Over the weekend, Walt Disney World made a move that was a bit of a shock and a delight to Annual Passholders: they increased discounts for merchandise and food for Disney World Annual Passes. Previously, Disney World offered discounts that were nice but paled in comparison to the types of perks that were available to Disneyland APs. Now for the 45th anniversary of Walt Disney World, the WDW discounts are much more in line with the West Coast parks and in some cases surpass what you can get at Disneyland. There’s even a new offer that lets new and renewing Annual Passholders get an extra month for free.

Detailed below, the new Annual Passholder merchandise and dining discounts are promised to be available for the 45th Anniversary celebration, meaning for the next year. The “Buy 12 months, get the 13th for free” Annual Pass deal will only be available on passes purchased from now until January 3, 2017.

Read on to find out more about the new discounts for Annual Passholders at Disney World.

Mickey Mouse - WDW Merchandise

20% off merchandise. A nice bump up from the previous discount, Annual Passholders will now receive 20% off of merchandise at Disney owned-and-operated merchandise locations, such as the Emporium or the World of Disney Store.

Tiffins - Animal Kingdom - Tables in Wonderland Restaurant

20% off of food and non-alcoholic beverage at 45 select locations. Available through September 30, 2017, this is a fantastic perk available at many Disney dining locations, both counter service and table service. Restaurants participating in this deal include:

  • Tiffins
  • Skipper Canteen
  • Jiko
  • Pecos Bill
  • Backlot Express
  • Flame Tree Barbecue
  • D-Luxe Burger
  • Trails End
  • Kona Cafe

As you can see just from that small sampling, there is a wide variety of options. You can read a full list of participating restaurants here.

50s Prime Time Cafe - Disney's Hollywood Studios Restaurant

10% off food and non-alcoholic beverages at select table service locations. You’ll also be able to receive 10% off at table service locations, including Be Our Guest, Via Napoli, and 50’s Prime Time Cafe. You can read the full list here.

Buy 12 months, get the 13th free. From now until January 2, 2017, guests who purchase any Annual Pass will receive an extra month to their pass for free.

While these discounts may be temporary, it’s very refreshing to see Disney sweetening the experience for some of their most loyal customers. While Disney World enhanced the Annual Pass last year by including PhotoPass, that coincided with a significant price hike. That is not the case for this news, and it even comes with an effective price cut for the next three months.  After years of seeing prices go up and certain perks get reduced, it’s a very good surprise to see the trend go the other way.