No doubt that all have been waiting eagerly to secure new Disney annual passes since they went on sale back in September. Since then, much has changed.
Recently, Walt Disney World modified their pass program, offering four distinct passes with various pricing structures, block out dates and Park Pass reservations.
Incredi-Pass
Disney recently unveiled an incredible version of annual passes called Incredi-Pass that allows guests to visit its four theme parks without incurring blackout dates or restrictions on when they can visit.
The pass offers extra benefits as well, such as bonus park reservations. Beyond the number of park passes you are entitled to use each day, additional reservations can be made on select days for every park!
These extra reservations can be found on your passholder calendar within My Disney Experience and provide an easy way to ensure you don’t miss any attractions during your time at the resort!
Add-ons for your Incredi-Pass can include water park access, sports complex access and Disney PhotoPass access – there is a wide range of choices that work seamlessly with all passes sold by Disney!
If you need help selecting an annual pass that best meets your needs, here is our handy guide that will assist. It also features information on when and how you should purchase one so you’re prepared for adventure!
Keep an eye out for annual pass holder-specific merchandise; maybe you can even get an anniversary-themed magnet!
Reminiscing over your marvelous vacation at the resort and having something tangible as a reminder are surefire ways to bring back great memories! Not to mention you’ll also have an awesome souvenir from your trip home!
Another advantage of this pass is that it can store up to five Park Pass reservations simultaneously, unlike its predecessor which could only hold three! This represents an enormous improvement over previous tiers which could only hold three reservations simultaneously!
There are also several new features of Incredi-Pass to make it more convenient to plan trips, including making more park reservations than before and an integrated calendar for planning purposes, along with many other exciting perks.
If you are planning a visit to Walt Disney World, the Incredi-Pass should be your top choice. Although more expensive, if you can spend some extra cash for extra perks then this pass might just be worth your while!
Sorcerer Pass
At Disney World’s Annual Passholder relaunch in 2021, they introduced the Sorcerer Pass as an optional tier and pricing plan for Disney Vacation Club Members. While it includes blackout dates around Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, this pass can still provide great savings when visiting during high-crowd periods like these.
The Sorcerer Pass can be purchased for $899 plus tax (or renewed for $764), and allows Florida Residents to visit parks anytime throughout the year through October 2022 – though certain holidays will prevent access.
This year, for instance, the Sorcerer Pass has 18 dates blocked out for holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving that you cannot reserve without another non-blackout pass – though you still may get a Park Hopper Pass to cover you throughout the rest of the year.
Be mindful that many Annual Passes come with blackout dates throughout the year – such as during peak and holiday seasons – making it essential to regularly review your pass’s lockout dates on a calendar if visiting during these periods.
Visit Disney Park Calendar to check for blackout dates in effect for your pass type, and look at yellow stars to determine whether there are bonus reservation opportunities on those dates.
Looking at the date calendar can also help determine whether any special treats exist for that date, such as character experiences, free dining offers or PhotoPass opportunities.
As you check the calendar, keep an eye out for your tier’s blackout dates as these could change from year to year. Furthermore, consult with a Disney representative for further insight into these perks and how they apply to your pass type.
Unfortunately, sales of new Disney annual passes were suspended in November 2021, but we expect they’ll resume soon – possibly as early as 2023! Although no exact date is set as yet.
Magic Your Way Pass
Disney announced in January that they would discontinue their annual pass program after parks reopened after COVID-19 shutdowns, and several months later announced the introduction of their Magic Key program as an alternative four-tier pass system.
The Magic Your Way Pass offers many advantages to Disney fans. These include access to an improved reservation-based system and calendar that makes booking multiple people on one day easier.
Your Disneyland and California Adventure passes can also be used at both parks, making park hopping possible and offering free parking and discounts on dining, merchandise and transportation throughout both parks.
Purchase of passes can be done either through the Disneyland website or app, or on a monthly payment plan available only to residents in California zip codes.
If you have an annual pass which is unactivated, and has yet to be activated on September 7th, it can still be kept and activated then as part of the new Magic Your Way Pass system.
Your current benefits such as PhotoPass and Waterparks & Sports option will remain on your pass if you upgrade, while if you purchase a lower-level pass it will still have the same expiration date as your original pass.
This new system is a welcome change from the former pass program, which was widely criticized for its limited flexibility. This new approach aims to reduce crowding and smooth demand throughout the year while offering Genie service so you can book tickets based on your interests.
My Disney Experience also allows you to purchase BONUS Park Passes that don’t count against your total number of Park Pass reservations; these BONUS Passes can only be purchased before visiting and will appear with an “*” on My Disney Experience Calendar.
Park Hopper Pass
Park Hopper tickets provide guests with access to multiple parks on one day by making a Disney Park Pass reservation for each park they plan on visiting and entering before visiting another one; this requirement may change over time, however.
This option is ideal for short trips as it saves time by not having to arrange their second park themselves, however it should not be considered by long-term travelers or families with young children.
Furthermore, finding an efficient method of traveling from park to park when travelling in large groups is often challenging. Coordinating and transporting everyone can be time consuming if parking in two different lots.
If your Disney World vacation will span five or more days, investing in the Park Hopper Pass might be worth your while; by having more time in each park to experience rides and attractions will save time and energy!
As well as considering the cost, you must also determine how many parks your family would like to visit on any given day. If your family is small or your children are older, it may be more practical and cost effective for everyone involved to limit themselves to visiting just one park per day.
However, if traveling with a large group or taking advantage of special offers like free dining plans from Disney World, purchasing the park hopper pass may be wiser. As long as your travel schedule allows for such additional work to be accomplished smoothly and comfortably, then investing in this pass could prove worth its money.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the United States in July, park hopper has been put on hold since then. But soon it will return with some changes made to Disney system which should make it simpler and less time consuming for guests as well as changes made regarding how dates can cross over.
