WDW Annual Pass

[irishbride2]

The biggest benefit for us is free parking. W do get resort discounts but generally the Florida resident ones we qualify for are better.

[ribollita]

I also like access to the Tables in Wonderland discount. There's some small merchandise discounts, too.

[Wines Not Whines]

Are there any huge benefits to having an annual pass?


We had APs last year. The main bonuses for us were the resort discounts (we got 40% off beach club during one stay, which was higher than the general discounts available) and early registration for Run Disney races. You can also get discounts at some restaurants, and I think there's a 10% discount at shops in the parks.


Are there always some sort of discounted rate for resort stay for annual passholders? Do the discounts vary based on your pass tier (right now there's two Platinum and Platinum Plus). Is it on all rooms or only select resorts and select rooms?


I don't think there's always a discount, and even when they're available, the number of rooms available for the discounts are limited. I'm not aware of different discounts for different pass tiers. 


Is the PhotoPass Downloads the same thing as MemoryMaker? So you don't have to purchase Memory Maker separately?


That's correct.


Can one person in the family have an annual pass, while the others just purchase regular tickets, and the family still enjoys the perks of AP?


Yes, correct. That's what we decided to do this year. DH got an AP, so he can still book rooms with the AP discount, and we get free MemoryMaker as long his band is scanned by the photographer. We decided it's only worth it for the rest of us to get APs if we visit enough times in a year to make the AP cost less than regular tickets. 

[Wines Not Whines]

Apr 22, 2016 13:30:34 GMT -5 spunbutterfly said:

NVM, found this I think this is what I am looking for.

www.mousesavers.com/walt-disney-world-annual-passholder-discounts/

That site sums it up pretty well. 

One other benefit I forgot to mention is that we got a small discount (maybe $10, I can't remember the exact number) on tickets to the Halloween Party last year with our AP discount. There's a small discount for the Christmas party, too. 

[ilikedonuts]

We have annual passes but we are DVC members so we are able to buy the gold passes which are a couple hundred dollars cheaper. Tables in wonderland just went up to $150 so you have to spend a lot more to even just break even.

You do get free picture downloads with the annual passes as well.

[ribollita]

Apr 22, 2016 13:32:34 GMT -5 spunbutterfly said:

Apr 22, 2016 12:52:32 GMT -5 ribollita said:

I also like access to the Tables in Wonderland discount. There's some small merchandise discounts, too.

Thanks for this. I didn't know about Tables in Wonderland. Do you still make reservations for restaurants normally, and then just show your Tables in Wonderland pass when you pay?

Yep. You can also get free valet parking at other resort hotels when you are there for an ADR.

[alleinesein]

I've had a DLR AP since 2001 and the benefits are similar at DLR and WDW (DLR has better discounts!!)

Benefits of having an AP
-free parking at the parks
-Merchandise discounts (it is a measly 10% at WDW)
-Food discounts (10% at most WDW locations that honor the discount, higher discounts at some non disney restaurants on property)
-Discounts on guided tours (typically 10-15%)
-Special AP events (preview new attractions, etc)
-Discounts on special events (Halloween party, Christmas party)
-Free Photo Pass downloads with select APs
-Discounts on hotel rooms (discounts vary throughout the year and sometimes come with additional perks)
-Access to AP lounges (Not sure if they do this at WDW but they just started doing it in CA)
-Early registration for Run Disney events
-Discounts at some of the Downtown Disney/Disney Springs retailers

You can access all of the benefits at disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/passholders/passholder-benefits/

If you are going down for 6+ days it can be more cost effective to get an AP once you factor in all the discounts.
A 7 day park hopper with Memory Maker is $616.54 and a Platinum Pass is $797.69. The price difference is $181.15 but you can easily 'save' that much with hotel, food and merchandise discounts that the AP would give you.