We cover food. We cover snacks.
We have strong opinions about churros and even stronger opinions about which EPCOT festival booth is worth the wait. But we are also Disney fans down to our cores, which means that when D23 ticket sale season arrives, we drop everything and pay attention. Because D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is the Super Bowl of Disney fandom and if you want to be there in August, you need a plan right now — not on April 2 when the sale opens and everything you wanted is already gone.
The event runs August 14 through 16 in Anaheim, California, across two venues: the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center. There are six different pass types ranging from $49 to $1,299. The on-sale dates are staggered by membership level. And the Saturday night presentation alone is worth planning your entire August around. Here is everything you need to know before this gets complicated.
Mark your calendars! Tickets for #D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by VISA go on sale exclusively for D23 Gold Members Thursday, April 2!
Want priority access to tickets for this can’t miss event? Become a D23 Gold Member today at https://t.co/l1vb0ZqxXY! pic.twitter.com/CInOKWcvhW
— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) March 26, 2026
When You Can Actually Buy Tickets
The sale is tiered by D23 Gold Membership level, so when you get access depends on which plan you are on.
March 31, 2026 at 10 a.m. PT is for D23 Gold Charter Members only — that is the exclusive pre-sale. April 2, 2026 at 10 a.m. PT opens to D23 Gold Members on an Essential, Choice, or Complete plan. April 2 at 12 p.m. PT covers all other D23 Gold Membership plan types.
Before you get to checkout, know this: each ticket carries an $11.25 service fee and each transaction carries a $16.00 delivery fee. That adds up. Factor it into your budget before you decide which tier you are going for.
If your first choice sells out, a waitlist opens for a limited time. You will need your D23 Gold Membership number and your preferred ticket types to join. Waitlist position is completely random — submitting faster does not help you. Selected guests are notified by May 15 via email and phone. The waitlist does not guarantee tickets. We know. It is a lot.
The Six Pass Types, Broken Down So You Can Decide Right Now
This is the part that trips people up every D23 cycle, so we are going to be very clear about what each pass does and does not include.
The D23 Ultimate Preferred Fan Pass is the top tier at $1,299 for three days. You get a reserved floor seat at the Honda Center for all three evenings — same seat every night — plus full three-day Convention Center access. New for 2026, this pass includes special RSP access to select limited-edition pin releases. If you want the floor and you want the pins, this is your pass.
The D23 Ultimate Fan Pass is $297 for three days. Reserved Honda Center seat for all three evenings, three-day Convention Center access. Single-day versions start at $99 — one Honda Center evening presentation plus same-day Convention Center access on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
The D23 Fan Pass is Convention Center only. No Honda Center. Three-day version is $297, single-day is $99. And brand new this year is the D23 Fan Pass Afternoon Only at $49, which gets you into the Convention Center starting at 4 p.m. on one day. Worth noting: Afternoon Only tickets are not eligible for initial RSP reservation selection for panels and experiences.
Here is the thing that matters most. Only Ultimate Fan Pass and Ultimate Preferred Fan Pass holders get into the Honda Center presentations. If you buy a Fan Pass thinking you will figure out the Honda Center situation later, you will not get in. The line is firm.
What Is Actually Happening at the Event
Three days, two venues, and more Disney content than you can realistically absorb in a weekend. Here is how it breaks down.
Friday, August 14: Disney Entertainment Showcase at the Honda Center, 7 p.m. Saturday, August 15: Disney Experiences Showcase at the Honda Center, 7 p.m. — this is the one. Theme park announcements, Walt Disney World and Disneyland news, the session that sends the Disney internet into a full spiral. Sunday, August 16: Disney Legends Award Ceremony at the Honda Center, 1:30 p.m., hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
Over at the Convention Center across the weekend, more than 50 panels and presentations are happening with behind-the-scenes access, first looks, and conversations with Disney’s creative teams. The D23 Mousequerade: The Ultimate Disney Costume Contest presented by AT&T is back — submissions are open through April 24 if you are already planning your look. A new Leslie Iwerks documentary premieres during the weekend. Limited-edition pins will be available. And yes, there will be food. We will be covering all of it.
What This Means for Your Anaheim Trip
If you are coming to D23 and adding Disneyland days around it, we need to have a real conversation about pacing. Honda Center presentations run into the evening. A full Convention Center day is genuinely exhausting in the best way. Stacking full park days on top of that without any breathing room is how you end up dragging yourself through New Orleans Square at 9 p.m. wondering what went wrong.
Our honest advice: build rest into the schedule. Pick your park days strategically around the D23 programming rather than trying to do everything at maximum intensity every single day. The Saturday Disney Experiences Showcase is the session most worth protecting your energy for — that is the one with the theme park news, and you want to be awake and present for it.
If you are going to be in Anaheim that weekend but not attending D23, just know that the resort area is going to be significantly busier than a normal August weekend. Plan hotel and restaurant bookings accordingly and check Disneyland crowd levels before you lock in your park days.
We will be at D23 in August and we will be covering everything — the announcements, the panels, the exclusive merchandise, and obviously every single food option we can find on the Convention Center floor. Our full D23 2026 guide is already live on the site with pass comparisons and Anaheim trip planning tips. Go read it before April 2, know exactly which pass you are buying, and have your D23 Gold Membership number ready the moment your access window opens.
Going to D23 this year? Drop it in the comments. We want to know which presentation you are most excited for — and what you are hoping they announce.
