One of the major changes that will be implemented when Disney World reopens is the Disney Park Pass System — which will require guests to make a theme park reservation in order to enter any theme parks.
Since this is a totally new system, our readers understandably have a lot of questions about how it will work. So, we’re breaking down the answers to your frequently asked questions here!
Remember ALL of this is subject to change. Disney can make changes anytime, so these are the best answers we can give you right now; but you should always ask your Disney representative when you call to get confirmation.
Can we leave the park and come back later in the day?
Disney has not yet confirmed the answer to this question. Our understanding is that as long as you have a park reservation for the day, you should be able to leave and return later in the same day. But again — not confirmed. Disney has also added a “time of entry” onto the Park Pass system, so that could mean that visits could be limited to certain timeframes to maintain capacity limitations.
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What if a linked member of my travel party has a regular ticket and another has an Annual Pass?
This has a few different applications, so we’ll give you all you need to know here.
- Disney states that guests who have different types of ticket media may need to make different reservations. So that means that if you have an Annual Pass, but the rest of your family/travel party have regular tickets, you may need to make two separate reservations.
- If you do NOT have a Disney World hotel reservation and you’re trying to secure a reservation on June 26th as an Annual Passholder, you won’t be able to make reservations for members of your party who have a regular ticket, as they aren’t eligible for park reservations until June 28th. In this case all you need to do is NOT select them as part of your party when you’re booking on the 26th.
My Annual Pass isn’t activated. It’s just a voucher. Will I still be able to make park pass reservations?
Yes. Guests who have an annual pass voucher that hasn’t yet been activated in the parks will be able to make park pass reservations using that ticket media.
If someone in my party isn’t going to the parks. Do I need to remove them from my account before I try to book my Disney Park Pass reservation?
No, you DON’T need to remove them from your account — just don’t include them in the “party” you’re booking Disney Park Pass reservations for.
Disney World WON’T use virtual queues upon reopening!
If our friends who we add to my account are not actually staying in a Disney Resort, can we still get a reservation for them, too?
In order to make a reservation on June 22nd, all guests in your travel party will need to be added to the hotel reservation.
Otherwise, you won’t be able to make your reservations for them until June 26th (if your friends are Annual Passholders) or June 28th (if your friends have regular tickets).
These are the changes coming to Disney World hotels this summer!
If you make your Disney Park Pass with a Resort reservation and later cancel the Resort reservation, will you lose your DPP like you used to lose your FassPass+ selections?
You should approach this using the assumption that the system will work the same way that Resort reservations and linked 60 day out FastPass+ selections used to work.
Meaning, if you cancel the Resort stay, you’ll very likely lose all of the reservations dependent on the Resort reservation. We’re thinking you should be able to modify an existing resort stay (e.g. change to a different hotel, but keep the same confirmation number) without losing your park reservations, but that is not confirmed. Bottom line: don’t book a resort just to get the park passes and then cancel your resort reservation.
Here’s how Disney’s PhotoPass service will change when the parks reopen.
Do we know what happens to those of us looking to book later than September in 2021?
On June 28th, guests will be able to book new Disney Resort hotel packages and theme park tickets for 2021. However, theme park reservations are only available through September 26, 2021.
It’s unlikely that theme park reservation dates will be extended immediately, as Disney doesn’t typically open up reservations that far in advance. That said, you should call Disney for confirmation in your specific circumstance!
Disney World is discontinuing free MagicBands soon!
What is this “choose a time” thing all about? Will I have to choose a window of time? Start my day late if there aren’t rope drop times available?
The Disney Park Pass page on the Disney World website does indicate that in addition to selecting a date and a Theme Park, guests will also need to select a time. According to the site, this is “the time that you can visit the park.”
At this time, Disney has not clarified exactly what this entails, but they did implement a timed system with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, so it’s possible that we could see a similar reservation window process. Unfortunately, we won’t know the details here until Disney offers more clarification.
Here’s the full list of tours that will NOT be available when Disney World reopens.
Will I be kicked out at a certain time?
While Disney hasn’t yet clarified what the “select a time” portion of the park reservation will encompass, it’s possible that guests could be given a specific window of time during which they are allowed to visit. However, that would significantly conflict with being able to leave the park and come back on the same day.
We’re keeping an eye on this portion of the DPP process for more details!
Here are seven problems you won’t have when Disney World reopens!
How will Disney know when people need to leave if I am getting kicked out at a certain time?
At the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, guests were allowed to enter the land for a specific four-hour window of time.
This was managed using a wristband system, which allowed Cast Members to distinguish whether or not guests were within their allotted window of time. But again, it’s not confirmed that Disney will use any sort of time limit system at all.
Click here to learn more about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!
Is there a limit on the number of days I can make Park reservations? So if I have a three week trip planned, can I book a Park for 21 days?
Your reservation eligibility is tied to your vacation package and tickets.
So, you should be able to make reservations for as many days as you hold tickets. Disney has used the term “length-of-stay” on their website.
That said, Disney has capped “length-of-stay” to 14 days for things in the past — like refillable mugs. So we’ll have to confirm the longer stays.
Click here to find out where you can attend character dining at the newly reopened Disney World.
If we need to change our reservations, can we? Without penalty?
Guests can cancel Disney Park Pass reservations in the My Plans section of their My Disney Experience account. We don’t know if there’s a “cancellation policy” that would incur a fee if you cancel too close to your reservation time. We’re still waiting to see if guests will be able to modify Park Pass reservations to a different day or time.
Can I have a park pass reservation if I don’t have an on-site or affiliated hotel room?
Yes, Annual Passholders can hold up to 3 park pass reservations at a time. Guests with other ticket media can book starting June 28th and make park pass reservations for their park ticket dates.
Click here for more information on the Disney Park Pass system.
While we’re still waiting for Disney to provide further information about some aspects of the Disney Park Pass system, we hope that this FAQ has helped to clear up some of the confusion! We’ll be testing out the DPP system ourselves, so stay tuned for our first-hand account!
If you have heard different information to our answers above, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your experience. Like we said, this is all subject to change, and even the most seasoned Disney experts are still texting each other frantic questions throughout the day!
Check out our tutorial of the Disney Park Pass system!
What questions do you have about the Disney Park Pass system? Let us know in the comments!