Southern California CityPASS: Is It Worth It? (What to Know Before You Buy)

The Southern California CityPASS used to be a bundled pass for the region’s major theme parks. It has since changed to an a la carte ticket marketplace where you pick individual parks, choose your ticket type, and check out through the CityPASS website.

The flexibility is fine, but the savings are not impressive. I sell discounted tickets to most of these same parks through an authorized seller, and my prices are typically lower. Below, I will walk you through what the Southern California CityPASS includes, whether it is worth buying, and what I recommend instead.

What Is the Southern California CityPASS?

The Southern California CityPASS is an authorized ticket seller for the region’s major theme parks: Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld San Diego, LEGOLAND California, San Diego Zoo, and San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

It no longer works like a traditional bundled pass. Instead, you visit the CityPASS website, pick the parks you want, select your ticket type and dates for each one, and check out. CityPASS emails you individual tickets that you can pull up on your phone at each park entrance. You are not locked into a fixed package, and each ticket has its own validity period and rules set by the park.

For Disneyland, options range from 2-day to 5-day tickets with or without Park Hopper and Lightning Lane upgrades. The San Diego parks offer various single- and multi-day options. Note that Disneyland requires a separate park reservation in addition to your ticket.

Is the Southern California CityPASS Worth It?

It depends on your trip. Here is how I would think about it:

If you are only visiting San Diego parks (Zoo, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, Safari Park), skip the Southern California CityPASS entirely. The Go City San Diego pass covers 55+ attractions and is a much better value. I also have discounted individual tickets with exclusive promo codes for the Zoo, SeaWorld, and LEGOLAND that beat CityPASS pricing.

If you are visiting Disneyland plus San Diego parks, CityPASS offers the convenience of buying everything in one checkout. But the Disneyland savings are minimal because Disney controls ticket pricing tightly. Through my ticket site, California residents can get a 3-Day Park Hopper for $239 (the gate price is $535). I also run seasonal deals like kids summer tickets from $98 for two days. CityPASS does not offer these promotions.

If you are visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, my tickets are less expensive than CityPASS. Southern California residents can get general admission from $93, and standard adult tickets start around $103 for everyone else. CityPASS lists the same ticket from $107.

If you just want the cheapest price on one or two parks, buy tickets individually. I have detailed guides with verified pricing and current promo codes for every major Southern California theme park (links below).

To put real numbers on it: Say you are visiting Disneyland (2-day, 1-park per day), SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, and the San Diego Zoo. Through CityPASS, that would run roughly $244 + $69 + $57 + $78 = about $448 per adult. Through my ticket site, the same itinerary comes to approximately $103 + $68 + $63 + $70 = about $304 per adult, using my promo codes and current offers. That is over $140 per person in savings, and it adds up fast for a family of four.

People also ask about buying the Southern California CityPASS at Costco or through AAA. Costco has sold bundles occasionally, but availability is hit or miss. AAA offers small member discounts. Neither consistently beats what authorized online ticket sellers offer.

Discount Ticket Guides and Tips

I have detailed discount ticket guides with current promo codes and verified pricing for every park included in the Southern California CityPASS: Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld San Diego, LEGOLAND California, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and Knott’s Berry Farm.

If you do buy through CityPASS, check the Disneyland availability calendar before purchasing (reservations are required), download the park apps to enter your ticket barcodes, and plan your route. If driving from Anaheim to San Diego, LEGOLAND in Carlsbad and the Safari Park in Escondido are along the way, with the Zoo and SeaWorld in the city itself.

You can also check out my guide to Southern California’s best theme parks and my San Diego discounts page for more ways to save.

Southern California CityPASS FAQ