Pass pays off most on crowded days when you're short on time and would rather spend money than hours in line.
