? About DVC/Florida resident Gold Pass

[eeyoresmom]

I asked this question on the DVC forum but haven't gotten a definitive answer. I want to purchase the gold AP's for our May 2016 and March 2017 trip . Is there anyway to make sure that week in March is NOT blacked out??? Its not a week surrounding Easter but I don't want any surprises.

 

[okilydokily]

they only have the 2016 calander posted on the Disney website. The last 2 weeks in March are blocked out.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Thanks. I understand that this is a new ticket option but how do they expect people to plan/purchase without knowing if it would be valid or not???

 

[okilydokily]

Well it is a year or more away. I understand you want a plan but what has to be decided right now? With the gold pass you have almost 11 months of a year to plan a trip out of. If you are that worried and need to choose a date now, then pick a date you are sure will not be blocked.

They change park hours while people are here on vacation, I don't think they are going to worry about having to have spring break 2017 days posted before this years spring break ends.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

The info we have for the FL resident 3 and 4 day tickets indicates a blockout from April 8, 2017 to April 21, 2017 - I'd bet on the AP blockouts being similar. Not a guarantee though.

 

[Anal Annie]

Well it is a year or more away. I understand you want a plan but what has to be decided right now? With the gold pass you have almost 11 months of a year to plan a trip out of. If you are that worried and need to choose a date now, then pick a date you are sure will not be blocked.

They change park hours while people are here on vacation, I don't think they are going to worry about having to have spring break 2017 days posted before this years spring break ends.

As I read it, the OP is also planning for a trip THIS spring too (May) and is hoping to get two trips out of these passes if she buys them in May. She may be locked into a certain week in March 2017 so she's concerned if she buys them this May that she could hit a blockout date next March.

OP - you may have to wait until your trip in May to see if you can get more answers on the dates but if I were to guess I would think with Easter being in mid-April next year that your March dates should be safe from block-out. But it's hard to say definitively - they could always decide to expand the block-out dates to include more weeks. Hopefully not but with all the nickel & diming they're doing these days anything is possible.

 

[eeyoresmom]

As I read it, the OP is also planning for a trip THIS spring too (May) and is hoping to get two trips out of these passes if she buys them in May. She may be locked into a certain week in March 2017 so she's concerned if she buys them this May that she could hit a blockout date next March.

OP - you may have to wait until your trip in May to see if you can get more answers on the dates but if I were to guess I would think with Easter being in mid-April next year that your March dates should be safe from block-out. But it's hard to say definitively - they could always decide to expand the block-out dates to include more weeks. Hopefully not but with all the nickel & diming they're doing these days anything is possible.

This is correct. I can't understand how they don't have the block-out dates for 2017 posted If you are selling a pass that encompasses 12 months, shouldn't the information for that 12 month period be available??

 

[eeyoresmom]

@okilydokily , I can't pick a new date, have to go during kids spring break. It's not unusual for people here to plan several years out, buying AP's, alternating with regular tickets, etc. Right now, Disney is selling a ticket that they haven't released information on, that's not great business.

 

[Anal Annie]

This is correct. I can't understand how they don't have the block-out dates for 2017 posted If you are selling a pass that encompasses 12 months, shouldn't the information for that 12 month period be available??

I really "think" that your March 2017 dates will be OK. Colleges will probably have breaks in March (my sons will) but I know at least where we live our secondary schools follow a spring break pattern that always surrounds Easter, depending on when it falls. They're always either the week before (like this year) or they follow the week after Easter if Easter falls super early. Seems like it's usually the week BEFORE but I have seen it follow the week after too. Since Easter is in the latter half of April next year I think they may blockout those 2 weeks. Hopefully you'll know by when you go in May so you can make an informed decision.

We always like to plan well ahead too so we can manage our DVC points wisely. Now our DS is a college freshman and he has to do 2 summer co-ops as part of his major so I'm not sure if he'll be able to even join us at home for a week next summer (after his 2nd year as that's when his co-ops are supposed to start). So our 2017 plans are way up in the air. Don't know if DH and I will renew our AP's this summer and try to go on an adults only trip this fall and then for a family trip in January or what we'll do. Definitely getting complicated with all the latest changes thrown at us tho.

Good luck!!

 

[andyman8]

While they aren't guaranteed to match the Gold AP blackout dates, the FL Resident tickets tend to have similar blackouts (outside of the summer of course). As of now, Disney has posted that these are the dates for those tickets: January 1, 2017 to January 2, 2017; April 8, 2017 to April 21, 2017; June 5, 2017 to August 10, 2017 with full ticket required to be used by 12/17. Again, they are not guaranteed to be the same, so wait to purchase but it's looking good for you.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I really "think" that your March 2017 dates will be OK. Colleges will probably have breaks in March (my sons will) but I know at least where we live our secondary schools follow a spring break pattern that always surrounds Easter, depending on when it falls. They're always either the week before (like this year) or they follow the week after Easter if Easter falls super early. Seems like it's usually the week BEFORE but I have seen it follow the week after too. Since Easter is in the latter half of April next year I think they may blockout those 2 weeks. Hopefully you'll know by when you go in May so you can make an informed decision.

We always like to plan well ahead too so we can manage our DVC points wisely. Now our DS is a college freshman and he has to do 2 summer co-ops as part of his major so I'm not sure if he'll be able to even join us at home for a week next summer (after his 2nd year as that's when his co-ops are supposed to start). So our 2017 plans are way up in the air. Don't know if DH and I will renew our AP's this summer and try to go on an adults only trip this fall and then for a family trip in January or what we'll do. Definitely getting complicated with all the latest changes thrown at us tho.

Good luck!!

Thanks. We are DVC also, hence the DEFINITE need to plan a year out. Besides this uncertainty with the AP's, I'm also struggling with what size villa to book in March as I have 2 "maybes" for that trip. I've been burned in the past by family members that back out leaving me with a larger than needed villa (wasted points).

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

This is correct. I can't understand how they don't have the block-out dates for 2017 posted If you are selling a pass that encompasses 12 months, shouldn't the information for that 12 month period be available??

Have you tried contacting Disney?

 

[eeyoresmom]

While they aren't guaranteed to match the Gold AP blackout dates, the FL Resident tickets tend to have similar blackouts (outside of the summer of course). As of now, Disney has posted that these are the dates for those tickets: January 1, 2017 to January 2, 2017; April 8, 2017 to April 21, 2017; June 5, 2017 to August 10, 2017 with full ticket required to be used by 12/17. Again, they are not guaranteed to be the same, so wait to purchase but it's looking good for you.

Thank you. I'm relatively confident mid March 2017 should be spared but I hate to gamble with that much money on the table!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Have you tried contacting Disney?

I thought there may be a way for me to easily check myself.Since posting this I did call and was told those dates weren't released yet.

 

[Kimly]

We have had the gold pass for a few years, it is always the weeks around Easter. With Easter always being a different day, just find when easter is and the the two weeks before and after. Things can always change, but the dates are pretty typical.

Eta- we live in Clay county and their spring break has been the week before Disney's blackout dates.