How to Maximize Your Annual Passholder Perks in Disney World

Are you making the most of your Disney annual pass?

When it comes to grabbing a Disney annual pass there are so many benefits, discounts, and freebies to consider. It’s no secret it’s pretty expensive to have this yellow card in your pocket so let’s talk about how to maximize your Disney annual pass!

First up is all of the discounts! There are many discounts to be found if you know what you’re looking for. Typically, annual passholders get dining, merchandise, event, sports, and hotel discounts.

Discounts tend to fluctuate but you can expect to get at least 10% off most table service restaurants in Disney World. If you aren’t sure, ask the Cast Member that’s taking care of you. Even if the answer is no, it’s better to ask than to not! It’s also important to note that annual pass discounts cannot be applied to alcoholic beverages. The discounts don’t stop at food, if you’re looking to shop this is for you!

You can also expect to get 10% to 20% off at shops throughout Disney World. This can also change depending on the season and not all of the third-party stores have the AP discount. (I’m silently waiting on LuluLemon in Disney Springs to get on the discount train.)

Hotel discounts aren’t as consistent as the merchandise and food discounts but they can make a huge difference when you’re visiting Mickey. Disney has released some hotel discounts for 2025 already and you can find the details here! 

You can also expect to get a little bit off of your total for several of the backstage tours around Disney like the Behind the Seeds Tour, Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour, Wild Africa Trek, and more. You can even get $2 off on your AMC movie tickets if that’s a part of your plan.

If you’re looking to break a sweat, you can also get 15% off of golf around Disney (regular and mini), fishing excursions, and bike rentals. If you aren’t sure if you have a discount, you can check out the Annual Passholder Discount page. What’s better than a discount though? A Freebie! 

There aren’t a ton of free things when you’re in Disney World but if you’re an annual passholder you might get a few! The most consistent freebie you’re gonna get is the famous Annual Passholder Magnets! These magnets are released periodically throughout the year featuring different Disney characters.

Disney will also toss in some surprises throughout the year. This month Disney released two exclusive AP freebies and we can’t get over how cute they are!

New baking set

One is a set of baking stencils for those who looking to get a bit creative in their dessert adventures and the other is a set of recipe cards. Last year, Disney sent out wrapping paper around the holidays as one of the freebies for the year. It’s not the exact same every year but you can expect to grab a few free items in the mail or at the parks.

Freebies not enough for you? You can also expect to find snacks exclusive to Annual Passholders! 

Similarly to the discounts, these exclusive snacks aren’t super consistent when it comes to when and where to find them. You can typically find a drink or two around the EPCOT festivals but this is a good time to remind you these snacks aren’t free even if you are a passholder.

Now that we’ve chowed down, with your little yellow card you can access special photo opportunities around the parks.

These photos are throughout the parks and change depending on the season!

If you’re looking for a PhotoPass spot, keep your eyes peeled for those lime green shirts throughout the parks. Not every spot will have AP exclusives but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

If you feel like this isn’t enough for your annual pass, consider adding on a few upgrades! For $99, you can add Disney PhotoPass onto any pass which gives you access to all of your photos and ride photos during your visits throughout the year. It’s personally one of my favorite things I added on because I can take so many photos and I never have to pick and choose which ones to purchase.

You can also consider the Sports and Water Parks add-on for $99 which gives you access to the water parks or other sports-related activities around Disney World. Both of these upgrades might not be right for you and your crew so make sure to determine if paying more will actually benefit you before you shell out the cash.

These are the easiest ways to make sure you’re maximizing your annual pass throughout the year even when you aren’t in the parks! Don’t forget to keep following AllEars.Net for all of your Disney pass news and updates.

Find the Ultimate Guide to Walt Disney World Annual Passes Here

Do you have a favorite perk? Tell me in the comments!