Disneyland Annual Pass: How Does it Work?

Buying a 12 month passport to Disneyland gives you unlimited access to either Disneyland Anaheim or Walt Disney World Orlando for an entire year. If you think that you are likely to be visiting one of the two parks many times over a one year period then securing a yearly passport makes sense because it can mean significant cost savings. The more often you go the better value you are getting for the initial cost of your ticket. There are two ways that you can buy your year long pass, either in person or online. If you are planning on using your pass immediately then either option is fine but if you are wanting to use it some time in the future then buying it online is best. This is because a yearly passport purchased on the web does not have an expiry date and the clock doesn't start ticking until you first use it at your chosen theme park.

You can get a yearly passport to Walt Disney World in Orlando or Disneyland in Annaheim. There are basically two types of tickets: deluxe and premium. If your yearly ticket turns out to be well worth the investment then you can resubscribe for the following year at a slight reduction.

What is so attractive about a Disneyland yearly ticket?

• you get unlimited admission to the main theme parks within one Disney establishment for 12 months.
  
  For Walt Disney World, Orlando this means access to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, the Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. At Disneyland, Anaheim you get access to the main area and Disney's California Adventure (DCA) as well.
• free parking;
• while at the park if you spend a minimum of $10 at a Disney dining outlet or hotel you'll get at least 10% off the price.
• saving on your lodging if you stay at a Disney Resort Hotel and quote your yearly passport number when you make your reservation
• travel from one park to another within Disneyland or Walt Disney World in the same day without incurring any extra costs. So in California you could go to Disneyland in the morning, the California Adventure in the afternoon and then back to Disneyland's main grounds in the evening.
• jump on to Disney's transport system to get around the grounds or from one section to another
• if a t-shirt or stuffed toy takes your fancy you can save ten percent on the cost of all Disney items for sale.

What it doesn't include:

• entry to separately priced events or activities

The main difference between the annual and premium passport, apart from the price, is that the extra you pay gets you a higher discount on food and accommodation and you get unlimited admission to more places.

If you are a Florida or Southern California resident then Disney has special yearly passports for you. However, while these passes are significantly cheaper than the standard deluxe or premium passports, you are restricted to the number of days you can use them to those days specifically nominated by Disney and parking is not included in the fee.

So who buys a Disneyland Annual Pass?

The yearly passport appeals to Disney fanatics who just can't get enough of all things Disney but also to those who want to take their time to enjoy their Disney experience. A year long passport means you can go day or night, you aren't as worried about seeing and doing as much as you can on each visit because you know you can come back anytime in the next 12 months. Overall it is a more relaxed way to take it all in.