AP prices increased [6/18/2019]

[Darklord77]

Good time to purchase DVC, especially if you plan on visiting for enough stays to warrant an AP.

Already DVC members. We use DVC points every other year and use AP discount on value or moderate room on the off year. I've been kicking around the idea of selling DVC so we aren't chained to Disney so much. These drastic increases have pushed me further in that direction.

 

[stewart715]

Shareholders <3 Bob Chapek

 

[beercity]

Ouch. Was planning to buy AP in December when we visit, might have to re-think that now.

 

[stewart715]

Already DVC members. We use DVC points every other year and use AP discount on value or moderate room on the off year. I've been kicking around the idea of selling DVC so we aren't chained to Disney so much. These drastic increases have pushed me further in that direction.

We are DVC with Gold AP so this doesn't work in our favor too much but if you are going every year, you can just stagger your dates maybe? As in, purchase an AP, visit Sep 15-25 and then following year visit Sep 5-15 (before the AP expires). Rinse and repeat.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I can't help but wonder how people afford to keep going and going and going, but I know it's none of my business. Can't help but think it, though!

People go into debt for Disney trips all the time. Not my strategy, but I see it and hear it a lot.

As for the AP price hike, my son will probably do a CP stint next year so my wife and I were considering APs again. We had them last year when our daughter was doing CP and enjoyed the trips to see her. For that kind of money I’m sure we will just pay our way as we go from now on, maybe jump on some discounts if offered.

After being at WDW this past weekend I’m thinking of going to DLR when I’m ready to see Galaxy’s Edge. The whole mob scene to ride Slinky Dog disgusted me, and can just imagine trying to enter GE. I’m thinking DLR will be some easier to manage given my past experiences with their system as opposed to FP+

 

[peabody58]

Lets not forget the additional 6.5% tax!

Anyhow, I just updated my Ticket value spreadsheet with these new numbers. Prior to retirement in 2015, in order to leverage our vacation funds against future price increases, DW and I had purchased 4 AP Vouchers at $447 each; and 2 sets of 10 day NE+ tickets (we have 4 park days and 10 WP+ days left). For our vacationing style, I really wish I had picked up more NE tickets.

At today's prices, our AP vouchers have increased in value 115%! Our AP year Oct '19-Oct '20 will include 32 park days at $13.95 day/person! I can live with that. Unfortuanetly we will have to fork out a lot for 6 days of tickets for our adult kids/spouses in Sept 2020 though.

Our SSR trip next week we will use 2 NE+ park days and 1 WP for an OOP cost of $198 vs. current tickets at $806. Again I can live with that.

Now when all of our tickets are used up in 2024/25, we will have to seriously reevaluate WDW as our go to vacation place.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

The previous increase had me laying low and only doing one trip a year. I let my multiyear long AP expire fairly recently.

This extra bump is absolutely just as insane. The price increases have caused us to spend our vacation dollars in other places.

We have enjoyed Disney and the memories, but they have made a visit (or multiple visits) very expensive.

When you also add in the recent resort parking charges........it really hurts the wallet. It is quite a punch in the gut.

 

[cakebaker]

Shareholders <3 Bob Chapek
View attachment 409919

Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[Klayfish]

I'm not going to dog pile on WDW as people like to do here. I don't like the increase either and now am wishing I had purchased them recently instead of next year like planned. However, the reasons make sense to me, like them or not.

 

[stewart715]

This is obviously GE related but it’s also crowd control related. It’s also related to fact that they were underpriced to begin with.

 

[winnieofpooh]

This is honestly ridiculous. We were thinking of upgrading to an AP on our honeymoon, but the breakeven point for us is ridiculous. I just checked with UT prices (where we always buy our tickets), and it looks like for the times we normally go, we'd need to take two trips with 9-day park hoppers. or three trips with 4-day base tickets. I'm sorry but that's crazy! Basically only "worth it" if you take three trips in the year, but it's just not feasible for us to take that many trips. I know it's likely caused by GE but honestly it's ridiculous.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm not going to dog pile on WDW as people like to do here. I don't like the increase either and now am wishing I had purchased them recently instead of next year like planned. However, the reasons make sense to me, like them or not.

Of course the reasons make sense. People are angry and have a right to be.

 

[fla4fun]

Seriously....do people just have bottomless pockets these days? It has been insane price increase after insane price increase and people still can’t seem to get enough!

It’s about to be enough for me, unfortunately.

For me, I have given up most other paid entertainment (no movies, no eating out, etc.) and I set aside money every paycheck. I usually budget for $200 over whatever the previous year cost, and so far that strategy has allowed me to renew (I have had an AP since 1986). However, my budget is pretty much as lean as it can get, so for 2021 (I have already set my budget for 2020) I could have to consider dropping down to Gold. I don’t want to do that, because once you buy a pass with blackouts they can change those dates whenever they want. But that may be the reality unless I win the lottery .

 

[cakebaker]

This is honestly ridiculous. We were thinking of upgrading to an AP on our honeymoon, but the breakeven point for us is ridiculous. I just checked with UT prices (where we always buy our tickets), and it looks like for the times we normally go, we'd need to take two trips with 9-day park hoppers. or three trips with 4-day base tickets. I'm sorry but that's crazy! Basically only "worth it" if you take three trips in the year, but it's just not feasible for us to take that many trips. I know it's likely caused by GE but honestly it's ridiculous.

You can't reasonably just compare how many days or trips you'd have to make with an AP in order to save money over buying tickets. There are many other discounts you get with an AP. Dining, resorts, memory maker etc. If you factor it all in, even with a single trip, longer stay, it makes sense over a regular ticket. If you're off site, don't use memory maker, don't do a lot of dining or special events- and AP has always been hard to justify. AP's are intended for those who make multiple trips in a year. I think Disney is seeing just how much money people like me are saving (literally, thousands of dollars in a year) and are closing that gap a little. I can't blame them.

 

[Skywise]

If the APs are $900 now - just think what the daily ticket prices are going to be next year. We may start seeing $200 per day.

 

[SaintsManiac]

You can't reasonably just compare how many days or trips you'd have to make with an AP in order to save money over buying tickets. There are many other discounts you get with an AP. Dining, resorts, memory maker etc. If you factor it all in, even with a single trip, longer stay, it makes sense over a regular ticket. If you're off site, don't use memory maker, don't do a lot of dining or special events- and AP has always been hard to justify. AP's are intended for those who make multiple trips in a year. I think Disney is seeing just how much money people like me are saving (literally, thousands of dollars in a year) and are closing that gap a little. I can't blame them.

I don't know. If you're offsite and have an AP you get free parking and dining and merch discounts. Who knows if Disney will continue to have good discounts on resorts? We are considering only getting one AP in the future and staying offsite. Not sure we'll do that now, but that was our plan.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

This is out of control.
$900 is roughly equivalent to almost 8 days of tickets! If you're an out of stater that's going to require almost 2 weeks of trips just to break even!

For 900.00 I got airline tickets AND 9 days hotel for two in London , no way I would pay that much for a Disney ticket .. they are nuts .. over Disney .

 

[FCDub]

Luxury destination, luxury price.

 

[Searc]

Good time to purchase DVC, especially if you plan on visiting for enough stays to warrant an AP.

Off topic, but kinda along the same vein ~ DVC used to be a great value and worth it. Cost increases and diminished benefits have no longer made that true.

 

[Ben E N]

At least with Disney tickets, you are getting more rides along with the price increase. Probably not worth it to most people, but it's better than what a lot of other corporations are doing. Comcast, for example, keeps raising the cost of my cable package without actually giving me any extra services.
We all have the option of saying no to going to the parks. My wife and I had that conversation just this morning.