Annual pass changes coming........

[jlwhitney]

I'm happy about the PP addition. But really only 1 of my 3 family members needs it. It if we're optional for the other 2, they'd opt out.

Free parking is a must for us. We live close by and go to a park once a week or more.

We'll renew our AP. But not our TiW.

For is we don't go in the summer, too hot and no need. So one gold and the rest silver should work out nicely for us.

free parking is great for many but we are 2.5 hrs away and dvc so we very very rarely have ever paid to park since u get that benefit from staying onsite.

Tiw has never worked For us yet since we don't drink and tend to only do a few table service here and there.

 

[Deb123]

Sorry it has taken me so long to post back what happened today with our tickets. Been a long, busy day at AK and then Epcot. Anyway, this morning went to guest services at AK. I was the first person to do this today at AK and it was a manger that helped me. I had the regular AP that expires July 1. I "upgraded" my AP to the new Platinum Pass. It was $86.27 to do this. I only did mine because like the CM suggested, only one person in your family really needs to do this to get the photopass pics of everyone linked in your MDE.
I was also told that it may take until sometime tomorrow for the photpass pics may be eligible for the free downloads. This seems to be true because it is still trying to charge me $14.95 for a download. Also in MDE, my ticket now shows as a Platinum Pass. I'll report back tomorrow on the status of the free downloads.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Never done it before so........I have no perspective of paying more.

Doug

Ignorance is bliss. Your lack of experience with an AP makes you none the wiser to the way things used to be. It's great you're happy, but you certainly have to appreciate that prior AP holders and DVC owners are now facing a serious price increase. An AP with the type of benefits we currently have would now cost 18% more than we paid for them less than a year ago. That is a crazy increase that I would think anyone would be able to recognize. You're seriously telling me that had you known that you could have saved 18% by buying an AP voucher yesterday that you wouldn't have?

 

[Deb123]

Sorry if this has already been asked. I purchased an AP in August 2015. We are planning on going back this April. We usually get MM. Is there a way to upgrade the pass to the new platinum pass that would include the MM. If this is possible would it be the difference between the two pass prices or would they prorate the price for the months that I have left on my pass. If I can upgrade to the platinum can I do it ahead of time online or on the phone or do I have to wait to do it at the parks?

I upgraded my AP today to the new platinum for a cost of $86. This has to be done in person.

 

[LoverDisney]

If you upgrade to the gold pass, doesn't the gold pass have black out dates?? I would ask for a CM to put the "no black out dates" for your gold AP in writing, as by definition, the gold AP has black out dates. Just my 2 cents....

The Gold Pass does have black out dates, but it will not affect us since we will not be going to Disney during those dates. Our next trip is next month and late August 2016.

 

[Deb123]

I did this today! I know when it is time to renew we will all have to do it but I upgraded only mine that expires in April for $101 and have been enjoying the photo pass benefits all day! Town hall at MK said I was the first person to upgrade this morning, lol!

I renewed today as well first thing this morning at AK. They told me I was the first person to do so as well there. It was only $86 for me to upgrade, curious as to why it cost you a little more? Also, like you we've been taking pics all day. Have you tried to download them yet?? We have and it's still trying to charge us. Was told it will be until tomorrow before the system recognized the changes. Really interested in your experience with this. Thank you!

 

[dkrauss]

Ignorance is bliss. Your lack of experience with an AP makes you none the wiser to the way things used to be. It's great you're happy, but you certainly have to appreciate that prior AP holders and DVC owners are now facing a serious price increase.

Why is it Ignorance.............? Its a price increase I've never had to deal with.......which is only partly true because I have had to change my savings because of it. I do agree that current AP holders and DVC owners are more impacted because of their experiences........I would also agree that saying photo pass is a perk that makes this all good............is stupid. I hope Disney prepped their CM's on how to deal with this........but in other comments I believe they haven't.

Doug

 

[GusGus77]

With doing this, they really need to go back to having a child's AP. A child does not need parking or photo pass since they can't get into the park without an adult who will most likely have it!

We were thinking of doing a year of Disney 2017/2018 and going four or five times, but not sure we can do it with these price increases!!!! (I can't imagine what they will cost in another two years when we go!)

 

[Deb123]

Credit for previous price of AP renewal (since it no longer exists, it's not the current price) - New renewal price for Platinum Plus, so $635-$554 = $81+ 6.5%tax = $86.27.

Yep, that is exactly what I paid!

 

[randumb0]

With doing this, they really need to go back to having a child's AP. A child does not need parking or photo pass since they can't get into the park without an adult who will most likely have it!

We were thinking of doing a year of Disney 2017/2018 and going four or five times, but not sure we can do it with these price increases!!!! (I can't imagine what they will cost in another two years when we go!)

You should expect for an annual pass to be an additional $150-$300 within the next 3 years. Parking will definitely be $30

 

[asmit4]

With doing this, they really need to go back to having a child's AP. A child does not need parking or photo pass since they can't get into the park without an adult who will most likely have it!

Yep! For the kids it is a total waste of money IMO. If you have a family of 4 your only really need parking for ONE person and MM for ONE person....the other 3 are paying crazy charges for things that have no value.

 

[nancyjo1998]

I upgraded my AP today to the new platinum for a cost of $86. This has to be done in person.

Thanks Deb! I look at it as another savings for us....at least for this year, when we only have to upgrade 1 pass! Since you only upgraded 1 pass are pics scanned by your family members bands showing up in your MM for free downloads as well, or only pics that were scanned with your band? My son loves to scan his band when we take pics!

 

[Deb123]

Thanks Deb! I look at it as another savings for us....at least for this year, when we only have to upgrade 1 pass! Since you only upgraded 1 pass are pics scanned by your family members bands showing up in your MM for free downloads as well, or only pics that were scanned with your band? My son loves to scan his band when we take pics!

My husband and son's pic are both being shown on MDE. Even ride photos. Since we do single rider a good bit, they have scanned theirs separately from mine.

 

[WillAustin]

AP holders are notoriously low margin. They want to raise their margin by including mandatory products that you don't need/want. If you aren't willing to pay for it, they don't actually WANT your business anymore. The truth is, for all of the people that are saying "this is too much, I quit" (maybe including me) Disney is saying "good riddance". This is what they want to have happen.

I guess we are an exception. We're AP holders that still spend far too much money on our hotels, food, and souvenirs, even with the APs.

 

[Slapshot1188]

Still cannot believe they have raised AP priced 50% in 5 years...

 

[nancyjo1998]

Difference in price between non-Florida Resident/DVC Member AP is $95pp ($81pp renewal) + tax. Assuming you are upgrading two renewals, it would be $172 to upgrade, not $100. See:


It's all a matter of perspective. The APs still offer a lot value (as does TIW) in the right scenarios. There are always people complaining of change, but I think Disney truly wants to cause people to change behavior with this change -- opting for Gold over Platinum to keep the parks less crowded in peak seasons. E.g. if our existing AP voucher been mapped to a Gold AP, we would have been forced to cancel our December trip since Gold has a blackout of December, when our trip is. No way I'm going to pony up $400 on top of the price increase I already paid (renewed week after last price increase this year) just for one trip. Disney is definitely trying to thin the herd, and it seems to be working.

I will only be upgrading one of our passes. What I meant by the difference of the two passes, is the difference between the old AP and and the new premium AP. Thanks for the chart with the price differences, now I have all the info in one place instead of having to search all over the web to find the different prices to compare!

 

[nancyjo1998]

My husband and son's pic are both being shown on MDE. Even ride photos. Since we do single rider a good bit, they have scanned theirs separately from mine.

Good to hear! This past trip we did single rider quite a bit as well, especially on test track! Some how though we always made it in the same car! must have been first time single rider luck!

 

[lovesdumbo]

I've been reading rumors of tiered pricing for tickets on the Dis for a while. I'm a bit surprised that the Gold Pass is not available to all. For DVC it is about the same price as old regular AP. Is anyone really surprised that this new pass is not cheaper than the old pass? I'm surprised there are so few blackout dates and surprised that the extra charge for no blackouts is "only" $100-less than a one day ticket to MK. Wonder how much more MYW tickets will cost for Christmas week. I'm sure folks will pay it. They already pay huge premiums on the hotel rooms that week.

 

[rfc0001]

I've been reading rumors of tiered pricing for tickets on the Dis for a while. I'm a bit surprised that the Gold Pass is not available to all. For DVC it is about the same price as old regular AP. Is anyone really surprised that this new pass is not cheaper than the old pass? I'm surprised there are so few blackout dates and surprised that the extra charge for no blackouts is "only" $100-less than a one day ticket to MK. Wonder how much more MYW tickets will cost for Christmas week. I'm sure folks will pay it. They already pay huge premiums on the hotel rooms that week.

Tiered MYW pricing is the other shoe waiting to drop...

 

[tinkerhon]

Why is it Ignorance.............? Its a price increase I've never had to deal with.......which is only partly true because I have had to change my savings because of it. I do agree that current AP holders and DVC owners are more impacted because of their experiences........I would also agree that saying photo pass is a perk that makes this all good............is stupid. I hope Disney prepped their CM's on how to deal with this........but in other comments I believe they haven't.

Doug

Doug,

You are basically answering your own question, as you CAN see that Current AP and/or Dvc members are impacted. And totally agree--- the photo pass "perk" justification is ridiculous --- as is the free parking for many as well --
The reason why it first came across as "ignorance is bliss" is because of the fact that you never had to deal with the increase, as you are new to the world of the AP --- it's like saying you've never tried liver, but you can't understand why so many people don't like it.