Disney’s Park Pass Reservation System has changed how we visit Disney Parks — and not everyone is a fan of it.
Gone are the days of buying a Disney Parks ticket and choosing whatever park you want to visit. Instead, the Disney Park Pass System requires you to book a Disney Park in advance. If you don’t have a reservation, you can’t get in. We were curious about what our readers think about this system, and we decided it was time to ask.
We asked our readers, “Have Park Passes made planning your Disney World trip harder?” Find out what our readers said!
We reached out on Facebook (if you want to share your thoughts in the future, give us a follow!) to find out what our readers think about Park Passes, and whether this system has affected their planning experiences. Find out if our readers said yes or no!
YES
The AllEars readers who are not happy with the Disney Park Pass System mentioned it causes additional stress and reduces flexibility. One reader said, “It definitely takes away some flexibility,” and another reader added, “[It’s] more of a stressful hassle. No longer fun or magical when planning a Disney trip.”
Some readers weren’t totally unhappy with Park Passes but noted that the system makes it more difficult to make spontaneous plans. A reader commented, “Most of the time it isn’t a big deal, but we can’t just go last minute when we want. It takes more planning.” Another reader said, “I miss the impromptu of visiting a park at the last minute. Most times reservations [are] not an issue, but [it was] still nice to ‘just go.’“
Annual Passholders have also been affected, especially if they live closer to a Disney Park. A reader commented, “As a [Disney World Annual Passholder] absolutely!” As Park Passes can “sell out” and Annual Passholders are limited to a certain number of reservations, it’s not as easy to take a spontaneous trip.
NO
Not every AllEars reader hates the new system, and some readers mentioned how it’s not that different from past planning strategies. As one reader put it, “Between advance ADRs [advance dining reservations] and before at least 60 day fast passes, [we] basically were choosing park days in advance in the past anyway.”
It can also depend on your planning preferences, with some of our readers calling themselves “over-planners” who appreciate how the system lets them plan every day of their visit. A reader noted, “I like deciding ahead of time which parks I’m visiting on which days,” and another reader said, “I usually planned which park(s) we were going to on the days of our trip, anyway!“
Although Park Passes can sell out, several of our readers also mentioned they had no trouble moving around plans. One reader was even successful during a very busy time in Disney World, commenting “I’ve been able to switch things around during spring break. No issue.”
If you’re someone who likes to plan, the Park Pass system might actually make your trip better! As one reader said, “It makes my plans more concrete for each park day and I actually like it!“
Ultimately, according to our readers, the Park Pass System might be beneficial for people who enjoy planning out all the details of their Disney vacation. If you’re more of a spontaneous person, it does take away some flexibility, but you can still be successful sometimes with last-minute reservations. Regardless, Park Reservations seem to be here to stay, so all we can do is use the system the best we can!
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What do YOU think about the Disney Park Pass System? Tell us in the comments!
As a frequent Disney Visitor, DVC but not a FL resident. I hate them. We prefer to not plan ahead. To just get up and go to the park we feel like that morning.