Walt Disney World Annual Passholders have a lot to grumble about…and much of it is perfectly valid (especially being blocked out for one of the most anticipated ride openings in recent memory). However, it seems as though Disney is trying to make amends. In a surprising announcement today, Disney announced that they were relaxing Park Reservation requirements at Walt Disney World…with a few caveats. Â
Very soon, Disney World Annual Passholders will no longer need a Park Pass reservation to visit any Disney Park of their choosing after 2:00 pm! While it’s not an end to the Park Pass reservation system…it certainly seems like a step in the right direction. In fact, we suspect this may be the beginning of the end for the much grumbled about Park Pass system which requires Guests to schedule which Disney Park they plan to attend in advance.Â
Though this is exciting news, there are still some restrictions. Magic Kingdom is excluded from this change on Saturdays and Sundays. Annual Passholders who wish to go to Magic Kingdom on the weekend will still need a Park Pass regardless of the time they intend to go. Block out dates will also still apply and are subject to the level of Pass you have. It is also important note, there is no announcement yet on when this change goes into effect. All Disney has said so far is that the new policy will begin “in the next few months.” Which gives no indication of a concrete timeliness but Disney had promised to communicate with Passholders about a start date closer to time.
The delayed start date for Passholders means that day and resort Guests probably have a little longer to wait before they can come and go as they please from the Parks (though resort guests just got exciting news of their own). In a statement Disney has stated, “While the theme park reservation system remains important to manage attendance in our parks, especially on busier days, we realize our Passholders enjoy more spontaneous visits– and this change will make that possible.”Â