Becoming a Disney World Annual Passholder is a bucket-list dream for many.

There are plenty of perks to being an Annual Passholder, too. — from getting to go to the parks whenever you want (as long as you have a park pass reservation!) to discounts on dining, hotels, and so much more. But, there might be some Annual Passholder perks you don’t know about — so let’s find out how you can use them ALL to your advantage!

There’s nothing like walking into Disney World as an Annual Passholder for the first time. It’s a dream for many Disney fans, and an Annual Pass comes with more than just entrance to the parks. Being a passholder means special events, treats, discounts, and more, and we’re filling you in on all the perks of being one!

Theme Park Access

Of course, access to the four main Disney World theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios is the biggest perk to being a passholder. Keep in mind, though, that in most cases you’ll still need park pass reservations to visit.

As of April 18th, 2023, Disney World Annual Passholders will be able to visit the Walt Disney World theme parks after 2PM without a Park Pass reservation (with some exceptions.)

BUT, if an Annual Passholder wants to go to Magic Kingdom on Saturdays or Sundays, they’ll need a park pass regardless of what time they want to visit.

Free Parking

Standard Parking is included at all the theme parks, and you can upgrade to Preferred Parking for an additional fee if you want a spot a bit closer to the entrance.

This can come in handy if you plan on driving to Disney World, and since many Annual Passholders are locals, it helps cut down on some additional costs normally associated with your trip.

Park Hopping

People with standard park tickets have to pay a bit more if they want the ability to Park Hop — or switch to a different park after 2PM. But for Annual Passholders, Park Hopping is included with the pass!

So, if you want to start your day in Magic Kingdom and end it at EPCOT, you can hop over to EPCOT anytime after 2PM (as long as you’ve scanned into Magic Kingdom first!) You could even hit all four parks in one day. Keep in mind that park pass reservations are still required, so make sure you’ve reserved the park you want to start at first.

Discounts

Annual Passholders get discounts on a TON of different things throughout Disney World. You can receive up to 20% off your purchase at select restaurants throughout the parks and hotels — though alcohol is not included and there are some exceptions like third-party operated spots, EPCOT festival booths, and a few others.

Not only that, but passholders can get up to 20% off their purchase of select merchandise! This can be a great way to grab some of the latest Disney gear without breaking the bank, and even if you don’t plan on buying anything on your trip, it’s nice to know that the discount is there if you need it.

Oh, and did we mention you can also save on hotels?! Disney often runs deals for passholders — meaning you can save a TON on your hotel stay. We’ve seen offers for as much as 35% off your entire stay, which can really make a difference when you’re shelling out the big bucks for a Disney World hotel.

Exclusive Food & Merch

Annual Passholders also have access to exclusive food items! We’ve seen secret passholder drinks at Joffrey’s, EPCOT festival booths, and even secret passholder-only chocolate. You might have to flash your Annual Pass or My Disney Experience app to get them, but you’ll feel pretty cool while you do it.

Plus, if you Mobile Order, your pass is already connected to the app so you don’t even have to worry about it!

Not interested in exclusive food? Don’t worry, there might be exclusive merchandise around the parks and resorts if that’s more your speed! There are passholder exclusive MagicBands and even EPCOT festival merchandise. You can even shop passholder-only merch online!

Ride Previews

Disney World is constantly changing and there’s almost always something new to see or do! With the openings of huge new attractions at Disney World — Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle / Run — Annual Passholders got to preview the rides before they were officially open!

It may not happen for every new ride opening, but from our experience, it’s one of the best ways to get to ride a new attraction! Disney usually sends emails or notifications out with information about ride previews, but it’s up to you to try and snag one, as not all passholders will get the chance.

We’ve recently seen Disney use a virtual waiting room for Annual Passholder ride preview registration where you can choose a date and time to experience the new ride, but from what we’ve seen — not every passholder is able to get one as they go FAST. When a new ride is close to opening, keep an eye out for that email in case Disney gives passholders the opportunity for a preview.

Passholder Entrance

You’ve probably been thrown off-guard by the long lines of people trying to scan into the parks to enter, but passholders usually don’t have to worry about that — thanks to the exclusive entrance! You’ll find them at each Disney World park, and depending on the time of day you might get to avoid a line altogether.

But, just because there’s a special entrance doesn’t always mean it’s your best bet — we’ve seen the passholder entrance line be even longer than the regular ones. It makes sense since there are usually only one or two passholder entrances but there are plenty of regular turnstiles for people to go through.

Peace of Mind

As much as we love Disney World, we know that it’s not necessarily a relaxing vacation for many people. You’ve spent a TON of dough to be there and you probably want to get your money’s worth, which can make you feel like you need to see and do everything. We’re talking rope drop to park close, every ride, all the best restaurants, and more.

But, that takes a LOT of work and it’s extremely exhausting. Having an Annual Pass often means you’re more relaxed when you’re in the parks since you’re not worried about seeing and doing everything. You can come back to the parks all year long and check it out the next time. Taking the time to really enjoy yourself and see the little things or something you might not normally do can make the parks that much more magical.

For people who find themselves anxious on trips to Disney World, getting an Annual Pass can totally change the game. Want to just head to the parks for dinner? Why not?! What’s that, you don’t have a plan? Totally fine — just enjoy the parks as they are since you can have a planned trip the next time around.

Becoming a Disney World Annual Passholder is a commitment and one that clearly comes with a lot of benefits. Only you can determine whether or not it’s right for you, but we hope you have a better idea of what being a passholder means. Disney has paused and resumed the sale of passes multiple times recently, but they are set to go on sale once again on April 20th — so mark your calendars!

Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news and more.

Everything You Need To Know About Disney World’s Annual Pass Program

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What do you think is the best part of being a passholder? Tell us in the comments.

The post EVERY SINGLE Disney World Annual Passholder Perk…And How To Use Them To Your ADVANTAGE first appeared on the disney food blog.