If you’ve been following Disney news the way that I do, you’ve probably heard about the Disney World annual pass price increase. And if you haven’t, I’ll try to explain it: basically, Disney World has changed the way they do annual passes, now giving several different options for the type of pass you can get at different price levels. And those prices are much higher than the comparable passes that were currently available until this month. There are a lot of options for Florida residents and DVC members (Disney’s timeshare), but those of us who are neither are rather limited.
Platinum Plus Pass: this gives you access to all 4 parks with no block out dates, the two water parks, ESPN sports complex, and Oak Trail golf course. Disney is now also including photopass downloads. This pass costs $829 (previously $779, increase of $50).
Platinum Pass: This is access to all 4 parks with no block out dates and the photopass downloads. It costs $749 (previously $659, an increase of $90).
And by the way, when I mention these increases, these are the increases just since February 2015 – only 8 months ago.
DVC members and Florida residents get a discount on these passes, as well as other pass options including the Gold pass ($549 but blocks out the busiest times of the year, around Christmas and Easter). It seems Florida residents only can also get the Silver pass ($389 but blocks out the the previous times mentioned plus pretty much the entire summer from June to mid August), a weekday select pass, and an Epcot after 4 pass.
As an annual passholder, these changes obviously affect me directly. I’m lucky that I just renewed my pass so I don’t have to worry about it until next October. But here are my thoughts on a couple of things:
The Price Increase
Obviously this is the biggest issue. To maintain the pass that I currently have, I would be paying $800 after taxes. I bought my pass only about three years ago, in May 2012. Want to know how much it cost then? $519. That’s over a $200 increase in three years. If I knew 100% I was going to Disney 3 times in year, then I think the new pass would be worth it. But in the past I’d always bought it because I went twice and it seemed worth it, and then I had the freedom to book a third trip if I wanted to. At this point, looking at our finances and our plans for the next couple of years, I don’t think I’ll be an annual passholder anymore.
Block out Dates
I actually would love to have the option to buy the gold or even the silver pass. I would never go during the Christmas or Easter times anyway, so the gold pass would actually be a great deal for me. I’d even be willing to do the silver pass and avoid the summer if I was a little tight on cash. But sadly I don’t have the options because I don’t live in Florida and I don’t own DVC. The only silver lining is that this is more incentive to become a DVC member – so I can get the gold pass instead.
Photopass Downloads
I feel like this was just thrown in to ease the blow. Yes, I’ll use it, but I didn’t normally purchase memory maker. I know some people love it, but I feel like annual passholders are some of the least likely people to use photopass because they are the ones who are there all the time so they didn’t need to pay a ton for “once in a lifetime” type photos. To me it makes no difference.
Disneyland has it worse
As much as this is bummer for us, the Disneyland annual pass with no block out dates is now over $1,000. And they only have 2 parks to our 4. If you’re curious for more details about Disneyland, Mindy over at Budget Fairy Tale did a great post about things on their side of the country. Also, the annual pass that gets you into both Disney World and Disneyland is up to almost $1,500. I can’t imagine anyone being able to go to both parks enough for this to be a good deal, but there must be some people.
We all know Disney isn’t cheap, but at this point it’s gotten expensive enough that I might have to lessen my trips. The truth is that Disney is getting more and more crowded and they have the ability to charge more because of it.
What do you think of the Disney World annual pass price increase? Has Disney gone too far?
Oh my gosh that is crazy! I am so glad I just bought my annual pass last week before all of these changes. I feel like they have been increasing their prices every year so the fact that they have done it twice in one year is insane. And people will still buy them me included! I typically don’t get the pass just because I never know what my year will look like but this year I know I can make a few weekend trips so it was worth it!
I know what you mean! I’m so lucky I just got to renew – my renewal date was on Oct. 2 and all of this happened on the 4th. I know people will continue to save and cut other areas to do Disney, but I just have to wonder if there’s going to be a breaking point where it finally gets too high and they end up losing money at that point from too many people no longer able to afford it. I wonder when that will be.
I can see it from their perspective: they want to add new, fun, or updated items to their park to draw in customers and also – they know that quite a few people will go ahead and cut out some other things in their life to make room for their Disney pass. We have never taken our kids because of the cost, but I have friends that go 10-11 times per year and live 3 states away!
Yeah, I see it from their perspective as well. Disney is a business and they are doing so well right now that they can raise the prices, which is why I wanted to make sure this post didn’t come off as a rant – rather a discussion of how these changes will affect me. And I’m lucky because I’m the only one who pays for an annual pass. I know couples that both have them that are looking at over $1600 now, and families with kids who would have to pay $2500 for all of them! I usually go 2-3 times a year so I’m kind of at that awkward point where it’s hard to tell if the annual pass would be worth it for me anymore.
As previous Annual Pass Holders, we are no longer purchasing. The price for us (Disneyland go-ers) means we’d have to go FIVE TIMES a year to make it even out. Which means ALL of our vacation days JUST on Disneyland. It doesn’t make sense, its insane, and once a year with Park Hoppers makes much more sense to us now.
Oh yeah, Disneyland is insane! I have a feeling once my annual pass expires it will be at least a couple of years before I purchase one again (though who knows, at that point it will cost like 2k and I won’t be able to afford it anyway haha).
At one point in time, being an annual passholder was worth it. My family and my then-boyfriend and his family all had passes about 9 years ago and it was worth it, but it hasn’t been since. We only go once a year during Food and Wine Festival. I continue to hope that one day Disney will come to its senses and lower passholder and ticket prices, but I know better.
I know the feeling. I saw a chart another website had created showing how much the prices have gone up even just in the last 10 years and it’s mind blowing.
Wow. I always wondered about annual passes and such but being up in NC we only make it down there once every few years. I had thought once we had kiddos maybe it would be worth it but we shall just have to see if prices keep going up!
Especially when I see the prices for annual passes for parks more local to us, like Hershey, it makes me think we might have to do Disney as a once a year thing and visit other places in the meantime!
Disney has gotten SO expensive. If you ask me, it’s still worth every penny though.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
I think it’s absolutely still worth it – just not worth it quite as often as I have been able to go!
When I had a pass in 2007, it was only $300 for the top annual pass! Including parking! It’s crazy how much the prices have gone up since then. We find it makes more sense to buy passes through the military now instead of annual passes.
It’s insane to see how much annual passes have increased since that time! I mean they’ve almost tripled in 8 years.
Wow . That is crazy. There’s no way as a family of 5 we could ever afford either pass .Realistically, we’d never make it to the park more than once a year . I think that kind of price increase seems unfair to loyal park visitors .
I often wish Disney better appreciated their most loyal customers. I feel like they know these are the people who will be most likely to pay more to still be able to go so they take advantage of that.
I haven’t been to Disney in years! Hopefully they won’t make too many steep increases from here on!
I hope not too, but if they see more people buying regular one time use tickets instead of annual passes I’m sure we’ll see those increase as well :/
I live in SoCal about 15 min. away from Disneyland and we are so bummed out about the price increases. I have a two year old and a two month old and we had planned to get passes next summer when our youngest turned one, but $1,000 per adult is just insane, even with a payment plan.
I know, as sad as I am about the WDW pass prices, I feel even worse for the people in CA.
If you can make it to both Disneyland and Disney World enough times per year to justify an AP, you likely live a lifestyle which gives you the ability to pay $1500 for leisure. 😉
And yes, I think these prices are a bit insane. When I bought an AP in 2011, it was around $500. And I thought that was a lot. And I’d also like the ability to buy the Silver pass. I honestly don’t understand WHY it is only for Florida residents.
Ha, that is very true! And I totally agree with you on the silver pass. I would think it would make more money for them if they offered it to us – we would come down more often during their slower seasons and we are the ones that would have to spend the money on a hotel room (whereas Florida residents might not get a hotel, or might just take a weekend trip while we’d stay for a week since we might be paying to fly down, etc.).
I will tell you now, that us folks living in the shadows of Disneyland are NOT happy with the extreme costs. They are ridiculous on so many levels, and certainly against everything Walt Disney stood for and wanted for Disneyland–affordable entertainment for children. Disappointment does not even cover the feeling.
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
I wish Disney could be more of a company that balances respect for their customers with making money – not so focused on the money part! yes, they are a business, but a business with a special sort of focus.
That is really expensive! If I still lived in Florida, I definitely would have bought it, but I see what you mean.. We had the MemoryMaker when my family visited, but I wouldn’t actually bother with it usually, so the PhotoPass is definitely just thrown in to make it seem less expensive.
Let’s hope they won’t increase too much over the next years 🙂
Yeah, hopefully this will be the only increase for awhile but I think that’s optimistic. They’ve been increasing ticket prices at least once or twice a year pretty much forever.
Wow, holy cow! I knew it was expensive but that is insane. No way my family of 6 could afford it!
I know, it’s crazy 🙁