One of the biggest changes to visiting Tokyo Disney Resort in years has now taken effect, with the resort's free 40th Anniversary Priority Pass officially ending and several popular attractions moving into the paid Disney Premier Access system.

From 1 September 2026, guests visiting Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will no longer be able to use the complimentary Priority Pass service that offered reduced waits at attractions including Big Thunder Mountain, Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Raging Spirits.

Instead, a number of those attractions can now be booked through Disney Premier Access - meaning guests who want to skip the regular queue will have to pay.

What happened to Tokyo Disney's Priority Pass?

Tokyo Disney Resort's 40th Anniversary Priority Pass allowed guests to reserve a return window for selected attractions through the Tokyo Disney Resort app at no additional cost.

Despite originally being introduced as part of the resort's 40th anniversary celebrations, the system survived well beyond the anniversary itself and became an important part of planning a day at both parks.

That has now come to an end. Tokyo Disney confirmed that Priority Pass would no longer be available after 31 August 2026.

There isn't currently a direct free replacement. Instead, six of the attractions previously included within Priority Pass are either joining Disney Premier Access immediately or will do so over the coming months.

Which former Priority Pass rides are now paid?

Four attractions have moved directly from the free Priority Pass system to paid Disney Premier Access from 1 September.

  • Big Thunder Mountain - ¥1,500, around £7 per person
  • Pooh's Hunny Hunt - ¥1,500, around £7 per person
  • Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek! - ¥1,000, around £4.60 per person
  • Raging Spirits - ¥1,500, around £7 per person

Three of those are at Tokyo Disneyland, while Raging Spirits joins the growing Premier Access line-up at Tokyo DisneySea.

Two more former Priority Pass attractions will become eligible later. Haunted Mansion will offer Disney Premier Access for ¥1,000 from 15 September 2026 through 7 January 2027, coinciding with its seasonal Haunted Mansion "Holiday Nightmare" programme.

Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull will meanwhile cost ¥1,500 through Premier Access when the attraction reopens at Tokyo DisneySea on 30 November following its lengthy refurbishment.

Not every Priority Pass attraction is becoming Premier Access

Importantly, the end of Priority Pass does not mean every attraction previously included has simply been transferred into the paid system.

Five former Priority Pass experiences are not currently listed as Disney Premier Access attractions:

  • Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
  • Turtle Talk
  • Nemo & Friends SeaRider
  • The Magic Lamp Theater
  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Unless Tokyo Disney announces another option, guests should therefore plan around the standard attraction queues for these experiences rather than expecting a replacement for Priority Pass.

Premier Access prices have also gone up

The changes do not stop with former Priority Pass attractions.

Tokyo Disney has also increased the Disney Premier Access price of four of its biggest existing attractions by ¥500 per person from 1 September.

  • Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast - ¥2,000 to ¥2,500, around £11.50
  • Anna and Elsa's Frozen Journey - ¥2,000 to ¥2,500, around £11.50
  • Soaring: Fantastic Flight - ¥2,000 to ¥2,500, around £11.50
  • Journey to the Center of the Earth - ¥1,500 to ¥2,000, around £9.20

For a family or group buying Premier Access for several attractions during the same visit, those individual increases can quickly add up.

A significant change to how you plan a Tokyo Disney day

The biggest impact here is arguably not the ¥500 price increases. It is the disappearance of a genuinely useful free way to reduce waits at some of Tokyo Disney Resort's most popular attractions.

Until now, guests could combine paid Premier Access for headline attractions such as Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast or Frozen Journey with free Priority Pass reservations for rides including Big Thunder Mountain and Pooh's Hunny Hunt.

From September, doing the same thing will potentially require buying multiple Premier Access reservations instead.

It makes early entry and the first hour of the day even more important for visitors trying to keep costs down. Choosing one high-priority attraction to head towards immediately after entering the park could save paying for Premier Access later, while the paid system may make more sense for attractions where waits remain consistently high.

Disney Hotel guests with Happy Entry could also find that early access increasingly valuable, as eligible guests can enter before general admission and begin arranging services through the Tokyo Disney Resort app once inside.

Tokyo Disney's queue system is becoming much more paid

There is still no requirement to purchase Disney Premier Access to experience these attractions. Regular standby queues remain available, and Premier Access is designed as an optional way to reduce the amount of time spent waiting.

But the balance has clearly shifted.

What was previously a mix of free Priority Pass reservations and paid Premier Access is now much more heavily centred around the paid system, particularly for Tokyo Disneyland's most popular rides.

For anyone planning a Tokyo Disney Resort trip from September onwards, it is worth forgetting the strategies that worked with Priority Pass and starting again. The best plan may now depend just as much on how much you are willing to spend as which attraction you want to ride first.

You can also read our latest look at the future of Tokyo Disneyland, including Space Mountain Earthrise and the wider transformation of Tomorrowland.