I’m delighted to welcome you to planDisney, Susan!
Thanks for stopping by with your question for us.
How exciting that you’re thinking about joining the Annual Passholder family! I still remember the first time my family decided to purchase annual passes several years ago; it felt incredible to be able to return to the magic all year.
Susan, I'm happy to tell you that
Annual Passes are activated at first use, not at the time of purchase. This means the first time you use your Annual Pass to enter a theme park, it is activated, and the clock starts ticking; you have 365 days before it expires from the activation date.
Since
new Annual Pass sales begin April 20th, you could purchase the Pass then, as they are subject to availability, and come later to activate your Pass. Please do be sure to
activate your Annual Pass within one year from the date of purchase, as it will expire after that and cannot be activated at that point.
You’ll also be able to view your pass's expiration date on your
My Disney Experience Mobile App after it’s activated by opening the app, tapping on the three horizontal lines in the bottom right, and selecting
Tickets and Passes. There, your Annual Pass will display its expiration date.
Once you’ve purchased your Annual Pass and are visiting Walt Disney World Resort to activate it, you can head to any of the
Guest Relations located outside of the theme parks, ticket booth windows, or the
Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs to pick it up.
Wishing you many enchanting trips, Susan!
Aena