Benefits for Annual Passes, FL Resident

[jbrown]

Hi all.
(First post, btw)
I've done some reading on the forums here about annual passes, but want to see if there's anything new.
I'm moving to Florida at end of month. On 12/2 (first week day after I move in), I'm getting my FL Drivers license and then heading to Disney to get my annual passes. (before even unpacking!)

What actual benefits are there?

DO you ever get guest passes?
How about Parking? I couldn't find anything about that.
What about Fast Passes? How do FL residents get fast passes for the day they want to go?

I'd love all the info you have about FL Res Annual passes.
Thanks

 

[Master Yoda]

AP benefit list.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/passholders/passholder-benefits/

DO you ever get guest passes? No.

How about Parking? I couldn't find anything about that. It is free.

What about Fast Passes? How do FL residents get fast passes for the day they want to go? Can be made 30 days in advance.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/passholders/reserving-fast-pass-plus/

 

[jbrown]

AP benefit list.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/passholders/passholder-benefits/

DO you ever get guest passes? No.

How about Parking? I couldn't find anything about that. It is free.

What about Fast Passes? How do FL residents get fast passes for the day they want to go? Can be made 30 days in advance.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/passholders/reserving-fast-pass-plus/

Hi.
Thanks. So if you're a FL resident and you decide on a wim to go, you may be unable to get a fast pass. That's good to know. That's good; it might be good to plan out my visits (every day for the first few months).

 

[winstongator]

Biggest benefit is not having to worry about ticket prices. We have done a fair number of day trips, on holidays, random weekend days, teacher work days. I also don't worry about 'doing everything'. I know I'll be back and can take a more relaxed pace. We tend to get to the parks early to take advantage of shorter lines, then after lunch have options to park hop or spend time at the resort.

 

[Master Yoda]

Hi.
Thanks. So if you're a FL resident and you decide on a wim to go, you may be unable to get a fast pass. That's good to know. That's good; it might be good to plan out my visits (every day for the first few months).

Correct.

 

[horizons82]

My wife and I were passholders several years ago. We only got passes once but we were glad to have enjoyed the experience. Several reasons we didn't renew were a) parks got too crowded, b) at that time parking was NOT included in the passes we got, and c) my dad is an employee so we would occasionally get comp tickets to go.

However, as far as making "reservations", whether it comes to FastPasses or even dining reservations, it is true that if you decide to just up and go spur of the moment you might get shut out. However, if you have patience and time you can spend at a computer, I found that if you check and re-check and re-re-check it is possible for FPs and dining reservation times to open up, even days before or even the same-day.

In my case I happened to work at a call center where I would browse online when calls were not coming in. Sometimes for fun and sometimes for our own trips I would constantly refresh, refresh, refresh FP and dining times, and I was amazed how regularly slots would open up and then be gone seconds later...it was truly interesting.

One example is that Be Our Guest (at that time nearly IMPOSSIBLE to reserve the same day), I would regularly see times open up 10-12 times a day just from constant refreshing of available reservations at times of day...it was fascinating.

I know this is way OT from your original question, but thought I would throw in my two cents on being able to get FP times close to or on the same day...if you are patient and have access to refresh on the site often

 

[Paper straw fan]

Hi.
Thanks. So if you're a FL resident and you decide on a wim to go, you may be unable to get a fast pass. That's good to know. That's good; it might be good to plan out my visits (every day for the first few months).

For rides like FoP, Frozen, Slinky, and 7DMT you likely won’t be able to score FP on the same day, but absent an extremely heavy crowd day, you should likely be able to get a decent selection. Anything non-Toy Story at HS (and maybe still the original ride or the saucers) any non-Pandora at AK, everything but Frozen at Epcot, and anything but 7 Dwarfs and maybe Peter Pan (why?) at MK are fairly likely.

Just have someone get on the app on the ride there, or when the family is getting ready!

 

[winstongator]

We've been able to get day-of FP when we've gone. Looking at today, for one person, the rides that do not have FP
MK: Enchanted tales, peter pan's flight, mine train
EP: Frozen
HS: Alien Saucers, Midway Mania, Slinky Dog
AK: Flight of Passage and Navi

Depending on how far you are, you could hit at least one of the big ones at one of the parks if you make it for rope drop. One time we were on our way to do that and something happened in the car. We were about 30 min into the drive, had to turn around, and ended up losing an hour. This was Labor Day 2016, so fairly crowded. We still had a great day.

 

[Joesixtoe]

You just have to plan about a week in advance and you can get fast passes for alien Saucer, navi, peter pan and frozen. The others are harder to get, I've gotten all of them except FOP... even some on the same day like slinky and seven dwarfs.. u just gotta keep looking.

 

[PaisleyMF]

One fun thing to consider, My Disney Experience on your Phone. The app will help you with FP+, Dinning Reservations, and Even PhotoPass (some of the APs do have PhotoPass) and can download them.

It also shows ride line times and entretainment. And sometimes you can find really good FP and even reservations for dinner on any restaurant.

Welcome to Florida.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Unless you absolutely have to go on weekends because of your work schedule, I highly recommend the FL Weekday Select pass. No admission on weekends, or from June through mid-August, Easter, Christmas. But it’s still under or right around $300. (I paid $265 for my current one but I think the price has gone up twice already since then.)

Still get free parking at the parks (not overnight at resorts) plus discounts, etc.

There aren’t guest passes, but we have seen temporary promotional offers where you can bring a friend - I think it was for next to nothing, may have been free, I don’t remember.

The “I have to do everything” thing goes away, because there’s always next time around the corner.

 

[Master Yoda]

The “I have to do everything” thing goes away, because there’s always next time around the corner.

This is so true.

While I am a 2.5 hour drive away, work had me in the area quite often. It was not uncommon for me to pop in grab a Dole Float and take a spin on JC or PotC and then leave.

A good friend of mine who is local drops by Epcot around 8, grabs a beer and watches Illuminations a couple times a week.

All that stress of "getting your money's worth" just melts away and the parks become a much more relaxing endeavor when you are a local with an AP.

 

[LAKid53]

Don't forget discounts on both shopping and food - currently 20% on select dining and merchandise. APs at the Gold level and up also include Photopass downloads - no annoying watermarks.

FL residents can also use the interest free monthly payment plan to pay for their pass. Takes some of the sting out of the cost.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

All that stress of "getting your money's worth" just melts away and the parks become a much more relaxing endeavor when you are a local with an AP.

I think that's the biggest benefit for me. I can visit a park for a few hours use FP and hit a couple of additional rides and then I'm out. Very rarely do I do rope drop to close anymore. And very rarely do I visit a park for more than 6 hours. Being an hour and a half away, "day trips" are an option (usually though - 3 hours into my "day trip" I'm on my phone making a 1 night res somewhere over on Palm Pkwy.)

 

[Disstevefan1]

Hi.
Thanks. So if you're a FL resident and you decide on a wim to go, you may be unable to get a fast pass. That's good to know. That's good; it might be good to plan out my visits (every day for the first few months).

Getting fast passes for anybody within 30 days is a challenge, (excluding club level folks on site), but I will say if you keep checking the app, keep trying, IT CAN BE DONE, I have got Fast passes for FOP on same day by keep trying.