The pause in sales of new Disneyland annual passes coincides with the Anaheim theme park's settlement of a Magic Key class action lawsuit. Pausing new Magic Key sales was a business decision made by Disney before the results of the lawsuit settlement were released, according to Disneyland officials.

Disney frequently pauses or "stops" the sale of new Magic Key annual passes at Disneyland to manage park capacity and optimize what they call the "attendance mix." In 2026, Disney's financial strategy prioritizes "single-day" and "multi-day" tourists who statistically spend significantly more per visit on merchandise, food, and hotels than annual passholders do. By limiting the number of Magic Key holders, Disney can ensure there are enough "reservations" available for these high-spending vacationers during busy seasons like Halloween and Christmas. Disney infamously refers to a high concentration of passholders as an "unfavorable attendance mix" because it can lead to overcrowded parks with lower per-capita revenue. When sales do resume—as they did briefly in early 2026—it is often to stimulate demand during slower periods or to launch a new, more expensive tier like the Explore Key, which replaced the Enchant Key to further restrict access on popular dates while increasing the base price.