Walt Disney World Annual Passes: What You Need To Know (2023)

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Great news, Disney fans! The Walt Disney World Annual Pass program will be opening again on April 20, 2023. This is a “limited time magic” opportunity as passes will be limited and could sell out. Here’s what you need to know about Walt Disney World Annual Passes in 2023 and where the break-even point for a Disney World Annual Pass may be!

What Are Disney World Annual Passes?

They are just what they sound like: passes to enter the Disney World parks for a year. Passholders can skip the ticket line (but not always the reservation line- more on that in a minute!) and enter the parks on days their passes are valid.

Sounds simple; but it’s not really.

Because, of course, it’s not! This is Disney, after all, and they do like to change things up.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Walt Disney World Annual Pass program.

Theme Park Reservations At Walt Disney World For Annual Passholders

Theme park reservations are needed for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders.

But beginning April 18, Annual Passholders can visit the theme parks after 2 p.m. without needing a park reservation.

Except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom Park.

Walt Disney World Annual Pass Types And Prices

Passes will resume sales on April 20, 2023, and will be available for a limited time.

There are four levels of annual passes that offer four levels of access and perks.

And each level comes with its own price tag.

We’ll break it down for you.

Disney Pixie Dust Pass- $399 plus tax

Now that price tag and that super cute name certainly sound good.

But there’s a catch. Or two.

1- The Pixie Pass is ONLY for Florida residents (sorry, the other 49 states!).

2- You can only enter the parks on WEEKDAYS, and some high-traffic days will be blocked out.

3- You can only hold 3 theme park reservations at one time unless you are staying on-site.

You do still get the perks of free theme park parking, discounts on special events and resort rooms when offered, and dining and merchandise discounts as well.

But just know you won’t be able to visit on a Saturday or Sunday. Or most of November, December, and March.

Disney Pirate Pass- $749 plus tax

Arrrrhhhh you ready to have a little more flexibility?

Aye, Matey, this may be the Walt Disney World Annual pass for you.

The Pirate Pass still has some significant blockout issues.

1- The Pirate Pass is ONLY for Florida residents. Again.

2- November, December and March are still highly blocked out, but you do have access on most Saturdays and Sundays.

3- You can only hold 4 theme park reservations at one time unless you are staying on-site.

You do still get the perks of free theme park parking, discounts on special events and resort rooms when offered, and dining and merchandise discounts as well.

Disney Sorcerer Pass- $969 plus tax

If you’re a Florida Resident OR eligible Disney Vacation Club Member, you are eligible for this pass.

DVC members can purchase their discounted Sorcerer Passes starting on April 13, 2023, as a perk of their membership.

1- The Sorcerer Pass is ONLY for Florida residents and DVC members who qualify.

2- November and December are still highly blocked out, but you do have access to the rest of the year, based on reservation availability.

3- You can hold 5 theme park reservations at one time unless you are staying on-site.

You also get the perks of free theme park parking, discounts on special events and resort rooms when offered, and dining and merchandise discounts as well.

Okay, cool cool cool, but can non-Florida residents purchase a Disney World Annual Pass?

The answer is yes… but as they say, all magic has a price!

Disney Incredi-Pass- $1399 plus tax

This is the most flexible of the Annual Passes at Disney World.

You have no block-out dates and no residency or special designation requirements.

If you want to be on Main Street for Christmas morning or celebrate New Year’s Eve in Epcot: have at it! Your pass is eligible for those dates and all other dates of the year.

You can hold 5 theme park reservations at one time unless you are staying on-site.

EVERYONE can buy an Incredi-Pass, assuming they can afford the upfront cost.

You get the perks of free theme park parking, discounts on special events and resort rooms when offered, and dining and merchandise discounts as well.

You can purchase these passes starting on April 20, 2023, through My Disney Experience.

What Other Add-Ons Are There For The AP Program?

Currently, you can also choose to add on a few extras.

They do cost a bit more money, but you may find it worth it in the end.

• Access to Memory Maker photos year-round. This is especially helpful if you are a runDisney runner who attends multiple races a year as your race pictures are included as well.
• Water Parks and more access. You can add on these attractions and experiences to your AP: Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Court, FootGolf at Disney’s Oak Trail, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course (one round prior to 4:00 PM), Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course (one round prior to 4:00 PM), Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

Both of these perks will cost you an additional $99 each.

Can You Pay For An Annual Pass That Covers Both Disneyland AND Walt Disney World?

At this time: no.

And Disney has indicated that this type of pass, once called the Premier Pass, will not be returning any time soon.

Whomp Whomp.

Are There Payment Plans For Disney Annual Passes?

There are- but, you guessed it- only Florida residents are eligible for this option.

After a downpayment, you will be able to pay a monthly fee for your Disney World Annual Pass as a Florida resident.

And yes, they do ask and require residency proof (billing address on your payment credit card must be in Florida, state ID, deed to the house, mortgage payment, rental agreement, utility bills, etc are acceptable forms of proof).

If you are a non-Florida resident, you will need to pay for the full cost at the time of purchase (or renewal).

When Does An Annual Pass Make Sense? What Is The Break Even Point?

This of course depends on how often you travel to Walt Disney World and how you like to spend your time in the parks.

Date-based ticket pricing makes this question harder to answer.

If you plan to visit during Christmas, for example, you’d hit the break-even point much sooner than if you are planning a trip in late January.

It also gets a bit more complex as Disney tickets do get cheaper per day the longer you plan to visit.

If you have a 10-day park hopper, you will spend around $800. If you paid for 10 separate day tickets, you’d spend $1000+.

If you are someone who loves to Park Hop, getting an Annual Pass may make sense as that is an included perk (vs adding this option to a daily ticket).

So we can’t say exactly what works for YOU, but we can give a general answer.

When will you break even on a Disney World Annual Pass?

If we use an average of $145 per park day, you’d pass the break-even point of an Incredi-Pass at 9.65 days. The simple math we used was $145 x 10 days = $1450.

When you factor in the free parking at the Disney theme parks, the food and beverage discounts, resort discounts, and merchandise discounts, you may come ahead even sooner.

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