Walt Disney World Annual Passholders are losing a benefit that some frequent visitors have been taking advantage of for years.
The change comes during an already expensive period for Passholders, with Disney raising Annual Pass prices while guests continue to look for ways to cut costs inside the parks.
Now, one of those longtime money-saving tricks is officially gone.
Disney World Ends Longtime Passholder Perk
Annual Passholders can receive a 20% merchandise discount at eligible Disney-owned locations throughout Walt Disney World.
For years, some Passholders found another useful way to take advantage of that benefit. Bottled water, soda, and other bottled beverages purchased at Disney-owned merchandise locations could qualify for the discount.
That changed on October 6.
Passholders can no longer apply their merchandise discount to bottled beverages at those locations. Multiple Cast Members reportedly confirmed the change.
Going forward, Annual Passholders should expect to pay full price when purchasing those bottled drinks.
It’s a relatively small change compared to some of the major price increases around Disney World, but frequent visitors could notice the difference.
The Discount Had Been Around for Years
This wasn’t a recently introduced Annual Passholder benefit.
The bottled beverage savings had reportedly been available for a very long time, dating back to around the same period as Disney’s merchandise discounts.
It eventually became something of an insider tip among frequent Disney World visitors.
Passholders could purchase bottled water or soda at an eligible Disney-owned merchandise location and receive 20% off rather than paying the full price.
One purchase didn’t result in enormous savings. However, that’s not necessarily how Annual Passholders used the benefit.
A guest visiting Disney World repeatedly throughout the year could purchase bottled drinks during dozens of park visits. Saving 20% each time could eventually add up.
That made the trick particularly useful during Florida’s hotter months, when guests may purchase several drinks during a single visit.
Annual Passholders Are Already Paying More
The timing could make the change more frustrating.
Disney World has also increased Annual Pass prices, meaning frequent visitors are being asked to spend more for their passes while simultaneously losing this longtime perk.
The overall merchandise discount isn’t disappearing. Passholders can continue receiving their eligible merchandise savings elsewhere.
Bottled beverages are simply no longer included.
For some Passholders, that won’t make much difference. Others may not have even realized bottled drinks were previously eligible.
But longtime visitors who deliberately purchased their drinks from Disney-owned merchandise locations to receive the savings will need to change their routine.
Disney World hasn’t eliminated one of the biggest Annual Pass benefits, but it has removed another small way Passholders could make their money stretch further.
And after years of being available, the bottled beverage discount is officially gone.
