Walt Disney World announced that guests will be able to purchase new annual passes beginning September 8, 2021. With this announcement also came changes to the passes. And higher prices. There will be four levels to choose from, Pixie Dust, Pirate, Sorcerer, and Incredi-Pass. They range from $399 to $1,299 plus tax. It looks like only the Incredi-Pass will be available to non-Florida residents. The Pixie Dust and Pirate are only available to Florida residents, while the Sorcerer Pass is for Florida residents and DVC members only.

Here’s what’s new about the annual passes:

• Hold More Park Reservations: Depending on their pass type, Passholders may now hold up to five Disney Park Pass reservations at a time. We’ll also be adding “bonus reservations” to the calendar from time to time, so Passholders can make an additional park reservation without it counting against their applicable reservation hold limit. Plus, when Passholders stay at Disney Resort hotels or other select hotels, they will also be eligible to make theme park reservations for each day of their stay – in addition to the reservations you can hold based on your pass type!
• Customize Your Pass: Choose different add-on options based on your preferences – from the Water Park and Sports option to Disney PhotoPass downloads. These add-on options will be available for purchase with any of our four new passes. 
• Access a New Integrated Calendar: Planning will be easier with enhancements to our reservation system, including a new integrated calendar that lets Passholders quickly see blockout dates for each pass type, view available days and make, modify or cancel a reservation all in one place.
• Enjoy Passholder Perks: Passes will continue to offerbenefits you know and love including the Park Hopper option, standard theme park parking and discounts on merchandise and dining. And, there will be a few special surprises throughout the 50^th anniversary celebration!

Renewal prices on the annual passes give you a tiny break.

• Pixie Dust Pass – $339 + tax
• Pirate Pass – $549 + tax
• Sorcerer Pass – $764 + tax
• Incredi-Pass – $1,104 + tax

So take note under “Perks for All Annual Passes” where it says NEW. See the part where you can customize your pass with different options? That’s where they’re letting you know that they’re taking PhotoPass away from you so they can charge you extra for it. You’ll also be able to add on water parks and sports. For $99 + tax each, you can add them on. Or in the case of PhotoPass, add it back on. It says “or even less when renewing your pass.” I think I’m going to give a middle finger to adding PhotoPass back on to my pass and just take selfies or have someone snap a pic with my phone. I’ll miss magic shots and ride photos, but not enough to add an extra $99 to my pass.

The Water Park and Sports Option has a bunch of stars next to it. I looked at the small print and found it interesting. It seems that you can play a round of mini golf daily before 4 pm.

“****Water parks subject to rehabilitation, seasonal and weather closures. Tee times are required for Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course and are subject to availability. FootGolf is available every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday after 2:30 PM, subject to availability. Miniature golf valid for one round. Round must start prior to 4:00 PM. Only one miniature golf visit per Guest per day. ESPN Wide World of Sports admission valid only on event days; some events require an additional admission charge; there are no events on certain days; days and hours of operation of concessions, venues and attractions vary.”

The annual passes are also getting a new look. I think it’s really cute! Too bad it’s going to cost an arm and a leg to get it. I really feel for folks with families now. If you’re a family of three getting Incredi-Pass tier, that’s $3,897 + tax a year. For a family of five it’s $6,495 + tax a year.

Current WDW annual passholders will be able to make up to five reservations at a time beginning September 8. When your current pass expires, you can renew at a special renewal rate to one of the new tiers.

• Platinum Plus, Platinum and Gold Annual Passes: Up to 5 reservations held at a time
• Silver: Up to 4 reservations held at a time

They’ll also be among the first to get the new Passholder magnet featuring the new look.

With the update, you will have the ability to make and modify reservations. Being able to modify reservations will be helpful. I hate that I have to cancel one to change it to another day or park.

There’s also this tidbit of information from WDW, “Please note as we continue to manage attendance to provide a great experience for everyone, at any time, Annual Passes may be unavailable for purchase. Annual Passholders will also still be required to make park reservations for each day of their visit.” So if you want to get a new AP, your best bet it to try to get it as soon as possible before they stop selling them again.

So I’d like to say that I’m disgusted by the new higher prices. Especially for the top tier also known as the Incredi-Pass. It says no blockout dates apply, which is what I currently have with my Platinum Pass. Except that with the reservation system, you still aren’t able to visit the parks 365 days a year because you can’t always get a reservation. And now you’re going to charge me a whopping $1,299 for it?!

With all the price increases going on with merchandise, food, tickets, passes, and extras, Disney is really showing what’s important to them. Money. They are pricing out low and middle income families at a rapid rate.

This is good news for other theme parks because those who can no longer afford Disney will be flocking to them. We’re already seeing it in Florida with increased spending and attendance at Universal and SeaWorld.

What do you think about these new passes and prices? I really wanted to be excited about them offering annual passes again, but I’m just pretty angry about the price increases and benefit decreases.