Well, in less than a week Walt Disney World has managed to drop two giant bombs on their fan base. First, they announced the new Disney Genie and Genie+ program to replace the FastPass system. Yesterday, they finished us off with the new Annual Pass program. Walt Disney World APs have not been sold since the parks closed in March 2020. Now, WDW Annual Passes are back and they’ve redone the entire program. As expected, the Disney community is in a frenzy. Anyone else feel like Hei Hei? He’s been our spirit animal lately and somehow this feels appropriate for this week:
As the countdown to the 50th Anniversary celebration continues, Annual Passes will finally be on sale again! Starting September 8th there will be a new program with four tiers, new pricing and perks. As with the previous Passholder system, there is basically only one pass option for all guests (includes out of State), with additional options for Florida residents or DVC members. Those that already have a pass won’t have any changes until they renew. Let’s break down these new tiers and what we know so far. You can read Disney’s article here.
Annual Pass Options
With the new system, most details are basically the same. There are a total of 4 pass options. The first three aren’t available to everyone but the last one, Incredi-Pass (the highest tier), is the one everyone can get. It’s basically a traditional Annual Pass allowing you to enter the parks every day of the year, with no restrictions. In looking at all the tiers and options available, keep in mind if you aren’t a Florida resident or DVC member you just have one option, the Incredi-Pass.
- Pixie Dust Pass: The Disney Pixie Dust Pass is the most cost effective at $399 plus tax. Florida residents can pay $19 per month for 12 months after a $205 down payment. This pass is available only to Florida residents. Most weekdays will be available for guests with the Pixie Dust Pass, however, it has the most blockout dates. It can still hold 3 park reservations at once.
- Pirate Pass: The Disney Pirate Pass will cost $699 plus tax, with the option to pay $45 per month for 12 months after a $205 down payment for Florida residents. This pass is available only to Florida residents, has blockout dates around peak times and holidays, and can hold 4 park reservations at a time.
- Sorcerer Pass: The Disney Sorcerer Pass costs $899 plus tax. Florida residents can pay $63 per month for 12 months after a $205 down payment. The Sorcerer Pass is available to Florida residents AND Disney Vacation Club Members. It has limited blockout dates and may hold 5 park reservations at a time.
- Incredi-Pass: The Disney Incredi-Pass is the most expensive at $1,299 plus tax. Florida residents can pay $99 per month for 12 months after a down payment of $205. This pass option is available to EVERYONE. It has NO blockout dates and you can hold up to 5 park reservations at one time.
Annual Passholder Perks
EVERY pass type will offer Free Parking, up to 20% off merchandise, dining and more. There will be special surprises throughout the 50th anniversary. As always, there will be access to Passholder exclusive merchandise and to the VIPassholder customer support line. Bonus reservations may be added from time to time, allowing Annual Passholders to make extra reservations on select days at select theme parks. These reservations will not count towards their total max limit.
Planning will be easier with enhancements to the reservation system, including a new integrated calendar. This new feature will let Passholders see blockout dates for each pass type, view available days and make, modify or cancel a reservation all in one place.
Florida residents also have the added perk of being able to pay for their passes monthly. So when you see monthly prices listed, those are for residents only.
Customize with Add Ons
Passholders will also be able to customize their pass by choosing to include things like Water Parks, Sports, or Disney PhotoPass. All add-on options will be available to purchase with any of the four new passes.
Water park add on: $99/year Access to both water parks, golf courses, and ESPN Wide World of Sports.
Photopass add on: $99/year unlimited Photopass photos and ride photo downloads.
Park Pass Reservations
Depending on the type of pass you choose, you can hold between 3 to 5 park reservations at a time. As stated in the list of perks, Disney will be adding “bonus reservations” to the calendar from time to time. So, Passholders can make an additional park reservation that will NOT count against their max limit.
When Passholders stay at Disney World resorts or other select hotels, they will be able to make park reservations for each day of their stay. This is in addition to the number of reservations the pass allows. Meaning if you stay on-site, all the park reservations you book during your stay will not count towards your pass limit. This rule is a big advantage for Annual Passholders who visit Walt Disney World Resort for longer stays during peak times, such as Christmas. They’ll be able to book park reservations for each day of their stay and not worry about their pass max limits.
***Keep in mind that this limit on park pass reservations is not the max you can have for the year, it’s the max at one time. It’s a rolling limit, so as soon as you enter a park you could grab another one right away.***
Current Passholders:
For current passholders, until you renew there is no change to your pass other than your park reservations limit. Current passholders will keep their pass the same and then when they renew they will choose from the new pass options. But their current park reservation limits will change starting Sept 8th to reflect the new system. So, beginning September 8 the max limits will be as follows:
Platinum: 5 park reservations at one time.
Gold: 5 park reservations at one time.
Silver: 4 park reservations at one time.
Weekday and others: 3 park reservations at one time.
Blockout dates, Photopass, etc, will still be the same as with the pass currently held. Once they renew their Annual Pass, they will start with one of the new pass options. The dates and perks will change then too. If you are currently in your renewal window, then you can choose to renew with the current system up to September 7th. But if you don’t renew before September 8th, your only option will be to renew into the new pass system.
Upgrading day tickets to Annual Passes:
Some guests may have purchased day tickets for upcoming trips since you weren’t able to buy an Annual Pass and are now wondering if you’ll be able to apply that money towards an AP instead. Well, good news! Disney has shared that eligible tickets can be upgraded to select pass types. This can be done through My Disney Experience, at a theme park ticket window, or at the Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs. You can also call Disney at 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639).
Where to purchase Annual Passes
Passes will be available for purchase on the Disney website or on the My Disney Experience app. You can also call 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639), but you may experience long wait times. You can also purchase an Annual Pass at a theme park ticket window or at the Disney Ticket Center in Disney Springs.
As you are breaking down the numbers and deciding if the Annual Pass makes sense for you and your family, keep this in mind. Disney may limit the number of Annual Passes on sale to help with attendance numbers. This means the new Annual Passes CAN sell out. So, if you’re planning to purchase a pass on September 8th, be sure to set your alarms so you have a better chance of snagging one! Here is what Disney said: “Please note as we continue to manage attendance to provide a great experience for everyone, at any time, Annual Passes may be unavailable for purchase.”
Perhaps this is just verbiage in case they have to pull passes again due to the ongoing pandemic. Whatever the case, we all need to be prepared for Disney to change anything at anytime. These are uncertain times. Remember, when you’re buying a new Annual Pass you can wait and activate it when you come. ***The start date for your pass isn’t your purchase date, it’s when you start using it.***
Final Thoughts
We feel these changes affect locals the most, as they visit the parks all year long and get the most use out of the top tier pass. Now that pass will cost them $500 more if they want PhotoPass and the Water Parks plus more add-ons. We aren’t going into cost analysis here but if you want to see a breakdown of the numbers, check out this Blog Mickey post. It’s quite an eye opener and a good read.
Honestly, we are happy to finally purchase an Annual Pass and head to the parks. If you’ve been reading along, you know we just moved to Florida and have not visited the theme parks yet! Our adventure awaits and that adventure will definitely require the Incredi-Pass! We invite you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for future news and updates. Otherwise, we’ll end by sharing this promo ad from Disney about the Annual Passholder program.