Hi Annette!
Welcome to planDisney! Thank you for bringing this great
Disneyland Resort planning question to us hEAR!
You asked a very good question. However, there are two 'Disney ways' it could be interpreted right now, and without the ability to have a back-and-fourth chat about which answer you're seeking, I'm going answer both! Ha!
If you're asking about the initial rule that was in place when Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park
reopened in April of 2021 after the historic pandemic closure, which stipulated that only California residents could return to the magic for the time being: I'm so happy to report that guests from all over the world are once again welcome to Mickey's original house, zero ID establishing residency required. You might have to use an ID to validate your park tickets, which can be done with most photo IDs. However, if you're of age and would like to purchase an adult beverage then you will need a government issued, non-expired ID with your birthday on it. If you still have your previous state's non-expired drivers license that will work, or even a US passport. But I doubt your VA ID would do the trick as I've been denied several times with a Military Spouse ID.
If you're referring to the wonderful
Southern California Resident Ticket promotional offer then things are a bit more tricky. Residency will need to be verified with these tickets at the time of park entry. College students and Military families stationed in Southern California (two groups who are not required to get a CA license while they temporarily live in the state) are able to get in on this deal by showing their student or Military ID along with orders, a SoCal lease agreement, and/or a recent utility bill in their name. You might be able to also go this route with your VA ID if you're new-ish to the state or are here on a temporary or long-term assignment
with documents saying such along with a lease agreement or utility bill. However, if you cannot prove California residency then you'll be asked to pay the difference to
upgrade this offer to that day's ticket price.
Pro Tip: If California is your new permanent home then your best bet would be getting a State of California ID card - which is basically a drivers license saying you don't drive - but complies with everything else, from ordering a drink to the Real ID Act and even qualifying for Disneyland Resort California Resident Discounts!
I hope this helped to clEAR things up a bit, Annette, and if you have any more questions send them our way. We're All Ears!
~Kristen N.