Annual pass changes coming........

[rfc0001]

PP is only on rides, MM is where you get your picture taken in front of Castle

PhotoPass is all photos. PP Download is the name of the digital download product that preceeded MM. MM added physical copies of dining photos and ride photo digital downloads (which you had to have a linked MM to add) in addition to digital downloads, then they did away with dining photos and started adding ride photos to everyone's photopass regardless of MM, so MM became just Digital downloads, and PP Downloads was phased out around the same time (which used to be $99 compared to $169 for MM). Now it's back, but with a different name to avoid confusion with MM, which you have to buy. It's all PhotoPass.

 

[JOE DELL]

I don't believe this is true.

Never mind I was set straight!! Lol

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

By far the majority of visitors are NOT Pass Holders. The majority will keep their current passes (that don't include it) although a few may upgrade. Day visitors by far make up the bulk, especially for MK.

I think you will be fine. @Disneytam

 

[JOE DELL]

PhotoPass is all photos. PP Download is the name of the digital download product that preceeded MM. MM added physical copies of dining photos and ride photo digital downloads (which you had to have a linked MM to add) in addition to digital downloads, then they did away with dining photos and started adding ride photos to everyone's photopass regardless of MM, so MM became just Digital downloads, and PP Downloads was phased out around the same time (which used to be $99 compared to $169 for MM). Now it's back, but with a different name to avoid confusion with MM, which you have to buy. It's all PhotoPass.

Thank you.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Update- I talked to a CM in ticketing who confirmed exactly what the amazingly helpful Ravenclawtrekkie had said- activated APs and renewals from October 3 and prior will continue with the same benefits as at time of purchase or renewal, so you will not suddenly be getting Photopass (or, conversely, blackout dates) and Unactivated ones from October 3rd and prior will be given Platinum passes upon arrival at the gate.

It was super easy to get a refund on the Memory Maker I'd already purchased for our December trip. It sounds like they are giving out a lot of those today!

Do you know where they are issuing MM refunds? Is that strictly Guest Relations? That is helpful to know.

That is because your current pass that is already activated continues to have all it's current statuses. However, if you bring an unactivated pass cert to the window, there is no former pass to renew IT TO, after 10/4. That is why you are given the new status. And unfortunately, those who purchased after 10/3 are just basically part of the new programs.

But yes, if your pass is active, it stays the same unless YOU change it. If you are in that odd inbetween window of having a cert purchased prior to 10/4 (FOR A LIMITED TIME MORE THAN LIKELY, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU ACTIVATE, AND THE SOONER THE BETTER), or you have a peice of paper with a Dollar Amount on it (you can believe THOSE will NOT be mailing out anymore) then you should also be able to slide into the new lateral program.

And if you buy anything 10/4 on, you are with the new program and the new prices and features, period.

This is getting simpler for me by the minute! lol

 

[davper]

I upgraded today and I am getting ride photos, videos, and photos just like with memory maker. The expiration date on the photos is like a year from now. So far I'm happy.

Thank You
This was what I was looking for. My wife likes the ride photos and the couple photos. So MM has alsways been worth it to us.

Now I just need to find out if I can get a refund on the MM I purchased for my trip next month and whether I need to upgrade both our passes.

 

[tlmadden73]

Worth it is harder to figure without knowing your touring habits. If you compare an AP to a PH pass it makes it a more even comparison since an AP allows you the opportunity to hop. If you never, ever hop, wouldn't even with an AP, then that makes it much harder to bridge the costs. But if you'd like to hop but don't because you want to save the money on your tickets then is helps bridge the cost.
Plus, there are some additional discounts that come with an AP. They are small but depending on your touring style they are included in the cost savings
You get a discount on all purchases in the stores, unlike the $50 min that comes with Disney Visa
There are room discounts on top of regular discounts. Most are just 5% more but sometimes they are more, sometimes less. Again, if they benefit you depends on how you like to stay.
Parking and MB are included, for those that off site
Some tours and meals are discounted for AP holders too. Again, if you are a Disney Visa holder you already get these same discounts so they may or may not benefit you

Did AP come with Memory Maker before? I guess that is worth $150 or so (but loses its value for each pass you buy after the first since you never would buy more than one memory maker)>
Parking (if you stay off-site) .. now worth $20/day
Magic Band? I guess that is worth $12
Discounts? Definitely hard to calculate those.

Long story, short, I personally don't see the value in the non-resident AP until I decide to go on multiple LONG vacations to Disney in a year. I mean .. I just went to Disney twice in a 12 month period over the last year (10/14 and 8/15) .. but both were short trips (4 nights each, but only two park days each).

I just don't see going on two LONG (7+ days) within a calendar year to make the AP worth it at $750 each (especially after a $95 increase).

... now if they had a LIFETIME pass

 

[AngiTN]

Did AP come with Memory Maker before? I guess that is worth $150 or so (but loses its value for each pass you buy after the first since you never would buy more than one memory maker)>
Parking (if you stay off-site) .. now worth $20/day
Magic Band? I guess that is worth $12
Discounts? Definitely hard to calculate those.

Long story, short, I personally don't see the value in the non-resident AP until I decide to go on multiple LONG vacations to Disney in a year. I mean .. I just went to Disney twice in a 12 month period over the last year (10/14 and 8/15) .. but both were short trips (4 nights each, but only two park days each).

I just don't see going on two LONG (7+ days) within a calendar year to make the AP worth it at $750 each (especially after a $95 increase).

... now if they had a LIFETIME pass

No, MM or Photopass has never been included with an AP. You had to buy it each trip.
But no, someone who only does 2 2 day trips a year will never benefit from an AP.
But nor does it take LONG trips.
We've done 1 6 day trip, 1 8 day trip and are doing another 6 day trip next week. Will probably get in another 4 day trip before the end of this year and have planned a 6 day trip in April.
So an AP benefited us and I will upgrade at least my AP when DH and I go next week. I would get MM for each trip so the upgrade will pay off for 1 for sure

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Can DVC member Texas resident buy a Gold annual pass ?

 

[pangyal]

Do you know where they are issuing MM refunds? Is that strictly Guest Relations? That is helpful to know.

That is because your current pass that is already activated continues to have all it's current statuses. However, if you bring an unactivated pass cert to the window, there is no former pass to renew IT TO, after 10/4. That is why you are given the new status. And unfortunately, those who purchased after 10/3 are just basically part of the new programs.

But yes, if your pass is active, it stays the same unless YOU change it. If you are in that odd inbetween window of having a cert purchased prior to 10/4 (FOR A LIMITED TIME MORE THAN LIKELY, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU ACTIVATE, AND THE SOONER THE BETTER), or you have a peice of paper with a Dollar Amount on it (you can believe THOSE will NOT be mailing out anymore) then you should also be able to slide into the new lateral program.

And if you buy anything 10/4 on, you are with the new program and the new prices and features, period.

This is getting simpler for me by the minute! lol

I got my MM refund over the phone just now. I called Ticketing and it was seamless.

Yes, exactly right. If you purchased prior to October 4 and activated any kind of pass, nothing changes for you. if you bought prior to October 4 and did not yet activate any kind of pass, you will be given Platinum or Platinum Plus (I'm not including the special Florida passes because I don't know what those options were before)- these include all DVC APs. If you purchased anytime after 12:01am on October 4, you are the lucky winner of a huge increase and free stock photos, LOL.

Edited to add: The CM claimed that the difference between Photopass and Memory Maker is that only the account holder can view and download PP images, so entitlements can't be shared. I think this is incorrect based on experience and information on other threads.

 

[MommaBerd]

You would only have to go for two separate one week trips to make it worth it. Assuming you are out of state, A 7 day adult park hopper is $450 x 2 trips = $900. Mem maker =$160 x 2 trips = $320. $900+$320=$1220. The price of the new annual pass aka. Platinum pass = $800 after tax. You get significant savings on just 2 trips.

Actually, you would only have to go on two 4-day trips to almost break even ($12 difference) and that is WITHOUT MEmory Maker. And, a child's MYW ticket for those same trips is a little less, $50, but you could always just buy 4-day child's passes, right? And I'm betting most AP guests go for more than 8 days. I don't remember what it is he break-even was before. I am not minimizing the fact that this a huge increase. Is it still a good value? It's up to you to decide. But any time my costs start going down the more I use something, I see myself as getting a good value. Right? So, I do the math and make the decision.

I think this gets emotional because Disney is an emotional place (and, OK, it can be expensive). But, if Costco upped their membership by 20%, I doubt there would be such an outcry. You would just have to decide if shopping at Costco still had value for you. In some ways I WISH Costco would up their membership fees because it is a MADHOUSE on the weekends!!! But, I digress...

The point is that if you look at this without emotion, and you average the cost per day of entertainment- AP or not - I think you would still be hard-pressed to find family vacationing and entertainment options of the caliber of Disney, even including the state of the parks, etc. today. And the good news is that there is a LOT to look forward to.
OH! And we have yet to see what will become of MYW ticket pricing/tiering. Will likely make these AP prices more attractive.

My final thought (for now) is this: As guests, we can't complain that the parks are too crowded and at the same time complain about ticket prices. If prices are "low" the crowds will come. It's simple economics.
BUT - I do think Disney really needs to find a way to show some love to their loyal fans and guests.

 

[AngiTN]

Can DVC member Texas resident buy a Gold annual pass ?

Yes, because you are DVC

 

[huey578]

Can DVC member Texas resident buy a Gold annual pass ?

Yes ,you can. If your DVC member number is associated with your MDE profile. You have to log into the Disneyworld site for the Gold AP option to appear.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Did AP come with Memory Maker before? I guess that is worth $150 or so (but loses its value for each pass you buy after the first since you never would buy more than one memory maker)>
Parking (if you stay off-site) .. now worth $20/day
Magic Band? I guess that is worth $12
Discounts? Definitely hard to calculate those.

Long story, short, I personally don't see the value in the non-resident AP until I decide to go on multiple LONG vacations to Disney in a year. I mean .. I just went to Disney twice in a 12 month period over the last year (10/14 and 8/15) .. but both were short trips (4 nights each, but only two park days each).

I just don't see going on two LONG (7+ days) within a calendar year to make the AP worth it at $750 each (especially after a $95 increase).

... now if they had a LIFETIME pass

No former program passes included PP, and only the top 2 included parking. In the new program, ALL PASSES now include parking, and the top 3 statuses include PP/MM (whatever you want to call it, downloads.)

That is a case where you have to see if it is worthwhile on a yearly basis, yes. If you know you are coming for a Star Wars event, Food & Wine (or MNSS), Flower & Garden and maybe a week in the summer, it is worthwhile to have it potentially. It also allows you to have a lot of freedom while you are here. (If one of the attractions was down or you didn't feel like braving the rain for the fireworks, or just want to hit a few favorites in the evenings before you head out of town, you no longer feel like you have to get there at 8am to justify your 2/3 day ticket etc. Its much more relaxed.)

Otherwise, in that case, a year long pass may not be the best suiting. But I think even before the changes, you really needed to come like 3-4 visits to justify having the pass, and I don't think that has changed....

 

[rfc0001]

Can DVC member Texas resident buy a Gold annual pass ?

Yes
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers/ticket-tour/walt-disney-world-pass/

 

[DisDadDVC]

Can DVC member Texas resident buy a Gold annual pass ?

Yes

 

[AngiTN]

No former program passes included PP, and only the top 2 included parking. In the new program, ALL PASSES now include parking, and the top 3 statuses include PP/MM (whatever you want to call it, downloads.)

That is a case where you have to see if it is worthwhile on a yearly basis, yes. If you know you are coming for a Star Wars event, Food & Wine (or MNSS), Flower & Garden and maybe a week in the summer, it is worthwhile to have it potentially. It also allows you to have a lot of freedom while you are here. (If one of the attractions was down or you didn't feel like braving the rain for the fireworks, or just want to hit a few favorites in the evenings before you head out of town, you no longer feel like you have to get there at 8am to justify your 2/3 day ticket etc. Its much more relaxed.)

Otherwise, in that case, a year long pass may not be the best suiting. But I think even before the changes, you really needed to come like 3-4 visits to justify having the pass, and I don't think that has changed....

I can't express enough just how this does come to change your touring mindset. We had our best trip ever this past August. It wasn't our first with our AP but it was the first where having the AP really impacted what we did and the decisions we made based on weather, etc. We didn't feel as pressed to do as much. We did feel more relaxed touring each day. Every day we enter a park we are benefiting more and more from the AP investment and it does stay in the back of our minds. It's hard to explain and I would have never thought it was a factor till we experienced it ourselves.

 

[goofy4tink]

So, I've held an AP, every year, for at least 10 years now. Yes, it's the DVC AP, so it's a bit less expensive than the 'regular' AP. It was always around $100-125 less. So, now? I get to pay at least $100 more (close to what the old regular AP was) but get weeks taken away from me? Sure they 'give' me PP.....in all my trips, I've purchased PP twice...both times were when my dd was traveling with friends and I just didn't want to hang with them in order to photograph them...it was something special, and usually got a slight reduction in cost. I seldom even bring a camera with me anymore...so PP is not a 'perk' for me. Free parking? I've always had free parking.
So, as Disney has done so often, they take stuff away, raise the price and then try to tell me that's I have these wonderful new perks...my 'experience' is going to be soooo much better.

Sure, someone has to pay for the new additions in the parks...it's beyond time to make changes. But, seriously? I have to pay these rates for something I don't get to use for years? Nope, not happy about it. I was going to buy more DVC points in Feb..not now. I refuse to spend an addtl $200 (vs what I paid for my existing AP) in order to get a full 365 days of park time.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

@AngiTN Also, now you can come more often if you are a FL RES who previously only got Seasonal. As a Silver family, you may still have some block outs, but you aren't hit up for $20 EVERY TIME you come. That means if you just want to come for a few hrs, you don't have to feel like you are wasting $20 parking there just to see ____ (insert fireworks, attractions, etc). It actually offers families more flexibility as far as that goes. Because only the day/MYW are now paying parking.

That is even MORE reason to come more half days, more weekends, etc. Go as much as you like (within your entitlements) because it may not cost you a penny more to go that half day!

 

[JOE DELL]

I can't express enough just how this does come to change your touring mindset. We had our best trip ever this past August. It wasn't our first with our AP but it was the first where having the AP really impacted what we did and the decisions we made based on weather, etc. We didn't feel as pressed to do as much. We did feel more relaxed touring each day. Every day we enter a park we are benefiting more and more from the AP investment and it does stay in the back of our minds. It's hard to explain and I would have never thought it was a factor till we experienced it ourselves.

Well said!