Hi there, Holbron! Welcome to planDisney, and happy almost-birthday to your little Mouseketeer! Turning 3 is such a magical milestone—especially when it means officially stepping into a world of churros, castles, and lifelong Disney memories. What a special way to celebrate by keeping the magic going visit after visit.
When a
Magic Key pass is purchased for your son, new
theme park reservations will need to be made for him. Magic Key passes use a reservation-based system, and depending on the pass type, you can typically hold between four and six theme park reservations at a time. Even if you already have reservations for yourselves, you’ll want to make new ones that include your son once his Magic Key is active since a newly-purchased pass will not have any reservations associated with it.
The great news is that once the Magic Key pass is purchased, you can make those reservations almost instantly. This makes it easy to line everything up right away so everyone’s plans match perfectly.
Holbron, you also mentioned purchasing your son’s Magic Key at the ticket booth, and my planDisney pal, Melissa,
recently shared a helpful tip that might make deciding easier. While Magic Key passes can be purchased at the ticket booths when they’re on sale—especially if you’d like to pay with gift cards or cash, or make a larger down payment—many families find buying online to be the simplest option. That’s because once you complete the purchase online, you can jump straight into making theme park reservations right away, without waiting in line or juggling timing at the ticket booths.
Since you’re exploring pass options, you may also want to take a look at the brand-new
Explore Key pass, arriving January 13, 2026. This pass offers admission on select dates throughout the year (including summer!), the ability to hold up to four theme park reservations at a time, discounts on dining and merchandise, savings on parking at the Toy Story Parking Area, and even a discount on
Lightning Lane Multi Pass (
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, anyone?!).
If you’re still deciding which Magic Key is the best fit for your family, I’d encourage you to check out the
Magic Key calendar to review reservation availability and any blockout dates—it’s a helpful way to match a pass to how and when you love to visit.
I hope this helps as you plan a birthday season filled with first rides, big smiles, and maybe even a celebratory Mickey-shaped treat or two! Here’s to starting your son’s next Disney chapter in the most magical way!
See ya real soon!
Cody