Hi Amie,
We're so happy you stopped by planDisney with your question! A day at the Happiest Place on Earth starts with a
theme park ticket, and seeing as your visit is just a few days away, let's not waste a magical minute in setting you up for a successful and unforgettable day in the parks!
Happy to report that while you are asked to add a name to each ticket at the time of purchase, the theme park ticket is not officially assigned until it is used to scan through the Main Entrance Gate for the first time. You should have no issue at all if your Mom needs to use the ticket instead of your husband, and you do not need to do anything ahead of time to make the change on your end. When you arrive at the gates, each Guest will be asked to scan the barcode for their ticket. The
turnstiles were recently upgraded, and once you scan your ticket, the screen will ask you to take a selfie; it will magically move to your height! Smile for the camera, as this is the image that will pop up every time you scan into the parks as an added safety measure to ensure that you and only you are using that theme park ticket for the day.
While you are purchasing your tickets, you will be asked if you'd like to add
Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Park Hopping. I mention this as I typically do spring for both, as there is so much value in extending the magic with these two options. With Disneyland and California Adventure just a few steps from each other, Guests with Park Hoppers can bounce between the two as much as they'd like after 11:00 AM. You can explore all the corners of both parks in a single day! If you've added Lightning Lane Multi Pass, this can also be used in both parks, truly making the magic as efficient as it is fun. Lightning Lane Multi Pass allows you to book return windows for select attractions so you can skip the standby queue and save time. By being able to access the Lightning Lanes in both parks, you can really maximize the magic.
One of the best perks of the Multi Pass is that it includes unlimited digital downloads of any
PhotoPass photos you take that day. There are photographers sprinkled throughout both parks, in front of all the iconic moments like Sleeping Beauty Castle, and even off-the-beaten-path viewpoints. You can easily spot them as you walk through the parks or in the Disneyland app by pulling up the park map and filtering for "PhotoPass". These images will automatically be loaded into your account when you tap your MagicBand+ or scan your PhotoPass card, and those memories are yours to keep! If you aren't sure at the time of ticket purchase if you want to add Multi Pass, not to worry. You can also purchase it once you have scanned into the parks, or you can change your ticket to include it right in the Disneyland app!
Amie, I hope this has been helpful and you are well on your way to the magic! If you have any more questions, we are always here for you at
planDisney!
See ya real soon!
Tara