Once you become a DVC member one thing that you may consider is buying an Annual Pass. But there is always that question of, “Will I get my money’s worth out of this?”. It is a question I heard often when I was a vacation planner at Epcot. I would always ask my DVC guests about how they travel. “How many times a year do you come down? How many days of your trip do you spend in the parks?” There are so many things to consider but I’m here to break it down for you and see if an Annual Pass is worth it for you, and your family.
There are three types of Annual Passes available for DVC members:
Disney Platinum Plus Pass
This Annual Pass option includes admission to all four Disney parks, access to the two waterparks, entrance to the Disney golf courses, as well as Disney PhotoPass privileges, free parking, and so much more. If your family wants to have full access to almost all of the Walt Disney World Resort all year long this is the pass for you. There are no blackout dates so you are free to book a trip anytime with no worries. As a Disney Vacation Club member, you get a great discount on this pass. It will be only about $999.00 per person, per year (plus taxes and fees). DVC members are unfortunately not eligible for the payment plan unless you are also a Florida resident.
Disney Platinum Pass
This includes everything the Platinum Plus Pass has to offer, except access to the golf courses and waterparks. The Platinum Pass costs $899.00 per person, per year (plus taxes and fees).
Disney Gold Pass
Lastly, my personal favorite option for Disney Vacation Club owners is the Disney Gold Pass. This includes all of the same benefits as the Platinum Pass but has several blackout dates restricting access to the parks. These blackout dates are typically the two weeks before Christmas, and the two weeks surrounding Easter. Members choosing this pass should be thankful since those restricted times are usually extremely crowded and you won’t want to be there anyway! The Disney Gold Pass costs $699.00 per person, per year (plus taxes and fees).
Now, let’s break down regular ticket prices! While these are just estimates, Disney does change ticket prices often and it now depends on the day you visit how much a ticket will cost. For example, a 5-day ticket, with a park hopper, will cost about $521.00 per person. A 7-day ticket may cost $537.00 per person. I chose 5 and 7-day examples because those are the number of days I typically sold as a vacation planner. You may need more or less but many DVC members don’t usually visit Walt Disney World once a year. My family typically visits three to four times a year. When I do that math, I’m saving almost $1,000.00 per year by having an Annual Pass. That sounds pretty great to me!
As a Passholder, you also get some fantastic benefits! First, you get all those fun magnets you see online, or on people’s cars. You also get 20% off in the merchandise stores, and most table service dining options. The Disney PhotoPass privileges are an amazing benefit also! You get all of your memories and silly ride photos linked to your My Disney Experience account to download and enjoy. This service typically costs guests $169-199 just by itself! Passholders also have special events, like the pop-up merchandise shops, first dibs on some special new offerings and food items, a special entrance into the parks, and so much more. If you and your family drive to Orlando or rent a car during your stay, you also get free parking which for many families is a huge savings alone.
With all this information you can decide for yourself if a Walt Disney World Annual Pass is the right choice for your family. I personally think that as a Disney Vacation Club member an annual pass is an absolute must! You save money and you don’t have to worry about your tickets each time you go. Having a pass makes your planning a lot easier and the perks that come along with it can make vacationing less expensive for the entire family. It is something to save up for like you would for any Disney vacation, and when it comes time to renew each year the price is even lower.
So look forward to coming down and getting right into the parks with your shiny new Annual Pass!
* Please note, discounted Annual Passes are considered a Membership Extra and can only be purchased by direct members with a valid blue membership card. Annual Passes can only be purchased for those in the member’s immediate family and all passes require Photo ID to be claimed upon arrival.
