New ticket system coming to WDW - Begins October 16th

[samsonjs]

So...we are planning on going in 2019 for a week

If I buy a set of regular tickets today, will they retain the ability to use them on any date (until the expiration date)

In other words, I won't have to worry about all of this date nonsense, which is pretty important to us because we reschedule trips often due to various circumstances

Yes, and I called UT a week or so and asked just to confirm that what I read on blogs was correct. They did say ONLY the E-Ticket was good through Dec 2019 and the paper form is good through Feb 2019.

 

[tlmadden73]

Well .. in anticipation of tomorrow (and even though no prices have been announced (and no Annual Pass pricing changes have been announced), I had my wife run to Target and buy up a LOT of Disney Gift Cards --- ($1500 worth for only $1425 (after 5% Red Card discount) to purchase our Annual Passes tonight (rather than waiting for our trip in a few weeks).

Man .. why do they carry so few $100 cards? Why not $500 ones? She had to get thirty $50 cards (the poor people behind her in the check-out line). Who is spending only $50 at Disney? LOL.
Maybe they just do that to make it not worth getting the 5% discount .

So .. we'll see if AP prices go up ... I really can't imagine them not sometime soon since making "variable pricing" is going to increase demand for a pass that can ignore the date structure.

I mean .. if prices increase a lot for certain days, (like holidays), some guests may just get an AP. Or just get one for flexibility (without having to pay the new $50 'flex' fee)

Right now the break-even point for an AP is about 2 separate trips of 4 days each ($900 AP price compared to the 4-day hopper price of around $450). (Not counting the discount perks or 'free' Memory Maker).

With the new pricing, depending on when you want to go .. that math may change for sure.

 

[AngiTN]

I assume Target keeps mostly $50 gift cards because that would be a common amount to give as a gift, more than $100 or especially $500. Since that is really what they stock them for, technically. It's not but a few folks who buy them for their own use.

I'd love to see Disney move to an AP price structure that was closer to what Universal offers. Over there, it's an even wash to get a 3 day PH pass or a Seasonal pass. Without even considering side benefits like discounts. So increasing demand for AP over tickets isn't necessarily a bad thing for the company.

 

[scrappinginontario]

LOL - I'm the one buying the $50 cards. I use my grocery store points to pay for our Disney cards so get them for free.

 

[Alicenwonderment]

How much is the discount for AP with Triple A?

 

[tlmadden73]

I assume Target keeps mostly $50 gift cards because that would be a common amount to give as a gift, more than $100 or especially $500. Since that is really what they stock them for, technically. It's not but a few folks who buy them for their own use.

I'd love to see Disney move to an AP price structure that was closer to what Universal offers. Over there, it's an even wash to get a 3 day PH pass or a Seasonal pass. Without even considering side benefits like discounts. So increasing demand for AP over tickets isn't necessarily a bad thing for the company.

Why would Disney do that? They aren't going to make the AP more enticing .. then they lose the control they are hoping to get with this new pricing structure. They don't want a ton of people being able to just come when they want -- they can't anticipate crowds that way (which they are trying to get under control). Universal is still second fiddle, so they need to do whatever they can to entice people to come to Universal MORE than just two days.

Right now you have to go a LOT in one year to consider an AP .. (at least TWO separate trips). Disney's pricing is more friendly for one LONG trip than two medium-length trips.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Why would Disney do that? They aren't going to make the AP more enticing .. then they lose the control they are hoping to get with this new pricing structure. They don't want a ton of people being able to just come when they want -- they can't anticipate crowds that way (which they are trying to get under control). Universal is still second fiddle, so they need to do whatever they can to entice people to come to Universal MORE than just two days.

Right now you have to go a LOT in one year to consider an AP .. (at least TWO separate trips). Disney's pricing is more friendly for one LONG trip than two medium-length trips.

I agree!

Even with 2 trips it does not always make sense to purchase a Disney AP. We are going in December of this year with 8 days of park tickets. We are also already booked for a trip next September with 7 day passes. I thought for sure it would make sense to upgrade to APs this time but since both trips are FD trips and I ran the numbers, it would cost us $400 more to upgrade to APs if we lost the FD offer on the second trip. I would not use enough discounts with the AP to justify the AP so we're purchasing an 8 day PH ticket this trip and a 7 day PH ticket next trip.

Who knew the biggest use of my math skills learned in school would be calculating Disney trips???

 

[Robo]

How much is the discount for AP with Triple A?

APs are not available from most AAA Travel offices.

Only the section of the country that is served by the branch of the Auto Club named "AAA South" offers WDW APs.

However-
If you want to buy an AP using a discount, just buy a "regular" WDW ticket that has a high discount from any authorized WDW ticket reseller ("discounter")
an then UPGRADE to an AP when you get to WDW. You will still get to keep the discount value that you got on the original ticket.

 

[rteetz]

Here is the new thread. Obviously not much more info than we currently have but that will soon change

https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...ed-ticket-system-faq-read-first-page.3711842/

 

[runwad]

Anyone ever hear of Reserve Orlando? They came up in a touring plans ticket locator search.

Their tickets are refundable if not used or linked in MDE. You have to put in your trip dates and it gives you a date they can be returned for a full refund.

I don't think I've ever heard them mentioned here, despite the rep saying they've been in business for 15 years.

I tried a search but didn't get a hit.

 

[tlmadden73]

I agree!

Even with 2 trips it does not always make sense to purchase a Disney AP. We are going in December of this year with 8 days of park tickets. We are also already booked for a trip next September with 7 day passes. I thought for sure it would make sense to upgrade to APs this time but since both trips are FD trips and I ran the numbers, it would cost us $400 more to upgrade to APs if we lost the FD offer on the second trip. I would not use enough discounts with the AP to justify the AP so we're purchasing an 8 day PH ticket this trip and a 7 day PH ticket next trip.

Who knew the biggest use of my math skills learned in school would be calculating Disney trips???

Oh .. since you need to buy a package (with tickets) to get Free Dining the AP isn't worth it?
That is probably another way Disney will work to control when people come and keep people from just getting Annual Passes --- discounted packages.

The AP math is just hard . And this new ticket scheme isn't going to make it any easier.
(Well . .if we go around Christmas the AP is worth it, but if we go mid-September, it really isn't) .. etc. etc.

There is a "value" to the flexibility the AP gives you too I guess .. simply because we have the AP .. we are going to hit a park for a few hours before heading out of town .. adding a 5th day to a 4-day ticket isn't worth it if you are just going to go for a few hours in the morning.
​

The way I figured it out (between discounts, not paying for the Memory Maker and the Target "gift card" discount) .. the AP is actually only "costing" me $725/person instead of $905.

 

[AngiTN]

Why would Disney do that? They aren't going to make the AP more enticing .. then they lose the control they are hoping to get with this new pricing structure. They don't want a ton of people being able to just come when they want -- they can't anticipate crowds that way (which they are trying to get under control). Universal is still second fiddle, so they need to do whatever they can to entice people to come to Universal MORE than just two days.

Right now you have to go a LOT in one year to consider an AP .. (at least TWO separate trips). Disney's pricing is more friendly for one LONG trip than two medium-length trips.

You may want to check out today's Universal parks if that's what you still think. They once were 2nd but they are way closer to even steven now.

The reason for the price break at Universal being better, Universal lets anyone buy their seasonal pass. Disney restricts theirs. Locals do get the similar breaks with Disney, lower cost passes to get to a break even point easier.

 

[tlmadden73]

You may want to check out today's Universal parks if that's what you still think. They once were 2nd but they are way closer to even steven now.

It's definitely not a distant second .. but someone has to be second.

My point is .. UNTIL they are in a solid lead, they will continue to offer better values for sure. (Which is why competition is good). I doubt we would have seen Pandora or SWGE at Disney if it hadn't been for the success of the Harry Potter lands at Universal.

We definitely want to root for Universal to keep the pressure on Disney.

 

[AngiTN]

It's definitely not a distant second .. but someone has to be second.

My point is .. UNTIL they are in a solid lead, they will continue to offer better values for sure. (Which is why competition is good). I doubt we would have seen Pandora or SWGE at Disney if it hadn't been for the success of the Harry Potter lands at Universal.

We definitely want to root for Universal to keep the pressure on Disney.

Yeah, Sea World or Busch Gardens
Disney and Univeral are a solid 1 A and 1 B, which is A and which is B will vary by who you ask. But #2? Nah, not today.
They are pushing each other, without question. Universal has a 4th gate in the works and Universal being a 1 now, keeps Disney hopping in the creativity dept. Neither better rest on their laurels or they won't be 1A/B anymore.

 

[rteetz]

Yeah, Sea World or Busch Gardens
Disney and Univeral are a solid 1 A and 1 B, which is A and which is B will vary by who you ask. But #2? Nah, not today.
They are pushing each other, without question. Universal has a 4th gate in the works and Universal being a 1 now, keeps Disney hopping in the creativity dept. Neither better rest on their laurels or they won't be 1A/B anymore.

Universal has certainly closed the gap but they are still number 2 at this time. Until they get a true third gate they can’t be on the same level as Disney. I say true third gate because Volcano Bay is not a theme park.

 

[Pirate Fairy]

Incidentally, Busch Gardens just rolled out big changes to their annual pass structures and introductory pricing. My husband and I have had passes there for so long we are grandfathered in and if we don’t opt for a new pass our rate will continue to be locked in at the super cheap monthly rate we have had for over a decade now which is awesome.

I read some articles from June that talk about DLR changing their pass structure and separating blackout dates per park. I know nothing about how they do APs at DLR but it stands to reason that perhaps this is what is coming here on a larger scale than just the FL Resident Select pass (which seems like a huge waste of money when you could just get a silver pass).

If WDW increases their ticket pricing and more people go to APs then they almost have to adopt a big change in pass structure and pricing NOW for it to have an effect on the vast majority of passholders by the time SWGE opens. My theory is they rolled this out in DLR in June bc their SWGE opens in summer 2019. Why give people an opportunity to jump into an AP and then later raise the prices/restrict access when they can roll it all out at once and just have one big sticker shock all around?

Of course I could be completely wrong.

 

[AngiTN]

Universal has certainly closed the gap but they are still number 2 at this time. Until they get a true third gate they can’t be on the same level as Disney. I say true third gate because Volcano Bay is not a theme park.

You and some others may feel it's #2 but I assure you, there are a whole lot who do not see it that way today. The more we go to Universal, the more I see their points of view. Until I started going as regularly as we do to Disney, I agreed with you about their being #2.

 

[robinb]

I pulled the trigger on 10-day park hoppers from UT for myself and DH. Still mulling over if I should cover my bases and buy two more in case my DD decides to go.

 

[AngiTN]

Incidentally, Busch Gardens just rolled out big changes to their annual pass structures and introductory pricing. My husband and I have had passes there for so long we are grandfathered in and if we don’t opt for a new pass our rate will continue to be locked in at the super cheap monthly rate we have had for over a decade now which is awesome.

I read some articles from June that talk about DLR changing their pass structure and separating blackout dates per park. I know nothing about how they do APs at DLR but it stands to reason that perhaps this is what is coming here on a larger scale than just the FL Resident Select pass (which seems like a huge waste of money when you could just get a silver pass).

If WDW increases their ticket pricing and more people go to APs then they almost have to adopt a big change in pass structure and pricing NOW for it to have an effect on the vast majority of passholders by the time SWGE opens. My theory is they rolled this out in DLR in June bc their SWGE opens in summer 2019. Why give people an opportunity to jump into an AP and then later raise the prices/restrict access when they can roll it all out at once and just have one big sticker shock all around?

Of course I could be completely wrong.

DL has always had a very different demographic and as such, AP pricing structure. I'm not sure you can ever assume they'll do at WDW what they do at DL. Or use it as a sign of anything. DL is just ran too differently

 

[rteetz]

You and some others may feel it's #2 but I assure you, there are a whole lot who do not see it that way today. The more we go to Universal, the more I see their points of view. Until I started going as regularly as we do to Disney, I agreed with you about their being #2.

Until universal can sustain vacations of 5+ days like Disney they aren’t on the same level. I completely agree that they have come much closer and have a lot in the works right now but they just aren’t there yet.

Also this is getting too far off topic