Annual Pass Question?

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

I just read today from the disney food blog that a pass that is not activated yet by the 8th will automatically be transferred to one of the new ones? This is very upsetting to me as I bought my son's silver pass before the Covid stuff hit. It was bought as a silver and should stay that way, it's not fair to pay for something and because of things none of us could have foreseen, it be changed. I will not be there to activate before then. We have plans to go Columbus weekend. If they change it to a new one(comparable) then he would lose that weekend and it will be blacked out. I finally just yesterday was able to get through and renew mine and my daughters Gold Pass, now I have to worry about this. Anyone have any positive thoughts or ideas? Please if you don't have anything nice to say, then say nothing. I'm simply just venting, upset wondering what to do at this point.
Thank-you and have a blessed day!!

 

[1lilspark]

I’d call the VIPassholder line or try and do a chat to see if a CM can do anything…

I can’t guarantee they will offer you any pixie dust but it doesn’t hurt to ask

 

[qv09vvp]

I'm trying yo figure this out to we had gold pass pre covid shutdown and we chose to hold onto them. I renewed in April and I went in may and activated mine. Hubby and I are scheduled for the Saturday after Thanksgiving ( that's a blackout for sorcerer pass). Im so confused about what kind of pass he will have and whether he will be blacked out on Nov 27 or not

 

[Lilsia]

My Gold AP is expiring in October. I called today to renew it and they said that it would work just like usual, but next year, I will have to buy the new passes. I would also call to verify. I don't know how they would change the pass that you have already paid for. From what I understand, if you have a pass purchased, it is still good until it expires.

 

[Jennifer Harris]

I am in a similar situation with my kids’ gold passes and a planned Thanksgiving trip (their passes aren’t activated yet). I called a few days ago, and they told me their passes would become blacked out for Thanksgiving and we’d have to pay to upgrade to Incredi-passes or buy daily tickets. I even spoke to a supervisor who said the same. I was so upset because we just bought the passes a few months ago and planned to use them at Thanksgiving, and I don’t understand how they can not honor the passes that we purchased. I was so furious that I told them we wanted refunds on the passes. We are still trying to decide if we will still go at Thanksgiving and buy daily tickets or go somewhere else instead.

 

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

I am in a similar situation with my kids’ gold passes and a planned Thanksgiving trip (their passes aren’t activated yet). I called a few days ago, and they told me their passes would become blacked out for Thanksgiving and we’d have to pay to upgrade to Incredi-passes or buy daily tickets. I even spoke to a supervisor who said the same. I was so upset because we just bought the passes a few months ago and planned to use them at Thanksgiving, and I don’t understand how they can not honor the passes that we purchased. I was so furious that I told them we wanted refunds on the passes. We are still trying to decide if we will still go at Thanksgiving and buy daily tickets or go somewhere else instead.

So even though you were upset and told them so It didn't matter? This is so upsetting and discouraging. It is not right for them to do this. I love Disney I've been going for years, but lately I'm not feeling the love back at all. They should do the respectful thing and honor what was already bought.

 

[Jennifer Harris]

So even though you were upset and told them so It didn't matter? This is so upsetting and discouraging. It is not right for them to do this. I love Disney I've been going for years, but lately I'm not feeling the love back at all. They should do the respectful thing and honor what was already bought.

My thoughts exactly… I was furious, but all they could suggest was that we upgrade to a more expensive Incredi-pass or buy daily tickets.

 

[Disneykingofkings]

spoke with AP Passholder supervisor; we have two platinum APs linked to each of my and DW's accounts on MDE purchased in June 2019 from Sams Club at old prices (800+) after WDW raised their prices to close to 1200; saved closed to 2K; i asked all pertinent questions i could think of and now 'according' to him:

1) on sept 8th nothing happens to previous purchased but not activated APs until you activate at turnstiles whenever that may be; at that point our platinums become incredi passes BUT we retain all perks from platinum like photopass, etc, whatever was attached originally( i can only assume its the same for golds, silvers, etc. but didn't ask since doesn't apply to us)

2) only 1 of each of ours should convert until we activate at turnstile the second ones the next time we go after 1st pair expire

3) on sept 8 we should be able to up our park ressies to obtain 5 park ressies from the 3 we hold now for our nov trip and are of course eligible for any bonus pass ressies that might apply

4) any issues that do not not happen as above we just call AP VIP line and they rectify problems

he was extremely patient, nice, and knowledgeable and of course mistakes are made but i am confident in his explanations

but still keeping fingers crossed that everything does happen just as he said

 

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

My main concern is that the silver pass retains the same black out dates.

 

[Lilsia]

My main concern is that the silver pass retains the same black out dates.

From what the cast member that I spoke to told me, they will keep all the benefits. Look at it this way, you purchased a product and they really can't change that product after the fact without getting into some legal issues. Even if they change the name, any pre-purchased passes will still have the same benefits that they had at the time of purchase. This is what I am hearing from Disney.

 

[PrincessJasmine88]

Is the dining ap discount pnl for table service, not quick service or carts? Any rumors of upcoming AP hotel discounts?

 

[starry_solo]

Is the dining ap discount pnl for table service, not quick service or carts? Any rumors of upcoming AP hotel discounts?

Only selected restaurants for table service.

 

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

Ok, so I called and actually didn't have to hold very long. I talked to the first CM who said he had heard about what I was saying, but from what he understood was if you had bought the pass directly from them online through your account then the old pass would not change even if it wasn't activated. But to be sure he transferred me to someone that knew more about it. She also verified to me that my son's silver pass would be fine. That I already had park reservations and resort reservation for those certain dates and again she said the pass would be grandfathered in and should stay with the benefits of a silver pass. I told her my concerns, she was very nice and helpful. I told her I hope and pray she is right because I would cry if I woke up in a few days and everything was changed on my account and I have to call back. She was pretty positive about it so now I'm just hoping for the best!!

 

[Jennifer Harris]

Ok, so I called and actually didn't have to hold very long. I talked to the first CM who said he had heard about what I was saying, but from what he understood was if you had bought the pass directly from them online through your account then the old pass would not change even if it wasn't activated. But to be sure he transferred me to someone that knew more about it. She also verified to me that my son's silver pass would be fine. That I already had park reservations and resort reservation for those certain dates and again she said the pass would be grandfathered in and should stay with the benefits of a silver pass. I told her my concerns, she was very nice and helpful. I told her I hope and pray she is right because I would cry if I woke up in a few days and everything was changed on my account and I have to call back. She was pretty positive about it so now I'm just hoping for the best!!

It is ridiculous that they can’t get their messages straight. I had emailed wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com after a supervisor told me that we could not use our unactivated gold passes at Thanksgiving unless we upgraded to an Incredi-pass. (We also had hotel reservations and park passes). This is the response I just got in writing yesterday.


Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

I am glad to learn that your family have been such dedicated fans of our Resort and that you took the time to write to us. I am very sorry for your disappointment with recent changes to our Resort and our Annual Passholder policy. Guests with active Disney Gold Passes will continue to receive all of their existing benefits of the Disney Gold Passes. However, as your children's passes have not been activated, it would be necessary to either activate them before September 8, 2021 by visiting the Walt Disney World Resort for them to continue to be Gold Passes. Otherwise, they will automatically be converted to the new ticket type. I am glad to see that my partners made the exception to refund these Annual Passes, but I sincerely apologize for the impact that this had on your plans. I really appreciate the time that you took to share your thoughts with us. Our Guests’ feedback is vital throughout our Resort in preserving the magical experience that we so strongly wish to deliver. Please be assured that I am sharing your comments with our Leadership as we continue to work to improve.

 

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

@ Jennifer Harris .. I'm so sorry, I guess at this point all we can do is hope it all works out. I feel like every CM would say something different, smh

 

[CarolynFH]

It is ridiculous that they can’t get their messages straight. I had emailed wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com after a supervisor told me that we could not use our unactivated gold passes at Thanksgiving unless we upgraded to an Incredi-pass. (We also had hotel reservations and park passes). This is the response I just got in writing yesterday.


Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

I am glad to learn that your family have been such dedicated fans of our Resort and that you took the time to write to us. I am very sorry for your disappointment with recent changes to our Resort and our Annual Passholder policy. Guests with active Disney Gold Passes will continue to receive all of their existing benefits of the Disney Gold Passes. However, as your children's passes have not been activated, it would be necessary to either activate them before September 8, 2021 by visiting the Walt Disney World Resort for them to continue to be Gold Passes. Otherwise, they will automatically be converted to the new ticket type. I am glad to see that my partners made the exception to refund these Annual Passes, but I sincerely apologize for the impact that this had on your plans. I really appreciate the time that you took to share your thoughts with us. Our Guests’ feedback is vital throughout our Resort in preserving the magical experience that we so strongly wish to deliver. Please be assured that I am sharing your comments with our Leadership as we continue to work to improve.

Please read this post https://www.disboards.com/threads/anyone-else-receive-a-survey-from-dvc.3851289/post-63343943 and then call! Yes, it is truly pitiful that they can’t get their messages straight. It’s even worse that they didn’t anticipate this issue - many people will be in the same boat.

 

[RoseGold]

Mickey is really channeling Scrooge this Thanksgiving. This thread is disappointing.

 

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

I know this is older, but just wanted to see if anyone has went the past few weeks and was able to keep their Silver or Gold pass that was bought before the 8th and was bought online, not a certificate. I ask because just when I thought it was fine Disney contacted me and said this:

We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us and are sorry for the disappointments you mentioned in your e-mail regarding our new Annual Passes. It is our goal to create magical memories and exceed the expectations of our Guests during each and every interaction that you have with us. Please be assured that we have shared your comments with our leadership team, along with the appropriate management, as feedback such as yours is taken very seriously.

If your son's Annual Pass was purchased as a certificate and activated after September 8th, it will automatically update to our new Annual Passes. In this case the Silver Annual Pass will update to Disney Pirate Pass. If the Annual Pass was activated prior to September 8th, 2021, it will remain Silver until it is time for renewal.

 

[erionm]

I know this is older, but just wanted to see if anyone has went the past few weeks and was able to keep their Silver or Gold pass that was bought before the 8th and was bought online, not a certificate.

Online purchases of NEW passes is in certificate form.

 

[honeycomb111]

The old non-expiring tickets now show an expiration date of 2030 so maybe they can get away with changing the terms of what you bought, or does anyone know if that is just a placeholder which will change after 2030?