Lifetime Pass?

[andreirublev]

My fiancee's parents claim they bought a lifetime pass in the 90s and lost all records of it, including the physical pass itself. I think they might be mistaken and have actually just bought a non-expiring ticket.

But maybe it's worth asking the good folks here if they've ever heard of such thing. And if so, it's probably a lost cause without the physical pass, right?

 

[sbbobe]

In the early 80’s, when EPCOT was first opening, WDW did offer a lifetime pass to the MK and EPCOT. The price at that time was $200.00 per person. Unfortunately we could not afford the passes at that time as we had 2 small children at that time. I have no idea how those passes would work today with AK and HS now operating as theme parks at WDW.

 

[MudQueen22]

In the early 80’s, when EPCOT was first opening, WDW did offer a lifetime pass to the MK and EPCOT. The price at that time was $200.00 per person. Unfortunately we could not afford the passes at that time as we had 2 small children at that time. I have no idea how those passes would work today with AK and HS now operating as theme parks at WDW.

That was a lot of money back then. I would imagine they would need to honor it if the family can find the tickets.

 

[DisneyTexan]

This was discussed a few years ago. It seems to be an urban legend.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/lifetime-passes.3583374/
There is a real Golden Pass for a very select few.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Pass_(Disney)

 

[sbbobe]

Definitely not an urban legend. We were vacationing at WDW soon after EPCOT opened and had the opportunity to purchase these passes. Unfortunately we could not afford it at that time.

 

[parasail_of_congress]

This was discussed a few years ago. It seems to be an urban legend.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/lifetime-passes.3583374/
There is a real Golden Pass for a very select few.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Pass_(Disney)

I was curious about this as well - did some searching and came to the same conclusion. Apparently in '96 there was talk about having a pass for 25 years, in conjunction with a 25th anniversary celebration, but it never happened - https://yourmileagemayvary.net/2021/01/03/this-could-have-been-the-ultimate-disney-pass-in-the-u-s/ .

 

[parasail_of_congress]

Definitely not an urban legend. We were vacationing at WDW soon after EPCOT opened and had the opportunity to purchase these passes. Unfortunately we could not afford it at that time.

Apparently Disney introduced the annual pass in September 1982 for $100 - maybe that's what you're thinking of? It seems hard to believe that Disney would have a $200 lifetime pass if they were charging $100 for one year - https://www.d-cot.com/disney-news/t...ticket-prices-and-why-they-keep-raising-them/ .

 

[fla4fun]

Disney World didn’t switch from the ticket books to one all inclusive ticket until right around the time Epcot opened, so it would make sense that if an offer was made, that it was made at that time. I have had an AP every year since 1986, and there hasn’t been any lifetime ticket offered during that time or I would have been all over it.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

From a story back in 2006:

Emmalee Mason, 12, of Colorado Springs, Colo., wasn’t just any tourist to Disneyland today; she was the 2 billionth.

At 9:02 a.m., Mason was named the honorary 2 billionth visitor of all Disney parks worldwide. All 10 family members – Emmalee, her parents, five sisters, one brother and a baby on the way – received lifetime passes to all 11 parks.

“Wow! I’m in shock,” she said, according to Disney officials.

Emmalee rode the Matterhorn with Mickey Mouse and served as the parade’s grand marshal.

 

[andreirublev]

Wow, thanks for the links! Now I'm deep down the "Midway to Main Street" rabbit hole

 

[mshaw2]

My fiancee's parents claim they bought a lifetime pass in the 90s and lost all records of it, including the physical pass itself. I think they might be mistaken and have actually just bought a non-expiring ticket.

But maybe it's worth asking the good folks here if they've ever heard of such thing. And if so, it's probably a lost cause without the physical pass, right?

 

[mshaw2]

My Grandparents were snowbirds in the 80's to early 90's. They purchased Lifetime tickets for $200 ea. They Definitely used to sell them. They were Lifetime, Hopper passes with No Blackout dates. My grandfather died a little less than a year after they purchased these tickets. Disney actually Refunded $150 for each ticket to my grandmother.

 

[wabbott]

Disney World didn’t switch from the ticket books to one all inclusive ticket until right around the time Epcot opened, so it would make sense that if an offer was made, that it was made at that time. I have had an AP every year since 1986, and there hasn’t been any lifetime ticket offered during that time or I would have been all over it.

Our first trip to WDW was in 1979, and I remember the ticket books. Our second trip was in 1982, IIRC, and I think the ticket books were gone by then. I don't recall lifetime ticket offers. I do recall that in 1982 there was a dining plan that actually was a good deal. We "made money" that year - I calc'd what we paid vs what it would have been to order from the menu and it was a significant savings.

They fixed that error right quick, because we bought the "all inclusive" dining plan in 1983 and spent all day every day eating trying to get our money's worth. We were miserable. Ever since then, we've not touched a dining plan.

 

[_19disnA]

My Grandparents were snowbirds in the 80's to early 90's. They purchased Lifetime tickets for $200 ea. They Definitely used to sell them. They were Lifetime, Hopper passes with No Blackout dates.

I seem to recall that as well. Our first visit to Epcot was a year or two after it first opened. I thought they were selling some sort of lifetime tickets and the $200 sounds about right. When 1-day park passes cost only a fraction of that and we had no idea how often we might return to Disney, we never bought them. The older comments talking about 'golden pass' is not the same thing. Disney apparently has given out golden passes to a very few select people and was never something you could purchase.

 

[beccasmom]

They fixed that error right quick, because we bought the "all inclusive" dining plan in 1983 and spent all day every day eating trying to get our money's worth. We were miserable. Ever since then, we've not touched a dining plan.

Our first WDW trip was in June 1981 and I remember wearing a lanyard with a ticket around my neck, so tickets were definitely around at that time.

We used the dining plan in 1983 as well, on a 10-day trip and yes, we were constantly eating! 3 full meals a day. I remember eating dinner in Germany, the Empress Lily, a restaurant at the Golf Resort and many breakfasts and lunches at The Top of the World and Tangaroa Terrace. I know we had a great time, but we did spend a lot of time at restaurants for sure. I have vivid memories of folks at a dead run from the monorail station to the kiosks to get a restaurant reservation at Epcot. I’m not much for the dining plan anymore either.