On Saturday, August 17, Disneyland guests got a surprise that had nothing to do with churros, popcorn buckets, or ride closures. Instead, the drama unfolded before visitors even entered the gates—at the Mickey & Friends parking structure.
Drivers pulling up to the booths were told something that’s almost unheard of in 2024: parking was cash only. No credit cards. No MagicBands. No digital taps. Just old-fashioned bills.
And for those who didn’t happen to have cash on hand? They weren’t turned away. Instead, cast members simply let them through, no charge.
A Reddit PSA Spills the Story
The unusual situation came to light thanks to a Reddit post that quickly caught fire among theme park fans. The guest explained: “Was told at the window that they are cash only today and if you don’t carry cash with you, they said they are making exceptions.”
Replies poured in from others experiencing the same thing. One user summarized it in blunt terms: “Making exceptions = free parking.”
Considering that parking at Disneyland costs $35 for a standard car, $40 for an oversized vehicle, and up to $55 for preferred spots, the unexpected freebie didn’t go unnoticed.
A Costly Malfunction?
Fans immediately speculated that the situation pointed to an IT issue. “That sounds like an expensive IT glitch,” one Redditor wrote. Another added: “Sounds like an IT issue crash. Disney will have to eat the cost on that to not piss everyone off and let people in who don’t have cash. It will be fixed within an hour or two. It honestly doesn’t mean much to Disney since it cost so little to operate the parking structure.”
While “so little” is relative, the math adds up quickly. With Disneyland’s garages able to accommodate tens of thousands of cars in a single day, even a couple of hours of missed payments could mean tens of thousands of dollars left on the table.
Some longtime fans even remembered a previous glitch: “This happened before. I think it was in November but it affected most of the park as well. I don’t carry cash, so they just let us in. Thankfully, the park was back to taking cards by the time we got in.”
Traffic Trouble at the Toy Story Lot
But not every guest walked into a magical parking discount. At the Toy Story lot—Disneyland’s sprawling surface parking area on Harbor Boulevard—the vibe was far less lucky.
“Toy Story lot is insanely backed up also. Took 20 minutes to make the turn onto Harbor,” one guest reported. Another added: “I’ve been waiting to get to the front for 40 mins.”
The cause wasn’t just Disney’s glitch. Down the street, the Anaheim Convention Center was hosting the Pokémon World Championships, bringing in crowds of players, fans, and collectors from around the globe.
“Probably because it’s the Pokémon World Champions at Anaheim Convention Center and people usually park there,” one Redditor explained. “All the Pokémon card scalpers probably out at full force there to get the merch.”
Another commenter confirmed the crossover: “This might be it. We went in with our Magic Key no problem. If you’re using Toy Story though pack your patience. Took 40 minutes from 5 freeway to get into the lot.”
Why “Cash Only” Was So Shocking
Ordinarily, Disneyland’s parking system is designed to be high-tech and efficient. Guests can use credit cards, Disney gift cards, prepaid vouchers, or Magic Key privileges. Automatic license plate recognition ties plates to reservations or annual pass benefits, cutting down on transaction times at the booth.
Cash, while still accepted, is usually the exception rather than the rule—which is why the policy on Saturday caught people so off guard.
One guest even noted past flexibility from cast members: “I know the last time I went the parking attendant just let me go without scanning my pass. Idk if that’s a common occurrence but I’m not complaining.”
A Morning of Mixed Reactions
For drivers who found themselves waved into Mickey & Friends for free, it was an unexpected break on a day when expenses add up fast. For others, especially those stuck in Toy Story lot traffic, the glitch was just one more frustration layered on top of a busy summer Saturday.
As one commenter put it: “Idk if that’s a common occurrence but I’m not complaining.”
The Fix Came Quickly
By later in the day, reports suggested that card readers were once again working and that the cash-only system was over. That left the window of free parking limited to a few hours in the morning.
Still, the story quickly spread online, as guests marveled at how rare it is for Disney to let fees slide. While the financial impact to the company is minimal in the grand scheme of its operations, for the lucky handful of guests who got in without paying, it was a rare Disneyland perk—one that didn’t involve standing in line for a snack or a ride.
For everyone else, August 17 became a tale of two parking lots: free access at Mickey & Friends, or gridlock at Toy Story while Pokémon fans filled every available space in Anaheim.
