Is a Walt Disney World annual pass worth it? How We’re Planning a Year of Disney World Trips with the Incredi-Pass

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Our family is gearing up for a magical year at Walt Disney World, making the most of our new Disney Incredi-Pass! With plans to visit four times between April 2025 and April 2026, we’re committed to maximizing our experiences while employing smart strategies to save money. From utilizing reward points to booking budget-friendly accommodations, we’re excited to share our planning process, starting with our first trip in April 2025—including a road trip from New York to Orlando with our two dogs!

Doing the Math on Becoming an Annual Passholder

The Disney Incredi-Pass is the highest-tier annual pass for Walt Disney World, offering a cost-effective way to visit multiple times. Currently, it’s the only option available for most people, unless you’re a Florida resident or Disney Vacation Club member. The Incredi-Pass is priced at $1,549 plus tax, totaling approximately $1,650.

For our family, this breaks down to about $412 per person per trip ($1,650 divided by our four planned trips). This calculation may vary for others, depending on the number of trips you have planned.

If you are a Florida resident or Disney Vacation Club member then there are several types of Walt Disney World Annual Passes you can pick from (Disney Pirate pass, Disney Sorcerer pass, and the Disney Pixie Dust Pass. The main different between the types of annual passes is blackout dates and the price.

A big perk of the Incredi is there are no blockout dates, however you do need to make a theme park reservation. A theme park reservation is needed for annual passholders, for most days they intend to visit the parks.

Benefits of the Incredi-Pass

• No Blockout Dates: Enjoy unrestricted access to the parks throughout the year.

• Passholder Discounts: Benefit from dining and merchandise discounts, special events, and discounts on Disney World Resorts.

• Free Standard Theme Park Parking: Save $30 per day on parking fees.

• Park Hopper Option: Park Hopping allows you to visit more than one Disney park per day, allowing flexibility in your itinerary.

• Add-Ons: Options like the Water Park and Sports add-on are available for an additional fee.

Having the option to visit more than one Disney park per day is not necessary, but it is a really nice perk. My kids love park hopping to Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot in the evening to watch the fireworks or Disney Hollywood Studios to watch the nighttime show after a day at Animal Kingdom or the water parks. There is something magical about Galaxy’s Edge at Disney Hollywood Studios after dark. For us, park hopping is a big benefit of being a passholder.

Note, that we are also adding access to the water parks to our annual passes, as my kids love the Typhoon Lagoon.

Cost of Walt Disney World Park Ticket Prices Versus The Walt Disney World Annual Pass

To determine if the Disney World annual pass is a smart investment, compare it to regular ticket costs. For example, a 10-day ticket for Disney Parks during our April travel dates would be $1,014, not including access to the water parks or park hopping. Adding $30 per day for standard parking totals $1,314 for a 10-day trip. Considering the dining and merchandise discounts, an annual pass can save you hundreds of dollars on a second trip. The same concept applies to shorter trips as well.

Keep in mind, this math maybe different for everyone depending on theme park ticket prices for when you plan to visit Walt Disney World and ticket type. Ticket prices for Walt Disney World theme park tickets vary based on date, length of your visit, and ticket type. For example, 10-day tickets cost less per day than a 2-day ticket.

Another option is to purchase an annual pass for one family member and regular tickets for the rest. An annual pass purchase for one family member allows access to passholder discounts (dining discounts can add up quick) for the entire family while providing flexibility in ticket purchases. Take the merchandise discount and dining discounts into your calculation of if an annual pass purchase is right for you.

Another perk of the Walt Disney World Annual Pass is the option to add Disney PhotoPass downloads for an additional $99 plus tax per year. This service allows you to capture high-quality, memorable photos throughout your trip.

Throughout the parks, cast members are available to take pictures in iconic locations, such as in front of Cinderella Castle, which you can then download via the My Disney Experience app. The Disney PhotoPass service also includes ride photos; to ensure these appear in your app, you may need to scan them after each ride. Only one person in your group needs to add Disney PhotoPass, as they can share the downloaded pictures with the rest of the group.

While we are not using points for our Walt Disney World tickets this time, there are several ways to save money on tickets using reward points. For instance, some credit card programs allow you to redeem points at a fixed rate or via a cash-back card to cover ticket purchases. Additionally, certain cards offer the ability to redeem points for travel purchases, which can include theme park tickets.

Driving to Orlando: A Road Trip to Walt Disney World with Dogs!

Instead of flying, we’re driving from New York to Orlando with our two furry family members. This approach allows us to bring the dogs along, reduce travel expenses, and enjoy the journey at our own pace.