Walt Disney World is providing a free ‘bonus’ reward card with the acquisition of a brand new Annual Move, which is probably the most aggressive & enticing we’ve seen for getting an AP in roughly a decade. This covers the massive promo together with our commentary about why that is truly a enormous deal. Not essentially a very good deal by way of the low cost, however an vital transfer within the greater image and certainly one of many extra “levers” we anticipate WDW to tug to revive declining attendance.
As you may recall, Walt Disney World just lately diminished the Florida Resident Month-to-month Cost Program down fee from $205 to $99. To offset this the diminished down fee, Disney elevated month-to-month costs, with the end result being precisely the identical–friends paid the identical quantity on the finish of the 12 months, the allocation of prices simply modified.
Though that was not marketed as a brief promotion, it quietly ended a couple of weeks in the past. The down fee returned to $205, and month-to-month funds have likewise are again at their earlier numbers. It’s unclear what prompted this reversion to the prior numbers, however we speculated that Walt Disney World realized it wasn’t shifting the needle in any respect and that extra was wanted.
When beforehand discussing the deposit discount, we indicated that it was doubtless Walt Disney World would pull “levers” that contain Annual Move promotions. Previously, we’ve seen particular gives with bonus months or deeper reductions for DVC members. That’s one possibility. One other can be making the Sorcerer Move accessible to most of the people.
With Epic Universe now open and low summer time crowds at Walt Disney World, probably the most logical transfer can be extra promos and initiatives to draw friends–not fewer. Effectively, now Walt Disney World has performed precisely that. Listed here are full official particulars:
Get a Free Present Card with Walt Disney World AP Buy
For a restricted time, stand up to a $100 Disney Present Card eGift if you buy a brand new Walt Disney World Annual Move.
Present card values fluctuate primarily based on Annual Move kind:
- $100 Disney Present Card eGift – included with a Disney Incredi-Move
- $75 Disney Present Card eGift – included with a Disney Sorcerer Move (for Florida residents and eligible Disney Trip Membership Members solely*)
- $50 Disney Present Card eGift – included with a Disney Pirate Move (for Florida residents solely)
- $25 Disney Present Card eGift – included with a Disney Pixie Move (for Florida residents solely)
This supply is simply legitimate for brand new Annual Passes. This particular supply can’t be mixed with another low cost or promotion, together with any renewal reductions.
After buying a brand new Annual Move, the Disney Present Card eGift might be delivered inside a couple of days to the e-mail tackle offered at buy.
Phrases & Situations for Disney Present Card
- Disney Present Card eGift worth is predicated on the unique Annual Move bought.
- The Disney Present Card is redeemable for items and companies at collaborating Disney places.
- Not redeemable for money until required by legislation.
- Not for resale.
- Issued by, and represents a authorized obligation solely of, Disney Present Card Providers, Inc.
- Misplaced, broken or stolen playing cards could also be changed provided that verification of receipt and full card quantity is offered.
- For card steadiness inquiries, name (877) 650-4327 or go to Disney Present Card.
- View full Disney Present Card phrases and situations (together with arbitration settlement).
Notice that Walt Disney World has not introduced when this particular supply ends. This has grow to be more and more widespread with current promos, and the top date is simply each time who manages the spreadsheets decides that they’re glad with the numbers. I’d anticipate this to stay round by means of no less than the August and September 2025 low season, however wouldn’t essentially financial institution on it being accessible in October 2025 or past.
It’s additionally price noting that value will increase usually happen across the begin of the brand new fiscal 12 months. For the final couple of years, that has been mid-October, however that would occur by mid-to-late September. We point out that right here as a result of there’s nothing precluding a value enhance throughout this particular supply.
Regardless that this “free” reward card deal is a really clear signal of soppy demand and Walt Disney World overshooting its pricing with Annual Passes, that doesn’t imply they gained’t enhance costs anyway. As we’ve mentioned repeatedly, Walt Disney World administration went to the Kohl’s Enterprise Faculty. Their very sturdy desire is year-over-year value progress, with reductions as dictated by demand (or lack thereof).
Ultimately, this technique goes to backfire, however there’s no purpose to imagine they’ve modified course. If something, this promo solely reinforces that strategy. We’ve seen the identical occur with menu costs at eating places, character eating experiences and extra–whilst demand has dropped dramatically.
For reference, listed below are 2025 costs for every tier of Walt Disney World Annual Move:
- Incredi-Move: $1,549 – beforehand $1,449
- Sorcerer Move: $1,079 – beforehand $999
- Pirate Move: $829 – beforehand $799
- Pixie Move: $469 – beforehand $439
Simply “for enjoyable” right here’s how new Walt Disney World AP costs evaluate to after they have been re-introduced with the brand new tiers again in 2021:
- Incredi-Move: $1,299
- Sorcerer Move: $899
- Pirate Move: $699
- Pixie Move: $399
For much more leisure, beneath are costs for the outdated Annual Passes as of early 2020. Hopefully this final spherical of enjoyable doesn’t make your abdomen too unsettled!
- Disney Platinum Plus Annual Move: $1295 / $999
- Disney Platinum Annual Move: $1195 / $899
- Disney Gold Annual Move: $719
- Disney Silver Annual Move: $539
- Disney Weekday Choose Annual Move: $369
- EPCOT After 4 Annual Move: $319
The Pixie Mud and Pirate Passes can be found to solely Floridians. The Sorcerer Move expands eligibility to incorporate Disney Trip Membership members. The highest tier Incredi-Move is the one AP accessible to most of the people. Advantages for all tiers embrace as much as 20% off choose eating and merchandise, in addition to free normal theme park parking and different perks. Blockout dates and reservation limits apply, and fluctuate by tier.
It’s in all probability honest to say that the Incredi-Move gives the worst worth for cash. I’d think about that solely a single-digit proportion of Floridian Annual Passholders maintain that tier. Of Disney Trip Membership members, that quantity might be a tad increased, however I’d guess on the Sorcerer Move being considerably extra standard. Judging by crowd patterns, the Pixie Mud Move might be far and away the most well-liked possibility, general.
Turning to commentary, this free reward card supply solely applies to the acquisition of latest Annual Passes in the course of the promo interval. It in all probability doesn’t apply to most of you studying this, which can lead you to imagine it doesn’t actually matter. Nonetheless, it’s fascinating for a couple of causes–and I believe many vacationers are overlooking significance of this transfer because it doesn’t apply to you and gained’t cross lots of your minds as one thing that makes a distinction. However it does!
The large purpose is that this is Walt Disney World pulling a “lever” and attempting to lure individuals to the parks. Providing a present card makes buying an AP extra enticing, and will stimulate demand. That is particularly vital proper now, as a result of attendance may be very clearly down year-over-year.
What’s fascinating, although, is that in contrast to the lowered down fee–which didn’t materially enhance the worth proposition–this doesn’t scale back the barrier of entry for a Walt Disney World Annual Move. Not like that promo, the upfront price right here is unchanged. It’s the worth proposition that has been altered. Simply an fascinating wrinkle between the 2 approaches.
This may occasionally not appear vital to out of state vacationers used to swallowing $5,000+ trip prices, but it surely’s a giant deal in what it symbolizes.
Walt Disney World pulling this lever suggests there’s extra to come back. One in every of our current focuses has been decreased attendance, and we coated among the causes for this dynamic in Why Summer time is the New Low Crowds Season at Disney World. I’m not going to rehash all of that, however right here’s a listing of fast hits for individuals who need the rundown:
- Epic Universe (negligible impression)
- Worldwide Journey Pullback (1% to 1.5% impression)
- Financial Uncertainty (no impression)
- Starlight Delays (no impression)
- Shifting Schedules (main impression)
- Excessive Warmth & Humidity (reasonable to main impression)
- Shorter Park Hours (some impression)
- No Particular Occasions (some impression)
- Minimal Mitigation (some impression)
Within the newer crowd report, Walt Disney World’s Sluggish Summer time Continues in July, we added a pair extra explanations.
Whatever the causes, Walt Disney World has already pulled from the 2019 playbook for reductions beginning final 12 months. As we’ve reported at size elsewhere, you possibly can get the most cost-effective Walt Disney World journey in July 2025 since no less than 2019. That’s form of loopy should you notice how a lot base costs have exploded post-COVID.
There have been some extremely aggressive reductions this summer time, and regardless of that, attendance is nonetheless low. A giant a part of that is shifting seasonal journey preferences which have hollowed out the summer time in favor of different extra favorable occasions to go to, but it surely’s nonetheless the case that crowds are down a lot of the 12 months as in comparison with the times of ‘revenge journey.’
Suffice to say, the 2019 playbook isn’t slicing it. These offers haven’t been enough to entice sufficient individuals to go to, so now Walt Disney World must go a step past that into extra creative territory. It’s protected to say that is the start of that, and this reward card isn’t going to the be the answer in entire.
One of many above elements would just about necessitate as a lot. A confluence of them, coupled with the shortage of latest points of interest round which to construct a advertising and marketing marketing campaign, all however ensures higher reductions and particular gives. That is exactly what we’ve seen
I wouldn’t be shocked if there are extra “levers” that contain Annual Move promotions.
Previously, we’ve seen particular gives with bonus months or deeper reductions for DVC members. A couple of decade in the past, we bought a promotional Disney Trip Membership Annual Move for $595. Across the similar time (+/- one 12 months), there was additionally a 15 months for the worth of 12 months promo.
Sooner or later within the not-too-distant future, we additionally wouldn’t be shocked to see Walt Disney World take away the reservation requirement. Sure, we’re conscious that this was simply heightened for the launch of Starlight evening parade. And sustaining that is likely to be crucial till mid-January 2026. However reservations weren’t actually crucial for over a 12 months previous to then, and eradicating that friction level may spur gross sales of latest Annual Passes–and with out any discounting being crucial.
I might argue that theme park reservations have outlived their usefulness at Walt Disney World on 98% of dates (if no more). It’s a completely totally different story at Disneyland, however not Walt Disney World. At this level, it in all probability is smart to drop reservations solely and use a mixture of blockouts and the occasional (very, very uncommon) phased closure on the 1-2 days per 12 months when crucial.
As talked about above, one other can be making the Sorcerer Move accessible to most of the people. Walt Disney World in all probability doesn’t need to do that, as “forcing” out of state followers to both purchase the costlier multi-day tickets or the top-tier AP is the specified consequence for the corporate. (We regularly hear from vacationers who’re irritated about Disney’s AP insurance policies, feeling they need to be catered to since they spend extra–however that’s exactly why they aren’t.)
In fact, this overlooks one other risk: these followers visiting not shopping for any APs and visiting much less. At one level, Disney decided the calculus favored “forcing” extra spending or fewer visits. I truthfully don’t have any clue whether or not that’s nonetheless an correct evaluation, or if Disney has even thought to revisit the choice.
We’d discover out quickly, although. Annual Move promos with restricted time dollars-off financial savings or longer durations in all probability makes probably the most sense if Walt Disney World desires to do extra to bolster their AP base. If I have been in cost, I’d make a brand new ‘Animal Kingdom After 4’ Annual Move and promote it to anybody.
Alongside comparable traces, Walt Disney World is likely to be doing this as a result of they’ve noticed a chance to draw extra locals earlier than Common Orlando opens the floodgates and begins promoting Annual Passes that embrace Epic Universe. I’m skeptical that’s going to occur anytime quickly–it actually shouldn’t. However it’ll finally.
Walt Disney World getting out forward of that inevitability and capturing AP {dollars} can be savvy. It presents a chance for Disney to flip the script and appeal to locals who beforehand felt alienated by local-unfriendly insurance policies. Proper now could possibly be a golden window of alternative that many Floridians are “sitting out” Common Orlando Annual Passes.
However that gained’t final. Every time Common does begin promoting Epic Universe Annual Passes (whether or not that be in August 2025 or September 2026), there’s going to be a mad rush of locals shopping for them. And theme park budgets solely go up to now, that means lots of those self same individuals might then “sit out” Walt Disney World APs.
Lastly, probably the most widespread arguments amongst followers is about how Annual Passholders inflicting overcrowding. As a result of we’re, within the notorious phrases of the previous CFO, an unfavorable attendance combine. Which means that, on common, APs spend much less per go to. Regardless of the way you may really feel, that’s statistically correct.
In doing our half to assist help the struggling enterprise, we contributed tens of hundreds of {dollars} to the corporate’s coffers final 12 months. However we did so over the course of ~100 days within the parks, making our per go to price decrease than that of the common vacationer.
Regardless, Walt Disney World and Disneyland doesn’t essentially wish to scale back the variety of Annual Passholders. What they need is extra granular management. This is the reason Magic Key gross sales use a Disney Vault technique and reservations are required.
It’s the identical thought with crowds, interval. Disney doesn’t need decrease attendance. If they may maximize visitor spending & satisfaction, and crowds, they completely would. Therefore the wait occasions we see between Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve, which is each the busiest week of the complete 12 months and the costliest.
That strategy isn’t replicable most weeks, however that instance needs to be proof optimistic that Disney desires to have its cake and eat it, too. Since that isn’t sensible a lot of the 12 months, they as a substitute optimize for spending, satisfaction, and crowds. Controlling the stream of Annual Passholders is one such manner, opening that valve a bit of extra–like proper now–when vacationer numbers are down (or projected to be down).
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Walt Disney World providing a free reward card of as much as $100 for brand new Annual Move purchases? Suppose this freebie will transfer the needle on AP gross sales? Want WDW would do extra to incentivize Annual Move purchases amongst out of state followers? Any expectations about particular gives going ahead? Suppose extra “levers” are going to be pulled earlier than this 12 months is over? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
