Disney World’s iconic attractions are starting to return to their pre-pandemic state, as annual passholders can now enter the four gated attractions without making a reservation. After more than 37 months, passholders can enjoy the flexibility of spontaneous visits to the theme park, as long as they arrive after 2 p.m. in the afternoon, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom.
The easing of restrictions started after the end of a very busy spring break season, and annual passes now cost more than they did before the pandemic-related shutdown in March 2020. Nonetheless, it marks a comeback to the liberty and impulsiveness of visiting a Disney World theme park at will, granted that the date of your visit does not coincide with a blockout date on your specific pass tier or the park has not reached full capacity.
The Magic Returns for Annual Passholders
Annual passholders are excited about the changes, as it will allow them to visit the park more frequently. Locals can now visit their favorite Disney park to walk around, go on a few rides, and perhaps grab dinner. Passholders who are late risers can now book resort stays without worrying about missing out on a day at the park.
The changes are expected to be a win-win situation for theme park fans and Disney shareholders. Making it easier for owners of annual passes to visit more frequently is a moneymaker, as even cost-conscious passholders who don’t expect to spend any money at the park will still help fill the coffers at the House of Mouse.
Entering the standby line for a ride or experience, without additional cost, may make the Genie+ and individual Lightning Lane purchases more appealing to those who want to skip the wait.
Disney’s Big Week
Disney World’s changes for annual passholders are part of a bigger week for the Florida resort. On Thursday, the company will start selling all four tiers of annual passes again to new buyers. Currently, purchases are limited to the entry-level Pixie Pass for in-state residents, an attractively priced pass at $399 for year-round access, but it’s limited largely to off-season weekday visits.
The availability window may last longer at Disney World than Disneyland, which resumed selling its annual passes last week, and only the priciest plan is still available. Due to having twice as many parks and varying relationships with local customers, Disney World may decide to keep some of its annual passes under tight control until it can expand capacity and fully restore all the pre-pandemic features.
Investors in the leading media stock are expected to benefit from the changes, as regulars historically don’t spend as much as infrequent visitors but get discounts on many in-park purchases. Nonetheless, even incremental spending helps to fill the company’s coffers. With the easing of restrictions, Disney is poised to regain its footing as the world’s largest theme-park operator.
So, the changes at Disney World for annual passholders are a sign that the theme park industry is returning to its pre-pandemic state. Making it easier for passholders to visit more frequently will help fill the company’s coffers, even as the park slowly returns to full capacity. Fans of the park and investors alike are expected to benefit from the changes, which are part of a bigger week for Disney World.
