Annual Pass Question...

[jerzeystar09]

Fairly new to posting here, but hopefully someone can answer these.

I'm going down for a week in October/November and debating about upgrading my tickets to an annual pass while I'm down there so that I can go more often. How does this work? Do you just pay the difference? Also, what types of discounts does the AP get you? Is a new MB issued as well, or can you use the one you already have?

 

[craigkerstiens]

Yes, you would pay the difference of what you paid for your ticket compared to the current annual pass cost. The pass holder benefits are generally 10% off on table service and merchandize at a variety of dining options (but not all, and not alcohol), some discount on special events/attractions, and then occasional discounts on resorts as a special throughout the year. You can find more on the discounts at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passholder-program/passholder-benefits-and-discounts/

 

[kmb584]

You'll use the MB you currently have, but a new one will be issued once the AP is activated. You need to customize and order it via your MDE account though as it cannot be done in person.

 

[richmo]

Yes, you basically pay the difference between your ticket and the AP price.

Bring your existing MagicBand. You will link the AP to your account (or they'll do it for you) and your MagicBand will work. When you get back home, or even while you're there, you may find that you'll have a MagicBand "ready to customize" in your MDE account. Go ahead and do that and they'll ship another to your home...that one will have a small Passholder clip that goes over the band and a parking/discount card. When you upgrade and activate your AP at Guest Relations, they will also give you a card indicating that you are a passholder that you can use for discounts and parking on your current trip.

Some of the most useful (to me) discounts:
- Free parking. If you're offsite, parking is $17/day. Parking savings can really add up fast.
- A discount in most theme park gift shops and World of Disney. I think its 10%...if you buy in any gift shop, always ask if there's a passholder discount. I've even used it for buying a soda or water bottle...in a gift shop. I don't think the outdoor wagons give the discount.
- Another potentially big one: If you eat at a lot of table service locations within Disney property, possessing an AP gives you the ability to purchase Tables in Wonderland...that's another $100(?), but then you get 20% off your meals for everyone in your party. I believe they add 18% gratuity back in, so I almost think of it as paying for the tip...but Tables in Wonderland can pay for itself pretty quickly. In our case, with four of us, TiW paid for itself with 3 to 5 table service meals.
- There's other discounts that you can read about with the link mentioned above, but the ones I listed were the ones I found most useful.

 

[jerzeystar09]

Thanks so much for all your help! Running some numbers and looks like it may be in my budget this year. Now if only it was October already....

 

[izzylovesmickey]

There may also be discounts available if you want to do some of the tours. These may depend on the time you want and the time of year. Just one more way to make it more beneficial if you are so inclined-I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I have added 2 tours to our July trip....

 

[tiger4me2]

When we renewal our this pass Dec we did not get the discount card (gold) didn't get it until we got home and saw in MDE to costomize the AP bands. MHO

 

[richmo]

There may also be discounts available if you want to do some of the tours. These may depend on the time you want and the time of year. Just one more way to make it more beneficial if you are so inclined-I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I have added 2 tours to our July trip....

Good point...although I found, at least for Keys to the Kingdom, the discount for Disney Visa was better than the AP discount (I think 15% vs. 10%)