In many cases, buying tickets directly from Disney (disneyworld.disney.go.com) is actually your best deal. The most expensive Disney pass is the one-day, one-park ticket. The more days you add to your pass, though, the lower the per-day cost. If you plan to spend more than 11 days touring the parks, your best bet is to purchase an annual pass, which allows you unlimited admissions and park hopping privileges for an entire year. Florida residents and Disney Vacation Club owners are entitled to discount passes; Florida residents can choose from several pass options, including seasonal passes and weekend passes that cost significantly less than regular purchase prices. In addition, watch for special promotions on vacation packages throughout the year. Every now and then Disney offers free tickets for those who stay in a Disney hotel or meet other requirements.
Located throughout the Orlando area, and online, ticket agencies offer discount admissions to the Disney theme parks. Many of these agencies contract with Disney to offer single and multiday tickets at a small discount; depending on the ticket package you purchase and the policies of the agency, you can expect to save up to 8 percent on the price of the ticket. In addition, AAA offers a small discount on multiday Disney tickets. Always purchase tickets from an approved Disney ticket seller; authorized sellers clearly identify themselves as such and are generally listed with the local Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau. When purchasing your tickets from one of these brokers, pay close attention to the full price including tax and shipping. In some cases, shipping costs can negate any savings on the ticket.
Drive around the Orlando area, and you’re bound to see billboards advertising free passes to Disney and other local attractions. In most cases, these “free” tickets require you to sit through a sales pitch for a timeshare property – a hard sell presentation that can significantly cut into your vacation time. If you allow extra time for the presentation and tour, and either intend to purchase a timeshare or have the ability to successfully resist the pitch, though, you can save some money on your park tickets this way. Keep in mind that in most cases the passes you receive for free are usually only valid for one day and one park.
Disney tickets are big business and, unfortunately, there are as many ways to fall victim to a scam as there are to buy tickets. For example, never purchase a used pass from a ticket reseller. Some travelers opt to sell their unused days to a reseller, who then resells that ticket to another traveler. Unfortunately, there is no way to verify how many days are left on a ticket until you arrive at the entrance gate. You may think that you’ve purchased a five-day pass, for example, but there is only one day of admission left. In fact, it’s illegal to buy and sell these tickets, and since Disney began using fingerprint scans when visitors come through the gate, if your fingerprint does not match the one associated with the ticket, you won’t get into the park. Avoid buying tickets on eBay or other online sites, as you can’t guarantee their authenticity. Also avoid anyone selling deeply discounted prices – if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
