The Disney parks changed a LOT when they reopened in 2020, so what still remains of those pandemic-era adjustments?
Face mask requirements have been relaxed somewhat in the parks, many buffets have returned in full force, and the social distancing markers and language are almost entirely gone. But there’s one BIG change that has stuck around: Park Pass Reservations. And from a recent interview with the president of Disneyland, it sounds like they could be here for a while.
When Disneyland and Disney World reopened, they instituted a new Park Pass Reservation system that requires guests to have reservations for the park they are going to attend each day (in addition to park tickets). The reservations are free, but you cannot enter a park without them.
Guests who are not Annual Passholders can hold reservations for any days that they have park tickets for, and Annual Passholders have a limit to the number of reservations they can hold at a given time. We do see reservations run out, especially for holidays or other Disney event times. Usually, Magic Kingdom is the first park to sell out on any given day, but that sometimes changes if there are major events in other parks (such as a festival in EPCOT).
You can see the reservation availability on Disney World’s website. Because these passes sell out, we recommend reserving your passes as soon as you book your tickets (or plan your vacation, for Annual Passholders). So how long are these passes going to remain a thing? A recent interview with Disneyland President Ken Potrock gave us a hint.
The Orange County Register recently conducted an interview with Potrock about several pandemic-era changes at Disneyland as well as some upcoming plans for the park. They asked about the Park Pass Reservations, which Potrock responded were “a really important opportunity for [Disney] to be able to manage the demand more effectively than we ever could.”
Basically, the reservations allow Disney to monitor capacity and crowd levels in the park, which was important when the parks reopened and continues to be helpful in tracking and controlling demand.
When asked if the passes will ever go away, Potrock responded, “I don’t think so.” He said that “the objective here is to spread that demand, whether it’s a Tuesday or a Saturday,” meaning Disney wants to disperse the crowds so that the parks aren’t super busy one day and then much emptier the next.
This is helpful to Disney in two ways, according to Potrock: “One, it’s a better experience for all. Two, we can better manage the labor scenario in a more efficient way.” Disney has been having some problems with staffing shortages, so maybe the Park Pass Reservations will help them better decide where Cast Members are needed on any given day.
So it looks like Park Passes are here to stay for a while, and maybe even indefinitely! We’ll keep you updated with all the latest Disney news, so stay tuned with DFB.
Click here to learn more about the Park Pass Reservation system, including how to book your passes.
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What do you think of Disney’s Park Pass Reservation system? Let us know in the comments.
This sucks for pass holder’s as we can no longer decide to go to the parks on a whim or at the last minute. Many times prior to reservations, we go when ever we felt like it with no reservations. We literally wake up in the morning and decide to go that day. Or when the parks would stay open late, we’d go in the afternoon after work/school on a Friday. No we are handcuffed and restricted with the mandatory reservations.
I guess my family has had its last visit to Disney World. There is such a long list of changes that have, sadly, made the Disney Magic disappear. We are unhappy about all of these things but we will absolutely never return to Disney World until park reservations are gone and park hopping starts at the beginning of every day. Since the current regime cares not at all about what the general public wants, I believe we will never again enjoy a Disney vacation.
The issue I have with park pass reservations is that we don’t always know months in advance what park we will visit each day. We always schedule one day at Typhoon Lagoon, but we don’t want to go there if the weather is bad. We would need the flexibility to choose another park that day. With the park-hopping 2pm rule, we’d have to go to Typhoon Lagoon, check in, then head back to the hotel if we wanted to park hop.
We are coming out to florida in September 22 from the UK and i am concerned that the park pass will restrict our movements between parks!
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We buy a package which includes a 14 day Ultimate Park Pass which should allow you to go from park to park at anytime during our trip, i now won’t be able to say go into Epcot early do a few rides and then mid morning go to another park and do the same!
This seems very unfair?
On another matter could you occasionally do the odd blog specifically for your international fans?
We definitely enjoy all your enthusiasm and commitment to what you all do
Nick
The temporary park reservation system was supposed to be put in place to help keep guests safer during the pandemic… We loyal fans could accept that reasoning for the health and safety of all. But now Disney has used the pandemic as an excuse to further limit and diminish the guest experience while making huge profits. You pay a substantial amount of money for park and hopper passes and now you will continue to need a RESERVATION! Are you kidding me? You can’t even use your expensive hopper add on until after 2pm. Disney, you are out of control. At least someone is being honest and telling the real reason. It’s not for guest safety, it’s because Disney can’t staff it’s parks adequately due to the huge amount of cast layoffs that they made. It is becoming more and more apparent that Disney’s is no longer
“The happiest place on Earth”. It’s now the greediest!
This absolutely stinks – the days of me just running to main street to pick somebody up a special birthday desert for the day, or quick gift from Main Street Shops are gone – If you are going to keep the reservation system at least allow an Express System for locals you really may wanna pop in for just a few hours to grab something vs staying 6-10 hrs.
Yes, of course, the reservation system is better for Disney. Once again, reenforcing the new business model that the customer (formerly “guest”) is not first on the priority list. Disney knows if every family only visits Disney once that’s fine. There are more coming, from everywhere all the time.
I will not personally go to wdw unless park pass is gone and fast pass is back.. It wasn’t relaxing to plan a trip but its more hectic now..I have been going elsewhere ..
We usually stay at Boardwalk which gives us easy access to Epcot/Hollywood Studios. We like the option of being able to go to Starbucks at Epcot before heading over to Magic Kingdom or walking through Epcot to take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom or the Magic Kingdom resorts where we might have a breakfast scheduled before going to the Magic Kingdom. None of these things can happen with the current park reservation system. I would think an equitable solution would be no park reservation needed if you have a hopper pass.
In theory it should disperse the crowds–but the levels seem as high as ever. They need to drop the park hop time down…so that the crowd transitions much more quickly.
Somewhere Walt is turning in his grave…if he made an advance reservation!
We are coming in May and I think this will be our last visit. Usually we would get the 7 day hopper and go from park to park. We would have breakfast , lunch, dinner and snacks…no more. This time 4 days that’s it and going off back to hotel room to eat. Who knows where they want to go months in advance. We are DVC members and even thinking about selling or just using points for RCI resorts. Sorry Disney Roark reservations stink.
I’m of the same mindset. As a PASSHOLDER of many years, my husband and I make the trip up to Disney several times a year . We like to take our time , not necessarily to go on rides. We used to like to be spontaneous and park hop when we did enough at a park. Now we have to plan every single move we make. I agree that a lot of the magic has gone out of our experience and I am beginning to question whether I want to remain a pass holder. The big shots who make the big bucks better start listening to their loyal pass holders.
As an annual passholder for years I am not at all happy with the way Disney has returned after the pandemic closure. So much has changed. So many great things taken away. No more fast pass system. Now charging for a shorter line wait. Outrageous prices for everything! Overcrowded parks and this damn park reservation system. I live in Florida and on any given day prior to all this we would just hop in the car and drive up for the day. Now we have to reserve a day. Also I find that since the pass reservation system started the parks are overly crowded even during the week. We were in Magic Kingdom last week for the Keys to the Kingdom tour on Wednesday and the park was so crowded our tour group could hardly maneuver through the crowd. Now there is never a less crowded day. It’s a pain in the butt when it’s hot and overcrowded. Not a pleasant experience for anyone. People pay good money to have a “magical day !” How magical is it when you are piled in shoulder to shoulder with a crowd. I say bring back the old Disney World. Life in the “magic” was more fun!! Fix the park capacity. It’s more crowded than ever and I have been going to Disney since the 80’s. Bring back the old Disney and rein in some of the prices!
Great. Just one more thing to make a trip to WDW stressful and unpleasant. Folks, unless you vote with your wallet and stop going, WDW management is going to keep taking you for granted and making more changes that will NOT be for your benefit as a guest. I’m going to Europe this summer so I’ve already voted.
Restrict it more. Have gone once a month for Dec Jan and Feb. Crowds were UNBEARABLE.
All I am reading at all the blog;s and travel sites is how unhappy people are with what Disney has become. How much longer before that starts to show in dropping attendance.
Been going to WDW since there was only MK. a 3-day ticket was $30. I have loved every minute. Also, DL and DL Paris. Like most who need a DW fix every so often I do a lot of research/planning. I wasn’t about to miss the 50th anniversary. But the Disney conglomerate has finally found a way to keep me away.
Despite all the planning things change the last minute: Flights get canceled, Luggage gets lost (even after it makes it to WDW). hurricanes pass right over the place, rides are temporally closed. The list is endless, and I have had all occur while I was vacationing at the happiest place on Earth. Not only has the price skyrocketed but now you cannot just roll with the punches.
There is no flexibility. Workers are no longer cast members. They are under a lot of pressure, and it shows. Fast pass did great at reducing long lines. These new rules just take the magic completely out of the vacation. I had hoped the pandemic would be a thing of the past or some kind of system like the measures for Disney cruises (verification of vaccination, and testing at the port before boarding the ship) would be installed to allow a more normal vacation by next December. Even if I hit the lottery tomorrow a visit to WDW would not be on my to-do list.
Many people seem to forget the real reason for many problems, such as limited closures, loss of daily housekeeping, etc., etc., etc., is the available of workers to fill the positions.
We may not be happy that so many of our favorite things have become just memories, but that won’t stop us from enjoying what is now available. Life is too short to concentrate on the negatives, particularly with what has been going on in the USA for the past few years and now in Europe.
Magic will always be there, but it has to start from within. We’ll continue being thankful for what we have and won’t complain about what we can’t change.
It is clear by the previous comments, Disney has placed profits ahead of the guest. Walt would not agree with this philosophy, but Walt’s dream of family entertainment died when Bob Iger took over. Michael Eisner and Frank Wells were the rebirth of Walt and Roy Disney, and now they are all gone. My 35 plus years of going to WDW multiple times per year are over. I am considering selling off my DVC membership that expires in 2055.
Oh well, the Magic is over with the park pass system. Going in and out of multiple parks in the same day are over.