This is a question I get all the time: is it worth becoming an Annual Passholder if I don't live close to the parks?

Well, I live in Pennsylvania, literally 1,000 miles away from the parks, and my answer is yes.

(Disclaimer: this works for me, it may not work for everyone, this is solely based on my personal experience).

I've been going to Florida annually since I was about 2 years old. We had family there for some time, and even after they moved, we still went. Except for one "I'm a teenager and I'm too cool for anything" year, we always went to Disney World. Whether it was for spring break, summer vacation, or a family trip for some other purpose, I could always bank on seeing my favorite mouse at least once a year. Once my parents became Timeshare owners, it was even easier for us to pack up and fly south for a week or two.

But even with all of these trips, we weren't annual passholders. It wasn't until December of last year that I joined the dark side. Getting my Annual Pass had been on my to-do list for months at that point, but the second my boyfriend and I decided to go to the parks last December, we both took the plunge and purchased our passes. It paid for itself the second we had them. 

We'd never stayed on property before, but luckily for us, there was a discount for APs staying at Disney resorts that lined up with our trip dates. So right off the bat, we saved money on our 3-night stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Now, we ordered our passes during the 45th anniversary celebration, so we have a few more discounts than usual, but those expire at the end of September. The only perk that won't expire in September is the fact that our passes are good for 13 months, instead of 12, at no additional cost. 

At the time of purchase, our Platinum passes were $797 each (including tax). Note that prices have gone up, and a Platinum pass for an adult will now cost you $829 (with tax). There's a discount for Florida residents that takes it down a bit, but is obviously only applicable to those who live in the state. So yes, it is glaringly a lot of money. But when you weigh the benefits, it pays off pretty rapidly. 

Merchandise discounts. Hotel discounts (on occasion). Dining discounts. A special entrance with a short, quick line. Not to mention that as a Platinum passholder, there are no blockout dates. Your pass isn't activated until you physically go pick it up from Guest Relations (you can still book hotel deals using your discount though), so if you purchase it in May, but don't have a trip planned until June, your year doesn't start until June.

On that note, be advised that if you're about to head to the parks for the first time as an AP, the pickup process could take a while. We didn't realize that, and almost missed our dining reservations because of it. Your pass isn't automatically loaded onto a MagicBand or anything like that, so you won't be able to be admitted to the parks without first swinging by GR and activating it.

So to the heart of the matter: is it worth it?

Our first trip as APs was for a weekend in December. Between the hotel stay, dining discount, merchandise discount, and the fact that we went to all four parks nearly every day, the pass basically paid for itself right then and there, in those few days.

I order a gross amount of merchandise from the Shop Parks app, and my AP discount saves me a decent chunk of change each time. So even when I'm not in the parks, I'm reaping the benefits of being a Passholder.

We traveled to the parks in April of this year, and between having the freedom to park-hop, save on meals with my parents, get free regular parking, or preferred parking (which is the same $20 you'd have to spend on parking anyway), pick up some Flower & Garden merch, and enter using the "passholder entrances," made me so happy about my decision.

(bag: Tokyo Disnelyand,  MagicBand bow: Spray on the Glitter)

I already have another trip on the books, and feel comfortable planning more knowing that my park entrance fees are covered. Typically, we'd have to limit our park days, and do a lot more planning in order to get the most bang for our buck. Now? I can satisfy my Dole Whip cravings and then peace out to avoid the crowds. I can go take a nap without feeling like I'm wasting money by not maximizing my ticket. 

So even though I'm 1,000 miles away, becoming an AP was one of the best Disney decisions I've ever made. This might not be the case for everyone, of course, but in my experience, it turned out to be extremely beneficial.

Magically,

Maya