5 Reasons to Buy a Disneyland Resort Annual Pass

When you live in Southern California, especially in Orange County, you are surrounded by all things Disneyland. Now that the Disney Company has built the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment district, it is difficult to stay away from the Disneyland area. I tried for many years but after having my son, I found that owning an Annual Pass to the Disneyland Resort is the easiest entertainment that I have for him.

At first I was skeptical because to me the cost of the annual pass was so high but throughout the years we have gotten tons of use out of our Disneyland Resort Annual Passes and many of our friends and family has purchased them so that they could enjoy the parks like we do. Here are a few great reasons to purchase an Annual Pass.

Value

A 1-day Park Hopper ticket for ages 10+ is $83.00. You only have to use the Deluxe Annual Pass (which is $239) 3 times a year to make the pass pay for itself. Also, parking is $10 per visit - a parking pass can be used 6 times to pay for itself. To rent a stroller, it's also $10 per visit - rent a stroller 5 times to pay for it. Also you get various discounts at select stores and restaurants in both parks and at Downtown Disney.

Something to Do

If you are bored or broke, this is a great way for to you entertain yourself and your kids without spending loads of cash. If you have out of town guests, you can go with them without shelling out ticket money for yourself. We pack snacks and bottled waters and carry them in a backpack throughout the park. My son is happiest on rides than in stores anyways. (Although we always have to stop and buy something from the Candy Palace store on Main Street.)

Special Events and Offers

Disneyland sends out a magazine 4 times a year with special events and offers listed just for Annual Pass holders. At Halloween, the Mickey Mouse Halloween Treat is a new after-hours event every October and Annual Pass holders get an opportunity to purchase discount tickets 6 months early. A lot of times these tickets run out before the general public can even get a hold of them. There are Angels ticket discounts and Annual Pass holder special Hotel rates as well. Right before the Nemo Submarine ride opened up, annual pass holders had a chance to enter a special drawing for a secret preview of the new ride. There are many limited previews of new rides and of pre-screenings of Disney movies.

Great for Families

Disneyland and California Adventure is a great place to take your kids and wear them out. We will take our son for a few hours and leave right before nap time and he sleeps great the rest of the afternoon. We go to the parks every few weeks for only a few hours and we don't feel like we are wasting money. There is no pressure to try to fit in enough rides to make up for the price of the tickets and we can leave when we want without guilt.

Year-Round Fun

My favorite time of year at Disneyland is Christmas. I absolutely love it when they decorate and play the music and have the special holiday foods. It's a wonderful atmosphere where it really does give you good cheer. Disneyland's Christmas celebration starts in November and runs through New Year's Day. Disneyland has now started to extend their holiday celebrations to other holidays as well. As mentioned above, Disneyland's California Adventure now runs a special Halloween party that Annual Pass holders can purchase pre-sale tickets for.

Disneyland Tickets:

Single Park - $53 (for ages 3-9), $63 (for ages 10+)
1-Day Park Hopper - $73 (for ages 3-9), $83 (for ages 10+)

Annual Pass -

Premium $359 (for all ages) includes parking and is good year-round (no black out days)
Deluxe $239 (for all ages) is good 315 days of the year (does not include parking)

Parking - $59 (normally $10 fee per day)
Stroller rental - $49 (normally $10 rental per day)

Also available are various special Southern California Resident 1-Day tickets and Annual Passes.

I know many Annual Pass holders that live in other states that make a trip to southern California a few times a year to use their passes at the Disneyland Resort. It is a great opportunity to enjoy Disneyland on your own terms without the financial pressures that most guests have when they come for a visit. I hope I have helped convince you that an Annual Pass to Disneyland is the way to go. And if you ever do come to Orange County, California, look me up. Maybe we can go to Disneyland together.