AP Price Increase?

[jlundeen]

Looks like prices have stayed the same as well.

YAY!!!!!

 

[Sydney's mom]

Looks like prices have stayed the same as well.

I hope this is correct. I'm glad I wasn't able to change for the passes yet. Looks like it worked out in my favor so far!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Yay, CONSUMER!!!

you did it...you used the market to hold the line - through one means or several - and didn't buy a product that was being used to exploit in the volume needed to increase the cycle the next year.

For all the apologies for twdc ripping us off recently - and make no mistake, they have been - this is what the "free market" in travel really looks like. They're business in parks depends on OUR happiness and good will...never forget that and don't let them forget it.

...and lay off the cupcake parties too

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Yeah, that 20-percent restaurant list is a joke. I'm not eating at Electric Umbrella, ESPN Grill AT WWoS, or any of the places at the water parks, as well as some of the QS options at hotels. The only insight I can glean from that list is restaurants that obviously need boosts in attendance OR are tough sells to the mainstream without a discount (I'm looking at you, Skipper's Canteen and Tiffins - even though both are GREAT in my opinion).

I have a Platinum Plus pass (on the Florida Resident plan) as well as Tables in Wonderland. I'm glad I waited to see what would happen before I renewed my pass (Anniversary date Oct. 19) because I didn't want to pay twice in one month.

I think I'll hold out until Oct. 19 and then drop my pass down to a Platinum Pass and ditch TIW in favor of the $319 membership they're offering for all four Disney golf courses. I know it's not for everybody, but I'll get more value out of free driving range and greens fees when I play golf every day than I would with a 20-percent off dining/booze discount.

I agree about the restaurant discount...it's attempting to force the loyal customers into a lot of places they know they won't go.

It they can tables...which looks likely...then they will simply get far less money from food and beverage from me...it's as simple as that. I haven't, nor will ever accept being used as "dining filler"

And since they put a bunch of new restaurants in springs that are third party...I don't really have to give them much.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I got my Target cards yesterday and was going to order my Annual Passes for our December trip yesterday but did not get a chance. Looks like I lucked out waiting until tomorrow, barring any price increase tonight ! Also saw the list of restaurants giving the 20% discount - makes the TIW card very hard to justify going forward and this may be the beginning of phasing it out completely...

I agree it looks like they are going to kill it...but as long as it continues with near universal acceptance by restaurants and the alcohol...it's still worth it to many longtime customers.

But it's not hard to guess why they want rid of it: it's a better deal than they're damn dining plan (no locked in prices) and they don't want anything competing with that as they start to charge more than out of pocket for the dining plan...which is the territory we're moving into.

 

[writerguyfl]

The 13th month free promo really irritates me. An annual pass can only be renewed within a 3-month period. (It's 60 days before and 30 days after.) With that restriction in place, anyone with an anniversary date in Summer or Fall can't get the free month.

 

[Accident]

The 13th month free promo really irritates me. An annual pass can only be renewed within a 3-month period. (It's 60 days before and 30 days after.) With that restriction in place, anyone with an anniversary date in Summer or Fall can't get the free month.

I'm going to head to guest relations today and see if there is anyway that one might be able to get it. My thought is there might be some lower than 1 more month upgrade I could do on the pass and that might qualify it assuming I can't make the argument that this isn't fair for someone that can't pick to renew early and get it also.

 

[jlundeen]

I can confirm it's on renewals too. I can see one of my friends is up for renewal this month and it states it would be a 13 month pass. Also can change levels and still receive the extra month.

THe renewal notice I got in snail mail, (mine expires 10/16/16), didn't say anything about 13 month - and the website still says:

"Your Annual Pass is eligible for renewal. Annual Passes can be renewed with the monthly payment program or paid in full at the time of purchase. Only passes 60 days or less before expiration or up to 30 days after expiration can be renewed. New passes must be purchased separately. Once renewed, your new pass will expire one year from your anniversary date.

Online renewal and the monthly payment option are only available to Florida residents."
​

So I hope it's just that they haven't updated the website yet....would love to really see this verified by Disney somewhere....

EDITED TO ADD: I noticed on the blog entry from yesterday, most of the comments are also about renewals....and no one has answered any of them yet.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...rs-for-passholders/?comment_sort=asc#comments

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The 13th month free promo really irritates me. An annual pass can only be renewed within a 3-month period. (It's 60 days before and 30 days after.) With that restriction in place, anyone with an anniversary date in Summer or Fall can't get the free month.

Are you talking about a fl seasonal?

 

[jlundeen]

Hate to keep harping on this, but reading the comments on the blog, one person said: "I just renewed yesterday and was told existing AP’s don’t qualify for the free month only NEW passholders." Maybe a confused CM...but I've only seen in the Sentinel article that it applies to new AND renewals....nothing from Disney....really would like to be sure renewals also are eligible before I renew mine.

 

[LadyD]

Anyone know how this impacts the premier pass since it is a half Disneyland/half WDW AP??

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

This is what I see when I look on my account for my friend's pass that is up for renewal. It says 13 month renewal for all of the options in the drop down menu.

 

[jlundeen]

This is what I see when I look on my account for my friend's pass that is up for renewal. It says 13 month renewal for all of the options in the drop down menu.

Well, duh...I must be blind because I didn't see that before!!! You are right!!! I was just reading the pages and looking at the price. Thanks for doing the screen shot!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think some of the confusion is the "I just bought...now I'm screwed" line of thinking on the passes.

In that case...you basically are. They hold the line on refunds/adjustments/givebacks for tickets. Better be sure before you buy...that at least you are comfortable with the price and what you're getting. Upgrades are welcome...refunds never are.

 

[writerguyfl]

Are you talking about a fl seasonal?

I do have a Florida Resident Annual Pass. But, the renewal period is the same for all passes. Essentially, if your anniversary date is March 4th or later, you can't get the free 13th month.

 

[iheartglaciers]

Is there a new list of restaurants that qualify for the 10% passholder discount? Also, I guess no quick service discounts after Sept 30th?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I do have a Florida Resident Annual Pass. But, the renewal period is the same for all passes. Essentially, if your anniversary date is March 4th or later, you can't get the free 13th month.

Ok...I wasn't following...

Unfortunately, nearly every AP promo has a time period that straddles 1/1 that you have to buy during...sometimes it's later...like I think the last really good premium annuals that were available to DVC...was 4/15 you had to buy before...

But there's almost always a purchase period. That makes sense because they want to concentrate or measure the effectiveness of the promotion and don't want them to stretch out too long. With renewals...it limits it to about 18 months of prices to be in effect this time.

 

[memo10]

Our renewal date is Jan 3rd and we were on the fence about renewing because our son will turn 3 on Feb 20th. Jan and Feb are our favorite months to go so we didn't want to wait and renew in feb.... but we also didn't want to have a 6 week gap between renewals. This is actually making it a real possibility that we will renew!

 

[jahber]

It will be interesting what the prices are...

But from the rumors here it looks like that the outkicked their coverage last year with the new tact.

That would indicate two things to my tired eyes:

1. Purchases of APs dropped significantly...which was NEVER the plan. The goal was to float the balloon and see if they could sell the same or more at a much higher rate.

2. Advanced bookings don't look good...which is exactly what the whole picture has looked like for awhile now. That's the only time they give a crap
About APs...frankly.

Absolutely. When we first purchased APs (as Florida residents, in 2011), it cost $1500 for the four of us for non-restricted passes. The price increased and each year more and more of my family and friends stopped renewing. I was the last hold-out. I didn't renew last year, when prices for the closest comparable-ish passes came to $2200 for the four of us. An increase of 50% in 4 years! Ha. No. PLUS, we lost four entire weeks--about 8% of the value of the pass and they still had the gall to raise the prices. I've had this conversation with enough locals to feel like Disney is getting too big for their britches for some of us. At the price they are charging, there's just no way they would convince us to renew for a 20% discount on souvenirs we don't buy...because we aren't on vacation! It'll be interesting to see what their next move is.

 

[writerguyfl]

But there's almost always a purchase period. That makes sense because they want to concentrate or measure the effectiveness of the promotion and don't want them to stretch out too long. With renewals...it limits it to about 18 months of prices to be in effect this time.

I totally understand the business aspect. I actually used to work at the Disney Reservation Center. I left Orlando to get my Master's Degree in Business. So, I really do understand how a decision like this is made.

That said, it still does tick me off personally.