I was on the Annual Passholder site and it says that Deluxe discounts on merchandise will stop after December 31st. Do you think this is permanent? surely it was the big advantage of the deluxe annual pass.
I suspect they will continue. They have not been "always" though. The discount started during the holiday season either 2009 or 2010 (it's been long enough that I can't remember myself anymore). There was no deluxe pass merchandise discount when we bought our first deluxe passes in December 2006. At that time (and for several years before and after) the only level of pass that received a merchandise discount was the premium, and the discount was 10%. Currently premium (and premiere) passholders receive 20% off merchandise, and all others receive 10%.