The real change with the discontinuation of the Disney Priority Pass is not the wait times, but 'who gets to ride'

On August 31, 2026, the Tokyo Disney Resort 40th Anniversary Priority Pass (hereinafter, PP) will be discontinued. Starting in September, the system that previously allowed guests to obtain free priority passes for popular attractions will be integrated into the paid Disney Premier Access (hereinafter, DPA).

In response to this news, reactions on social media have spread, such as "This is effectively a price hike" and "What will happen to the wait times for the target facilities?"

I also initially thought from the perspective of, "Will the queues shorten if demand decreases due to the paid system, or will they actually get longer because more people can buy multiple passes?" However, looking carefully at the details of the system, it became clear that it is highly likely that the wait times themselves will hardly change.

And the truly significant change lies elsewhere. In this article, I will organize what will actually change at the park from September onwards, based on the structure of the system and supply and demand, rather than emotional arguments.

What will change from September? First, let's organize the facts.

According to the official announcement from Oriental Land, the DPA target facilities from September 1, 2026, will be reorganized as follows.

At Tokyo Disneyland (TDL), in addition to the existing DPA targets "Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast," "The Happy Ride with Baymax," and "Splash Mountain," "Big Thunder Mountain," "Pooh's Hunny Hunt," and "Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek!" will be newly added. Furthermore, "Haunted Mansion" will also be included for the "Holiday Nightmare" limited period from September 15 to January 7, 2027.

At Tokyo DisneySea (TDS), in addition to the existing DPA targets (Soaring: Fantastic Flight, Tower of Terror, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Toy Story Mania!, and the three Fantasy Springs facilities), "Raging Spirits" and "Indiana Jones Adventure" (currently closed, reopening date undecided) will be added.

The price is 1,000 to 3,000 yen per facility. The purchase rules follow the existing DPA, requiring either "60 minutes to have passed since the last purchase" or "the arrival of the start time of the previously obtained DPA" to purchase the next one.

What cannot be overlooked here is that among the former PP target facilities, there are some that will not transition to DPA. At TDL, this applies to Star Tours, and at TDS, it applies to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nemo & Friends SeaRider, Turtle Talk, and Jasmine's Flying Carpets. From September onwards, these are expected to be operated solely through regular standby lines, as they will not be subject to paid passes or the free time-designated Standby Pass.

Point 1: The queues for new DPA facilities will actually "hardly change"

First, I will provide my own answer to the question many people are concerned about: "Will wait times increase or decrease due to the paid system?"

In conclusion, the average daily wait time should hardly change.

The reason is simple. The processing capacity of the priority line is determined by the operation design of the attraction equipment. The physical capacity of how many priority pass holders are allowed through the merge point per hour is not something that changes based on whether the pass is free or paid.

In other words, it is natural to assume that the total number of priority passes issued per day is almost the same for both PP and DPA. If the total number of people passing through the priority line is the same, the demand flowing to the standby side is also the same. Therefore, the average standby wait time should not change significantly.

There is also the point that "one person can buy multiple DPAs," but even if one person buys 10, it just means someone else cannot buy them, and the number of people passing through the entire priority line does not change.

If anything changes, it is these two points

However, looking at the details, there are two factors that slightly affect wait times.

The first is the disappearance of the "taken but not used" slots. Since PP could be cancelled for free, a certain percentage of people took them in the morning but did not actually use them. Since this portion did not pass through the priority line, it effectively created leeway for the standby line. Since DPA is paid and non-refundable, almost all purchasers will use them. As a result, standby wait times will work in the direction of becoming slightly longer.

The second is the change in the "seriousness" of priority line users. Once it becomes a paid service, only those who "really want to save time" will buy DPA. There is a possibility that operational efficiency at the merge point will increase and the perceived flow will become smoother.

In any case, there is no impact significant enough to greatly change the average wait times from morning to night.I believe that the very debate over whether wait times will 'increase' or 'shorten' is not actually the essence of this system change.

Point 2: What really changes is the 'equalization of time-based access'

So, what is it that will really change significantly with this system revision? It is the structure of who can use priority passes and when.

In the PP era, passes for target facilities would sell out within tens of minutes due to the scramble right after the park opened. In other words, this system was effectively a 'early-bird only service' accessible only to those who could wait for the park to open in the morning. For those who arrived late, the structure was such that they couldn't even obtain a PP in the first place.

Because DPA uses price to suppress demand, looking at the track record of existing DPA facilities, the sell-out times are clearly pushed back compared to PP. It is not rare for inventory to remain until the end of the morning even on busy days, or until the afternoon on quiet days.

Even more important is the fact that DPA allows you to choose the time slot when purchasing (you cannot choose sold-out slots). This is a feature that PP did not have, and it is a change that makes it possible to plan the design of your day's experience itself, such as 'avoiding the sleepy time after lunch,' 'incorporating it before the night show,' or 'matching it to when the kids wake up from their nap.'

The financial cost has increased. However, the freedom in terms of time and experience design has clearly expanded. That is the essence of this system change.

Point 3: What happens to facilities that are no longer eligible for passes?

Another point of discussion is facilities like Star Tours and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which are no longer eligible for passes and will only have regular standby.

For these, the demand that was previously met by free priority passes via PP will return directly to standby. Simply put, this will work to increase wait times. This impact will be felt directly, especially at facilities that do not support single riders.

However, since the merging of priority lines will be completely eliminated, another benefit will emerge: the regular line will flow more smoothly without interruption. Since 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and SeaRider are facilities with high hourly capacity to begin with, if fluidity improves, the volatility of displayed wait times may decrease, and average wait times may become easier to predict.

The 'average' wait time might go up, but 'predictability' will increase. It seems that will be the change.

Point 4: The meaning is completely different for Land and Sea

Finally, let's confirm that how this system change is perceived differs greatly depending on the park.

Land is becoming 'almost entirely a paid area'

The four facilities that will become new DPA at TDL are all major facilities for families. Combined with the existing three facilities, almost all of Land's major popular attractions will enter the paid area.

If a family of four tries to experience all of these, the additional daily burden will be a significant amount. An environment will be created where the divide between the 'group that buys DPA to plan' and the 'group that chooses to wait or give up' will be clearer than ever.

Sea: 'The actual impact is limited, but other issues are emerging'

On the other hand, the only two facilities becoming new DPA at TDS are Raging Spirits and Indiana Jones (*Indiana Jones is currently closed). Moreover, both are facilities where single rider is introduced. If you are a group that can tolerate splitting up for the ride, you can significantly shorten your wait time without buying a DPA.

In the first place, TDS has very popular attractions like Frozen Journey and Soaring, where DPA sells out immediately in the morning. The normal flow for general guests is to secure these first as a top priority, and if they have extra funds, consider other attractions as a second choice.

With other strong rivals like Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania! crowding the scene, one has to wonder how much priority will really be given to purchasing DPA for Raging Spirits. Even if it eventually sells out by park closing, it will likely be a low-priority choice for purchase.

The real issue for Sea lies elsewhere. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, SeaRider, Turtle Talk, and Magic Lamp—passes are disappearing from these family-oriented and mid-tier attractions. For families with preschoolers who cannot ride thrill attractions due to height restrictions, Sea is becoming a park where 'the options other than waiting in line have decreased.'

The financial impact of the pay-to-play system is greater at Land, while the narrowing of experience options is greater at Sea. Even with the same policy change, the nature of the pain differs depending on the park.

Conclusion

The question of 'will the pay-to-play system make lines longer or shorter' may have actually missed the essence of the system.

Since the number of passes issued remains roughly the same, the average daily wait time will not change significantly. What changes is the structure of the experience itself: 'who can use priority passes,' 'when they can use them,' and 'how one can design their day's experience.'

From a park where only those who can wake up early benefit, to a park where those with financial means can choose their time slots. Whether you see this change as an expansion of freedom in experience design or simply an increased financial burden is a question whose answer depends on the perspective of the person looking at it.

If you are a Land fan, how will you accept the increased burden on your household budget? If you are a Sea fan, are you the type to actively use single rider lines, or do you feel the loss of passes for family-oriented attractions as a blow?

Starting September 1st, Tokyo Disney Resort will quietly, but surely, change its appearance. I would love to hear how you feel after actually experiencing it. Please let me know in the comments section.