Sometimes, breakups can be hard… and messy. Breaking up with your Disney World annual pass could be one of the most heartwrenching decisions to make.
Annual Pass
Even with hotel stay promotions, complimentary souvenir magnets, and merchandise discounts offered to Disney World annual passholders, sometimes those just aren’t benefits that are enough to keep renewing your annual pass year after year. And for several of our readers, it’s time to move on from the days of calling themselves annual passholders for many different reasons.
Disney World annual passes seem to be a divisive topic as of late with some very vocal about their intent to not renew them.
Disney World
We recently asked our readers on Facebook why they were not renewing their Disney World annual passes and we had lots of opinions that really seemed to have merit to their responses.
Price
When we asked our readers why they weren’t renewing their Disney annual pass, the overwhelming majority sent out one answer … the price. Our reader, Sherry D.G. wrote, “Prices are getting out of control,” and others like Carey M. said, “Ours expires Nov 11. We want to renew as usual, we just can’t afford to this time round 🥺. I hope we can get them back in the near future.”
Disney World Annual Pass
Rising prices have been a big topic surrounding the Disney parks for quite some time. If you consider the rising costs of the passes and factor in perks that were once offered free with them like Fastpass+ and PhotoPass downloads, some of our readers say they’re just not worth it anymore. Paula W. explained “You’re paying more and getting less. Constantly. I also hate that bc everything is on your phone— there’s no escape from reality anymore.”
Not Able to Visit as Often
Some readers like, Deborah T. said, “I’m not sure we will be able to visit for enough days to make it worthwhile,” and that also seemed to be a common response.
Annual Passholder Lounge at EPCOT
If you don’t live close to Disney World, paying for travel to Orlando and hotels for a few days multiple times a year can really add up quickly. Our reader JJ S. also pointed out “We make two trips down a year, would take at least another trip to break even,” so depending on how far you’re traveling, your travel costs alone could cancel out the value in the annual pass.
Desire to Travel to Other Destinations
Revenge travel — the pent-up demand for a vacation that many people felt after staying home during the pandemic — created a huge surge in Disney World travel in 2021 and 2022. Now, readers like Charles F. are saying “We have decided to travel more to other places in the world.”
©Disney
Many of our readers cited places like Disneyland, Hawaii, National Parks, and even other theme park destinations like Dollywood and Universal Studios down the road from Disney World as places they would like to visit soon. Reader Jenny M. said just as much in her comment “We want to prioritize other places to visit – Disneyland, Dollywood, National Parks, etc.” and who could blame someone for wanting to switch up their travel plans for a while.
Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland
Additionally, with Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe on the horizon for 2025, it seems like some annual passholders plan to spend at least some of their theme park dollars at other parks. Catherine S. said she has plans for “Universal Nintendo World + other financial obligations. It’s very pricey, even as an AP.”
Shift In Priorities
That last reader comment made another interesting point about “other financial obligations.” Sometimes, travel and recreation just has to take a back seat in your budget.
Annual Passholder preview crowds
Jennifer B. said, “$$$$. Had to buy a new car and move this year. Add 2 college tuitions and we just can’t afford it.” Others like Andrew J. raised their own questions like “Do some realistic accounting: how often do you visit, how much do you spend on food, hotels, transportation, etc. Does having a very expensive pass offset that cost?” All of these things like college tuition, raising families, finding or building new homes, and weighing the expense versus the experience all seem like decisions grown-ups have to make at one point or another in their own lives.
Family is everything
We also heard from a few of our readers that they intended to just take a break for a while, but had plans to be back. Rick L. said, “We let it lapse a couple months ago because we weren’t planning any extended stays for a year or so. Not worth spending 2k if we weren’t going to use it.”
Is an Annual Pass the Same Value Anymore?
If you’re looking for the short answer to that, well… no, at least according to several of our readers like Dawn H. explained “Too many “extra” costs (genie + etc) not happy about making reservations for the parks. When I do go it’s still magical because of the family memories. Going to sit back and see what changes are coming and reassess for the coming years.”
©Disney
Our reader, Brianna Q., echoed similar sentiments saying “I didn’t renew mine Platinum passes in 2021 because of cost and the fact that fast passes were done away with. I miss going but I’m not paying extra for things that used to be included with the passes I had🫤” It seems that for several people who are not renewing or not planning to renew their annual passes once they expire, it really came down to the benefits.
We ask for feedback about Disney topics often from our readers and it was interesting to read so many varying reasons why people are stepping away from Disney World annual passes! Be sure to check back in with us at Disney Food Blog for the latest in Disney news and updates.
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Mine expires 10/28. I’ve already renewed. We are DVC members so we get the Sorcerer pass that is cheaper rhan the other APs available to the general public. I come down 6 to 7 times a year. It is my happy place.
It’s not just the annual pass. It’s the food etc. That has gotten sooooo much more expensive. Senior citizens are treated like second class citizens when they are the ones most likely to have an annual pass. As a passholder you have to make reservations etc. when others don’t. Crazy. I’ve had over 80 trips but the fun is definitely waning with prices getting so high for EVERYTHING.
I downgraded to a Pirate’s pass with PhotoPass included ($63/month). I had a staycation at Universal Studios recently and that got me curious about their annual passes. Their 3-park Preferred pass’ (their Sorcerer’s, basically) base price is only $3 more than a Pirate’s renewal without PhotoPass. Its renewal payment is half of Pirates’ renewal, too – less than $31/month.
Mine doesn’t expire until May of 2024, but if they don’t switch the park hopping situation and at least change it to earlier, I won’t renew. Park hoping after 2 is a huge frustration.
We held annual passes from 2000 but let them expire last year. Our usual trips were two a year. We would spend the month of January there and then fit in Food and Wine. We like to go to a park early and return to our hotel around lunch time. Half an hour early admission is hardly worth anything. And the price of hotels has risen rapidly. Food prices have also risen a lot. Disney has Out-priced many loyal fans from being able to come.
We renewed our passes since we are DVC members, that helped. It’s actually cheaper in the long run than paying for a Magic Key pass at Disneyland and not being able to get park reservations when we want.
I will not be vacationing at Disney World nor renewing my annual pass unless they make better changes back to a more MAGICAL time. I would much rather see the cost go up to include more and go back to the old ways. They could give the additions as an additional cost to add on for non-Florida residents. Most out of state people do not use the annual pass as much as the Florida residents.
The old ways are definitely much more MAGICAL.
Disney has lost its magic not worth it anymore
I am from Bucks county, Pennsylvania. I have been a DVC member since 1993. I only made the trip to Disney once a summer. Could use the annual pass two summers in a row. The discounted price for DVC members was managable, even as late as 2022. But now the discounted DVC price is the same as the highest price Florida resident AP. Florida residents have three different AP choices to pick from. Seems like Disney is really catering to the locals and not those who only make it once a year because of work.
This could be my last annual pass. Getting too expensive for long lines and fewer and fewer attractions that can be enjoyed vs. the new Spin and Puke era of dark rides which seems to be spreading throughout the lands. The fun attractions like the original Test Track thru the Factory, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, Universe of Energy are all gone. Where is the innovation that was pence the hallmark of Epcot.
I am here now and rethinking my renewal. World Showcase was loaded with intoxicating guests last night at 5pm. Needed county police. CM’s working soft opening of Moana were grouchy and rude. Disney needs to teach respect to customers and provide safety. And for the money u pay u definitely don’t get the old experience.
We let ours go as well –
several reasons – we don’t go as often and we are a little put off by their changes. Disney does not allow politics to be on guest t shirts etc. Which is a good thing – they should behave likewise.
we will be back as it is still a great place.
“Disney isn’t Disney anymore.” That’s what everyone in my family says. We have been annual passholders for almost 20 years. But not anymore. We are a family of 5. As out-of-staters, annual passes would cost $7000 per year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry… the value just isn’t there. We all whine about going back to Disney, but realize that the Disney magic just isn’t there. None of us want to be on our phones all day long. None of us want to get up early to make reservations. Personally, I don’t like the karma of being charged extra (Genie+) to get on rides faster, and I certainly don’t like the ridiculously high hotel rates and food costs, as well as the greediness of charging people to park in hotels where they’re paying $500 – $700 for a night. What happened to $88 a night for value hotels, or $205 for Animal Kingdom Lodge Savanah room? It wasn’t that long ago. I know prices have gone up, but 300-400%???????????? GREED!!!!!!!!!! Magical Express changed the whole character of the vacation when it was included. To save $34 round trip (and i’m sure Disney got a better price than that from Mears), Disney showed their corporate greed and lack of appreciation for the components of a magical vacation. Disney is great… just not magical anymore. We’re living life for the magic. Bring it back Disney.
We will likely renew our passes, but we are planning to drop from the Incredi Pass to the Sorceror Pass. Each time Disney artificially blocks us out of making a park reservation, we become more and more disenchanted with Disney. We have already stopped booking Disney hotels (we live in Orlando, so it’s an unnecessary luxury for us), going to Disney movies, and booking Disney cruises. We will NEVER subscribe to Disney+. Disney’s competitors offer a much better value for their passes, so we are finding ourselves spending more and more time in these parks, and their Halloween and Christmas events are far superior to Disney’s. Disney just isn’t as much fun anymore.
Iger seemed to acknowledge in his recent meeting with stock analysts that Disney’s position and actions in the Culture War is hurting business, not just among Conservative guests, but Moderate and Independent guests as well. The Culture War has influenced our decision to renew our AP’s. We are still vacillating. Iger almost said the right things. Now let’s see what he does about it, if anything.
I think the stupid genie is really the culprit problem here, and having to have reservations with others dont, why are passholders treated like inmates with all these rules. The dumb genie system should at least have a special rate for passholders, can not purchase that every single time we go which is often. I cant believe disney excecs have become so blind and just dumb to these ongoing issues, they just don’t care.
We’ve probably made our last renewal. Being from out of state, we’re a bit tired of being treated like second class – “less desirable” – guests because we might be crowding out a family from Denver on a once in a lifetime trip to Disney.
REALLY Disney?
We come and stay in the resorts, eat at the restaurants, buy souvenirs. Just because we come frequently, and have APs, we’re given the shaft? Our passes cost 40% more than they did 5 years ago, and no longer include Photo Pass – that’s extra. We can’t even spread out the cost into monthly payments.
Sure, they toss passholders some crumbs every now and then. A lounge with cheap snacks. A magnet. Bonus park passes. But these little perks are often announced 2 or 3 weeks in advance – and they rarely coincide with trips that we plan months in advance.
The park pass thing is really the last straw. Passholders will still have to get park passes, while day ticket holders do not. Yep, again, that crumb of bonus passes, but that does little good for us. We already have passes for all days of our stay in Disney resorts – but we’re still constrained to the park passes we made weeks before.
I’ve written to Disney about this, and they don’t care. Fine, they can have the family from Denver that comes once every 4 or 5 years. Our 4 or 5 trips PER YEAR are coming to a quick end.
I let my annual pass expire this year as I cannot justify the expense. Everything that used to come with a pass is now an added expense. My biggest complaint is that you have to make a park reservation then cannot hop to another part until 2:00 pm.
I am a DVC owner and still plan on vacationing at Disney World but going to the parks unfortunately for me is a thing of the past. Universal is a short uber ride away.
Trying to decide. As a senior I find it difficult to maneuver getting to parks them all the extras make it too confusing and expensive. I started going to Disney land the year it opened. All you needed was your ticket book and entry. But now just a lot of work to get all that is needed. I live 10 mins from Disney but don’t go very often. Incredipass used to be worth it .. no more. So pretty sure will not renew
Been a member since 1968, have enjoyed DVC membership .Been on a cruise, stayed at 4Star hotel, girls weekend in NYC and lovely Vero Beach and our trips to Sarasota Springs our vacation home, The BEST Investment we ever made