Annual Pass Prices Increasing AGAIN???

[MattB2179]

So I saw on an Annual Passholder Facebook group this morning that when this person called in to renew their Annual Pass they were told by the cast member on the phone that they were lucky to be renewing now because the prices will be increasing AGAIN when Rise of the Resistance opens in December. The post was deleted from the Passholder group so I thought I would bring it up here. I really have a hard time time believing they would have the guts to raise the price again, especially with how attendance numbers have been lately, but what are y'alls thoughts? Has anyone else heard anything like this?

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

Heard nothing... as of now.

 

[Yinn]

It’s a toilet bowl. Attendance is down, so profit is down. Raise prices to increase profits. High prices means lower attendance, so profit is down...

 

[Eeyore daily]

This makes me worry that we should buy our AP now for our trip next year, thankfully we can get Gold but still expensive, even for monthly payments.

 

[Dcgc28]

It’s a toilet bowl. Attendance is down, so profit is down. Raise prices to increase profits. High prices means lower attendance, so profit is down...

I don’t think Disney is losing money, they’re losing people but raising the prices to make the income. There’s no debate there, but I think they’re willing to have less people in the parks for more money per person. There’s going to be a magic line where it costs too much to get in therefore so few people go that they lose money. But I suspect Disney will raise prices until they cross that path.

 

[Brianstl]

I don’t think Disney is losing money, they’re losing people but raising the prices to make the income. There’s no debate there, but I think they’re willing to have less people in the parks for more money per person. There’s going to be a magic line where it costs too much to get in therefore so few people go that they lose money. But I suspect Disney will raise prices until they cross that path.

Disney lost money on US parks and resorts in the third quarter. The only reason the division they fall under made money was a really strong quarter at Disneyland Paris and sales of consumer products.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Not surprised to hear this rumor if it's true or not. We are on our second year of AP Platinum, we live in Georgia, and we did pay the higher price when we renewed in September. Disney finally priced us out. We have 3 trips planned and paid for but after these 3 trips we are looking into other vacation spots. Disney will still get some of our money as we will still go but we won't go as often. At this point we are not going to worry about any AP increases since we have made the decision not to renew when the time comes.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

The AP’s are already overpriced. We became first time AP’s last December and all said spent just under $800 each all told. It was a pricey splurge bit I felt I could justify the cost. We spent more time and money at disney than we otherwise would have but I felt that it was a fair exchange of goods and services. With the most recent increase putting the total around $1200 each I just can’t justify doing it again. We will visit again the future but the price is far too high to do AP’s again. Another increase will only cut out even more people who would otherwise spend their money at wdw.

 

[tarak]

This makes me worry that we should buy our AP now for our trip next year, thankfully we can get Gold but still expensive, even for monthly payments.

This is a debate I'm having. I hadn't planned a trip at all for next year, so I was going to let my AP expire this year (I think it's done November 26). Now it turns out one of my kids will be taking a trip with her choir next fall. I likely won't get more than one trip out of the renewed AP, which I think is about $1000. If I get a voucher and activate it next fall, I'll probably get three trips out of it. There's no way AP costs don't go up again between now and then. They've gone up every October for several years, I believe, so I don't see that changing even with the huge increase this June. Just not sure I want to spend that kind of money right now.

 

[tlmadden73]

If Disney raises the prices of APs, it doesn't mean they are looking for revenue from it, it probably means they are (for whatever reason) trying to just reduce the number of passholders.

Passholders, while they probably spend a lot of money at the park due to multiple visits, must make it hard for Disney to plan around. There new ticket structures, plus fast pass scheduling must give them an accurate picture of how many people will be on the parks on any given day and thus they can staff accordingly (saving money there).

They just seem more focused on the "new" or the infrequent guest rather than the "come all the time" diehard.

*shrug* seems like a crowd control issue .. because raising prices of an AP will reduce the amount of people getting them (which would be probably be more of a loss in revenue than gained). If less people have APs .. that is less people coming to the parks.

I got an AP last November (before the massive price increase) and we have gone 3 times .. and potentially 4 in a month. Despite all the money I saved on tickets (we've hit the parks 12+ days already), and AP discounts, we've spent way more money on food, souvenirs and resort rooms had we just done one normal (but longer) trip.

So I don't see this as a way for them to just make more money .. because I don't think they will.

 

[mixmastertoy]

Well the head of the parks just quit this week and Im assuming its because of all the pressure of attendance being down so seeing an increase in price tickets would be surprising since I feel it would be in their best interest to get as many people they can in.

 

[rteetz]

Well the head of the parks just quit this week and Im assuming its because of all the pressure of attendance being down so seeing an increase in price tickets would be surprising since I feel it would be in their best interest to get as many people they can in.

She didn’t quit her job was eliminated.

 

[Transvection]

We are getting ready to buy annual passes, in the next few months, for our 3 trips next year, so this make the timing of the purchase a bit shaky. We were actually hoping to hold out for a price drop but an price increase changes our calculus. Decisions, decisions.

 

[shh]

ours expire this Dec and we're not renewing. Time to give WDW a rest and let everyone else crowd into SW and let them build a few more things. By end of 2020, economy could easily tank, which means lots of discounts and specials to woo people back (extra 30-90 days with pass purchase free, deeper resort discounts, special ticket discounts...I've seen them unveil a lot of goodies back in 2009/2010). We are renewing our UO passes - I feel I get more value there.

 

[JERSEY8CAR]

We are getting ready to buy annual passes, in the next few months, for our 3 trips next year, so this make the timing of the purchase a bit shaky. We were actually hoping to hold out for a price drop but an price increase changes our calculus. Decisions, decisions.

We’re in the same boat and I was also waiting for a deal on AP. If we all stick together we can boycott DW and not go.

We should start a post... Do you have the willpower to boycott DW?

 

[Shellyred8]

We are getting ready to buy annual passes, in the next few months, for our 3 trips next year, so this make the timing of the purchase a bit shaky. We were actually hoping to hold out for a price drop but an price increase changes our calculus. Decisions, decisions.

Depending on how many passes you have to buy, you might want to start now and purchase one. Then purchase the rest, one at a time, over the next few months.

 

[vinotinto]

We are getting ready to buy annual passes, in the next few months, for our 3 trips next year, so this make the timing of the purchase a bit shaky. We were actually hoping to hold out for a price drop but an price increase changes our calculus. Decisions, decisions.

There's no such thing as a "price drop" when it comes to APs.

AP prices will go up, definitely. But, I don't see them doing another increase in the next month or so, which is what the CM implied. I've heard CMs say things that create a sense of urgency in booking or purchasing something and it's likely due to the quotas they have to fill.

 

[Transvection]

There's no such thing as a "price drop" when it comes to APs.

AP prices will go up, definitely. But, I don't see them doing another increase in the next month or so, which is what the CM implied. I've heard CMs say things that create a sense of urgency in booking or purchasing something and it's likely due to the quotas they have to fill.

A few years ago, they did have sort of a price drop. You got a Platinum pass for the price of a gold pass. We had bought gold passes a month before and they upgraded them to Platinum for free. In the current case, because of the timing of our trips, we need a platinum pass for next year.. It would be nice if they did that deal again because it is a big savings on platinum passes.

It seems it was a DVC promotion so that may be the difference. But either way, would be nice.

 

[tlmadden73]

There's no such thing as a "price drop" when it comes to APs.

AP prices will go up, definitely. But, I don't see them doing another increase in the next month or so, which is what the CM implied. I've heard CMs say things that create a sense of urgency in booking or purchasing something and it's likely due to the quotas they have to fill.

i am sure if Disney wants to fill the hotels and parks they will offer "discounts". Marketing 101 -- by increasing the "normal" prices as much as they have the past 5 years, when they need to they can offer "discounts" on those already inflated prices and make it "feel" like a deal. (When in reality the discounted price is still much higher than the normal price from just a few years ago).

Just look at the "after noon" ticket they are offering. Looks like a sweet deal when you compare it to the $120+/day ticket prices. But that deal $88/day (for less hours) is more than a normal 1-day ticket was just 7+ years ago.

So ... if they WANT to sell more Annual Passes (which it doesn't appear they want to if they keep increasing the prices), they can easily have a limited time discount.

 

[tarak]

A few years ago, they did have sort of a price drop. You got a Platinum pass for the price of a gold pass. We had bought gold passes a month before and they upgraded them to Platinum for free. In the current case, because of the timing of our trips, we need a platinum pass for next year.. It would be nice if they did that deal again because it is a big savings on platinum passes.

It seems it was a DVC promotion so that may be the difference. But either way, would be nice.

I seem to recall they also had a promotion where if you renewed, you got an extra three months. That was a while back, though, closer to the economy crashing in 2009.