FYI Annual Pass Sales Halted

[bbeagle]

I bet Disney is trying to find a way to offer Annual Passes to DVC Blue Card members only. They'll find a way.

 

[MouseEarsMom33]

If AP aren't available right now, then I would like Disney to reconsider their 10 day park ticket limit (for ticket bundle). We will be there 2 weeks for an upcoming trip (making up for lost COVID time), and while I will have resort days built in, I do like having the opportunity to go into a park every day of my trip.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I bet Disney is trying to find a way to offer Annual Passes to DVC Blue Card members only. They'll find a way.

I would think that would be the last people they offer it to as they obviously have you locked in to their property regardless

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I would think that would be the last people they offer it to as they obviously have you locked in to their property regardless

But that's short sighted. They want to keep building and selling DVC, which isn't going to go nearly as well if those owners can't get APs.

If they truly eliminate APs, it drastically devaules new DVC contacts AND creates a more robust rental market which competes with their on site rooms. Places like David's make rental more accessible to the average consumer and they'll have tons more points to rent if DVC owners visit less.

 

[mom2rtk]

But that's short sighted. They want to keep building and selling DVC, which isn't going to go nearly as well if those owners can't get APs.

If they truly eliminate APs, it drastically devaules new DVC contacts AND creates a more robust rental market which competes with their on site rooms. Places like David's make rental more accessible to the average consumer and they'll have tons more points to rent if DVC owners visit less.

Disney does a lot of short sighted things these days.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I JUST renewed my pass today if they terminate it at least I have one more year on it and I’ll have to just renew it knowing that!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

But that's short sighted. They want to keep building and selling DVC, which isn't going to go nearly as well if those owners can't get APs.

If they truly eliminate APs, it drastically devaules new DVC contacts AND creates a more robust rental market which competes with their on site rooms. Places like David's make rental more accessible to the average consumer and they'll have tons more points to rent if DVC owners visit less.

But there's a big difference between not selling APs at all, and selling them only to Blue Card holders. Narrowing APs down to just Blue Card holders doesn't seem like realistic move by Disney. I think they'll either continue selling them at higher prices, or they will discontinue.

And I agree it could devalue some of the DVC contracts, but won't impact others. There seem to be DVC folks who are 2-3 times per year people, and there are DVC folks who are once every year or 2. Guess we'll continue to wait and see what they decide to do.

 

[MouseEarsMom33]

I also wonder if Disney is revamping Annual Passes to provide a way for Genie+/Lightning Lane to be included. I have to say, I'd be upset if I had AP and then had to stand in regular line all the time.

 

[Chilbert]

I would think that would be the last people they offer it to as they obviously have you locked in to their property regardless

I am going to take the other side of this. DVC member APs are probably the lowest use APs. Most members are not local and only
marginally benefit (if at all) on multiple trips. I would think that these are probably the most profitable APs that Disney sells.

If Disney was concerned about the crowds due to APs I would think their first move would be to remove free parking from the regular APs.
This would cut down on many of the locals just "dropping in".

I personally would welcome Disney offering perhaps a 10 or 15 day pass, useable over a calendar year (perhaps subject to certain blackout dates). However, I would bet that the % of DVC APs that get more than 10 days out of a pass is very small.

 

[HopperFan]

I also wonder if Disney is revamping Annual Passes to provide a way for Genie+/Lightning Lane to be included. I have to say, I'd be upset if I had AP and then had to stand in regular line all the time.

I have AP and I can buy/use ILL/LL just like everyone else. I do not think it should be included - I should have to pay just like everyone else.

 

[zumfelde]

I also wonder if Disney is revamping Annual Passes to provide a way for Genie+/Lightning Lane to be included. I have to say, I'd be upset if I had AP and then had to stand in regular line all the time.

Why would you be upset you pay a fraction per day to get in the park that a regular ticket holder does and now you want free Genie+ on top of that. WOW

 

[New Mouse]

I have AP and I can buy/use ILL/LL just like everyone else. I do not think it should be included - I should have to pay just like everyone else.

So you don't feel loyalty to a company or brand should be rewarded?

 

[MouseEarsMom33]

Why would you be upset you pay a fraction per day to get in the park that a regular ticket holder does and now you want free Genie+ on top of that. WOW

First of all, I don't have AP. I don't pay a fraction of the price. If I bought AP, it would be because I have a long trip or have two trips planned in one year. When APs were $800-$900 in only 2018 they made sense. Now I don't know if they do for my family at $1200 (or is it $1300?) per ticket. If anything, I would be the AP holder that gets the least amount of benefit from an AP, if any at all. For a family of 4 out of state, it will cost me about $5000/yr for AP.

My point is, I don't think they will give Genie+ for free, but I think there could be a buy up option above current highest tier. Or AP holders get x number of LL per year or Genie + days at a specific tier. If I was AP holder and visited park on regular basis, I would be annoyed that no LL passes or Genie+ days were thrown in as a loyalty gesture. (I'm not saying for every visit). Especially those that are paying non-FL pass rates.

I anticipate Disney raising AP prices rates and adding limited LL/Genie+ as a "value-add". It's all about perception.

 

[BeachClub2014]

But there's a big difference between not selling APs at all, and selling them only to Blue Card holders. Narrowing APs down to just Blue Card holders doesn't seem like realistic move by Disney. I think they'll either continue selling them at higher prices, or they will discontinue.

And I agree it could devalue some of the DVC contracts, but won't impact others. There seem to be DVC folks who are 2-3 times per year people, and there are DVC folks who are once every year or 2. Guess we'll continue to wait and see what they decide to do.

Perhaps Disney will create a DVC-specific annual pass that is available to only "blue card" holders. Doing so would potentially steer more buyers away from resale purchases to direct purchases from DVC. It may not make a difference to everyone but would certainly influence some.

At any rate, I hope they reinstate general AP's in some form.

 

[Ismo]

I was 100% ready to buy 200pts at RR this month. But since AP sales didn’t start up again while we were there for 2.5 weeks, and it doesn’t look like they’re coming back anytime soon, I’m putting that purchase on hold indefinitely. If we could have upgraded our tickets, I would have bought into DVC and booked a return trip for this year. And we eat in the parks each night, so we would still spend a bit of money while at Disney. But I can’t justify a return trip now.

 

[HopperFan]

I also wonder if Disney is revamping Annual Passes to provide a way for Genie+/Lightning Lane to be included. I have to say, I'd be upset if I had AP and then had to stand in regular line all the time.

I have AP and I can buy/use ILL/LL just like everyone else. I do not think it should be included - I should have to pay just like everyone else.

For context ^

So you don't feel loyalty to a company or brand should be rewarded?

Sure and my Annual Pass comes with lots of perks. Even when I had the big expensive pass, I could cover the cost on at least one with just hotel discounts I got. I get free parking which covers lunch for DS and myself. Actually the free parking we get can cover the cost of the annual passes for both of us. I get 20% off shopping, 10% off lots of dining, I get previews (did Pandora and Galaxy Edge and it was awesome), I get discounts on hotels but we now stay offsite, we get hopper included, we added water parks & more for a nominal cost, discounts on lots of things from golf to Pandora items to After Hours, Special Events like Club Villain and more. I more than get my monies worth in addition to enjoying the parks - that is a reward in itself.

When folks enter the parks we are basically all the same, it doesn't matter where we stay and Disney fully depends on offsite guests to fill those parks. Disney hotel guests get extra time in the parks but during the standard operational hours we are all the same and IF we want extra perks, we all pay for them. I had no issue paying for Genie+ and ILL. My only complaint is I think the system is clunky and takes up too much time, I would have rather just paid $20 for the old FP+ system minus the advance bookings; just let us manage our FP+ all day long.

I do feel bad for DVC who made a commitment to Disney to vacation there but haven't been able to get AP, although I'm sure the majority of DVC owners only come one trip a year so the AP likely isn't a good value for them. I think they need to find a way to offer them (direct buyers) their own AP that no one else can get and then they can attach some special discounts and perks for them. But in the end I wonder what the DVC Sales Contract says in respect to a commitment to park tickets?

 

[mom2rtk]

Disney wants to sell those LL spots too badly to "give" them away to AP holders.

 

[CarolynFH]

But in the end I wonder what the DVC Sales Contract says in respect to a commitment to park tickets?

It says nothing! Somewhere in the legal papers it says perks are not promised and shouldn’t be depended on when purchasing DVC. What we bought was a real estate interest in a resort and are promised the ability to book rooms there, based on availability. Special DVC AP offers are used to encourage people to buy directly from Disney as opposed to on the resale market, and there have been some very disappointed owners in recent months. But as you say, not all DVC owners have use for APs.

 

[kittyab]

I bet Disney is trying to find a way to offer Annual Passes to DVC Blue Card members only. They'll find a way.

This has not happened yet and I am a DVC owner. If anything they like to take away perks from DVC owners not add.

 

[nuhusky123]

So ticket prices just went up, could annual passes come back now?