Hi Susan!
Thanks for coming back to visit us at planDisney! How exciting that you’re thinking about becoming an
Annual Passholder!
Theme park reservations and your admission ticket will be two separate things. Your Annual Pass will be your admission ticket. But it’s good to note that some Annual Passes have blockout dates, so make sure your pass will work on the dates you plan to visit the parks.
In addition to your Annual Pass being your admission ticket, you will also have to make a theme park reservation for whichever park you plan to start your day at. Once you scan into your first park of the day, you’ll be able to hop to any other park (pending capacity) if you’d like. There are a couple of caveats when it comes to park reservations, though, so let’s chat about them!
First up, you’ll notice that some dates are circled on the
park reservation availability calendar. The circle means that it’s a
“good-to-go day,” and you will not need a park reservation for any park on that day.
Next, if you plan to start your park day after 2 PM, you will not need a park reservation if you’re visiting Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom. Currently, you can also visit Magic Kingdom on the weekdays after 2 PM without a park reservation, as well. But that will no longer be the case once the
Disney Starlight parade debuts.
Beginning on July 20, 2025, you will either need a park reservation for Magic Kingdom to be able to enter the park, or you will need to scan into the park you made your reservation for, then hop over to Magic Kingdom (pending capacity).
I hope that all made sense! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. We’re always happy to help!
Jenn J.