Overcrowding Concerns Moot, Disney Restores Annual Passes

Annual passes have gone on sale again for Disneyland and the new California Adventure, now that a much-feared attendance crush has failed to materialize during the new park’s first weeks in business.

Disney officials, concerned that the highly anticipated opening of California Adventure would lead to overcrowding, last month cut off sales of the popular annual passes for the first time in Disneyland’s history.

But the stifling crowds failed to show.

On opening day Feb. 8, for example, about half of the estimated 34,000 visitors showed up. When the gates opened at 8 a.m., only 3,000 people were waiting to get in; officials had prepared for more than four times that.

The decision to lift the freeze after 45 days had nothing to do with disappointing attendance reports at California Adventure so far, spokesman Ray Gomez insisted. “We said all along that the passes would go on sale again, that it was a temporary move, and that’s all there is to it,” Gomez said.

Season passes allow guests to access the park for one year. Prices depend on whether guests are willing to accept blackout dates when their passes would not be honored and whether they wish to visit both parks. A premium pass good at both parks 365 days a year sells for $299. By mid-January, 35,000 Disneyland pass holders had paid an additional fee to add California Adventure to their passes, officials said.

Regular admission to each park is $43 for adults.

Bonnie Harris covers tourism for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7828 and at bonnie.harris@latimes.com.