Hiya Tom!
Welcome to planDisney, and thank you so much for stopping by and sending us your question! I want to start by saying a big congratulations to your grandson for getting into the University of Central Florida. There is truly no better gift than Walt Disney World theme park tickets, in my opinion, and Annual Passes make experiencing the magic that much more convenient. I hope you are ready to receive your Best Grandpa Award!
Now, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that
you can purchase an Annual Pass as a gift. All you have to do is go on the Walt Disney World website and
select the Annual Pass you would like to buy for your grandson. The new Disney Annual Pass program has different tiers, so you can truly
pick the best option to fit your grandson's needs. Then, proceed to checkout and click on the "This order will be a gift" checkbox. This option will allow you to enter your grandson's information so that he can pick up the Annual Pass himself on his next visit to the theme parks. All he will need is a photo ID with his address, which will need to match the address you will provide upon checkout and the confirmation number. However, if you need any help with these steps, you can also
call a Disney Cast Member or purchase the Annual Pass in person at the main entrance of any of the four parks or the Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs!
Sadly, the bad news is that the sale of Disney Annual Passes is currently paused. Since your grandson will be a Florida resident, you could purchase the Disney Pixie Dust Pass for him. However, this Annual Pass is subject to blockout dates, so I suggest comparing the different options and seeing which ones best fit his needs. Now, don't you worry, Tom! If there is one thing I have learned from visiting the theme parks over the years, it is that the parks are constantly changing. For that reason, I would suggest checking back on the Walt Disney World website every once in a while, as the sale of Annual Passes indeed could resume at any time. When they go back on sale, make sure to do as the UCF Knights and charge on! These passes have sold out quickly in the past, so it is better to be quick just in case.
I hope this was helpful, Tom, and that you and your grandson will be able to visit the theme parks together very soon. If you have any other questions in the time leading up to your next visit or on how to continue being the best grandpa ever, please don't hesitate to reach out. You're as welcome as can be!
Have a magical day,
Ariane