One Disneyland Park has finally brought back its Annual Pass.
Theme parks were hardly the number one priority at the peak of COVID-19, but there’s no denying that the pandemic seriously impacted the industry.
From Disneyland Resort to Tokyo Disney Resort, practically every theme park in the world was forced to close its gates until lockdowns and local restrictions were lifted. Even once theme parks reopened, they looked drastically different, with Walt Disney World Resort enforcing lower park capacity, mandatory reservations (which are mostly, finally being eradicated in 2024), a new take on the Park Hopper, and social distancing for several months.
One of the biggest differences that remains today is the demise of the Annual Pass system. Today, guests hoping to purchase unlimited entry to Disney World or Disneyland must purchase an Incredi-Pass or a Magic Key, which are significantly more expensive than their predecessors (and boast fewer benefits).
The same is true at Disneyland Paris, where Annual Passes were cut earlier this year in favor of the Disneyland Pass. This has proven deeply unpopular, with guests to both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park complaining that they’re paying more for less.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Disneyland has instated its alternative Magic Access system, and Tokyo Disney Resort is yet to introduce any kind of alternative to an Annual Pass (although this may be about to change).
Of all the Disney Parks, Shanghai Disneyland had the roughest path to post-COVID recovery. It closed four times throughout the pandemic, finally reopening for good in December 2022. Unsurprisingly, its Annual Pass system has also had a complicated journey, returning only to be cut in March 2023.
Now, however, the park is finally reinstating its Annual Passes – with one minor change.
Three tiers of Annual Pass are available to purchase as of today (September 15). While guests could previously choose between Crystal, Sapphire, and Diamond tier passes, the Crystal tier has now been replaced with Pearl.
A Pearl pass will give guests access to Shanghai Disneyland on weekdays only. It will also limit their annual shopping discount to ¥100,000 ($13,700 USD).
Those who choose the Sapphire Annual Pass will need to plan around a handful of blockout dates, with Shanghai Disneyland promising a minimum of 350 days of availability a year. The Diamond Annual Pass allows 365 days of park access – without the need for a park reservation.
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Guests with a Shanghai Disneyland Annual Pass will be able to enjoy all the attractions the park has to offer, including the original TRON Lightcycle Power Run (which has since been replicated at Magic Kingdom), Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, Roaring Rapids, and Buzz Lightyear’s Planet Rescue. It’s also set to welcome the world’s first land inspired by Zootopia (2016) later this year. Check out our full guide to Shanghai Disneyland to find out more.
Do you currently own a Disney Annual Pass? Let us know your thoughts on the current systems at Disneyland, Disney World, and beyond in the comments!
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