Silver Pass question

Clotho

Member
Original Poster
Hello there!

My husband is about to get a job at Disney, in an outside office/department (like, not on property, but in our own city) and they told him that his employment package would include a Silver Pass, as well as hotel discounts (and merchandise, etc). He is going to be talking to them more about the job, but I don't want him to go in and be focusing on those details, when he should be talking about other more important (to him and his future job) topics. But we both have questions!

So I thought I would come here and hit up you guys. Google was surprisingly unhelpful, mostly linking to previous threads on here and other boards where the questions asked went unanswered, simply debated with no confirmation of real details, provided completely wrong information (even I already knew some details more accurately than some professed to know) or veered off onto another topic (you know how we can be *wink*).

So my main questions are this:

What are the blackout dates typically for the Silver Pass? I could only find info on blackout dates from back in 2001, and, for instance, it looked like most of the YEAR was blacked out for California Adventure! Which seemed strange...but maybe it's true. I would just like some real info to work with.

Does "Unlimited Days, Limited Admissions" simply mean there are blackout dates, or is there some other meaning behind "Limited Admissions"?

Can you really get good hotel discounts, and if so, how good? Are there many restrictions on them?

I am keen to know mainly because it just so happens we just put a deposit down on our next WDW vacation in September over Labor Day (which is my birthday), including hotel, park passes, and DDP for 10 days. The hiring manager basically said, "If you have to put money down now to plan what you want to, of course do it. But if you don't have to pay anything, I would hold off, because the benefits are so great..." and went to briefly describe the Silver Pass and hotel discounts...but not enough to satisfy my curiosity, and to know how to proceed with our current reservation plans. As of now, we only have a $200 deposit down on our package, and our ADR's set.

If this is something that is taboo to discuss online, please PM me. I don't want to overstep any bounds, since he is not an employee YET. But this info might provide further incentive for him to take the job! So if anyone can give some current and accurate information, that would be wonderful.

Thanks!
 

toadh63

New Member
"Unlimited Days" means that there's no blackouts on a Silver, but "Limited Admissions" means you have a limited number of visits per year (16 visits, as I recall). Discounts are subject to availability, so not much chance to get a CM discount over Labor Day weekend. My ex was a CM, and yes, we used up all 16 visits every year.
 

Clotho

Member
Original Poster
"Unlimited Days" means that there's no blackouts on a Silver, but "Limited Admissions" means you have a limited number of visits per year (16 visits, as I recall). Discounts are subject to availability, so not much chance to get a CM discount over Labor Day weekend. My ex was a CM, and yes, we used up all 16 visits every year.

I have read the exact opposite. That it can be used as often as you want, but there are blackout days. Certainly from some images of Silver Passes I have seen online, the back lists blackout dates, so I know there are definitely some limitations in that regard.

He is not going to be a CM. Onsite hourly CM/employees apparently get a Blue Maingate Pass, which is different than a Silver Pass. Silver passes are for management positions, salaried, and other full-time positions.
 

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
Correction time.. anyone who works for TWDC, from Bob Iger to imagineers, to animators, to button pushes at WDW to street sweepers... they are ALL CM's.

Now, Silver Pass.. you may get 3 people + the passholder (more if the passholder has more dependents) into Disney parks as many times as you wish... save for blackout dates, which are printed on the back of the pass. WDW, DLR, DLRP, and HKDL are it... no Tokyo :)

The blackout dates change every year, but are about the same time perior.

As far as discounts, resort discounts are based on availability, meaning first-come, first-served... and this is all CM's. They don't hold rooms for higherups. So don't view resort discount as an entitlement. Merch discounts I am not sure about, but Disney standard discounts are A & B. A discount is 20% off for CM's under 3 yrs corp. seniority, and 35% off for B discount whcih is more than 3 yrs corp. seniority.
 

juan

Well-Known Member
Merch discounts I am not sure about, but Disney standard discounts are A & B. A discount is 20% off for CM's under 3 yrs corp. seniority, and 35% off for B discount whcih is more than 3 yrs corp. seniority.

do you happen to know if this applies to seasonal CM's also?
 

Clotho

Member
Original Poster
Thank you, mkt. And thanks for the correction, too. We didn't know. He was under the impression that they weren't called CM's up here. Well, internally they may call them that, but around the office, that terminology isn't used the way it is at the properties (we have a couple friends who work in this office already). I think he is a little disappointed at that. I told him he is a CM to ME! :) LOL

Do you know what the blackout dates typically are? Like I said, on the back of the Silver Pass we saw from 2001 (funny enough there are several differnet pictures online, and they are ALL of 2001 passes for some reason...), MK only blocked out July 4th and the week from Christmas to New Years, and the rest of WDW only blacked out New Years, and Disneyland whish had every Saturday in July and some other dates as well.

Oh, and do you know if there are any discounts on other park admissions (water parks) and Pleasure Island?

Thanks again for your help!
 

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
do you happen to know if this applies to seasonal CM's also?
The rule (as I remember) states 20% off always... however, I know of more than a handful of seasonal CM's who have gotten 35% discount once they've gotten a red picture ID with a hire date on it.
 

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
Thank you, mkt. And thanks for the correction, too. We didn't know. He was under the impression that they weren't called CM's up here. Well, internally they may call them that, but around the office, that terminology isn't used the way it is at the properties (we have a couple friends who work in this office already). I think he is a little disappointed at that. I told him he is a CM to ME! :) LOL

Do you know what the blackout dates typically are? Like I said, on the back of the Silver Pass we saw from 2001 (funny enough there are several differnet pictures online, and they are ALL of 2001 passes for some reason...), MK only blocked out July 4th and the week from Christmas to New Years, and the rest of WDW only blacked out New Years, and Disneyland whish had every Saturday in July and some other dates as well.

Oh, and do you know if there are any discounts on other park admissions (water parks) and Pleasure Island?

Thanks again for your help!
Essentially, your black out dates are the peak seasons. As far as discounts, I'm not 100% certain for Water Park, but I know you'll get 50% off for Pleasure Island. I believe it's 50% off for water parks as well.
 

typhoonguy

New Member
Discounts for P.I., Quest and the waterparks change seasonaly, but when available are usually 50% off for you plus the number of people on your maingate. As far as merch. discount, any salaried cast member (those with a silver maingate most of the time) starts off with the 35%.

Also, waterparks are usually free to CMs during the winter, and occasionaly Quest is too. Though I don't think quest has offered free admission for 2 years now, due in part to an increase in guest admissions.
 

mousermerf

Account Suspended
About blackouts...

It's not across the board, as you may havce seen with DCA in 2001 (that's the year it opened, btw).

DL and MK will have the most blackouts, covering peak season days. Epcot is usually only blocked for NYE, and then MGM and AK vary depending on their crowd projections.

I went to DL using a friend's pass once and we were blocked out of DL our first day there, but DCA wasn't blocked the entire trip. Unless you booked your ressie during a peak period (first two weeks of April or July 4th or Christmas to NYE), it's very unlikely you'd be blocked from the MK the whole time. You could just arrange your park days to suit your needs, plus they sell discounted tickets to CMs.
 

mousermerf

Account Suspended
I don't see that anyone mentioned the resort discounts.. (if you did, i'm sorry!)

But based on availability they're either 20-40% off rack rate, with occasional 50% being available and then during Christmastime they tend to do a promotion thing where it's 60% for the slow days in december and january. No ability to book dining packages and such though.
 

typhoonguy

New Member
I don't see that anyone mentioned the resort discounts.. (if you did, i'm sorry!)

But based on availability they're either 20-40% off rack rate, with occasional 50% being available and then during Christmastime they tend to do a promotion thing where it's 60% for the slow days in december and january. No ability to book dining packages and such though.
Actually this year CMs were able to book a discounted dining plan with resort reservations booked on the Christmas discount. It was awesome! 20.50 for the discounted plan!!!
 

mousermerf

Account Suspended
Actually this year CMs were able to book a discounted dining plan with resort reservations booked on the Christmas discount. It was awesome! 20.50 for the discounted plan!!!

Cool! When they first introduced the plan, the department I was in at the time was offered dirt-cheap room rates and the plan to "test" it out. They blanket priced all the rooms by category, so AKL Savannah was only like $65 with the dining plan. Twas awesome.
 

typhoonguy

New Member
Cool! When they first introduced the plan, the department I was in at the time was offered dirt-cheap room rates and the plan to "test" it out. They blanket priced all the rooms by category, so AKL Savannah was only like $65 with the dining plan. Twas awesome.
Gotta love test stays! I was able to do a test stay at Saratoga for 3 nights in a 2 bedroom villa. We didn't get the dining plan included as it wasn't around then, but we got to stay for free which was great!
 

juan

Well-Known Member
The rule (as I remember) states 20% off always... however, I know of more than a handful of seasonal CM's who have gotten 35% discount once they've gotten a red picture ID with a hire date on it.

Hmmm...I have a red ID and I'm going down next week. I'll see if I can get an upped discount.

But I better get my Steamboat Willie 1 year pin

I don't see that anyone mentioned the resort discounts.. (if you did, i'm sorry!)

But based on availability they're either 20-40% off rack rate, with occasional 50% being available and then during Christmastime they tend to do a promotion thing where it's 60% for the slow days in december and january. No ability to book dining packages and such though.

I've been booking rooms all throughout the year. The discount is 50% if CM is staying in room, 40% if CM is not staying in room (CM still has to show ID at desk). Then at special times, rates can go up to 60% off. Note that discount is based on room availability.
Season doesn't always matter - I did book a room 3 days in advance at All Star Resort for $60 for Dec 28th (busy season)
 

donald23

New Member
Also, waterparks are usually free to CMs during the winter, and occasionaly Quest is too. Though I don't think quest has offered free admission for 2 years now, due in part to an increase in guest admissions.

I know this is way off topic, but if DisneyQuest is having an increase in visitors, why are they closing it(or so the rumors say)?
 

WDWKat26

New Member
Correction time.. anyone who works for TWDC, from Bob Iger to imagineers, to animators, to button pushes at WDW to street sweepers... they are ALL CM's.

Now, Silver Pass.. you may get 3 people + the passholder (more if the passholder has more dependents) into Disney parks as many times as you wish... save for blackout dates, which are printed on the back of the pass. WDW, DLR, DLRP, and HKDL are it... no Tokyo :)

The blackout dates change every year, but are about the same time perior.

As far as discounts, resort discounts are based on availability, meaning first-come, first-served... and this is all CM's. They don't hold rooms for higherups. So don't view resort discount as an entitlement. Merch discounts I am not sure about, but Disney standard discounts are A & B. A discount is 20% off for CM's under 3 yrs corp. seniority, and 35% off for B discount whcih is more than 3 yrs corp. seniority.

3 years? I thought it was 5. Sweet, i'll be getting my 35% in August! Yey!
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom