Hiya Erin,
Welcome to planDisney! Nothing makes me happier than visiting my favorite place on Earth as often as possible, so I love having an Annual Pass. We are about to enter our renewal window, and I was actually eyeing changing my pass type as well!
I went ahead and spoke to a Cast Member in the
V.I. Passholder line and confirmed that yes, your son must be present to activate his Annual Pass. Since the Pirate Pass is reserved exclusively for Guests who reside in Florida, both of you must be there in person for activation. If your son is over 18, he must provide valid proof of Florida residency to activate and use the Annual Pass. If your son is under 18, he is not required to provide
proof of residency, but you must acknowledge and confirm that he lives in Florida to activate his pass.
I hope this was helpful, Erin. If you aren’t already planning to visit a theme park, I suggest you consider Disney Springs. I’ve always loved activating my Annual Passes there. You can turn it into a Mother-Son outing, complete with lunch (or a treat) and a stroll along the
Christmas Tree Stroll. Please come back and see us if you need anything else.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.