For a graduation present, my parents got me a deluxe annual pass to Disneyland. As a freshman at Chapman, I used it all the time, going to the park monthly at the least, enjoying all the perks a pass holder could experience. However, by sophomore year, I was told it was too expensive to renew my pass for another year. To my utter dismay, I had to let it expire. To help other people who may have to deal with this too, I’ve compiled some tips to make saying goodbye to your Disneyland pass at least a little less difficult.
1. Plan a last hurrah.
If you still have some time left before your pass expires, find a day on your calendar when you can have a full day at Disney. Do all the things you love the most while you’re there, like riding your favorite rides, eating your favorite Disney snacks (those churros though!) and taking full advantage of your discounts, like for food and merchandise. You can go with friends, or you can even go alone. It’s always fun to go with others, but if you can’t find anyone to go with you, it’s okay to go by yourself! You would have more freedom in your day and plus, single rider lines are always faster. You want to leave the parks knowing that you got to experience everything you wanted to with this pass and that your last day in the park (at least for a while) was more than worth it.
2. Save up for your next trip.
The initial separation from Disneyland after your pass expires will be hard, but you at least can do something about it by saving up to go again. If you’re a serious Disney junkie who may not have the means to go all the time without your pass, take some time to plan out how to earn money to go—perhaps forgo that latte at Starbucks, or any other unnecessary purchases. Keep some money aside, and when you earn enough money to go, you’ll feel both excited and accomplished, because you’ll know that you’ve earned this trip.
3. Take a deep breath! You’ll be back again.
It may seem like once your annual pass expires, you’ll never get to go back to Disneyland again. But that’s not true! True Disney fans will always find their way back to the Happiest Place on Earth at some point or another, including myself. So don’t sweat it! You will experience the magic of the Disney parks again—probably sooner than you think.