Hey there, Riley! Thank you so much for visiting planDisney with your question. I'm excited to hear that you're considering joining the
Walt Disney World Resort Annual Passholder Program!
There are so many wonderful
benefits of becoming a Passholder, from reservation-based admission to the theme parks, discounts on dining and merchandise,
Passholder-exclusive offerings, and more! According to the
terms and conditions of the program, an annual pass is valid for one year from the date of its first use for entry to a Walt Disney World Resort theme park (or another applicable entry privilege such as a water park or sports option). If the pass has not yet been activated within one year of the purchase date, it will indeed expire and no longer be able to be activated. Annual passes are also non-refundable and I would hate to see anyone in the position of not being able to use their pass! So, my strongest recommendation is to make sure that you are able to make a trip to Walt Disney World Resort to activate your annual pass within that first year. It sounds like this is already in your plans, so you should be good to go!
Riley, when my family was considering whether becoming a Walt Disney World Resort Passholder was the right move for us, we loved learning about
Passholder Stories for a little inspiration. Of course, it didn't take much more convincing for me, but it helped us dream about all the possibilities of magical memories ahead. It also helped us plan our visits to view the
Annual Passholder Admissions Calendar since the current policy is that Annual Passholders must have both valid admission and a park reservation for the same park on the same date they plan to visit. After 2:00 PM, however, Annual Passholders can enter the theme parks without a park reservation, except on Saturdays or Sundays at Magic Kingdom Park. You can also visit on good-to-go days, which do not require a park reservation.
Whew! I know that's a lot of information, Riley, but it will all be worth it! Once you're ready to proceed with your purchase, you can visit the
Pass purchase page and follow the prompts to secure your Annual Pass! I am wishing you many happy memories at 'The Most Magical Place on Earth' with your new Walt Disney World Resort Annual Pass over the next year. If we can help with any other information in the meantime, please come back and see us again soon, here at
planDisney!
Magically yours,
Tishra