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 & engaging we’ve seen for getting an AP in roughly a decade. This covers the large promo together with our commentary about why that is truly a big deal. Not essentially a great deal by way of the low cost, however an necessary transfer within the larger image and considered one of many extra “levers” we count on WDW to tug to revive declining attendance.
As you may recall, Walt Disney World lately decreased the Florida Resident Month-to-month Cost Program down fee from $205 to $99. To offset this the decreased 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 short lived promotion, it quietly ended just a few 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 possible Walt Disney World would pull “levers” that contain Annual Move promotions. Up to now, we’ve seen particular gives with bonus months or deeper reductions for DVC members. That’s one choice. One other can be making the Sorcerer Move out there to most 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. Properly, now Walt Disney World has accomplished precisely that. Listed below are full official particulars:
Get a Free Reward Card with Walt Disney World AP Buy
For a restricted time, stand up to a $100 Disney Reward Card eGift if you buy a brand new Walt Disney World Annual Move.
Reward card values range based mostly on Annual Move kind:
- $100 Disney Reward Card eGift – included with a Disney Incredi-Move
- $75 Disney Reward Card eGift – included with a Disney Sorcerer Move (for Florida residents and eligible Disney Trip Membership Members solely*)
- $50 Disney Reward Card eGift – included with a Disney Pirate Move (for Florida residents solely)
- $25 Disney Reward Card eGift – included with a Disney Pixie Move (for Florida residents solely)
This provide is simply legitimate for brand new Annual Passes. This particular provide can’t be mixed with every other low cost or promotion, together with any renewal reductions.
After buying a brand new Annual Move, the Disney Reward Card eGift shall be delivered inside just a few days to the e-mail tackle offered at buy.
Phrases & Circumstances for Disney Reward Card
- Disney Reward Card eGift worth is predicated on the unique Annual Move bought.
- The Disney Reward Card is redeemable for items and providers at collaborating Disney areas.
- Not redeemable for money except required by legislation.
- Not for resale.
- Issued by, and represents a authorized obligation solely of, Disney Reward Card Companies, 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 Reward Card.
- View full Disney Reward Card phrases and circumstances (together with arbitration settlement).
Be aware that Walt Disney World has not introduced when this particular provide ends. This has develop into more and more widespread with latest promos, and the top date is simply at any time when who manages the spreadsheets decides that they’re glad with the numbers. I’d count on this to stay round by way of not less than the August and September 2025 low season, however wouldn’t essentially financial institution on it being out there in October 2025 or past.
It’s additionally value noting that value will increase usually happen across the begin of the brand new fiscal yr. For the final couple of years, that has been mid-October, however that might 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 provide.
Although 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 choice is year-over-year value development, with reductions as dictated by demand (or lack thereof).
Ultimately, this technique goes to backfire, however there’s no cause 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–at the same time as 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 examine 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 previous 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 out there to most people. Advantages for all tiers embody as much as 20% off choose eating and merchandise, in addition to free commonplace theme park parking and different perks. Blockout dates and reservation limits apply, and range by tier.
It’s most likely truthful to say that the Incredi-Move gives the worst worth for cash. I’d think about that solely a single-digit share of Floridian Annual Passholders maintain that tier. Of Disney Trip Membership members, that quantity might be a tad greater, however I’d wager on the Sorcerer Move being considerably extra standard. Judging by crowd patterns, the Pixie Mud Move might be far and away the preferred choice, total.
Turning to commentary, this free reward card provide solely applies to the acquisition of recent Annual Passes in the course of the promo interval. It most likely doesn’t apply to most of you studying this, which can lead you to imagine it doesn’t actually matter. Nevertheless, it’s fascinating for just a few 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. Nevertheless it does!
The large cause is that this is Walt Disney World pulling a “lever” and attempting to lure folks to the parks. Providing a present card makes buying an AP extra engaging, and may stimulate demand. That is particularly necessary proper now, as a result of attendance may be very clearly down year-over-year.
What’s fascinating, although, is that not like 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 value right here is unchanged. It’s the worth proposition that has been altered. Simply an fascinating wrinkle between the 2 approaches.
This will not appear necessary to out of state vacationers used to swallowing $5,000+ trip prices, but it surely’s an enormous deal in what it symbolizes.
Walt Disney World pulling this lever suggests there’s extra to return. One among our latest focuses has been decreased attendance, and we lined a number of 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 influence)
- Worldwide Journey Pullback (1% to 1.5% influence)
- Financial Uncertainty (no influence)
- Starlight Delays (no influence)
- Shifting Schedules (main influence)
- Excessive Warmth & Humidity (average to main influence)
- Shorter Park Hours (some influence)
- No Particular Occasions (some influence)
- Minimal Mitigation (some influence)
Within the newer crowd report, Walt Disney World’s Gradual 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 yr. As we’ve reported at size elsewhere, you can get the most cost-effective Walt Disney World journey in July 2025 since not less than 2019. That’s type of loopy for those who 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. An enormous a part of that is shifting seasonal journey preferences which have hollowed out the summer time in favor of different extra favorable instances to go to, but it surely’s nonetheless the case that crowds are down a lot of the yr as in comparison with the times of ‘revenge journey.’
Suffice to say, the 2019 playbook isn’t slicing it. These offers haven’t been ample to entice sufficient folks to go to, so now Walt Disney World must go a step past that into extra ingenious 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 dearth of recent sights round which to construct a advertising 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.
Up to now, we’ve seen particular gives with bonus months or deeper reductions for DVC members. A few decade in the past, we bought a promotional Disney Trip Membership Annual Move for $595. Across the similar time (+/- one yr), there was additionally a 15 months for the worth of 12 months promo.
In some unspecified time in the future 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 obligatory till mid-January 2026. However reservations weren’t actually obligatory for over a yr previous to then, and eradicating that friction level may spur gross sales of recent Annual Passes–and with out any discounting being obligatory.
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 very completely different story at Disneyland, however not Walt Disney World. At this level, it most likely is smart to drop reservations fully and use a mixture of blockouts and the occasional (very, very uncommon) phased closure on the 1-2 days per yr when obligatory.
As talked about above, one other can be making the Sorcerer Move out there to most people. Walt Disney World most likely 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 frequently 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.)
After all, this overlooks one other chance: 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 actually 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 would discover out quickly, although. Annual Move promos with restricted time dollars-off financial savings or longer durations most likely 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 related traces, Walt Disney World is likely to be doing this as a result of they’ve noticed a possibility to draw extra locals earlier than Common Orlando opens the floodgates and begins promoting Annual Passes that embody Epic Universe. I’m skeptical that’s going to occur anytime quickly–it actually shouldn’t. However it can ultimately.
Walt Disney World getting out forward of that inevitability and capturing AP {dollars} can be savvy. It presents a possibility for Disney to flip the script and appeal to locals who beforehand felt alienated by local-unfriendly insurance policies. Proper now might 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, which means lots of those self same folks might then “sit out” Walt Disney World APs.
Lastly, one of the vital 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. That means that, on common, APs spend much less per go to. Irrespective of the way you may really feel, that’s statistically correct.
In doing our half to assist assist the struggling enterprise, we contributed tens of hundreds of {dollars} to the corporate’s coffers final yr. However we did so over the course of ~100 days within the parks, making our per go to value 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 instances we see between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, which is each the busiest week of the whole yr and the most costly.
That strategy isn’t replicable most weeks, however that instance must be proof constructive that Disney desires to have its cake and eat it, too. Since that isn’t practical a lot of the yr, they as an alternative optimize for spending, satisfaction, and crowds. Controlling the move of Annual Passholders is one such means, 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 yr is over? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may 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!