Hi Karen! Welcome to planDisney! As the planner and organizer of my own travel crew, I completely understand wanting everything set up just right before stepping through those turnstiles at the Disneyland Resort. Making sure your tickets are organized, linked, and ready for
Lightning Lane magic can make your day unfold as smoothly as a stroll down Main Street, so I’m happy to help you sort through the best options.
The good news is that you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to managing your group’s tickets. If you purchased standard
Disneyland Resort theme park tickets, you typically don’t need to worry about changing the names in advance. A ticket officially becomes tied to a Guest at the moment it’s scanned at the entrance to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure. During that initial entry, a Cast Member captures a quick photo of the Guest using the ticket, and that photo (rather than the printed name) becomes the real identifier for the rest of the visit. That means even if the names don’t perfectly match, your tickets will still work just fine as soon as they’re scanned.
Of course, if you like everything to look tidy and accurate (especially when toggling between Lightning Lane selections or coordinating return windows) you can absolutely update the names. Prior to scanning into the park for the day, the Guest who originally purchased the tickets can reach out to Disneyland Ticket Services, either by
phone or through the chat feature in the
Disneyland app. A helpful Cast Member can review the request and help with the update request.
Another simple option is for each person in your group to purchase their own ticket and then link all three together in the Disneyland app. Linking is quick and easy. Just tap the hamburger menu in the bottom-right corner, choose “My Tickets and Passes,” and then tap the plus sign at the top. From there, you can either enter the ticket ID number manually or use your phone’s camera to scan the barcode. Once linked, everyone’s tickets will appear together in your app, which makes selecting Lightning Lanes a breeze once you’re inside the parks.
As you can see, Karen, both approaches work beautifully. It simply depends on what feels most seamless for your party. If any other questions pop up while you’re getting ready for your visit, please come back and see us at planDisney. We’re always happy to help you prepare for your magical day.
Have an incredible visit filled with magical moments!
David