Hi Jordin,
Welcome to planDisney and to the Walt Disney World annual passholder family! We're so glad you're here.
I've been an annual passholder for almost 30 years, and I would say the chief benefit for my family is the flexibility. I often tell the story of the time my young daughter, just as we entered Magic Kingdom, looked up and said, "Is it okay if I'm really in an Epcot mood today?" Of course!
As passholders, we have parkhopper benefits, so we U-turned and off we went to Epcot. (Note that passholders may need a
theme park reservation to enter their first theme park of the day.)
And as locals who always drive to Walt Disney World, the free standard parking benefit is near the top of our list of favorite perks.
I love the year-round
discounts on dining, merchandise and resorts. Make sure you ask about a passholder discount on every purchase, even if you are just grabbing bottled sodas in a resort gift shop. It never hurts to ask, and every little bit adds up.
And it's always great when Walt Disney World throws in some surprise bonuses for passholders. Sometimes it's a pop-up lounge, special merchandise offering, an added discount or an exclusive photo op.
The
V.I.Passholder Summer Days celebration is especially exciting this year. It begins May 1, just in time for your first visit as a passholder. I can't wait to add the Buzz and Woody magnet to my car and the new passholder popcorn bucket to my collection. We are planning several meals this summer to take advantage of the 40 percent discount at select restaurants Mondays through Thursdays. What a deal!
My
fellow panelist David Q and I recently shared our
passholder stories on the Disney Parks Blog. As I said there, the value and flexibility prompted us to buy our first annual passes in 1997. The Disney magic has kept us coming back year after year, and we're always discovering new ways to take advantage of our passholder benefits.
Wishing you an amazing inaugural year as a passholder, Jordin. Please let us know any time if we can answer questions or make recommendations that will help you maximize the magic.
Enjoy,
Wilma