6 Times When a Disney World Annual Pass Is Worth It

The Disney World Annual Pass program has gone through quite a few changes since it first began — but one question has always remained.

Is it worth it? Disney World Annual Passes recently went on sale once again, and that means you might be considering whether or not buying one is the right choice for you. Luckily, we’ve figured out when it makes sense to buy a Disney World Annual Pass so you don’t have to!

Trying to decide whether or not a Disney World Annual Pass is right for you? There are plenty of factors to consider — but if you ask us, these are the times an Annual Pass is worth it.

If you plan to visit Disney World multiple times per year

Let’s get real for a second — Annual Passes are expensive, and purchasing them can be a huge decision. How you visit Disney World could help you decide whether a pass is right for you. Do you prefer visiting the parks one time per year for a longer stay, or do you enjoy shorter stays multiple times per year?

If you’re the latter, an Annual Pass might make sense. Disney World ticket prices actually decrease for longer visits, meaning if you like to stay for 10+ days at Disney World but only go once per year, the Annual Pass might not be worth it. Here’s a look at the pricing for the different pass tiers:

Incredi-Pass: $1,399
Sorcerer Pass: $969
Pirate Pass: $749
Pixie Dust Pass: $399

Standard, one park tickets generally begin at $109 depending on the day, and the price decreases by $20 per ticket with 3-day or longer tickets purchased. If you prefer to stay for LONG periods of time at Disney World, it might be cheaper to buy the tickets.

If you like eating all the Disney foods

Remember those perks we talked about? One of the top reasons many folks choose to become passholders is the discounts on food! Yep — you read that right. Annual Passholders receive discounts at select restaurants throughout the parks and hotels.

Most of the time you’ll get 10% off your entire purchase (except on alcohol), and there are a few exceptions to the rule. Third-party operated restaurants like La Creperie de Paris in EPCOT don’t currently offer passholder discounts, but that could change.

You can also get deals at various Disney Springs restaurants and snack spots, plus 20% off at Joffrey’s locations throughout Disney World as well.

If you can’t wait to shop for souvenirs

What’s that? You thought the discounts would stop at food? Think again! Passholders can save big on shopping throughout Disney World. From ride gift shops to hotel stores and even fashionable stops in Disney Springs, you’ll find plenty of savings.

100th Anniversary display at Disney Springs

At most Disney World-operated stores, passholders can get a whopping 20% off their entire purchase. And over in Disney Springs (which is a must-stop for any shopaholics out there!), you can get 10% off at some top-name stores like Columbia Sportswear, L’Occitane en Provence, Pandora Jewelry, and more.

If you want to stay at a Disney World hotel

Staying at a Disney World hotel can seriously enhance your entire vacation — but it comes at quite a cost. Even the cheapest Disney hotels ain’t cheap, and you might be looking for ways to soften the blow to your wallet. Luckily, Disney often releases hotel discounts exclusively for passholders that can save you a ton on your stay.

Depending on when you’re visiting and which hotel you’re staying at, the discounts will vary, but oftentimes you can find savings of up to 35% or more. While shelling out the extra dough can be a big part of your budget, there’s nothing like waking up in a Disney World hotel and grabbing some Mickey waffles before starting your day.

Of course, there are other hotel discounts offered that you might be able to take advantage of even if you aren’t a passholder, but we often see more exclusive discounts pop up. This perk is a bonus, but to us, it makes an Annual Pass worth it.

If you want to ride new attractions first

Disney World is constantly changing, and more updates are on the way! Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened in 2022, and TRON Lightcycle / Run is officially open too. More new attractions are on the way, too, like Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

What does this have to do with being a passholder? Well, in the past, Disney has offered ride previews for select groups — including Annual Passholders. This means that before the rides are officially open to the public, you might get the chance to experience them first!

Keep in mind that not all passholders get the opportunity as in most cases space is limited for the ride previews, but there’s still a chance you can hop on to the latest attraction before most people get to!

If you don’t like paying for parking

Say whaaaaat? Something FREE at Disney World?! Indeed — free parking at all the theme parks! This can come in handy if you’re a local and you drive to the parks, or if you just prefer to have a car on your trip.

Parking at the theme parks can be pretty pricy, and it’s no secret that costs can add up quickly:

Standard Parking: $25 per day
Preferred Parking: $45 to $50 per day
Oversized Vehicle Parking: $30

But, Annual Passholders don’t have to worry about that! Standard parking is included with your pass, and if you want to upgrade to Preferred Parking you can do so by just paying the difference. It may not seem like much, but when you’re spending thousands of dollars on a vacation, every little bit helps!

At the end of the day, only you can really decide whether becoming Disney World Annual Passholders is right for you and your family. We won’t sugarcoat it — the passes are expensive, but if you compare the cost with regular park tickets and consider all the benefits, it might be worth it!

We’ll continue to bring you the best Disney World planning tips and news you can use, so stay tuned to AllEars for more.