UPDATE: The Southern California CityPASS restructured its offering to become more of an a la carte pass. You will have more flexibility and usually save more with my discounted tickets to the same major attractions or with a Go San Diego Card.

Travelers wanting to hit Southern California’s best theme parks should look at the Southern California CityPASS for convenience and discounts. It is ideal for travelers who are splitting time between San Diego and Orange County and will visit Disneyland Resort theme parks for three days.

CityPASS holders save money in addition to enjoying extra conveniences. And, you can even secure a Southern California CityPASS discount off of its regular price if you know where to look.

We can help you save on tickets, tours, and hotels. When you purchase through some of the links below, we may be compensated. Thank you for supporting our small business! Our editorial guidelines.

It’s Good for 14 Consecutive Days

The Southern California CityPASS is valid for 14 consecutive days, including the first day of use. This gives travelers plenty of time to visit the included California theme parks.

Includes Must-Visit California Theme Parks

This discounted pass includes admission to:

The pass includes a 3-day Park Hopper Pass to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, and one-day general admission to the rest of the parks.

See also: Meet the Sumatran Tigers at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Southern California CityPASS Discount

southern california citypass for theme parks

Costco occasionally has the Southern California CityPASS as well. If you secure a Southern California CityPASS discount, do pay attention to where you need to pick up the pass and what its terms and conditions are.

Southern California CityPASS Savings

If you were to visit all of the theme parks on this list, you would save about 30% versus paying regular admission. That’s nearly $150 per person.

To really get the benefit of the Southern California CityPASS, you must plan to visit Disneyland Resort theme parks for three days.

If not, it may be wiser to consider buying tickets a la carte or the Go San Diego pass.

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TWO WAYS TO SAVE ON GO CITY SAN DIEGO

Use promo code GOSDO5LJM to apply an extra 5% off ALL Go San Diego sightseeing passes when you buy through Go City! This discount stacks on top of sale rates! Also, check aResTravel, where All-Inclusive and Explorer Passes are currently cheaper.

(Pass has limited value for families at many attractions during Kids Free October in San Diego — we recommend individual tickets during this timeframe instead.)

See also how to buy discount:

Magic Morning at Disneyland Park

california theme park pass

The Southern California CityPASS includes 3-day Park Hopper Tickets to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. You can pick which three days you’d like to use the Park Hopper within the same 14-day window.

However, a significant benefit to the Southern California CityPASS is that you are entitled to one Magic Morning entry on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday (subject to capacity and other restrictions). This means that you can enter Disneyland Park an hour before it opens to the public. It’s a privilege only offered to Disneyland Resort hotel guests.

See also: Theme Park Luxe: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

Having taken advantage of Magic Hours at Disneyland Resort, I can tell you that this hour will not only enable you to enjoy a bunch of rides without waiting, but you’ll be deep into the park before the crowds can infiltrate. We have benefited far beyond one hour.

No Line Waiting with Pass In-Hand

This information is for people who can’t pick up the CityPASS at Disneyland to enjoy the savings provided by the aRes Travel discount.

Getting the pass in advance of your trip is easy when buying directly through CityPASS. They’ll ship passes to customers in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Australia and New Zealand via UPS (United Parcel Service) and to the United Kingdom via Royal Mail. You may also choose to have your CityPASS sent to your hotel in the U.S. or Canada.

It is also possible to avoid shipping costs by printing your voucher for immediate use.

Once you have the CityPASS in-hand, you can skip the ticket booth queues. Just head to the theme park’s turnstiles where they will scan your Southern California CityPASS.

Visit Attractions in Any Order

Within 14 days of first use, you can visit any of the listed attractions in any order after receipt of the pass.

See also: Review: LEGOLAND California Hotel with Kids

In case you’re wondering what the north-to-south order of Southern California’s best theme parks is, here you go:

  • Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure (Anaheim)
  • San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Escondido)
  • LEGOLAND California (Carlsbad)
  • SeaWorld San Diego (Mission Bay)
  • San Diego Zoo (Balboa Park)

365-Day Return Policy

If you buy a CityPASS and wind up not using it, CityPASS allows customers to receive a full refund on unused passes within 365 days of purchase.

See also: San Diego Discounts: Experience the City for Less

Have you used the Southern California CityPASS? What did you think?

Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).

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