Should You Buy a Disney World Annual Pass?

Should You Buy a Disney World Annual Pass?

Walt Disney World is a magical place filled with memories and countless adventures for everyone. Let's be honest, Walt Disney World is also very expensive, and many people plan for years to go there. Everything from tickets, to food, and extra entertainment costs at the parks, but what if there was a way to save money, and get to go to all four Walt Disney World theme parks with limited blackout times?

A Walt Disney World annual pass might be the thing for you if you visit regularly and are willing to commit to going to the parks for a whole year. There are varying levels of annual pass options at Walt Disney World, but let's assume that you live outside of the state of Florida, meaning your pass would be the Platinum Pass for non-Florida residents. The Platinum Pass costs $849 (plus tax) for ages three and up. There is a monthly payment plan option, but it's only available for Florida residents.

Is a Disney World annual pass worth it? Keep reading to learn more about the perks and decide for yourself if it's the right fit for you!

What Are the Perks? What-Perks.jpg

So what benefits are included in an annual pass? You get admission to all four theme parks, (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom) for a year with no blackout dates. Your pass acts as a park hopper ticket, so you could visit all four parks on the same day if you wished. Your annual pass includes Disney PhotoPass downloads, up to 20 percent off on select dining, up to 20 percent off of select merchandise in the stores or online, free standard parking at each theme park, discounts on resort stays and parties, complimentary Magic Bands, and more.

How Many Times Would You Have to Go to Break Even? How-Many-Times-Would-You-Have-Go-Break-Even.jpg

To break even on your annual pass you would have to go to the parks at least 14 days out of the year. How did we come to that number? With Disney, the more days you add on to your single day ticket, the less each day costs. For 10-plus days, each day would cost $45 towards your ticket. When you add in the $169 Memory Maker to download your PhotoPass pictures (since it's included in an annual pass), and park hopper access (since that's also included an annual pass), the total ticket cost for 10 days is $723, and then an additional four days gets you to $901. An annual pass with tax comes out to $904.

So, Is an Annual Pass Worth It? So-Annual-Pass-Worth.jpg

If you always go to Disney World the same week every year, being flexible with your stay the following year to move it up a week is also a great way to utilize an annual pass so you get two, one-week vacations for the time your annual pass is active.

With the money you save on resort stays, merchandise, and dining, along with any other bonuses you might purchase, an annual ends up saving you quite a bit of money, and sometimes even pays for itself in discounts.

So, does it sound like an annual pass to Disney World might be for you? If you travel to Orlando often, and are as obsessed with Disney World as we are, the answer is probably yes. If you don't travel often to Orlando, or only go for a week or less with your family, the answer is probably no. Either way, I think we can all agree that Disney World is a place we want to be, even if it's just for a few days!

(Original source)