Welcome to planDisney, Margaret!
Oooh, I like how you think ahead in planning your visit to
Walt Disney World. You've asked a great question!
Margaret, my husband and I just returned from our first visit to Walt Disney World using our brand-new
Annual Passes. Although our APs were purchased, but not yet activated, I was able to make park reservations as well as secure our
Lightning Lane Passes immediately--no problem at all. In fact, once purchased, you'll see those passes in your
My Disney Experience account. The system sees that you have Annual Passes, so you can access anything that requires a park ticket; you just are not able to enter a park using them until activated at
Guest Relations. Super simple!
Once you arrive at your first park on this upcoming trip, head to Guest Relations where they will get those tickets activated for you. Once that is done, you can enter the park--and all of those carefully crafted plans will be at your fingertips in the
My Disney Experience app. We arrived at EPCOT's International Gateway entrance on a Sunday morning and had no wait time at Guest Relations there. If you are entering via a more popular location, you might want to allow a little extra time for activation. However, Cast Members will have you through the process and into the parks in no time. Easy peasy process!
Margaret, don't forget that
Annual Passholders enjoy so many
Perks & Extras, too, so plan accordingly. I always add the
Disney PhotoPass Downloads Option to just my Annual Pass so that we capture the year's worth of magical moments for one really low price. There are fun Passholder Magnets, a Magic Shot opportunity, special event ticket discounts, plus
Passholder Discounts on select merchandise, dining, golf, and so much more. Even better? Standard parking at the theme parks is included with your Annual Pass. We love it!
Margaret, as you plan your Annual Pass purchase and the many visits to The Most Magical Place on Earth because of them, be sure to send additional questions our way. We love to help!
Andrea H