It’s a great time to be a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder. V.I.Passholder Summer Days are here! One perk is the Annual Passholder Lounge in Epcot’s Restaurant Marrakesh. I stopped by on Thursday, May 15. Here is what you need to know.
First off, the basics. The Annual Passholder Lounge is open daily from 11:00 until 7:00. The final day will be Sunday, July 13. It costs nothing extra to stop by, and there’s nothing for sale inside.
When you arrive, have a scannable pass and your ID ready. Cast Members will check. Everyone in your party must be an Annual Passholder, except for kids who aren’t yet old enough to need a pass. The Annual Passholder Lounge isn’t for APs and their friends. The woman in front of me when I arrived was furious because she didn’t have an AP but was with friends who did. She wasn’t allowed in. Remember, it’s not the Cast Members’ fault, so don’t take it out on them for following the rules.
My MagicBand was scanned twice before I could enter. The second time a Cast Member gave me an Annual Passholder pin.
Inside there are snacks, charging stations, and air conditioning. The tables have lanterns on them, giving the lounge a bit of ambiance. When I was there the snacks were Stacy’s pita chips and Truly Good dried fruit. I’ve seen pictures of different snacks, so nothing is guaranteed. (They could also run out.) There’s Moroccan Mint Tea and cold water to drink.
The disappointment this year is that there are no characters in the Annual Passholder Lounge. Last year, Genie and Abu rotated. All is not lost, though. There’s still a PhotoPass photographer, and this time it’s Genie and Abu MagicShots. Last year there was always a long line for the characters, with the MagicShots it already seemed a little more manageable.
I was there the on second day that the 2025 Annual Passholder Lounge was open. There could be changes in the future with how things operate. The Annual Passholder Lounge is a nice perk, and it’s something that Walt Disney World doesn’t have to do. We’re about to hit the hottest months of the year, I’ll take a few minutes in the air conditioning. Welcome to V.I.Passholder Summer Days!