New Florida Resident Disney World Ticket Deal
The latest in a line of Walt Disney World discounts is the Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex ticket, which offers deeply-discounted 2-day, 3-day, and 4-day park tickets for locals. In this post, we’ll cover the details, recap other recently-released discounts, and the likelihood of more being released for the general public in the near future.
As a quick recap, there are already several discounts for Florida Residents and Annual Passholders. A couple of weeks ago, Walt Disney World released the “Rediscover the Magic” Deal for Up to 40% on Walt Disney World Hotels Now Through September 30, 2020. This includes Contemporary Resort for $272 per night, Beach Club for $265 per night, Saratoga Springs for $225 per night, Pop Century for $110 per night, Fort Wilderness Cabins for $239 per night, and more.
Although some of those prices are still very high, those are among the best percentage discounts we’ve seen since around 2012. (Obviously, hotel prices have increased a lot since then.) Still not the ~$50-$70 per night we remember paying for the Value Resorts during the Great Recession, but the All Stars are not even open right now, so there’s that!
Subsequently, Walt Disney World quietly released a 30% off discount on merchandise purchases at most Walt Disney World stores for Annual Passholders with only limited exclusions. Normally, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders receive a 20% off merchandise discount as part of AP perks, so this amounts to an extra 10% off.
This 30% off is currently valid through August 14, 2020, but we would be more surprised if it’s not extended than if it is extended. If anything, we expect more attempts to entice Annual Passholders to spend money while in the parks. Offering 20% off the 2020 Taste of EPCOT Food & Wine Festival booths seems logical given the high menu prices (and the fact that the first wave of bloggers/vloggers/etc. is now over).
Now, we have new discounts on park tickets for Florida Residents…
With the Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket, locals can enjoy 2, 3 or 4 days at one Walt Disney World theme park per day. These flexible tickets can be used at any one of the 4 theme parks on consecutive or non-consecutive days throughout the offer period (subject to Disney Park Pass availability).
The 2-Day Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket costs $130 per ticket (or $65 per day) and is valid for use July 22, 2020 through September 30, 2020. The 3-day Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket costs $174 per ticket ($58 per day) and is valid July 22 to November 20, 2020 plus November 29 to December 18, 2020. Finally, the 4-day Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket costs $195 per ticket ($49 per day) and is also valid July 22 to November 20, 2020 and November 29 to December 18, 2020.
Proof of Florida residency required. All adults will need to show proof of Florida residency at park entrance. Both a theme park reservation via the Disney Park Pass system and valid theme park admission for the same park on the same date are required.
It’s worth noting that these are the exact same prices as last year’s Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket. However, that too was an aggressive deal, offered during the lead-up to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. That was a window we dubbed the “Pre-Star Wars Slump” and low attendance and hotel occupancy during that timeframe is why Disney moved forward the land’s debut.
Offering the same discount one year after the debut of that blockbuster land plus Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is undoubtedly not what Disney had in mind at the time. With that said, this is likely only a precursor of even better discounts to come…
As far back as March, “will Walt Disney World offer deals when the parks & resorts reopen?” and “will WDW raise prices to make up for lost revenue during the closure?” were two incredibly common reader questions. In response to those, we published Will Disney World Offer Huge Discounts After Reopening? That post was essentially an emphatic YES!
Still, many readers disagreed, pointing out the lost revenue and how Disney would jack up prices to compensate. As we’ve discussed countless times in the past, Walt Disney World charges what the market will bear. They don’t hold off on price increases as a nice gesture to guests nor are Disney’s prices based upon costs. At this point, Walt Disney World’s pricing is based almost exclusively on demand. And right now, demand is low.
We mention all of this not to take a victory lap, but as a foundation for the present landscape that Walt Disney World is trying to navigate. (If this were simply about patting ourselves on the backs, it’d be about as lame as claiming success in predicting in afternoon thunderstorm in Florida during the summer.)
Our predictions about Walt Disney World offering aggressive discounts were not exactly prescient or even bold. This was easily foreseeable to anyone with a vague understanding of economics and historical knowledge of how Walt Disney World has operated during past recessions.
However, one thing we did not foresee was the current status of the health crisis in Florida. Our expectation back in March was that America, as a whole, would flatten the curve and maybe there’d be a smaller second wave later in the fall that we’d all deal with more swiftly and dynamically, having the knowledge and preparations from the first wave. Quite naive, in retrospect.
We did not expect Florida to peak later during the first wave and be the epicenter of America’s outbreak right as Walt Disney World reopened, drawing a firestorm of bad PR in the process. Whether proceeding with reopening as planned was a poor decision or a matter of unlucky timing is debatable, but either way, not germane to this post.
What’s relevant now is that Walt Disney World has sort of been backed into a corner. A lot of potential guests don’t want to visit Florida in the near-term future, and even if they did, Walt Disney World would be reticent to market the parks and resorts to them.
The result is that Walt Disney World is in something of a holding pattern, waiting for the real world situation in Florida to improve or at least the headlines to subside. Thankfully, there are signs of both. (In particular, Orange County’s numbers are starting to look better than Florida’s as a whole.)
Ultimately, that’s our take on why Walt Disney World has yet to release great deals to the general public despite the resorts operating at incredibly low occupancy rates at the resorts and the parks being veritable ghost towns with plenty of surplus Disney Park Pass inventory.
It’s likely a matter of public perception, fear, and also wanting to err on the side of caution with a slow and methodical phased reopening. Consequently, we’re still probably looking at late summer or early fall (at the earliest) before Walt Disney World offers aggressive discounts to the general public. But they will be come, and they will be exceptional.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Walt Disney World’s recent discounts for Florida Residents and Annual Passholders? Are you anticipating colossal savings on hotels, tickets, or dining for the general public? Will you be ready to pounce on deals—or will you wait for a full economic bounceback–or until operations are normal at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We have been pass holders for 10 years since moving to Florida. Why? Because we love Disney….I even tailored my classroom at school to reflect my love of Mickey and Disney. I guess you could call me a Disney fanatic and even joined the Mickey Mouse Club in The Villages.
My husband and I were so excited to be able to visit the parks any time we wished during the week and brought our grandchildren with us when they came to Florida.
Unfortunately our passes lapsed due to the pandemic and the closing of WDW. We were going to renew once everything settled down but I guess that is not possible . We are saddened by your new policy and the fact that you went ahead and initiated it without mailing pass holders to see if they would renew. Shame on you!!!!
Can days be added to the Florida Resident Flex ticket? Trying to decide between the two and cannot find information regarding adding on to the Flex ticket. Thanks!
Any idea when reservations will open in late 2021? We POP century fans and were planning a trip with my parents and mother in law then and they will need preferred handicap accessible rooms. I had planned to book those rooms as soon as they were available for our dates (usually it’s 18 months out), but with COVID Disney out a stop on all reservations just a few weeks shy of when we would be able to book. Once they reopened I noticed you can’t book anything paste September 2021. I’d love a discounted room rate, but we really just need to make sure we have preferred handicap accessible rooms so I usually book as soon as possible. Any insight as to when this time frame will re-open?
For 20 years as a DVC member, I’ve been hoping that the discounts offered to Florida residents would be extended to DVC members. I’ve spent many thousands of dollars on membership and annual dues. I would like the opportunity to purchase all levels of annual/seasonal passes and multi-day tickets at the same discounted prices residents receive.
I have POP reservations for early September, and as a FL resident, am glad that I held off on my park tickets. Am still on the fence if we will actually go however. Mainly due to my 18 month old. Will it be too stressful to bring my little one? It will still be so hot, and with limited capacity in shops, restaurant, and no meet and greets, I worry about us melting. Again, as a FL resident, the summer has been so HOT! And then add masks into the equation, doesn’t sound like a good time. But, then again with rides being a walk on, particularly on most all that my little one can ride, that would be wonderful! Hmmm….
We have been vacationing at the parks for the past 3 days, visiting Hollywood Studios on Jul 20 and 21 and Animal Kingdom on Jul 22. Our DVC vacation had been booked 11 months ago. This was to be an annual vacation for grandparents to take 6 grandkids, some of whom did not have annual passes. We had several complimentary passes for them and spent many hours with Disney Springs Guest Relations assigning them to the kids. I was able to make park reservations for each. We were told everything was fine – not so!!! Upon arrival at the Studios we were told none of the passes were good for entry. We ended up purchasing 9 one day tickets. Only to find out last night that they had instituted a 2 for 1 pass for $65 per day. This would have applied to 4 of the passes we purchased. After entering the parks and seeing the vast number of guest experiences, stores and attractions that were closed, I would have cancelled the vacation. This was a rip off – certainly not worth the value of a one day pass (over $130 after taxes). If you want to get on “Ride of the Resistance” – forget it. Their virtual queues open at 10 am, 1pm and 4 pm. In two days of trying, I learned that it was virtually impossible to “join” the queue. Bookings were full within the first 10 seconds of opening. We’ve been Disneyphiles since day one – Oct, 1971. I strongly recommend unless you’re an annual passholder – save your money – do not buy into their one day passes. The recently offered half price passes are an admission that Disney knows they’re still ripping you off. Do not trust their websites or Guest Relations – they don’t speak the same stories.
that is a disappointing sequence of observations and events to hear from a verified loyal Disney guest, John McLaughlin. If somehow this situation develops, do come back and let us know,..
I’m presently interested in when discounts for 2021 are going to come out, and how much better they will be than the usual discounts (and also if there’s any sign of life with the water parks). We owe the kid a WDW graduation trip, so I’m angling at possibly Mardi Gras, or more likely May-June (still waiting to find out when a postponed family wedding is going to be rescheduled).
We’ve managed to always get a good deal when we’ve gone in the past, so I have to think it’s going to be even better than past deals for spring packages. My guess is that there’ll probably be along the lines of the the Rediscover the Magic Deal for Florida Residents, not the AP deal. IIRC, the Florida residents deal was 5% over the best Spring/Summer deals. But 35% off rooms at Deluxe/DVC? 30% off Moderates? 25% off Value? Suddenly I have visions of needing a prybar and explosives to tear the wife away from Stormalong Bay to head to the parks.
I also have to wonder whether anything else will be added. I’d love that extra 5% tacked on, and wonder whether any other deals will be sent to past resort guests that somehow improves on such a bargain, such as meal deals of some sort, ranging from free Disney Dining Plans to a Free counter service meal a day, to a free snack a day, etc. And/or ticket discounts: buy 6 days and the 7th day is free, a percentage discount, free parkhopper/parkhopper plus, etc. Free parking to those who drive in (which should not be charged anyway, but it is what it is). Room upgrades. Percentages off WDW merchandise to resort guests during their stay, or giving each guest a certain amount of Disney cash, which can only be spent in the parks or resorts.
But we’re facing the great unknown. It is hoped that vaccines and treatments will be able to have rendered the virus into something manageable by Spring, The only thing that’s been certain about this virus is that everyone’s gotten predictions wrong about it so far.
And the other factor I forgot to mention: There’s so much uncertainty about what will be open for Christmas, winter 2021 and spring/summer 2021. Right now the DVC villas are available for booking at the Wilderness Lodge, but the Wilderness Lodge is not. Gran Destino is not available, but the rest of Coronado Springs is, while the Grand Floridian is available, but its DVC villas are not.