Another Walt Disney World Annual Passholder savings opportunity has disappeared.
Annual Passholders have long been able to receive merchandise discounts at eligible locations across Disney World, giving frequent visitors a way to save on purchases throughout the year.
But there was another use for that 20% discount that some Passholders discovered years ago.
As of October 6, Disney has brought it to an end.
Passholders Can No Longer Save 20% on Bottled Drinks
Until now, Annual Passholders could use their 20% merchandise discount when buying bottled beverages from Disney-owned merchandise locations.
That included bottled water, soda, and similar drinks.
It was a simple trick, but it gave Passholders an alternative to paying full price whenever they needed something to drink.
That's no longer an option.
Beginning October 6, the Annual Passholder merchandise discount does not apply to bottled beverages at those locations. Multiple Cast Members reportedly confirmed the policy change.
Passholders will instead pay the regular price.
Importantly, Disney isn't eliminating the entire 20% merchandise discount. The change applies specifically to bottled beverages that previously qualified for those savings.
A Small Discount Could Create Bigger Savings
For a guest taking one Disney World vacation, saving 20% on a bottle of water might not seem particularly important.
Annual Passholders are different.
Some visit the parks regularly throughout the year, which means a small discount can be used repeatedly.
A Passholder who purchased bottled water or soda during numerous visits could potentially save much more over the course of a year than someone using the discount once.
The perk had also reportedly existed for years and became a money-saving tip shared among frequent Disney visitors.
Some Passholders may have never known about it. Others intentionally purchased their bottled beverages from merchandise locations specifically because the discount applied.
Those guests will now pay full price.
Disney World Passholder Costs Continue to Change
The timing is worth watching because Disney World has also raised Annual Pass prices.
That means Passholders are facing higher costs for the passes themselves while losing one way to save money after entering the resort.
Removing the bottled beverage discount won't dramatically change the Annual Pass program by itself. Passholders still have other eligible discounts and benefits.
But frequent Disney World visitors tend to pay attention to these smaller changes because the savings can accumulate over dozens of visits.
For years, bottled beverages offered one more opportunity to put the 20% merchandise discount to work.
As of October 6, that longtime Annual Passholder money-saving strategy has officially come to an end.
