Hi Kristine! Happy New Year and welcome to planDisney! I am excited to help you plan for your upcoming visit to
Disneyland and thrilled to hear that you are ready for another year of magic.
As you mentioned, if your
Magic Key is set to expire August 19th, the earliest you can renew is July 20th. My best recommendation is to
renew, either online or in person via a ticket booth in the Disneyland Resort Esplanade, in July and immediately book your reservation for September 2nd. While park reservations are always subject to park capacity, reserving as early as possible is the best way to ensure you are able to visit Disneyland. Additionally, the earliest that Magic Key holders can make park reservations for September 2nd is June 4th, so there may still be availability.
As a secondary option, if park reservations are unavailable on July 20th, you can check the
Magic Key Calendar as your trip date approaches. Guest plans are always changing and park reservations often become available! To avoid activating the
no-show policy, Magic Key holders must cancel their park reservation by 11:59 pm the evening before their visit. I would recommend checking around this time to see if any spots open up.
Also, your park visit will be during
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort, which begins August 22nd. Visiting during the spooky season is a great choice, as the park will be decorated with frightfully fun decor. One area that is particularly close to my heart is the
Día de Los Muertos exhibit located in Frontierland. The display includes an ofrenda as well as a trio of mariachi musicians, depicted as calacas (skeletons). I recommend visiting in the evening as the area is wonderfully lit, highlighting the beauty of this tradition
I hope that helps, Kristine. If you have any other questions as your trip draws near, please don’t hesitate to stop by planDisney and ask!
Wishing you a magical trip,
David