Analysis: Up to 55% Price Increase for New Disney World Annual Passes

    With the announcement of four new Annual Pass types, we wanted to do a quick analysis of the price increases for each of the four Annual Passes compared to their current equivalents.

    Disney Incredi-Pass – $1,299

    The Disney Incredi-Pass encompasses two of the previous Annual Pass types – Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass and the Disney Platinum Annual Pass.

    Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass

    Previously the highest-tier Annual Pass a guest could own, the Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass included no blockout dates and access to the Disney Water Parks and more.

    • 2020 FL Resident Price: $999
    • 2020 Out-of-State Price: $1295

    To find an equivalent price for the new Annual Passes, we have to purchase a Disney Incredi-Pass with PhotoPass add-on ($99) and Disney Water Park and Sports add-on ($99).

    Base Incredi-Pass $1,299 + PhotoPass ($99) + Water Park and Sports ($99) = $1497

    That means that guests who are looking to purchase a new Annual Pass that matches the previous Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass offerings will pay:

    • FL Resident: $498 more (or 50% increase)
    • Out-of-State: $202 more (or 16% increase)

    Disney Platinum Annual Pass

    The second-highest tier of Annual Pass was the Disney Platinum Annual Pass. Like the Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass, this pass included zero blockout dates, but didn’t include the Water Parks and More option. Here were the previous prices:

    • 2020 FL Resident: $899
    • 2020 Out-of-State: $1195

    To find an equivalent price for the new Annual Passes, we have to purchase a Disney Incredi-Pass with PhotoPass add-on ($99).

    Base Incredi-Pass $1,299 + PhotoPass ($99) = $1398

    That means that guests who are looking to purchase a new Annual Pass that matches the previous Disney Platinum Annual Pass offerings will pay:

    • FL Resident: $499 more (or 56% increase)
    • Out-of-State: $203 more (or 17% increase)

    Disney Sorcerer Pass – $899

    The Disney Sorcerer Pass is roughly equivalent to the former Disney Gold Pass. Only available for Florida Residents or Disney Vacation Club Members to purchase, the restrictions on the Sorcerer Pass match the Gold Pass. Here’s the previous Gold Pass pricing:

    • 2020 Gold Pass price: $719

    To find an equivalent price for the new Annual Passes, we have to purchase a Disney Sorcerer Pass with PhotoPass add-on ($99).

    Base Sorcerer Pass $899 + PhotoPass ($99) = $998

    That means that guests who are looking to purchase a new Annual Pass that matches the previous Disney Gold Annual Pass offering will pay $279 more (or 39% increase).

    Disney Pirate Pass – $699

    The Disney Pirate Pass is roughly equivalent to the former Disney Silver Pass. Just like the Silver Pass, the Disney Pirate Pass is only available for Florida Residents to purchase. Here’s the previous Silver Pass pricing:

    • 2020 Disney Silver Pass price: $539

    The Silver Pass did not include Disney PhotoPass downloads previously, so we can simply compare the base pricing.

    Base Pirate Pass: $699

    That means that guests who are looking to purchase a new Annual Pass that matches the previous Disney Silver Annual Pass offering will pay $160 more (or 30% increase).

    Disney Pixie Dust Pass – $399

    The Disney Pixie Dust Pass is roughly equivalent to the Disney Weekday Select Pass, which limited weekend visitations like the new Pixie Dust Pass does. Here’s the previous Weekday Select pricing:

    • 2020 Disney Weekday Select Pass price: $369

    Disney Weekday Select Pass did not include PhotoPass downloads previously, so we can simply compare the base pricing.

    Disney Pixie Dust Pass: $399

    That means that guests who are looking to purchase a new Annual Pass that matches the previous Disney Weekday Select Annual Pass offering will pay $30 more (or 8% increase).

    Closing Thoughts

    Perhaps the most shocking part about the new passes is their names. For years, Disney has talked about various success metrics such as per guest spending that has tipped their hand when it comes to the ideal pricing strategy. We recently wrote about that concept and how it applies to the upcoming Disney Very Merriest After Hours.

    Less Is (Going to Cost) More: 90% Spike in Pricing Demonstrates Disney’s Ideal Theme Parks Strategy
    Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond
    blogmickey.com

    At the risk of sounding too callous, Disney is culling the herd. It’s not as dramatic as what we saw at Disneyland with the complete cancellation and renaming of the Annual Pass program, but rather a simple pricing structure that makes it either impossible or economically unwise to purchase an Annual Pass for some guests.

    We’ve seen Annual Pass price increases on a nearly yearly basis for quite some time now, but this price increase could very well be the one that breaks the camel’s back for many Annual Passholders, and that appears to be all part of Disney’s plan.

    As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!

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    2 COMMENTS

    1. Disney is truly “culling the herd” as you suggest. It is different in Disneyland and Disney World, due to the obvious difference in parks and those who attend. Disney World relies less on local residents, so they are more aggressive in pricing them out of the game. For those of us who grew up here it is a bitter pill to swallow. Just because I completely understand the economics doesn’t make it sting any less. It has been part of the fabric of our family life as we were raised, as we raised our children, and as we are starting to welcome grand children. My family branch is the last to have been able to keep the pace with the increases, until now. There is no other way of saying it, it is sad. It sad because we will miss Disney and it is sad because we will not be missed by Disney. We are now part of a large demographic on the outside looking in as Disney turns their back on middle class Americans to address “a more lucrative part of the market.”

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