The worst thing you can do when searching for cheap Disneyland tickets is wait until you get there. Tickets sold at the door are always sold at full price, no matter how old you are or what time of the day you arrive. Buying your ticket in advance, or buying a ticket combined with something else, is usually the best way to get a discount.
Up until 2009, people received free admission on their birthday, but that’s no longer the case. Disneyland does offer special discounts to both active and retired military personnel at certain times of the year, usually during the low season. Families of four can also take advantage of Disneyland’s special package that includes park entrance and hotel stay. Large multi-ticket purchases for, say, a school field trip, qualify for a special discount as well. Teachers should call in advance.
The most obvious way to get a discounted combination ticket is to buy a 2-day or 3-day park hopper, but the park also offers single-park combination tickets. For example, as of 2012, a one-day entrance to Disneyland costs $87, but a 3-day 1-park ticket is $220. While park hopper tickets won’t allow you to visit the same park more than one time, 1-park tickets allow you to come back to Disneyland every day for three days if that’s what you want. Annual passports are worth it only if you intend to visit several times a year. You need to visit the park more than five times for the passport to be worth it.
Many Disney resorts offer a discount on their rooms if you are an annual passport holder. So, while you don’t save on the actual ticket, you save on your hotel stay, which will increase your overall savings. Some Disneyland resorts offer a discount when you book the hotel and the ticket at the same time, but these offers change throughout the year, so you should check the Special Offers page in advance.
Buy the Southern California CityPass, which allows you to enter four theme parks at a reduced price. Aside from entrance to Disneyland, you can also visit SeaWorld San Diego, Disney California Adventure Park and Universal Studios Hollywood. You save over 30 percent on regular ticket prices, and, because the card works as a fast pass at the parks, you don’t have to stay in line.
