Hi Justin,
Welcome to planDisney!
I am always delighted to greet another soon to be member of the
Annual Passholder family! You could purchase a theme park ticket and then call to speak with a cast member to request that the ticket price be applied to the cost of your annual pass. The tricky part would be that if you purchase an annual pass for Florida Residents, New Year's Eve would be a
blockout date. Take a few minutes to review the
guidance for upgrading a ticket to an annual pass. In particular, this is the language that concerns me about the date of your visit,
Any Annual Pass upgrade is subject to your prior ticket usage. A ticket used on a blockout date for an Annual Pass type cannot be upgraded into that Annual Pass type.Of course, if you plan to purchase the Disney Incredi-Pass, that annual pass has no blockout dates. So, keep thinking. You may just have to purchase the ticket for New Year's Eve separately. I do suggest that you
call to speak with a cast member. They may be able to help you think through additional options. I will say that although we are Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members and I had a Sorcerer's Pass, this year, I upgraded to the Disney Incredi-Pass because my family's favorite time of year to visit occurs during the blockout dates of that Sorcerer's Pass. If you are in close proximity to the parks, you may be able to visit enough times to get the most value out of a
Disney Incredi-Pass.
Justin, I understand the dilemma. My family is also budget-conscious. With the annual pass, we also get discounts on select merchandise, dining, and experiences, so I factored that into my decision to become an Annual Passholder. It sounds like you are doing some careful planning. I am sending a little extra pixie dust trusting that you make the decision that works best for your party!
Magic and memories,
Donyell