Cast Members Can Choose Between Disney+ Package or Theme Park Main Entrance Pass Starting January 2020

Jessica Figueroa

Cast Members Can Choose Between Disney+ Package or Theme Park Main Entrance Pass Starting January 2020

In an effort to get more Disney+ subscribers, Disney is offering a new set of perks to Walt Disney Company Cast Members.

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Starting in January 2020, Cast Members will have the option to pick between the Disney Parks Main Entrance Pass that is given to most Cast Members or a full Disney+ bundle package, which includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.

The Disney Parks Main Entrance Pass grants Cast Members the ability to take family members and friends to the theme parks for free, with some blockout dates and restrictions. Regardless of what perk they opt for, Cast Members will continue to receive a limited number of complimentary park tickets each year. They will also still receive self-admission to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort parks, as well as the usual discounts offered to Cast.

What do you think of the new perk options?

57 thoughts on “Cast Members Can Choose Between Disney+ Package or Theme Park Main Entrance Pass Starting January 2020”

  1. To give the Cast Members a a Disney + package would be a nice thing to do…

    To take away something in return takes away the gesture…

    Are Cast Members not worth enough for BOTH?

    This kind of thinking creates bad will instead of good will.

    • I use to be a cast member and i feel it is a slap on the face to do that to cast members. Cast members have to put up with a lot of crap from guests and now they are getting it from Disney. I am very disappointed in Disney right now. I use to be a big fan of Disney and now after i have worked for Disney I lost some of the magic

      • Plus the no selling or bartering for services rule. How many people have lost their pension because Disney jumps the gun on perceived selling? I heard of people gifting comp tickets and finding out the person they gifted to sold them and Disney made examples of them firing them. Also non cast members in the same household tries to make profit without your knowledge asking to get their friends in? But they are breaking their own protocol and giving a choice give up that maingate for a service. Shame on Disney.

  2. I’d still take the Main Entrance Pass, unless I had no one else in my life that would be able to use it, even once…The year’s free service only has a value of about $130…the passes would be worth more than that even if theyre only used once a year

    • Literally ONE (of the three potential tickets for the day) costs more than one year of Disney+. And they want to take away all 16 days we get (which is 48 people/tickets)!!!

      As a cast member I am insulted and this is direct proof that the white collar executives are out of touch and care nothing about what we do. They will do anything to reduce employees including eliminating photographers for robots because “how hard can it be to take a silly picture” /s.

      The only way to fix this is for Iger to retire and for Chapek to resign.

  3. The Disney+ bundle costs $12.99/month, which is just about $156/year. That’s less than the cost of two visits to Magic Kingdom. I guess it depends on how much you like your family and friends, but it sure seems like an awful trade from a value standpoint.

  4. I fail to see the benefit of choosing Disney+ over parks passes. A one-year membership for Disney+ equates to day entrance passes for 1.5 friends. You bring one friend twice and you’re already got a good deal.

    • Disney+ option is only good for the CMs who live far away from the parks. They will still get their self admission pass, plus 4 comp tickets a year. Also, Disneyland is heavily blocked out to MEP, which almost makes it useless for that park. However, I’d strongly support giving both to CMs but I think this is the first step in Disney reducing CM park privileges (they’d rather make money on them visiting the parks).

  5. This is great for the CMs who aren’t big parks fans. As a CM myself I know plenty of other CMs who never go to the parks because to them working at Disney is just a job and the parks aren’t something they are interested in. I have worked with CM who didn’t even know what merchandise locations were around the corner from the store they had worked in for 10 years so I can see a small percentage of CM going for the bundled streaming service.

  6. most ppl i signed in didnt appreciate the sign ins, anyway. they either broke rules, spent an hour or two in the park then left, or complained about the long lines and high prices.

    i’ll be good with my comp tickets. i’d love disney+ if i don’t have to pay for it.

    • Channon, I agree with what you mean, but I feel that you should be outraged at the fact that they think they can swindle your value. Those tickets from your maingate have much more value than Disney+.

      What would have been reasonable would be Disney+ and 12 days worth of maingate, rather than the standard 16. It’s insulting that executives think they can give you less perks. It’s not about whether or not you use your tickets, it’s about what executives think you’re worth. It’s the principle. It’s just further proof that service workers are seen as plebs who aren’t worth a darn by management. And I’ve never been so offended and outraged by executives as I have now.

      Not trying to convince you which option to take, I just want you to know the true cost of taking the Disney+ deal. But I support either decision you make and wish you well!

      • Not to mention they are violating their own conduct. The price for Disney plus is giving up your Maingate. In their own Handbook it states you cannot sell or barter for services of your maingate. This company who fires people if they have the slightest suspicion you are doing it whether it’s true or not.

  7. It’s actually a very good option for the Cast Members who live far away from any Disney Parks and don’t go there often like the ones living and working in New York, Singapore, all Europe except for France, and so on.
    Also, for families with 2 Cast Members, they can enjoy both if the entries of one are enough for their friends and families.

    • Disney+ isn’t and may not be available to a few locations though. The price of hotel with entry already taken care of, even once every 3-5 years seems better than free subscription for a year. Comps only cover a day and the cost for tickets, even with our discount can still be costly.

    • I looked it and there are 60k employees outside parks (and 140k in them) I’m not sure what it’s considered a cast member, but I think as you say that it’s a really good option for outside the parks employees

    • True, but we were told a year ago, that we would have either free or discounted access to it depending on multiple factors.

      But the shock of us wanting access for ALL our main gates (48 tickets worth) is insulting. If you live elsewhere, it’s a good option, but for those who work at the parks, it’s insanely bold and insulting.

      • This reminds me that one year when the Christmas gift was a wind chime made of recyclable materials. I know bunch of cast threw theirs in a huge box and mailed to Burbank.

        • OMG..this comment is Pure Gold! I worked there at the time and remember how people went crazy over that free gift.

    • Not encouraging it, but it’s possible to pirate a movie. It’s not possible to pirate your way into the park (realistically).

      To say entering the Magic Kingdom is the same value as a digital movie catalog is laughable.

  8. This is a bad disney joke. Makes me not want to get disney plus now at all. Disney your a joke. On this.

  9. I want the MEP! Because I don’t watch enough tv to make it worth my while. I’d get more use out of the MEP….

    • I’m disappointed that cast members can’t get both. We work hard to make magic for everyone. My co-workers & I were really disappointed by this offer. We can get this bundle free but…you have to give up your #1 perk.

      • I’m waiting for people to sue for Disney firing them for accusing them of selling or bartering. They don’t care if the person is innocent or not if you got accused your fired and now they go off and barter the maingate.

  10. Shame on Disney for forcing us Cast Members to choose between a $13 a month plan and happiness with friends and family for an entire year. I hope they reconsider. And soon.

  11. 😂😂😂😂😂😂 who made this idea? Fire that person for making this idea Maingate isn’t for sale or bataring for service or goods as is according to your own handbook. xD You fire people for this VERY THING.

  12. What Randy said…. what an awful slap in the face to the loyal cast members that contribute to those record profits just announced.

    They give us Christmas coupons worth more than a year of this bundle.

    Wouldn’t the free advertising of cast members raving about Disney+ shows be more than worth it?

    Plus, leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

    Hope the execs reconsider…

  13. This is the dumbest thing ever. I think there might be an error in reporting. A maingate is worth about $8,100 annually retail. What’s this streaming service worth? $160 annually?

    Do the math.

  14. This “gesture” just kind of reiterates what kind of company Disney has become. They refuse to give their employees anything unless something is taken away or it benefits them (the company) in some way. Simply selfish.

  15. This is not a worth while offer. What I’ve been saying, however close this suggestion might be to my idea, is that Disney should offer an opt in or out program where we get a higher wage to opt out of not just maingates but also comp tickets and further. What cast members need most is a living wage. Give us this option with a stupid good discount on tickets and we will have enough money to buy our way in on top of making enough money to live on. This is much more desirable

  16. We use out MEP more than watching streaming TV. Why can’t it be like the system that you take all 3 Disney channels on AppleTV, enter your cable supplier as TWDC and then your hub ID and your good for months at the time? Why do we have to pay? There is a small group tha would still choose neither of these

    Also, for changes in benefits, don’t they have to run it by the union?

  17. As much as it might not make sense to US based folks, specifically ones that are close to WDW or WDL this option is great for those cast members who work anywhere else in the world! The Disney company spans more then just the theme parks but for a vast majority of these people going to the parks doesnt make sense. Even with free admission, a flight and hotel stay are still going to cost a pretty penny. Although I am sad that this will not be a free offering to those of us working for disney at the parks, mhself included, I can see how this would be really beneficial for some families.

    • Not sure if that will work. When I went overseas streaming options such as Amazon, Vudu, HBO, other channel apps do not work due to international restrictions. Is Disney+ available overseas?

    • I feel any Disney cast member should experience the atmosphere and visit the parks at least once. However this can be done successfully with budgeting and planning. If I read correctly we still would receive self admission and comp tickets annually. Realistically I am in the majority of cast members that live far away from Florida and California. So we do not visit the parks that often. We are blessed if we visit 1-2 times within a 5 year span. I am grateful for the option and will be choosing the Disney+ bundle free annually. That is one less bill I have to pay monthly and my family streams a great deal. I think it’s a matter of where you live and what benefits the individual most. It’s Disney not Six Flags!! Entirely different experience that honestly you would not think a person would attempt to go every week or even monthly! They honestly did not have to offer this option…..so all in all, I am thankful.

  18. Where did Disney post this information? I know several CM and none of them have heard about this change. Nor is there any information about this on Disney’s HUB.

  19. I do find it interesting how much they are pushing Disney+ to get as many “subscribers” as they can. Offering steep discounts and free memberships to Cast Members and even some Verizon customers. Then they wouldn’t comment on how many subscribers they had during the earnings call. I would like to know how many actual paid subscribers they have.

    It is nice that the cast members get a choice, but it does feel like a way to get more subs to flaunt.

  20. Really…do something really good for your Cast Members for a change that is meaningful to their everyday life. It costs you nothing to let them have a free package. Not impressed. 😡

  21. I have a friend with an Unlimited Maingate due to years of service/status with Disney. At 3 People per day, assuming the average Parkhopper ticket is $195 now, and -2 days since December 31st and July 4th are probably all-park blockouts, the Maingate would be worth in $205,821 dollars of admission tickets if used in full each day after the employee finishes work or on days off. If you assume they work 5 days a week, never get friends in after work, and go on every day off, the maingate would be worth $58,968 for use 2 days a week x 52 weeks.

    If you get one person in one time a year, the Maingate would have saved roughly $195 in admission privileges.

    This Disney+ Bundle is worth $156 a year.

    LOL.

  22. It’s an absolute joke. That’s a great benefit and I use it to get my family members into the parks at Walt Disney World many times a year. It would cost thousands of dollars to purchase tickets to get in as many times as we go. Remember this also includes your spouse. They said that if you wanted Disney+ for free, then your spouse could no longer get into the parks without paying. It’s a flat out joke is what it is and a slap in the face. All they had to say was you are not getting any discounts and we would have been fine. But to ask us to give up thousands of dollars worth of perks to save $16 a month? Not happening.

  23. Currently they give us DisneyNow for free. In my opinion this is just them taking away stuff for cast members and is a slap in the face.

  24. Why would Disney want to lose 16 visits year for a streaming package that cost about $156 a year.My wife is a cast member and I have the opportunity of brig all are friends to DW when they visit.The day always includes a sit down lunch or dinner ,drinks thru out the day and souvenirs.The last family that came to see us went to all 4 parks and spent almost $2000 in the gift shops on her 3 kids and at least $100 a day on food and drinks.If they had to pay to get in it would have been one day at the park or maybe just Sea World .

  25. Please share where you got this information from. I’m an current, active cast member and nothing is posted on official work sites. Thank you.

  26. “In an effort to get more Disney+ subscribers, Disney is offering a new set of perks to Walt Disney Company Cast Members.” This is not an offer of new set of perks, it’s a choice we have to make. Anyone else see something wrong with this “offer”?

  27. I cannot find anywhere on the Hub where it talks about the Maingate/Disney+ options or even gives you a choice. Does anyone know if it is even on there?

  28. Though I can see where a few might give up their Maingate Pass for Disney+, I do not see it as a way to significantly increase D+ membership as the Maingate is a valuable perk for castmembers and families. I would pay the $6.99/month to have the D+ content without the bundle as I do not care about sports or Hulu for the most part.

  29. As an employee of a company that just got purchased by Disney in the merger, we were told we would get passes for 2020 (if we opted for passes instead of Disney+). Does anyone have any idea when these passes might come?

  30. Where do we go on the hub to opt out of Disney plus and keep the main gate. I heard if you don’t opt out they will automatically enroll you in Disney plus. Anyone know the info?

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