New Disney World AP Pay and get less?

[Duck143]

This is one of those times where I was having a conversation in my head but it didn't quite make it to what I wrote...

I don't doubt that there was an additional price increase in Feb, 2020. The point which somehow I forgot to put in was supposed to be that the bulk of the increase in AP price happened in mid-2019. I believe it was something like 30% because that was the impetus for us grabbing the vouchers from Sam's Club.

This is 100% true. I grabbed our vouchers from Sam's Club in June 2019. There was a huge increase and Sam's had them for the old price.

 

[Marionnette]

This is one of those times where I was having a conversation in my head but it didn't quite make it to what I wrote...

I don't doubt that there was an additional price increase in Feb, 2020. The point which somehow I forgot to put in was supposed to be that the bulk of the increase in AP price happened in mid-2019. I believe it was something like 30% because that was the impetus for us grabbing the vouchers from Sam's Club.

True. The February 2020 increase was smaller than in June 2019. But ironically, it occurred shortly before AP sales were completely halted and Disney has chosen the resumption of sales to hit guests with yet another price increase. So glad that I have 3 Gold vouchers and a binder full of unused tickets that are not date-based. It could be a very long time before we have any desire to return after the current AP expires.

 

[CVTmarie23]

Does anyone have silver or gold renewal certificates/exchanges/vouchers? We purchased AP from AAA in 2018/19 for many years in advance. I purchased renewals because we expected to have continuous passes for the foreseeable future. Then covid hit and we let our passes expire at the beginning of this year. I'm not really sure when we are planning to go back to the parks. Would there be a benefit to me activating the vouchers prior to sept 8th? Or should I just wait til we plan to go again and exchange them for whatever the new pass equivalent would be? I'm assuming we would need to pay the price between a renewal cost vs new cost, but how do they determine what that is?

 

[DL1WDW2]

Did you photocopy the AAA terms of sale with original purchase?
I recently approached Universal with really old faded out AAA 3 day with one day free park hopper BUT I had photocopies of everything including
this offer never expired. Universal did not even blink an eye and asked me what I wanted and honored it for future date. I was so stunned and was expecting nothing… Now I am wondering if I should have said I wanted more! Haha
I even went to my AAA Office and they couldn’t wouldn’t help me!
It just seems Universal is whatever just return and spend your money at Universal not Disney
Thats why I love Universal Studios Orlando Florida

 

[MischaOz]

I’m really sad about this. We had APs in 2018. It was a great year and we made four trips (from Wisconsin). We planned on buying APs again in 2020 but then Covid happened. I would have bought again this year but the removal of photopass and the 5 day max reservations was enough for me to bow out. We typically stay off site, and I don’t want to risk flying all the way there to not be able to get a park reservation.

As others have noted, it’s not the price increase for me. Disney has always been expensive, but we felt that it was worth it based on what we were getting. They have taken so much away that it no longer feels worth it.

 

[CVTmarie23]

Did you photocopy the AAA terms of sale with original purchase?
I recently approached Universal with really old faded out AAA 3 day with one day free park hopper BUT I had photocopies of everything including
this offer never expired. Universal did not even blink an eye and asked me what I wanted and honored it for future date. I was so stunned and was expecting nothing… Now I am wondering if I should have said I wanted more! Haha
I even went to my AAA Office and they couldn’t wouldn’t help me!
It just seems Universal is whatever just return and spend your money at Universal not Disney
Thats why I love Universal Studios Orlando Florida

No, but I might be able to find something in my email? I linked them to MDE and they look the same as the ones i purchased in the past at Disney.

Did you photocopy the AAA terms of sale with original purchase?
I recently approached Universal with really old faded out AAA 3 day with one day free park hopper BUT I had photocopies of everything including
this offer never expired. Universal did not even blink an eye and asked me what I wanted and honored it for future date. I was so stunned and was expecting nothing… Now I am wondering if I should have said I wanted more! Haha
I even went to my AAA Office and they couldn’t wouldn’t help me!
It just seems Universal is whatever just return and spend your money at Universal not Disney
Thats why I love Universal Studios Orlando Florida

No, but I might be able to find something in my email. If I remember correctly when I first purchased tickets ahead, it was right before they came out with the silver/gold passes. They then converted whatever the pass that I had to the next closest one which I think ended up being an upgrade for me. Not sure if they are doing that this time though.

 

[CVTmarie23]

I’m really sad about this. We had APs in 2018. It was a great year and we made four trips (from Wisconsin). We planned on buying APs again in 2020 but then Covid happened. I would have bought again this year but the removal of photopass and the 5 day max reservations was enough for me to bow out. We typically stay off site, and I don’t want to risk flying all the way there to not be able to get a park reservation.

As others have noted, it’s not the price increase for me. Disney has always been expensive, but we felt that it was worth it based on what we were getting. They have taken so much away that it no longer feels worth it.

This is how I feel too. I grew up going, but we now have young kids and just started really going often the last few years. I expect price increases, but that paired with them taking away so many things and not offering anything new or exciting is just a lot to handle. We are huge Disney fans, we got married there and always stayed on property to be in the bubble and enjoyed the extra perks. Now its impossible to justify the massive price difference for on property so that I don't have to fold up my stroller. We never got bored, there was also a show or new restaurant or ride for us to explore, now there isn't and its hard to pay more for so much less.

 

[Jennifer Harris]

I am FURIOUS at Disney. I just called because we have gold pass vouchers that are not yet activated and a trip scheduled for Thanksgiving week. I was told yesterday that everything from the gold pass would be honored but got scared because others were told the opposite. They told me today that we would have to pay the extra money to upgrade to the Incredi-pass in order to use those passes at Thanksgiving. I argued that when we bought the passes a few months ago, Thanksgiving week was covered and I am not interested in paying them more money for something that should be covered by the passes I already purchased. They told me either I do that or trade the passes in for day-tickets. I told them the passes are useless for us if they’re not going to honor Thanksgiving week, so I told them I wanted our money back and that I was done. VERY disappointed in what Disney has become. This is not the Disney my family fell in love with.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

Quoting myself since I have an update.

Reached out to Disney via their chat and told the cast member what was going on with our situation, and she and the passholder team were able to activate our gold pass renewals now using our DVC membership. So our renewals now have an expiration date of 08/09/22 instead of the gold pass exchange that expired in 2099.

I assume it was because we already had the trip and reservations made, and could have been a one-off for all i know, but if anyone's affected like i was, reach out to them and they may just be able to help depending on the situation.

ETA:First quote on this situation was missing.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm confused on one point probably due to my head spinning with all the changes LOL.
Did you have gold unused vouchers you were planning on activating and using in Nov, or were you renewing previously used gold passes and wanted to do so before the new blackouts take place?
Thanks for the clarification.

 

[CarlyMur09]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm confused on one point probably due to my head spinning with all the changes LOL.
Did you have gold unused vouchers you were planning on activating and using in Nov, or were you renewing previously used gold passes and wanted to do so before the new blackouts take place?
Thanks for the clarification.

We had renewals, but due to how the DVC gold pass renwals worked, they had a 2099 expiration date that would have gotten changed to the 8/9/22 date once they were activated. They just activated them yesterday so we could keep them. CM said we could just bypass the ticket window and get our new cards at GR or any vacation planning window when we need them. Probably will still go to ticket window just in case though.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

We had renewals, but due to how the DVC gold pass renwals worked, they had a 2099 expiration date that would have gotten changed to the 8/9/22 date once they were activated. They just activated them yesterday so we could keep them. CM said we could just bypass the ticket window and get our new cards at GR or any vacation planning window when we need them. Probably will still go to ticket window just in case though.

Got it, thanks! I thought it was similar to Platinum vouchers and by activating them early you were losing months off the passes.
I hope you all stay well!

 

[HashberryOTG]

Our window to renew was now, and we have an upcoming Nov trip. In order to be able to make reservations, they had us purchase tickets. I was able to call in and get the tickets applied to the cost of my APs and pay the difference, as well as renew my old style platinum pass, which will expire then Nov 2022 (since that's when it will be activated). Then it will be on to the new ones for us!

 

[Airb330]

WHY is DIsney making tickets so complicated right now? Honor people's gold, honor other tickets. Move on to the new passes when they can. There's no need for this and all it does is upset guests and cast members alike.

 

[Airb330]

I am FURIOUS at Disney. I just called because we have gold pass vouchers that are not yet activated and a trip scheduled for Thanksgiving week. I was told yesterday that everything from the gold pass would be honored but got scared because others were told the opposite. They told me today that we would have to pay the extra money to upgrade to the Incredi-pass in order to use those passes at Thanksgiving. I argued that when we bought the passes a few months ago, Thanksgiving week was covered and I am not interested in paying them more money for something that should be covered by the passes I already purchased. They told me either I do that or trade the passes in for day-tickets. I told them the passes are useless for us if they’re not going to honor Thanksgiving week, so I told them I wanted our money back and that I was done. VERY disappointed in what Disney has become. This is not the Disney my family fell in love with.

Maybe they can activate the pass now?Liek they did for @CarlyMur09? As a Gold AP and it'll run from today through September 2022? Sure you lose 2 months on it (which is dumb), but it would be valid for Thanksgiving. Way cheaper than new tickets. But I am with you, that would likely sour me very much on Disney to the point of cancellation. I too have a Gold "Exchange" AP whatever that means...I am sure I will get shunted to Sorcerer, but the date changes don't impact my trips at least. I am sorry.

 

[bloomcruisers]

Based on Jennifer Harris’s post above, I suspect my family will be looking for refunds. We all have silver vouchers but we were waiting for offerings in the parks to return more to previous levels. We were totally prepared to wait till sometime next year to go back. But we purchased silver APs because we never go in the summer but do make multiple trips throughout the year. We go around thanksgiving for our holiday visit and my daughters and their families do the race weekends. All of those dates are in the Pirate pass blackout windows. And paying an additional $300 to upgrade to sorcerer still doesn’t open up everything that silver allowed.
I’m wondering if Disney plans on contacting voucher holders to give them options. If I didn’t read here, I would not know anything about this since I haven’t received any notice from Disney. And considering they are requiring activation with only 1 week notice in order to keep the benefits of the voucher we bought, it just seems terrible.
If we have to opt for refund we are probably just done with Disney.

 

[Jennifer Harris]

Maybe they can activate the pass now?Liek they did for @CarlyMur09? As a Gold AP and it'll run from today through September 2022? Sure you lose 2 months on it (which is dumb), but it would be valid for Thanksgiving. Way cheaper than new tickets. But I am with you, that would likely sour me very much on Disney to the point of cancellation. I too have a Gold "Exchange" AP whatever that means...I am sure I will get shunted to Sorcerer, but the date changes don't impact my trips at least. I am sorry.

I asked to do this & they told me they could not. Said they could only be activated in person.

 

[Turksmom]

I asked to do this & they told me they could not. Said they could only be activated in person.

I know calling Disney can be miserable, but sometimes the answer depends on who is on the other end of the call. I'd try again. Are you calling the passholder line?

 

[Jennifer Harris]

I know calling Disney can be miserable, but sometimes the answer depends on who is on the other end of the call. I'd try again. Are you calling the passholder line?

Yes. I even spoke to a supervisor on the passholder line who confirmed everything I was told was correct. I agree that they never give consistent answers, which is infuriating.

 

[CarlyMur09]

I asked to do this & they told me they could not. Said they could only be activated in person.

That’s why I was surprised. I almost expected them to give me two day comp tickets (minimal chance) or do something to match the blackout dates from the gold at best, or flat out deny me at worst, but nope; they activated it for me.

Here’s what it says. Still says renewal.

 

[JoJoGirl]

This is 100% true. I grabbed our vouchers from Sam's Club in June 2019. There was a huge increase and Sam's had them for the old price.

Me too, the savings was huge. I figured that timed correctly, the vouchers I purchased that day would provide four calendar years worth of trips at the old price. If all goes according to plan, my last one will expire in December 2024. Heaven knows what Platinum APs will cost then!