If you’ve been waiting to buy a Disney World Annual Pass, we’ve got some good news for you!
Disney World Annual Passholder entrance sign
Disney recently announced that Annual Passes would go on sale sometime before the 50th anniversary, and today they released a BUNCH of information about the new system! Just like the Magic Key passes at Disneyland, Disney World is getting a brand new Annual Pass system with new tiers and names. But if you are a current Annual Passholder, here are a few things you need to know!
First of all, current Annual Passholders can continue to use their current pass as usual. However, there is a slight change to the amount of Park Pass Reservations you can hold at one time!
Annual Passholder Card
Reservation Details
Starting on September 8th (when Annual Passes resume sales), guests with certain current Annual Passes will be able to hold MORE park reservations at one time! Here is the full list of how many reservations you can have depending on the type of Annual Pass starting on September 8th:
- Disney Platinum Plus: Up to 5 reservation holds at a time.
- Disney Platinum Pass: Up to 5 reservation holds at a time.
- Disney Gold Pass: Up to 5 reservation holds at a time.
- Disney Silver Pass: Up to 4 reservation holds at a time.
- Disney Theme Park Select Pass: Up to 3 reservation holds at a time.
- Disney Weekday Select Pass: Up to 3 reservation holds at a time.
- Disney EPCOT After 4 Pass: Up to 3 reservation holds at a time.
Annual Pass
Discounts & Offers
Annual Passholders will still receive a 20% discount on select dining, merchandise, and activities throughout the year. They can also receive special offers on stays from time to time. All annual passes include free theme park parking.
©Disney
Renewal Pricing and Details
When it is time to renew your Annual Pass, that is when you can renew into one of the new passes. Until then, your Annual Pass will not change.
Annual passes
If you have an Annual Pass that is not yet activated, like a certificate for an Annual Pass, you MUST visit the parks and activate your Annual Pass by September 7th in order to keep that pass. Once you activate it, you will have that pass and all of its perks for the next year.
Annual Passholder Shirt
If you do NOT activate your pass by September 7th, your pass will be converted into one of the new passes on September 8th. Disney will give you a pass that is comparable to the one you already had. This means you will NOT lose any perks like PhotoPass or the Water Parks and Sports option. Those will remain on your pass for free if they were part of your original pass.
Walt Disney World Annual Passholder
With the new Annual Pass system, there are four new pass options including the Disney Incredi-Pass, the Disney Sorcerer Pass, the Disney Pirate Pass, and the Disney Pixie Dust Pass. Now, let’s break down each pass and how much it will cost to renew into them.
Incredi-Pass Pricing
The Disney Incredi-Pass is the most expensive of the bunch. It will cost $1,104 plus tax if you renew. This pass option has NO blockout dates and you can hold up to 5 park reservations at one time.
Cinderella Castle
Sorcerer Pass Pricing
Next up is the Disney Sorcerer Pass! This one will cost you $764 plus tax when you renew. The Sorcerer Pass has limited blockout dates, can hold 5 park reservations at a time, and is ONLY available to Florida Residents or Disney Vacation Club Members.
Pirate Pass Pricing
The Disney Pirate Pass will cost you $594 plus tax when you renew. This pass is available only to Florida residents, has blockout dates around peak times and holidays, and can hold 4 park reservations at a time!
There are so many hidden details on this ride!
Pixie Dust Pass Pricing
Lastly, the Disney Pixie Dust Pass will cost $339 plus tax when you renew. Note: The pass is only available for Florida residents. Most weekdays will be available for guests with the Pixie Dust Pass, however, it has the most blockout dates. It can still hold 3 park reservations at once.
©Disney
If You’re Currently in Your Renewal Window
According to Disney, if you are within your renewal window currently, you can choose to renew into the current Annual Pass options. This will be an option through September 7, 2021. Starting September 8th, you can only renew into the new Annual Pass options.
©Disney
Additional Details
Disney mentioned that current Passholders should be on the lookout for a new magnet soon with a new look and feel that honors Disney’s past while looking to the future. The new look uses a piece of the original Walt Disney World Resort logo! There will also be special surprises for Passholders during Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebrations!
©Disney
Be sure to stay tuned for more information on the new Annual Pass system at Disney World!
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Thank you for this info, it answers some of the questions I’ve had.
Do you know if my current platinum pass (expires June 2022) will continue to have the free memory maker photos or does that end on Sept 8th
If you just buy regular theme park tickets, can you hold reservations for all of the days when you purchase? For example, if I buy admission for 8 days, will I be able to get 8 reservations at one time?
Another way to charge the fans of Disney more money!! AND only one pass if you are not from FL and the most expensive one? Seriously, pretty soon no one will be able to afford to come to Disney at these prices. It’s probably cheaper just to buy park tickets for your trips rather than spend $1,200 on an AP. You could probably come close to two trips with regular park tickets, granted you don’t get the benefits of it as in certain discounts. I feel Disney thinks that DVC members should be punished because we come more than others, because we can, since technically we do not have to shovel out thousands of dollars for a room, but to leave us with only one pass choice if we want to come during the holidays? That is so wrong. Just because we do not spend money on a hotel room, we still spend plenty of money on food and t-shirts, etc. Pretty soon people are going to start treating these hotels like any other holiday and not go to the parks, which means they won’t be purchasing park tickets or annual passes. So then what will Disney do? Raise AP prices and park tickets to compensate for that? I understand they lost a few billion last year because of the pandemic, but why are they trying to make it all up in a years time by raising prices so high no one but the very wealthy can afford to go? They need to re-think this pricing through again, but I am sure they will not!!!!
DFB/ Sarah- I have a question. My husband and I are both currently A/P’s. Included in each of our annual passes is “memory maker”. Does this mean under the new system that as of September 8 we will no longer have memory maker on our annual passes?? Or will we keep memory maker until our passes expire In August 2022??
Sorry Sarah – forgot to mention in my previous comment that both my husband and I are currently Platinum annual passholders. We do not live in Florida. I also forgot to ask you another question, Disney allowed us to purchase new AP’s earlier this year but at full price, $1195 not the renewal price. When we renew them next year will we be getting the new lower price of what the renewals currently are under the new AP plan? Sorry if I sound confusing but I’m a little confused myself! Thank you!
Arlene, confusion is the word of the day! Our understanding is that when Passholders renew and are transferred to the new APs (as it sounds like you would be next year), they should be paying a discounted renewal price. I believe the prices are $1104, $763, $594, and $339 (Incredi-Pass > Sorcerer > Pirate > Pixie Dust).
Arlene, I’ve just put my head together with a couple team members and the details we’ve gotten from Disney (so many details!), and it sounds like when you renew next August, you will not lose the perks of your current AP as long as you don’t choose to drop to a lower tier of Pass (among the new Pass options).
Janice, I believe that is so, yes.
Donna, you’ll retain your benefits and your current Pass until you renew. When you renew, as long as you switch to what Disney determines is an equivalent Pass, they’re saying you’ll retain your benefits then as well.
I have a weekday select annual pass that hasn’t been activated as of today, do I need to activate that by 9/8/21 or will it still be good until we activate it we were going to wait until December 2021 to activate the passes?
We have a renewal pass purchased and planned to go in October to do so. If we don’t go by September 7th, and we change our Current Gold Pass into their new Pirate Pass – can you advise what benefits we would lose. It is a long way to travel over to renew the pass but if we need to we will. Looking forward to your answer, and thank you! Will we have to pay the additional cost between the Gold pass and the Pirate Pass? Our passes currently expire on 9/30/21 and we have the renewal paid for but were waiting until our October trip to actually activate it. Just so confusion what to do?
Cynthia, Disney is saying that those who have renewed but not activated by September 7 will be transferred into an equivalent Pass in the new program, but you won’t lose your current benefits (like PhotoPass, if you’ve got it). Does your renewal already show in My Disney Experience? I’m curious because Disney mentioned that renewals would automatically show in the system and would not need to be activated. (I understand those are conflicting messages from Disney, but with all the details flying about, I want to be sure to share the info that might apply to your situation.)
Shawn, the info from Disney is that if you’re holding a voucher or certificate for an Annual Pass, and you don’t activate it by 9/7, you’ll be activated into a new Pass come (in your case) December. Disney is saying you’d retain your benefits even when you shift into the new Pass, since you purchased the older Pass with benefits. I think if I were in your shoes, I’d call to confirm this.
I renewed my Gold pass on 9/4/21 and was told it is referred to as “Legacy Gold” pass.