I grew up going to Disney at least once a month, or so it felt. I can name every Disney prince and princess. I can sing along to every song and I swore I was a pirate because I could sing A Pirate's Life For Me word for word. For Christmas, my boyfriend and I bought each other Annual Passes, a dream come true for the kid in me.
The FaceBook community Annual Passholders - Walt Disney World Resort is full of passholders, like myself, that love to share and provide new passholders with stories, upcoming events, and the best things to do in the parks. I asked the community what they found to be the best perks of being passholders, and they did not hold back!
Special thanks to everyone that commented and contributed to this! I enjoy being a part of a community of Disney lovers!
Freedom to come and go!
All of the passholders and I agree that the best perk that comes with being a passholder is the freedom to come and go! There's no pressure to have to go a certain weekend, since the magic is always available to us!
Park Hoppers
Being a passholder means you have the ability to park hop! Start your day off at Animal Kingdom to go on the safari. Have lunch at Epcot in the World Showcase. Finish your night off at Magic Kingdom to watch the fireworks. It's so nice to not feel like you have to spend your whole day in just one park. If you're looking for a challenge, complete the 4 Parks-One Day challenge!
Getting your money's worth
For a family of four, you'll get your money's worth in just two trips alone to the parks! Living close to Disney means you can pop into the parks anytime you want and being a passholder means you'll get your money's worth in those day trips.
Discounts
Everyone loves a good discount! When you book a hotel, stop for a nice meal, or want to load up on Disney merch, you'll see that being a passholder gets you some good discounts. Christmas gift shopping has never been easier!
Stress-free trips
When you don't have an itinerary to follow, it makes the trip that much easier! Say you haven't been to Hollywood Studios in a long time. You finally get the chance to go as a passholder and you feel far more relaxed knowing you're not in a hurry. If you miss out on something, you can always come back another time to check it out! No stressing over missed shows or new eats, especially when you've got the chance to come back next time!
Spur of the moment
Long weekend? No plans? Pop into one of the Disney parks for the afternoon! Looking for a nice place to go for Date Night? Take a trip to Epcot for a nice dinner in the World Showcase. Being a passholder allows for those spontaneous, spur of the moment trips. There's no planning months in advance; just show up when you please! The Cast Members will always be happy to have you.
No sense of urgency
Take a little bit on a longer stroll down Main Street. Get lost in some of the stores for a few hours. Sit in the shade and watch the crowds go by. When you're a passholder, you have the luxury of taking your time. You can soak it all in: the architecture, the families, the street performers. There's no rush in anything.
"We can do it next time."
Line too long for the new rides in Pandora? Is Toy Story Land terribly crowded? No worries, you can always just do it next time. Passholders can come and go, always knowing that there are opportunities to come back to the park and "do it next time"
Free Parking
Sure, you can pay $20 to park, or you can become a passholder and park for free! Nothing beats the feeling of pulling up to the parking-toll booth and whipping out your passholder pass, and the Cast Member happily waving you through. Saves you money and heartache.
The Magic Never Ends
For adults and children alike, passholders experience more magic because it never ends! From the freedom of being a passholder to the added perks, it seems that each Disney trip becomes more magical. There's always something new to do, something to try or buy, and guaranteed joy and laughter are just a hop, skip, and a jump away!
Thank you to the contributors: Kelly Kervin, Matt Franklin, Sharon Arsenault, Hannan Chakkar, Sam Corley IV, Kasie Thornton, Samantha Jo Reed, Anna Hart, Laura Caiazzo Maness, Ryan Vinson, Penny Ziminski, and everyone else who shared their perks with the community!
If you're an Annual Passholder, you know how wonderful it is to be able to experience the magic at Disney again and again! If you're not a passholder, what are you waiting for?