Late last month Walt Disney World announced it would be moving to a date-based ticket pricing system effective October 16, 2018.

Like you, we have had lots of questions about this new system, and have been working hard to understand the changes and how they will affect you.

In researching these changes, we have found a way for you to save some money on your Disney tickets for the rest of this year and throughout 2019.

Are Discounted Tickets Still Available?

In a word, yes. We have learned that between now and October 15, 2018, Maple Leaf Tickets, an Authorized Walt Disney World Ticket Seller, will be able to sell discounted Disney World tickets under the current Disney model. These tickets will be valid through December 31, 2019.

When you purchase these tickets you can choose when you will start to use them. The tickets expire 14 days after the first day of use — the first day you go in the park. The first use must occur on or before December 31, 2019.

Under the date-based model that goes into effect on October 16, tickets will not have the same flexibility. You will be buying tickets that start on a specific date that you must select in advance, with an expiration date tied to the start date. (You will have the option to have a flexible start-date, but that will also cost extra.)

Having that start-date flexibility is important for a number of reasons, including the unpredictability of life. For example, we know that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World is opening in late fall 2019, but we don’t know exactly when. If going to this new land is on your to-do list, it will be to your advantage to have tickets in hand that can be used whenever that opening date actually occurs.

Why Buy My Tickets Now?

Buying tickets now not only gives you the flexibility to choose when you start to use your tickets, but will probably save you money. Even though we don’t yet have information on new pricing, it is likely ticket prices will increase with the new model, and for 2019.

If you know you are going to Disney sometime in 2019 and have not booked your trip yet, this is a great opportunity to save money with a discounted ticket from Maple Leaf Tickets. In addition to saving, buying now protects you against any price increases that may occur between now and when you actually schedule your trip.

We’ll have more on the new date-based ticket pricing as the information becomes available. In the meantime, consider signing up for the AllEars® newsletter to get the latest on what’s happening around the World.