An annual pass to Walt Disney World gives you access to your chosen Disney theme park for one year from the date that the pass is activated. If you buy it in person from a theme park then it is considered 'live' from that date and the clock starts ticking. However, if you purchased your annual pass online then your year doesn't begin until you use the pass to enter a park. The good thing is that you have unlimited time to activate the pass because they do not have a use by date. As there is often a price increase each year on the ticket price to enter a Disney theme park, it maybe worthwhile purchasing your pass in advance if you know that you are likely to use it repeatedly over a year long period sometime in the future.
You can get an annual pass for Walt Disney World in Florida or one for Disneyland in California. There are basically two types of Disneyland tickets: deluxe annual and premium annual. If your annual pass turned out to be well worth the investment then you can renew for next year at a slight discount.
What are you entitled to with a Disney annual pass?
. the key feature is that you can park for free and enter your selected theme park as many times as you want in a one year period. The two different parks have different attractions so in Florida this means entry to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, the Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park while in California you get access to Disneyland and the California Adventure park too.
. food is available to pass holders at a 10% discount from eating places at the park and at hotels as long as you spend at least $10 in one bill.
. if you stay at a Disney hotel then you can also save on your costs there too so long as you remember to state the number of your annual pass when you make your booking.
. you are not limited to one theme park per day as you can freely move between the different centers during your Disney day out.
. each Disney park as a few transport options to get you moving - monorails, ferries and buses - are freely available to passholders
. 10% saving on Disney products.
. However, any special performances or entertainment that is priced separately are not included in the pass access.
The main difference between the annual and premium passport, apart from the price, is that the extra you pay gets you a higher discount on food and accommodation and you get unlimited admission to more places. So you get the same access as the annual plus Pleasure Island; Disney's water parks: Blizzard Beach, and Typhoon Lagoon; DisneyQuest, plus Disney's Wide World of SportsT complex.
If you are a Florida or Southern California resident then Disney has special annual passes for you. However, while these passes are significantly cheaper than the standard deluxe or premium passports, you are restricted to the number of days you can use them to those days specifically selected by Disney and parking is not included in the fee. They are trying to ensure that their resorts are full all year round and so those days not available are usually Saturdays and holiday periods, in other words the busiest times of the year. It doesn't mean you can't go on these days but if you do you will have to pay extra but still less than the price of a day pass.
Is a Disney Annual Pass right for you?
A Disneyland annual pass really only makes sense if you know that you will be repeatedly visiting a Disney theme park over a year long period. However, if you think you might use it enough to justify the cause but aren't sure then you'll probably find that if you have it you will make use of it. Not having to pay an entry fee each time you want to visit means that you are more likely to go and may find that you spontaneously stop by whenever it suits if you live close enough to do so. You won't have to plan long days at the park just to get your money's worth from your day ticket. Instead you can stop by for a couple of hours and see what is happening and then work out another time to visit if there is something specific that you want to see.
If you're planning a Disney holiday then you'll be sure to want to find out the insider information that the official sites tend to gloss over. For articles, up-to-date news and resources on Disney holidays go to Walt Disney World Resorts
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