There is a HEFTY list of things to remember when planning your Disney World vacation.

You have to buy your tickets, reserve your hotel room, make dining reservations, and get acquainted with the My Disney Experience app. And on top of it all, Disney now has a Park Pass reservation system. This system is used to reserve your spot to get into a one of the Disney World theme parks each day and is required in addition to a valid theme park ticket. This system was implemented to help accommodate Disney’s limited park capacity upon reopening…but it looks like it’ll stick around for now. So what happens if you FORGET to make your Park Pass reservation?!

First things first — it happens. Often. We’ve seen a lot of readers mention they booked a last-minute getaway or straight up forgot to book passes and when their trip rolls around…NOTHING IS AVAILABLE. Yikes. What are you to do??

Can I Get Into Disney World Without a Park Pass?

Like we mentioned, Park Passes are required for EVERY day of your visit, in addition to a valid theme park ticket. Once you buy your tickets, you’ll go onto the Disney World website and reserve those Park Passes for each person in your travel party. Park Passes are now held in three different “buckets” basically — Annual Passholders, guests staying at a Disney World hotel, and all other ticketed guests.

Annual Passholders no longer have to have Passes after 2PM each day, with the exceptions of weekends at Magic Kingdom. Passes can run out for one group but not the others, so it’s important to keep an eye on!

Disney World’s parks have been hitting capacity very frequently recently with all the exciting things happening in the parks, so these passes allow you to guarantee your spot in the gates. You are not able to enter the park without a Park Pass reservation.

When Should I Make a Park Pass Reservation?

We recommend making your Park Pass reservations as SOON as your plans are finalized. That’s because, with demand to visit Disney World increasing as summer crowds flood in, those spots are getting snatched up fast. You’ll want to book even sooner for weekends or busy seasons like the holidays. The calendar currently goes through early 2024.  

Of course, Park Pass reservations are a relatively new aspect of planning your vacation. So what if you forget about them? Well, you CAN’T get into the parks without them…but you can try these tips instead.

Learn ALL About the Park Pass Reservation System!

We also have a steb-by-step guide to booking a park pass reservation.

You can see that here! 

Tips for the Park Pass Reservation System

Getting a Last Minute/Sold Out Park Pass Reservation

Disney World tends to release more Park Passes as the dates in question grow closer. So if you check the Theme Park Availability calendar and see that the day you want to visit is full, don’t lose hope!

If your trip is pretty far out, there’s a good chance that more spots will be added. And even if you’re just a few days or weeks away, you could get lucky, too. We post whenever Park Passes are replenished, so check back with DFB often!

You’ll want to keep a VERY close eye on the Theme Park Availability Calendar. When passes are refilled, they tend to go fast! We’ll also keep you updated here at DFB whenever more spots are added. 

Park Hop to the Parks That Fill Up the Fastest

Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom tend to book up first when it comes to Park Passes. But if you want to visit an already-full park but don’t have a reservation, you MAY be able to do so.

If you have a Park Hopper ticket, you’re able to head over to a different park than the one you have a reservation for, beginning at 2PM. Of course, this is subject to park capacity, but the parks have yet to fill up to the point where Park Hopping is NOT allowed, except for on the 50th Anniversary, when park hopping was unavailable for the Magic Kingdom (If park hopping ever does become unavailable, you will be notified on the My Disney Experience app.).

So what should you do? Go on and grab a Park Pass reservation for whatever park you can get. Head there in the morning, and then hop over to the park you WANT to visit at 2PM. 

By Park Hopping, you can maximize your time in each park — and you may be able to get around that tricky Theme Park Availability Calendar! The key here is finding a park with availability. In our experience, Animal Kingdom and EPCOT tend to fill up last, so you might be able to snag a pass at one of these and hop at 2.

Check Out Our Full Guide to Park Hopping in Disney World!

Try Some Other Activities

If you are absolutely unable to get a Park Pass reservation (like…they’re ALL GONE), there are some other activities around Disney World you can try instead. Head over to Disney Springs for shopping, dining, or a ride on the Aerophile balloon.

You could also visit Typhoon Lagoon (Disney’s other water park, Blizzard Beach, is currently closed for refurbishment), play a round of mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens, or grab a Dole Whip at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

There is also a lot to do at your own hotel! Visit the pool, try some activities (did you know you can go canoeing or horseback riding and LOTS more at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort?!), or catch the Electrical Water Pageant. And don’t forget to try some of our favorite Table Service restaurants outside of the parks.

Check Out Some FOOD Outside of the Parks!

Our most important tip is to plan ahead as much as possible to ensure you get the Park Passes you want. But if you don’t, try not to stress too bad! Hopefully one of these strategies can help ya solve your problem. We’ll keep bringing you more Disney tips and tricks, so stay tuned to DFB!

Here’s How to Solve Some Common Park Pass Problems!

 

Do you have any Park Pass strategies? Share ’em in the comments!