Disney is officially ending its annual theme park pass holder program due to “continuing [COVID-19] pandemic and expected limitations and restrictions around the reopening of our theme parks. “
Disney announced the news in an email to annual pass holders and on Twitter. IGN employees with an annual pass also received the email. Disney said it will begin processing refunds to Disneyland Resort Annual Passport holders and will end the program as a whole for an indefinite period.
Disney’s annual passholder program is the theme park’s version of a year-round full access membership popular with California residents and Disney fanatics. Depending on the level you acquire, the pass allows cardholders to visit both Disney parks year round, with certain exceptions. It also gives holders some discounts on Disney merchandise.
People with annual passes from March 14, 2020 will still receive discounts on merchandise, food and drinks at select locations in Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street. From January 18 to February 25, 2021, pass holders will receive a 30% discount on selected merchandise at the same locations.
“I know that ending the Annual Passport program will be disappointing for many of our pass holders, who are just as eager as we are to reopen our gates and welcome visitors back when the time is right,” said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock in a statement.
Disney says it is spending the gap between now and when the annual pass program resumes in the development of new membership programs.
The change does not appear to affect annual pass holders for Disney World, the largest Disney resort in Florida, only for California’s Disneyland Resort.
Among Disney’s theme parks, Disneyland was apparently the hardest hit due to California’s stricter business restrictions and large-scale crowd management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disneyland plans to lay off approximately 32,000 employees by the end of the first fiscal half of 2021.
Potrock had already spoken harsh words about California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to restrict the opening of theme parks in the state, claiming that Newsom is restricting theme parks to “arbitrary guidelines that he knows are impractical and impose on us a very different pattern from other reopened businesses and state-operated facilities. “
California, particularly Los Angeles County (Disneyland is located in Anaheim, Orange County), is one of the largest foci of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States. According to NBC News’ COVID-19 tracker, California has had nearly 3 million cases and more than 31,000 deaths.
Disneyland also recently opened a “super” COVID-19 vaccination site, with plans to vaccinate about 7,000 people a day, according to CNN.
Joseph Knoop is a writer / producer / Ziffkateer at IGN.