Sort of but not quite.
I hate to say it, but it really feels like I'm going from paying $250 to be treated like royalty to paying $35o to be treated like a UOAP.
What about all of the monthly rewards that used to be included in the Annual Pass? Things like the $25 guest tickets, christmas ornaments, lanyards, exclusive events, quick queues, Busch Gardens Bucks (lol at the name but still free money), and additional free guest tickets? The only thing that's been definitively answered is that the birthday offers are gone at every park, and for existing passholders replaced by one free ticket that's blocked out for most of the remainder of the year.
The monthly rewards will continue through the rest of this year. Those go away in 2019.
They may offer new incentives, however they have not said much about that. It does state there are exclusive events.
For those who have an existing pass that doesn't expire for a long time, what benefits (aside from the basic admission, parking, discounts, etc) will still apply? We know about the one free "year-round" guest pass that's only good for the six least convenient months of the year, and that the existing passes won't be automatically converted to the new system before they expire. What else? Do those people (myself included) have to spend that whole time receiving neither the benefits of the old system nor the benefits of the new one?
All Annual Passes that were purchased prior to Oct 4, 2018 will have the same benefits as the
Silver Pass (If you have a Florida Parks Platinum Pass, you have the same benefits as the new Platinum Pass...including the new benefits). You get the same benefits you've been getting. So you still get free general parking, discount on premium parking, 10% discounts on food and merchandise as before. The main thing that changes is instead of getting 6 guest tickets @ 50% off, you only get 3 now. The other is obviously the 1 free ticket per year on a date you pick (outside of blockout dates of course).
The passes won't convert to one of the new passes and would have to either upgrade now, or when your current pass expires. You are able to switch if you like with no penalty whether on EZPay or Pay at once.
If you want to keep what you have and are on EZ Pay, you can and don't have to do anything else. Since you get the same benefits as Silver, I don't see a need to switch (for now).
However if you pay all at once, you will have to pick a new pass once it expires.
If I want to 'upgrade' early to avoid paying $363.36 after November 30th for a Gold 4-park pass, would I lose the remaining benefits of my current pass, like the monthly rewards and any unpurchased half-price tickets? The likely answer to the last one is yes, but the others are less predictable.
If you were to upgrade to any of the new passes, the time starts over on them (so a new 12-month period). You would get the benefits of the new pass selected, so with Gold you get 6 50% off guest tickets per year and 2 free tickets. Any unused ones from your current pass wouldn't exists anymore. You should still be able to get the October, November & December Monthly perks. Pass Members who paid in full for their Annual Pass can apply the balance of their remaining months to the new Annual Pass program. You would just pay the difference for the new pass. Of course you would need to call or do this in person to find out specifically what that cost would be to you.