If you love Walt Disney World, there’s no better place to live than the beautiful state of Florida.
How many of you longtime Disney fans have dreams of being able to just hop in the car, throw on a MagicBand, and take a spontaneous trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth? For Florida residents, this convenience is a reality that dramatically changes our perspective on Mickey’s kingdom. Despite being a die-hard WDW fan since childhood, I had no idea we would ever become residents. When a career change brought us to the Sunshine State two years ago, it took a long time for the reality to sink in that we lived within two hours of our favorite vacation spot. From the first time we took a spontaneous trip to Disney Springs for dinner, we realized our relationship to Walt Disney World had changed substantially.
Indeed, a lot changes when Disney fans become Florida residents…
1. Tickets become way more affordable
Image: Disney
The most obvious benefit besides convenience for Florida residents is cheaper Walt Disney World tickets! While The Most Magical Place on Earth is always somewhat expensive, compared to the average cost of a visit, Floridians get access to several substantial discounts. These vary by season and length of stay, but one example would be comparing the price for a 3-Day Florida “Discover Disney” ticket at $159 per person verses the same ticket for $305 for visitors from abroad.
The most significant discount Floridians get access to is Annual Passes. Florida residents can choose from 6 tiers of annual passes with various levels of blackout days. They also can pay monthly without interest, a huge convenience. On the low end, visitors who specifically only want to dine at Epcot can get Epcot-After-4pm passes for $279 or $14 a month. For families who prefer to visit on weekdays only, Weekday Select passes are only ten dollars more. Our favorite is the Silver Pass which blocks out busy holidays and summer for $439 a year or $28 a month. The prices increase from there to include less blackout days, Disney Photopass downloads, and recreation/water park access. The most expensive pass is the Platinum Plus at $829 or $63 a month.
Remember that price point we brought up earlier about the price for a three-day trip, $159 for residents and $305 for non-residents? Locals quickly do the math and realize they’ll save big by just getting an Annual Pass (particularly the Weekday Select and Silver levels). Oh, and all passholders get access to discounts on dining, shopping, and resort rooms which make trips even more affordable.
2. You might be a little obsessed at first
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
This insane ease-of-access brings out a certain understandable excitement in Disney fans turned Florida residents. You might experience a little bit of “the Disney shakes” for your first year. Even living hours away, we found ourselves spontaneously driving to Disney Springs and Epcot for impromptu dinners and park visits. You might quickly add up gas miles and SunPass tolls with frequent visits. The switch to unfettered Disney access might have you spending a lot more time in places you’ve never explored before at Walt Disney World. This is understandable. You want to get all you can out of those new passes!
3. A car becomes worth it
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
It’s an ongoing subject of contention whether a rental car is worth it at Walt Disney World. For visitors from abroad who plan on staying within the resort, it probably isn’t (especially with the arrival of Uber and Lyft), but the story is completely different for Florida residents. Annual Passholders get free parking at all Disney parks, so while parking at the Magic Kingdom is still a pain at times (due to the obligatory monorail ride from the Transportation and Ticket Center), having access to your own vehicle on other occasions can save you a lot of time. Oh, and bringing snacks and groceries becomes way easier so you aren’t spending unnecessary money on breakfast and bottled water in the parks.
4. Visits become way less hectic
Image: Disney
For the average visitor, a Walt Disney World vacation may require years of preparation and careful saving, all for a grand total of a 4-7 day visit. There’s a lot of pressure to see all your favorite attractions, and trips may need to follow a much stricter plan for dining reservations and Fastpasses.
For Florida resident passholders, this pressure gets lifted off. The freedom to come and go from the parks as you wish means Disney trips can be much more improvised. We’ve taken multiple day trips where we never even stepped onto a ride. There’s a wonderful freedom to take your time, enjoy the small details, and explore freely. Want to spend a day watching all the films throughout the parks? Go for it. Want to savor a Dole Whip on the Swiss Family Treehouse or have a picnic on Tom Sawyer Island instead of stressing about Fastpass times? Go right ahead!
5. It’s much easier to bring small children
Image: Disney
One hot topic of disagreement is what age parents should bring small children to Walt Disney World. While kids of any age can enjoy The Most Magical Place on Earth, children under four can sometimes find Walt Disney World a stressful place. Surprising things in the parks like characters or dark rides might frighten some children, and parents often report their toddlers enjoyed the resort pool more than any other part of trip. It varies from child to child and can also depend on parents’ attentiveness and preparation. Some babies and toddlers love every part of the Disney experience while others find the environment confusing and scary.
However, this issue largely disappears for families that are Florida residents. Whereas families that have to save for years for a once-in-a-decade trip might be better off waiting until their children are a little older to fully enjoy Disney parks and attractions, Florida resident families have the freedom to take trips more often which helps kids get used to the bustle of the parks. There’s far less pressure if a little one just isn’t into it, and trips can be adjusted on the fly much more easily. If baby gets fussy during a day trip, you can always change plans and try again another time.
6. You might become more budget conscious
Image: Disney
Despite Annual Passholder discounts, there is one big catch to frequently visiting Walt Disney World—you might have to start paying closer attention to your dining and shopping budget! Even after discounts, Disney restaurants are still high-priced compared to their Orlando competitors. Excited passholders can easily overspend after one too many improvised Disney trips.
If you’re tight on funds, you’ll probably need to start budgeting for your Disney day trips. Unlike on a regular week-long Disney trip, you may find you’ll need to space out visits to table service restaurants and make a habit of bringing your own snacks so you don’t get wiped every time you visit. An empty wallet definitely puts a damper on a Disney trip, so spend wisely!
7. You put up less with Disney goof ups
Image: Disney
I will say one surprising side effect of becoming a Florida resident is that there are some elements of visiting Walt Disney World that lose their magic. When you haven’t had to wait 5-10 years to visit, you may be more prone to notice flaws in attractions and restaurants. You may also be less likely to brush it off when Disney goofs up or when they get too crazy with upcharges and pricing shenanigans.
Perhaps part of this has come from the perspective of a writer, but I did notice a tendency towards criticism after my first few months as a Florida resident. If Disney changes a much-loved attraction, starts charging for something that was previously free, or tries to pass off something cheap as something magical (and expensive—we’re looking at you Fancy-Pandora-Powerade-Punch), you may be less prone to let the issue slide. While a good attitude is one of your greatest assets on a Walt Disney World vacation, don’t feel too bad if you start spotting Disney’s flaws after becoming a resident. They’re a business, and they aren’t perfect, but the Most Magical Place on Earth can still maintain its fun and magic in other ways.
8. Embrace the fun
Image: Disney
One of the most fun things about becoming a Florida resident passholder has been the opportunity to embrace crazy on your Disney vacations. We’ve talked before about crazy challenges and superfan hacks you can try on your next vacation. These are a blast for residents who have already experienced rides in their normal form. Want to listen to your own soundtrack with headphones on Spaceship Earth? Go for it. Want to marathon ride all the coaster mountains in Walt Disney World? Give it a whirl! Want to start a mega-specific Disney Instagram account or spend an entire day obsessively pin trading with cast members? You have the freedom to do so!
Since becoming Florida residents, we’ve had the opportunity to dress up for a Star Wars movie premiere at Disney Springs, been able to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at our favorite Disney restaurants, and we’ve been able to enjoy more of the details of Walt Disney World than ever before. While the Sunshine State might not be for everyone, if you do find yourself a newly minted resident of beautiful Florida, embrace the convenience of Walt Disney World access for all its worth!
Are you a Florida resident? What’s your favorite perk for Florida residents at Walt Disney World?
