Hi there, Michelle!
Welcome and thanks so much for stopping by planDisney with your question. How thoughtful of you to purchase a pass to the Disneyland Resort as a gift for your friend! That's a gift that I'm sure they will treasure.
When you state "Southern California pass", there are two possibilities that I interpret: the special
three-day weekday ticket with admission to one park per day for Southern California residents or the
Imagine Magic Key, also only for Southern California residents. Both are eligible only for residents residing within ZIP codes 90000-93599. Either way, the process would be the same.
I was able to chat with a Cast Member who confirmed that these passes may be gifted to another recipient. Go ahead and purchase them and, on the day of your visit, stop by the Ticket Booth prior to activation and a Cast Member will be able to change the name over to your friend's. Of course, your friend will need to provide a valid form of ID to prove that they are also a Southern California resident.
If you were hoping to gift your friend an
Imagine Magic Key, I do have some bad news. At the time of this writing, Disneyland has recently halted sales of new Imagine Magic Keys. However, the
Disney Parks Blog did announce that there would be more opportunities to join the Magic Key Program throughout the year, so be sure to follow them for the latest news!
For another option, have you considered giving your friend a Disney gift card for the amount of the ticket? They are readily available on
shopdisney.com and come in a variety of options including some neat new
Disney100 designs.
I hope I was able to answer your questions, Michelle. You are an extremely generous and thoughtful friend and I'm sure your friend will love your gift! Please stop by anytime if you have any further questions for us here at planDisney!
Have a Magical Day!
-Al