Hi Martha Verenice! Welcome to planDisney. As someone who still remembers the thrill of becoming a
Magic Key holder, I completely understand that eagerness of wanting your Key in hand and knowing the parks are only a scan away. There’s something especially exciting about planning all of this during the holiday season, when the Disneyland Resort feels like it has wrapped itself in lights, music, and that unmistakable sense of cheer that only Disney can create.
To answer your question, if you decide to purchase Magic Keys for you and your son, you will absolutely be able to use them during the 2025 holiday season and well into 2026. Magic Keys work on a simple rule: your year of benefits does not begin when you buy the pass, but rather when you first use it. That “first use” happens the moment you scan into either
Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, or one of the Disneyland Resort parking locations. Once that initial scan takes place, the clock starts, giving you one full year of Magic Key access and perks. So if you plan to visit this December for your birthday (which sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate), that visit would mark the start of your full year.
Since you’re planning a
holiday trip, you’re arriving during one of the most charming and festive times to visit. At Disneyland, Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle glows with a soft, icy sparkle that feels almost enchanted. Wintertime Enchantment brings gentle snowfall along Main Street, U.S.A. during select moments throughout the evening, creating the kind of scene where Guests instinctively stop, look up, and smile. A Christmas Fantasy Parade fills the park with music and classic holiday cheer, and “Believe…In Holiday Magic” caps the night with lights drifting across the sky.
Just across the way, Disney California Adventure adds its own joyful style to the celebration. The Holiday Toy Drummers perform with playful energy that always draws a crowd, and the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party brings lively music, dancing, and bright colors to Paradise Gardens Park on Saturdays and Sundays. And if you enjoy trying seasonal bites, the Festive Foods Marketplace during the Disney Festival of Holidays is a wonderful way to sample treats and flavors from around the world while exploring the park.
Martha Verenice, I hope this helps you feel confident as you consider your Magic Key purchase. If you have more questions as your plans take shape, we’d be delighted to help you again at planDisney.
Wishing you a day full of magic and warm holiday memories,
David