Pros and Cons of a Disney Annual Pass

**Midnightmoon** · 10-20-2018, 07:55 PM

We are in the process of planning our Disney World vacation for next summer. Last year we did 11 days in Ft. Wilderness and a 10 day Hopper Plus Package. This year we were thinking of possibly 12 days or 2 full weeks at Disney.

It appears that Disney will not allow me to buy anything longer than a 10 day ticket package. From at least what I have been able to find out, they will not discount any additional days added on to that 10 day package. I will have to buy additional days at their list price. And in true Disney fashion, they have the price structure set that the 10 day Hopper package + the cost of 2 additional days equals the cost of the Annual Pass.

Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to buying the Annual Pass instead of the standard ticket packages? Some of the Annual Passes do have blackout dates, but it appears that our travel times wouldn't be effected by those.

Thanks in advance for any information you may be able to offer.

Grumpy · 10-20-2018, 08:28 PM

How would buying 2 6 day tickets compare?

**Midnightmoon** · 10-20-2018, 08:37 PM

I've been quoted

10 day + 2 day pack $791.99/person

Annual pass $808.34/person (+some first time annual pass buyers fee that the rep told me they would possibly wave since we have been such loyal Disney customers over the years....lol)

I didn't specifically ask about 2 6 days, but from the chart I found online it would be $989.18 including tax.

The rep also told me that the ticket prices and annual pass prices are going up again and the #'s I quoted may or may not be applicable when I do purchase, but it should be within a few percent either way.

oldmanAZ · 10-20-2018, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Snip...
Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to buying the Annual Pass instead of the standard ticket packages? Some of the Annual Passes do have blackout dates, but it appears that our travel times wouldn't be effected by those.

Thanks in advance for any information you may be able to offer.

We bought Annual Passes starting in January 2018 and this is what we recall was included: Free Parking for the parks if you decide to drive, a 'PhotoPass' (not sure if that is the correct name) for free photos they take on the attractions and free photos by Disney photographers, frequently there were Annual Pass Holders Only entrance gates at the Parks (lines USUALLY shorter), and we got large refrigerator magnets because we were there during one of the Festivals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

I've been quoted

10 day + 2 day pack $791.99/person

Annual pass $808.34/person (+some first time annual pass buyers fee that the rep told me they would possibly wave since we have been such loyal Disney customers over the years....lol)

I didn't specifically ask about 2 6 days, but from the chart I found online it would be $989.18 including tax.

The rep also told me that the ticket prices and annual pass prices are going up again and the #'s I quoted may or may not be applicable when I do purchase, but it should be within a few percent either way.

I believe ticket prices went up this week (16th?).

Our only 'downside' of having Annual Passes is that now we are paying off the trip we took earlier this year and trying to stretch the budget to go again before our Annual Passes expire.

Hope that is of some help.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 05:18 AM

Thanks, that is good info. I need to check, but if the photo pass downloads included work like the Memory Maker, then it is definitely worth it. That costs us $200 on its own every year and we do use it.

It looks for sure that dollar wise, 12 days is the tipping point and anything longer than that makes the Annual Pass a better "value" (if there is such a thing in Disney language).

spoon059 · 10-21-2018, 07:27 AM

Is this an annual trip? If so, consider delaying this trip 1 week this year, and consider moving next year's trip up 1 week. That would allow you to take 2 two week trips in the 52 week year. A little more up front, but a "free" Disney vacation at the end of the year.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spoon059

Is this an annual trip? If so, consider delaying this trip 1 week this year, and consider moving next year's trip up 1 week. That would allow you to take 2 two week trips in the 52 week year. A little more up front, but a "free" Disney vacation at the end of the year.

It is an annual trip. 1st week of August for many years.

But, you have a really good idea. One of my daughters will be doing marching band at her high school starting probably the year after next. If we did August of 2019 and then July of 2020, that work perfectly. Can you choose the Annual Pass start date, or do they all run Jan through Dec? If you can choose the start date it would work.

Sundancer330 · 10-21-2018, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

If you can choose the start date it would work.

The pass activates the first day you enter a park and is good for the next year.

triplebvalp · 10-21-2018, 09:31 AM

[QUOTE=Midnightmoon;

Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to buying the Annual Pass instead of the standard ticket packages?[/QUOTE]

AP holders get discounts on merchandise and food including places at Disney Springs.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundancer330

The pass activates the first day you enter a park and is good for the next year.

Excellent information. Thanks

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triplebvalp

AP holders get discounts on merchandise and food including places at Disney Springs.

Excellent. Thanks

oldmanAZ · 10-21-2018, 11:03 AM

You mentioned your daughter in another post. Of course, she'd need her own Annual Pass or admissions ticket if she goes in with you.

Also, ask Disney about special deals. We bought our Annual Passes last year on a special deal and are actually good for 13months.

That was a special offer for the 45th Anniversary of the Magic Kingdom, but you never know what deals might be out there and it doesn't hurt to ask.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 12:27 PM

Yea, multiply everything by 4 for our family.

I have no problem asking for special deals. Every year I can usually score a discount code of some type.

kndspd · 10-21-2018, 01:42 PM

One other thing to consider if you don’t go with the Annual Passes. The 10 day park hopper+ gets you 10 days in the park + 10 visits to the water parks. When we do water parks, it is usually the full day so you can easily make the 10-day pass work for 2 weeks. Other thing is that our kids LOVE Harry Potter areas at Universal Florida. We did 2 weeks this August at FW with a 10-day park hopper+ and 2 days at Universal Florida. But...the 2 days at UF cost as much as our 10 days at DW!!!

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kndspd

One other thing to consider if you don’t go with the Annual Passes. The 10 day park hopper+ gets you 10 days in the park + 10 visits to the water parks. When we do water parks, it is usually the full day so you can easily make the 10-day pass work for 2 weeks. Other thing is that our kids LOVE Harry Potter areas at Universal Florida. We did 2 weeks this August at FW with a 10-day park hopper+ and 2 days at Universal Florida. But...the 2 days at UF cost as much as our 10 days at DW!!!

We have never visited Universal Orlando. We've thought about it but simply just run out of time when we are there.

We skipped Blizzard Beach this August when we were there and I really regret it. It was kind of an iffy day weather wise and decided against going. I wish we would have. The kids really missed it and honestly, I did also.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 02:26 PM

So I just got off of the phone with Disney. They confirmed many of the questions that I had and it looks like that may be the direction we go if we indeed schedule an extended visit for next summer.

They did raise their prices this last week. The full blown unlimited annual pass including the water parks is now $993. It brings that break even day to more like 13 instead of the 12 that I had originally factored, but not at all out of the question, especially if you plan on more than one trip an a calendar year.

Seann45 · 10-21-2018, 05:01 PM

Did you check Costco prices for the passes? I think I saw Disney listed ...

**Midnightmoon** · 10-21-2018, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seann45

Did you check Costco prices for the passes? I think I saw Disney listed ...

I'm not a Costco member, but I'll check in to it.

3'senough · 10-24-2018, 09:19 AM

Prices have gone up (10/16) and as always the mouse wins. I have a trip planned for the summer of 2019 for 13 days there, but I am not buying into the 10 day tickets. We are however going to do the hopper + tickets which will give us water park days to use in place of the theme parks plus an extra day of validity.

Honestly I can't go in every day as we need a few to just relax at the pools and such. The other down side is the start dates of the tickets now that if you wanted to just do a few days in the parks, you can only go in sequential days depending on your start date. Say you are going 2 weeks and want to go in 3 days, if you start on your second day you could not use those tickets beyond day 5. It would require you to buy more days for the second week.

An 8 day ticket with the plus option is valid for 13 days from start date. No plus option then it's 12 days. The old magic your ways were good for 14 days from the first park entry regardless of days bought.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-24-2018, 11:28 AM

It's one change after another with Disney. It makes it very hard to keep up....

One big negative for me right now is hearing that they are dropping Illuminations at Epcot after next summer. I know that things have to change over time, but some of my best memories as a family is holding my oldest daughter on my shoulders when she was little watching that show. She literally cried when she heard it was ending.

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