Benefits of Becoming a Disney Annual Passholder

Are you considering buying a Walt Disney World Annual Pass? Deciding to become a Disney Annual Passholder is a big decision, especially financially. Fortunately, there are a lot of benefits that come with it!

If you know all of the benefits and are simply trying to decide if becoming an Annual Passholder is worth it, head over here to see when it makes sense!

Resort (Room-Only) discounts

This is one of the biggest money savers for a lot of Annual Passholders. Throughout the year, Disney releases special offers on room-only discounts specifically for APs. These are typically a higher discounted percentage than the general offers and have reached as high as 40% off rooms before! An important thing to note is these offers are typically released a few weeks after the general public offers. This means if you have a resort in mind and are not flexible with dates, it is better to book ahead. You can always call and have the rates adjusted later if the offer is available for when you are going.

If your family always travels with the Disney Dining Plan, you can still get it as a passholder! Typically you would have to purchase a package that includes tickets, but as long as the family member booking is an AP, you can add a dining plan to your trip without tickets!

PhotoPass

Deciding if Memory Maker is worth it can be a big decision. If you are an AP PhotoPass is included with your membership! PhotoPass is the photography program Disney has set up throughout the parks. You will see a lot of photographers with the PhotoPass logo who are set up at the most iconic points in the parks ready to take a magical shot of your family. Memory Maker refers to the package you can purchase for your Disney trip that gives you access to all of the PhotoPass photos that were taken. If you buy it in advance it is $169 vs $199 if you buy it during your trip. Only one person in your group needs to buy this. You do not have to pay this amount for everyone in your group.

Clearly saving that money is a great thing, but one of my favorites parts about PhotoPass for APs is that your photos do not disappear 45 days later. When you purchase Memory Maker you have to download them within 45 days they expire. If you are an AP your photos won’t expire for over a year!

Merchandise Discounts

Who doesn’t love buying Disney gear? If you are considering buying an Annual Pass, chances are you have purchased a few things with Mickey’s face on them. As an AP you get discounts throughout the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs! These can change from time to time so be sure to check out Disney’s site for the most up to date discount. If you are unsure if you get a discount, simply show a cast member your card and ask. The majority of the stores in the parks and resorts are 20% off, whereas Disney Springs’ discounts vary since they are not owned by Disney.

Dining Discounts

Food is half the reason I go to the parks. It isn’t your typical theme park food. I mean where else can you ride a roller coaster one minute and eat a delicious steak the next? You get discounts at various restaurants, both quick-service and table-service, throughout Disney property. These discounts can change from year to year and the percentage varies as well, but it is typically around 10%. It is important to note that this does not include tax, gratuity, and alcoholic beverages. Be sure to check Disney’s site for all of the current offerings!

Tables in Wonderland Card

Tables in Wonderland (TIW) is a card that is only offered to Florida residents, Disney Vacation Club Members, and Annual Passholders! It is currently $150 for the year. It does not operate on a calendar year, but rather when you purchase it. So if you buy it in March 2018 it would be good until the end of March 2019. TIW tends to offer a larger discount at restaurants, is accepted at more places, and includes alcohol. So if you are wondering why you would purchase this when you can get discounts for free, that’s why. If you eat at the parks a lot or regularly order alcohol with your meal, this is something to look into. All Ears has a PDF that you can compare all of the discounts offered so you can see if it something that makes sense for you. Similarly to any AP discount, be sure to ask every place you go if they accept TIW. Just because they are not listed doesn’t mean they don’t take it. Disney is constantly updating things so you never know!

Free parking at the parks

If you are driving or renting a car, having an Annual Pass will save you your parking fee at the Disney theme parks. That is $22 a day! Unfortunately, at the moment, this doesn’t apply to the resorts.

Sports, recreation, & spa discounts

Thinking of relaxing at the spa for the day? Always wanted to try out Disney’s mini golf courses? Want to rent a boat or take a horse-drawn carriage ride? Annual Passholders get discounts to all of those things! Disney has so much to do outside the theme parks to explore. It is nice to have a discount for a family that wants to truly try everything Disney has to offer.

Extra magic discounts

Tours, water parks, dinner shows, and more! Disney has extra magic entertainment everywhere you turn. If you are thinking of taking a Keys to the Kingdom tour you will save 15% on your tickets! I recently got $30 per ticket for Disney After Hours. Depending on your vacation plans, the discounts for the extra magic activities can really add up. Occasionally they will offer discounts to the different dessert parties, although these can vary over time. If you are ever not sure if you get a discount, just ask!

Discounted party tickets

If you are attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you can get discounted tickets for you any up to 3 guests. Discount amounts vary and are only available on certain nights, so be sure to double check when you are planning!

Discounted tickets at Disney Springs’ AMC theater

This one may seem like a throwaway to those who are not Disney locals, but you get discounts on movie tickets at the AMC in Disney Springs. If your vacation happens to fall when a blockbuster movie comes out, you might find yourself making time in your schedule to see it. I’m looking at you Avengers 4.

Park Hopper

I can’t imagine not having the ability to park hop throughout my day. If you are like me and always pay for park hopper, be sure to factor that in if you are deciding whether an annual pass is a good purchase. All of the options except Epcot After 4 (which is only available to FL residents and only gets you into Epcot) include park hopping.

MagicBand included

Every time you stay at a Disney Resort you get a MagicBand with your stay, but did you know you also get a complimentary one when you purchase an Annual Pass? They are linked to your My Disney Experience and not one specific stay. This means you can continue to reuse other MagicBands from past stays. I personally want to get one in each color. Got to have options right?! MagicBands make your park visit a lot smoother and much more convenient.

Special admissions line

Most theme parks have a special entrance for their Annual Passholders and Disney is no different. Each park has a special admissions line for APs. One thing that is important to note though is that it is not always quicker. I have noticed they don’t always double check if you are an AP when going through the line so sometimes other guests go through as well. Also sometimes the line is longer than regular admission. It is a nice extra perk but by no means a selling point in my opinion.

AP only events and gifts

When you visit Disney so much you constantly are looking for new ways to experience the magic. During special events like Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival Disney gave out magnets and cutting boards to APs. They also offer special nights for VIPassholder events. Events can vary from free to discounted. They typically always have a capacity limit though. When you get the email you will need to make a decision quickly if you want to take advantage of the offer. APs got early access to Toy Story Land before the general public too! This isn’t a guarantee but a nice gesture by Disney to thank passholders for their Disney loyalty.

Early runDisney registration access

If you plan to participate in any runDisney event or have in the past, you know how quickly they fill up. Disney APs get early registration to the races so you greatly improve your odds of registering for the race you want.

Different options and payment plans

Unless you are a DVC member or a Florida resident there are only two options available for Annual Passes. You can either select the Platinum Pass or the Platinum Plus Pass. The difference is the Platinum Plus allows access to the two water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports, and Oak’s Trail Golf Course. If you are unsure if you will be visiting any of these attractions enough to justify the upgrade, go with the Platinum Pass. You can upgrade to the Platinum Plus Pass at any time if your plans have changed. Since you get discounts to the water parks, unless you are planning on going more than once in a year, you are better off paying out of pocket. If you are going more than once to a water park, even with the discount, it makes more sense to upgrade your pass.

DVC members and Florida residents have a few other options to pick from. The Platinum Pass and Platinum Plus Pass are also offered at a discounted cost. If you decide to go with a lower cost pass be sure to read the fine print on limits. Some of them have certain times of day you cannot go. Most of the lower tier passes have blackout dates as well. Florida residents also have the option to select a monthly payment plan. You don’t have to pay for the entire cost up front.