For years, a loophole has existed that allowed Annual Passholders to receive a merchandise discount on bottled beverages purchased at Walt Disney World stores. It’s a loophole I personally have used on countless late nights at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party as I waited for the parade to arrive at Main Street USA. Now, the discount is gone, and Annual Passholders are not happy.
Walt Disney World Ends “Merchandise Loophole” Discount on Bottled Beverages, Passholders Angry
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Walt Disney World no longer applies merchandise discounts to bottled beverages.
- How Annual Passholders and other affinity groups used the discount before the change.
- Why the removal is drawing complaints from Annual Passholders.
With the new fiscal year came a bunch of price increases, and even some policy changes. As it turns out, Walt Disney World no longer offering a discount on bottled beverages is proving to be more controversial than annual price increases for its Annual Passes.
Merchandise Discount No Longer Applies to Bottled Beverages
Until recently, Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club Members, and other affinity groups were able to apply standard merchandise discounts to bottled beverages purchased at a store. Simply put, Disney didn’t differentiate between a plush Mickey Mouse and a Powerade. The same discount did not apply to bottled beverages purchased outside of the store. I myself have been a beneficiary of this discount, popping into The Emporium for a discounted bottle of Coca-Cola or the aforementioned Powerade as I awaited a nighttime parade to roll down Main Street USA. It was a “hack” that saved me some 20% off the $5 soda.
Gone is my discount, replaced by a sign that reads “Discounts do not apply”. Disney slapped the signs on refrigerators around Walt Disney World property recently. Effectively, Walt Disney World closing the “merchandise loophole” for soda has increased the price by 20%. That’s one of the biggest price increases in the recent round of price hikes on food and drink items.
Annual Passholders React to the Closed Loophole
Of course, the removal of the loophole has angered many Annual Passholders. To many, it is the latest in a long line of nickel-and-diming by Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Bob Iger, Josh D’Amaro. And they might have a point. I’m not sure how much this discount was costing the company, but I can’t imagine it was enough to pay for a new ride.
Instead, it is a reminder that Disney Is A Business
to the same Annual Passholders that just got done complaining about the annual price hikes on their passes. It might sound like I’m being dismissive of the complaints. I’m not, and I’m bummed to see this discount disappear. That said, I’m also aware that this was a loophole. Soda generally isn’t discounted at quick-service locations. Getting a merchandise discount on it was likely not the intention of the discount. That said, Disney didn’t really have to make this move.
I’m honestly a little bit surprised that in this Age of Optimism about the theme parks and company under Josh D’Amaro, someone at Disney approved this move. The recent round of price hikes on food was a little bit more restrained this year than in years past. So the move to remove this discount loophole didn’t seem to be in lockstep with the other accounting adjustments. I’d imagine the ROI here of angry Passholders versus newly realized profits of full-price Coca-Cola may be a little out of balance. I guess we’ll see.
Keep Reading
- Check which quick service food and drink items rose in price on October 6th, from fountain beverages to flatbreads.
- See how prices changed on tours, dessert parties, and other experiences at Walt Disney World on October 6th.
- Look back at how snacks, sodas, and character meals changed in price in October 2024.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!