Any idea when we can buy WDW annual passes?

[jkh36619]

Well said. I also appreciate your thoughts about AP holders and how they are out for one thing and one thing only, to save a lot of money on park tickets. AP holders are not some virtuous creatures out there who just love mickey mouse, they want cold hard cash returned and they want lots of visits for the price of one ticket.

This reminds me of hearing about the analytics that the insurance industry uses. They have incredibly sophisticated algorithms to predict risk and maximize profit. An example being if you have a red car versus a blue car. The person with the red car receives a marginally higher price based on algorithm, across a huge demographic pool, because they tend to speed more and get into accidents.

I am absolutely sure disney has a small army of people going over these numbers and it's been determined that AP's just aren't worth it. Just like they decided that Magical Express just wasn't worth it. They knew guests, especially ones on this board, would throw a fit and complain that Magical Express was yanked like it was nothing. Guess what? they ran the numbers and decided to dissolve Magical Express and dissolve disneyland AP's anyways knowing exactly what they were doing down to the penny.

Yes we know. You have said so many times in this thread.

 

[jdkdorn]

We'll be looking at selling DVC if APs don't become an option again - I'm not paying for 2 8day passes with hopper so that I can use my DVC points. They might have my money - for now - but I don't have to let them keep it. I'm not sure when Disney became "them" to me - that's summarized by many in other posts.

You want me to keep my all of my DVC points, you offer me a DVC AP soon. JMHO

We are hoping they are available for our trip, we will use our hoppers as a credit towards the APs. Hopefully the announcements today will mean APs for the anniversary...I'm also sure it means new pricing.

 

[mackmack]

AnnaKristoff2013 said:
The voucher I have says it is good until 2099.

Yep they extended it. Another sign that APs aren't going anywhere

I saw this posted on another message board as well and given the fact that I deal with contracts and verbage for a living I felt the need to address it. The fine print will explain that Disney has the right to change/alter the conditions of the ticket at any time. Clearly the fact that it says "2099" does not obligate them to honor and continue the program until 2099. I just thought it needed to be said for anyone unfamiliar and who might become confused that this was anything other than standard legalese.

 

[ellbell]

AnnaKristoff2013 said:
The voucher I have says it is good until 2099.





I saw this posted on another message board as well and given the fact that I deal with contracts and verbage for a living I felt the need to address it. The fine print will explain that Disney has the right to change/alter the conditions of the ticket at any time. Clearly the fact that it says "2099" does not obligate them to honor and continue the program until 2099. I just thought it needed to be said for anyone unfamiliar and who might become confused that this was anything other than standard legalese.

This fine print was also on the tickets with the old date. Why extend the date at all if they intended to get rid of them.

 

[starry_solo]

This fine print was also on the tickets with the old date. Why extend the date at all if they intended to get rid of them.

Disney IT at it's best?

 

[ellbell]

Disney IT at it's best?

They would have had to do it intentionally. Not changing would have meant literally just leaving it alone. Changing a date isn't IT related.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

AnnaKristoff2013 said:
The voucher I have says it is good until 2099.





I saw this posted on another message board as well and given the fact that I deal with contracts and verbage for a living I felt the need to address it. The fine print will explain that Disney has the right to change/alter the conditions of the ticket at any time. Clearly the fact that it says "2099" does not obligate them to honor and continue the program until 2099. I just thought it needed to be said for anyone unfamiliar and who might become confused that this was anything other than standard legalese.

Yeah, I mean, I also will be long dead by 2099 so I'm not particularly worried about it, but I catch your point.

 

[kdm31091]

I am a little skeptical on the future of annual passes. I think the previously model of "pay one price for unrestricted unlimited visits" is probably not coming back, or if it is, it will be much more expensive than it was before. The reservation system is somewhat incompatible with it, because they don't want people complaining they bought an AP but cannot get into the park anyway. So I think the best we can hope for is some type of hybrid pass that is somewhat cheaper than buying one ticket a time but I don't think it will be necessarily a wonderful deal like it was for some before.

Chapek's comments about annual passholders and wanting to increase shareholder value speak to coming out with something that is a worse value for customers.

 

[sheilafri]

Under what circumstances have people been able to reactivate their APs? I was about two months in when the WDW parks closed. When they reopened minus so many attractions, no fireworks, no park hopping and reservations required, I canceled in August 2020 and got a refund. Is it even worth trying to get approved to repurchase? I probably won’t go back until January 2022 anyway. Hoping for HEA to return.

 

[ellbell]

Under what circumstances have people been able to reactivate their APs? I was about two months in when the WDW parks closed. When they reopened minus so many attractions, no fireworks, no park hopping and reservations required, I canceled in August 2020 and got a refund. Is it even worth trying to get approved to repurchase? I probably won’t go back until January 2022 anyway. Hoping for HEA to return.

I cancelled in July and got a refund amd reativated in April. When I asked the cast member who helped me she said pretty much anyone who cancelled during the summer was able to get a new AP

 

[jpeterson]

And the AP they sell you is an unactivated voucher. So it doesn't start until you first activate it.

 

[CarolynFH]

Under what circumstances have people been able to reactivate their APs? I was about two months in when the WDW parks closed. When they reopened minus so many attractions, no fireworks, no park hopping and reservations required, I canceled in August 2020 and got a refund. Is it even worth trying to get approved to repurchase? I probably won’t go back until January 2022 anyway. Hoping for HEA to return.

Yes, it’s worth a try. Call the Passholder line, (407) 939-7277, and they’ll take your name etc. to determine eligibility. They’ll call you back in 30 days or so to let you know, and if you qualify they’ll sell you a voucher you can activate next time you visit. Check this thread for many reports.

 

[mackmack]

The latest episode of the DisneyDish with Len Testa and Jim Hill, they opined that they both believe WDW AP's are going away(as we know them). They floated the idea that the new pass might be something akin to you can only use it on specific days(Wednesday's) or whatever. So if you want to pay once and go you will be shoehorned into specific odd days of the week, making it almost impossible to make a standard vacation out of it and to appeal more to local residents to fill the parks on less crowded days(if those exist anymore). It would also incentivize people to start their vacations on odd days to try and pick up a day or two thereby balancing the surge they normally get when most people start their vacations.

Point is, AP's as we know them, 'buy a single ticket literally go any day or every day you want for the rest of the year' , is almost certainly gone. I would bet everything I own on that, and Jim Hill and Len Testa seem to agree.

 

[woody337]

I

The latest episode of the DisneyDish with Len Testa and Jim Hill, they opined that they both believe WDW AP's are going away(as we know them). They floated the idea that the new pass might be something akin to you can only use it on specific days(Wednesday's) or whatever. So if you want to pay once and go you will be shoehorned into specific odd days of the week, making it almost impossible to make a standard vacation out of it and to appeal more to local residents to fill the parks on less crowded days(if those exist anymore). It would also incentivize people to start their vacations on odd days to try and pick up a day or two thereby balancing the surge they normally get when most people start their vacations.

Point is, AP's as we know them, 'buy a single ticket literally go any day or every day you want for the rest of the year' , is almost certainly gone. I would bet everything I own on that, and Jim Hill and Len Testa seem to agree.

I dont see them gutting them that much. Disney knows how often the LARGER youtube vloggers go into the parks and that gives Disney free advertising. Not to mention I bet a lot of locals go in quite often and spend money at all of the restaurants.

 

[Loro]

That could also present issues with DVC. One of the biggest blue card perks (the biggest really) is the access to DVC gold AP, and they use that access as a key sales point with their pitches. While they are allowed to change perks for any reason they want, that could create a bait and switch because they used it so much as a marketing tool... unless they replace it with something similar. DVCers, myself included, would be pissed to say the least as that limits the value you are receiving considerably.

 

[starry_solo]

That could also present issues with DVC. One of the biggest blue card perks (the biggest really) is the access to DVC gold AP, and they use that access as a key sales point with their pitches. While they are allowed to change perks for any reason they want, that could create a bait and switch because they used it so much as a marketing tool... unless they replace it with something similar. DVCers, myself included, would be pissed to say the least as that limits the value you are receiving considerably.

All the fine print, even in those sweepstakes that advertise DVC, says that you are buying an interest in real property and any perks can be taken away at any time.

 

[Loro]

All the fine print, even in those sweepstakes that advertise DVC, says that you are buying an interest in real property and any perks can be taken away at any time.

I did mention that.

It could still present an issue. There would also be no point in buying direct at all then.

 

[jotunheim]

I did mention that.

It could still present an issue. There would also be no point in buying direct at all then.

I would agree with you and don't see wholesale changes made at least to the Gold pass at least for that big reason. It is specifically designated for the DVC and in-state crowd and both are very important to Disney politically and financially respectively.

 

[Miffy]

Concerned that WDW would start selling APs again and at a highly inflated price, I renewed my AP two days ago at the 60-day mark. If only I'd known that I could've canceled it and reinstated it, I would've done that, as my previous renewal was right before the pandemic and I didn't use it until 2 weeks ago.

I'm out of state, btw, but under non-covid circumstances, I visit WDW at least twice a year. The end of APs would likely mean the end of twice-yearly visits for me and the end of my WDW dollars for the Mouse.

The current price of even the AP renewal ($1,080) was bad enough, but the cost of two vacations' worth of 7- or 8-day park hoppers is far more expensive.

I can't really see them getting rid of APs. Are there really that many out-of-state AP holders that getting rid of APs would increase WDW's income? And if there are that many out-of-state AP holders, why would WDW want to alienate us? I really can't see them getting rid of FL APs. People don't just go to the parks--they spend money there. Like on food, for example.

But, who knows? We'll see what happens. If they get rid of APs altogether and AP holders rage about it on social media, WDW could change their mind.

 

[Loro]

As has been mentioned many times before by myself and others, DLR is very different from WDW. DLR is a locals park that had such a large number of APs that it really was having an effect on the bottom line there. Almost nobody stays onsite comparatively, and there's not nearly as much to do. The locals didn't spend much. They needed to make a change there.

WDW certainly has its share of locals (and now vloggers taking up more and more capacity), but they are a much lower percentage and it is more of a vacation destination. With WDW people from all over the world consistently take a week or longer vacation there when they visit, many of whom stay onsite. APs still spend a lot of money at WDW, and the out of state ones tend to stay more often, spend more money on hotels/DVC/food/other activities, etc. If anything they incentivize repeat full vacation sized trips within a 1-year timeframe for those that are not locals. Cutting them at WDW would be extremely short-sighted. They were making a ton of money on APs in WDW.

That being said, I do see them making more changes/restrictions for the locals pass and potentially others. Testa and Hill are way more plugged in than I am, and if they said it then they are likely correct that changes are coming. I doubt they get rid of APs completely at WDW though.

As a DVC owner myself, without APs I would certainly only come once every 2-3 years instead of 2-3 times every year+. I would also sell some of my points as I would no longer need as many, and likely go to Universal way more often. Less of my money for them I suppose. I doubt they'd notice.