fla4fun
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2006
Why do WDW and DLR differ so much when it comes to APs? I realize the size of the parks is a major reason, but why do so many less Florida locals get APs? Is it because the entire state of FL gets a discount for tickets? In CA only the people in So Cal get discounts, the rest of us are stuck paying full price or getting an AP and then needing to pay for transportation and lodging.
Well, I can say that in my friends and family circle, there just isn’t a lot of interest in the theme parks. Other than my sister and myself, I don’t personally know anyone with an AP to any of the big three (SW, US, WDW) and they don’t usually take advantage of the resident deals either. Unless you are a super fan of one of the parks, it’s off the radar in day to day life. It’s just a different demographic here. I think WDW would definitely lose out on hotel, food, and miscellaneous income if they got rid of APs where DL wouldn’t for the most part, due to so many APs living outside of Florida. I do think WDW took a look at the AP visitor levels when the parks reopened, as evidenced by their reluctance to sell new passes at the start and the encouragement to cancel and refund passes on a voluntary basis. But ultimately they haven’t found the pass holders as a group to be detrimental to the reopening process since they are starting to process renewals.
Another thing that factors in is the difference in incomes between LA and Orlando. Between all the low wage service jobs and the high unemployment, there aren’t a lot of locals who can afford to go to WDW right now. All the resident discounts in the world won’t help if the locals are struggling to pay the rent.