Welcome to planDisney, Eric, and thanks so much for sending us your question!
Walt Disney World Annual Passholder here, so I
definitely understand the appeal of joining the Annual Passholder family. :-)
As
Walt Disney World continues its phased reopening, various offerings are changing. At the present time, the sale of
new Annual Passes is temporarily paused. Current Annual Passholders are still able to renew their passes, though, so you might want to check on the latest ticket updates by keeping an eye on the very helpful page
Parks and Tickets: Know Before You Go. You'll also be able to find helpful news at
Disney Parks Blog.
I agree with you that making several trips to The Most Magical Place on Earth is far easier once you have that valid Annual Pass. For my family, we purchase Annual Passes when we know we'll be visiting more than one time in a year; as our kids got older and their schedules became packed with school and activities, we found that multiple, shorter trips work far better for us than one lengthy summer visit.
To determine if it would make more sense for you to purchase an Annual Pass, then book Walt Disney World vacations as room-only or to stick with Walt Disney World vacation packages, consider comparing the cost of two almost identical visits, with the only difference being "Room Only" versus "Package". Disney makes it easy to do so; just head to
Explore Resort Hotels and do a search of room availability over particular dates. Next, select the resort, then click on the Room Rates tab. There, you'll have the option to click on "Room" or "Package"--the latter includes theme park tickets. Add up the cost of each to see how much money you would save on subsequent trips if you no longer need to add tickets to the price of your vacation.
Annual Passes: Know Before You Go is another great source of information as you consider your options, including information on making theme park reservations for the length of your stay, a link to pass blockout dates (depending on which type of pass you plan to purchase), and even a link to park reservation availability. Be sure to look at those pass blockout dates when selecting which Annual Pass may be right for you.
Keep in mind that there are also specials created just for Passholders, such as the current one:
Passholders: Enjoy Great Rates on Rooms at Select Disney Resort Hotels - With Savings of Up to 40% in September. Add that to the list of
Walt Disney World Passholder perks such as savings on dining, parking, and even discounts on merchandise, and you may find that joining the Annual Passholder family is your way to maximize the magic more often!
As you plan the details of your Walt Disney World vacation(s), be sure to send additional questions our way, Eric. We love to help!
Andrea