tim5055 120 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 OK, anyone have the real skinny on lifetime passes?First, a little background.....We moved to Miami in 1968 when my father retired from the Marine Corps. A few years earlier his buddy had retired and moved to Orlando to work for the Poost Office. His wife got a job with a construction company that when all was said and done were the folks building WDW. She was secretary to some big muckety muck...... All I know for sure was that after they opened we would meet her at the main gate, she flashed a card/ID and we were allowed in. That part I remember well. But, around one of these first trips I remember being offered lifetime passes for purchase. Now, I don't remember if this was a public thing or if it was something available because of her. Anyone have the straight skinny?Do/did they exist? Is my memory becoming fuzzy because of adult beverages? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I know some folks were given lifetime passes, but I'm not sure about selling them. I did find this interesting article about some of the first folks through the gate that were given them....http://allears.net/ae/issue608.htm Tri-Circle-D 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tim5055 120 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I know some folks were given lifetime passes, but I'm not sure about selling them.I did find this interesting article about some of the first folks through the gate that were given them....http://allears.net/ae/issue608.htmthanks Mo, I've read that one and probably a hundred more. Special give aways, Disney Board of Directors, Gold passes and other things are documented, but nothing on lifetime passes for sale. I would,swear we as a family talked about it, but I can't find anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I've heard the stories before too about lifetime passes being sold in the early days, but it's always been "a friend of a friend" type stuff. I can't find anything concrete about it either. I'd love to know if anyone here has firsthand info. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis 105 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 What was a forever pass good for? Was it just for admission? Or did it come with ride tickets? Seems like all that would have gone away when they changed from the ride ticket system to general admission. I mean if Disney is not willing to honor the forever refill mug you can bet your bippy they stopped honoring a forever pass a long time ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tim5055 120 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 What was a forever pass good for? Was it just for admission? Or did it come with ride tickets? Seems like all that would have gone away when they changed from the ride ticket system to general admission. I mean if Disney is not willing to honor the forever refill mug you can bet your bippy they stopped honoring a forever pass a long time ago.Who rely knows. If you read around the web, folks tall about unlimited entry to all parks, 50% discount at any food establishment and "locked in" $40 room rates. I guess the closest I can find is on Wikipedia (everything there is true, right?) Disney Gold Pass. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Pass_(Disney) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I know the Gold Passes exist, but I don't know exactly what they include. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 I know there used to be special pricing for those that kept their annual pass continuously since the date they started issuing them, but haven't heard about lifetime passes. Legoland offers lifetime passes. Some friends of mine have one.It's called an Ambassador pass http://florida.legoland.com/en/buy_tickets/AnnualPasses/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 I know there used to be special pricing for those that kept their annual pass continuously since the date they started issuing them, but haven't heard about lifetime passes. Legoland offers lifetime passes. Some friends of mine have one.It's called an Ambassador pass http://florida.legoland.com/en/buy_tickets/AnnualPasses/ Gadzooks! $2500! You really would have to love Legos to pay that. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Gadzooks! $2500! You really would have to love Legos to pay that. TCDWell, it is a great price if you purchase it when you are younger, and if the park stays open. If you get it when you are 25, and stop going at 75 (50 years) it'll come out to $50 a year and you have free premium parking to boot! But yes you would have to like Legos, very tame rides and a few so so shows. But you do get the water park also. It's a relaxing park.. We had passes when it first opened, but we didn't renew them. Maybe when I retire and have more time we will get them again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 I know some folks were given lifetime passes, but I'm not sure about selling them. I did find this interesting article about some of the first folks through the gate that were given them....http://allears.net/ae/issue608.htm Thanks for that link, Mo. Interesting article. I wonder what happened to these people? The kids were young enough that they should still be enjoying those lifetime passes now. The article says, at least initially, those folks too full advantage of the passes. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 For anyone interested, I found an Orlando Sentinel article from 1991 reporting on the family who received lifetime passes. They were not invited to the 20th anniversary party, and the dad apparently had quite a bit of legal troubles: Bill Windsor, who, with his thick blond hair was mistaken for golfer Jack Nicklaus at the Disney opening, has pulled a few bogeys since. In 1988, he was convicted of grand theft and two counts of fraud. He was ordered to pay $34,000 in restitution and spent eight months in jail on charges involving an Altamonte Springs company he owned called Alternative Structures Corp. He's currently on probation for the offense. In the early 1970s, he was arrested and put on probation for misapplication of funds in a Polk County construction job. In 1979, he was convicted in an investment scam involving worm farms in St. Lucie County and was ordered to repay investors $46,800. Windsor now is part of a company that trades crude oil on the world market. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-10-01/news/9110010078_1_windsor-family-Disney That article is 20+ years old now. I wonder what's happened since? TCD BradyBzLyn...Mo 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Yeesh! Given all that, I guess their behavior re: their lifetime passes shouldn't be such a surprise. Very curious what's happened since and if they're still using them. I'd imagine Disney would have wanted to revoke them after all those shenanigans, but it probably would have been a PR nightmare. Then again, you can't really take the family to WDW if you're incarcerated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 I remember my grandparents talking to a Disney somebody about buying lifetime passes. It was only offered to those who curently had AP and were Florida residents. The price must have been crazy high because they never did it. They talked about it for a while though because they went to WDW every weekend, Holiday and any special event. I was a young kid back then and remember thinking how cool it would be to live in the castle. Silly little girl. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 For anyone interested, I found an Orlando Sentinel article from 1991 reporting on the family who received lifetime passes. They were not invited to the 20th anniversary party, and the dad apparently had quite a bit of legal troubles: Bill Windsor, who, with his thick blond hair was mistaken for golfer Jack Nicklaus at the Disney opening, has pulled a few bogeys since. In 1988, he was convicted of grand theft and two counts of fraud. He was ordered to pay $34,000 in restitution and spent eight months in jail on charges involving an Altamonte Springs company he owned called Alternative Structures Corp. He's currently on probation for the offense. In the early 1970s, he was arrested and put on probation for misapplication of funds in a Polk County construction job. In 1979, he was convicted in an investment scam involving worm farms in St. Lucie County and was ordered to repay investors $46,800. Windsor now is part of a company that trades crude oil on the world market. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-10-01/news/9110010078_1_windsor-family-Disney That article is 20+ years old now. I wonder what's happened since? TCD They might have been better off going with the college students after all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.