Annual pass replaced with Membership for DL and AP returning by October

[Disneyfan754321]

I know this article is about DL but do you think this goes for WDW as well?

I wonder what the difference is going to be between a pass and a membership?

https://www.latimes.com/business/st...lifornia-adventure-capacity-masks-annual-pass

 

[Heather07438]

Revy interesting.

Membership. hmmm

sounds like maybe pay a membership price to get discounts on tickets, dining and shopping?

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Revy interesting.

Membership. hmmm

sounds like maybe pay a membership price to get discounts on tickets, dining and shopping?

Other theme parks offer memberships , they usually do not include parking or discounts on items but they are cheaper... so I'm hoping for cheaper.

 

[kanerf]

You might want to look at Seaworld/Busch Gardens and how they do membership. It is tiered and per park. You can buy a multi-park membership for more and it allows monthly payment.

 

[thewholeshabazz]

This is intriguing to me. Six Flags has had a very successful membership program for a couple of years now. Theirs is tiered, but at the 2 top tiers you get significantly more discounts and benefits. And it really wasn't too much more expensive then their normal season passes. The catch was that you were locked into a monthly payment every month for at least a year. Once you got through the year, then it was month to month. This sounds interesting honestly. Guaranteed revenue for Disney every month, like Disney +, but also the chance to let people pick the tier they would want to benefit from. It would probably knock out a lot of the long distance AP's, but reward the locals and DVC members even more.

 

[WilliamAF]

My concern is how different this new 'membership' option would be from DVC and how already having a DVC membership would affect this change.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

I have the top-tier Diamond Elite membership for Six Flags. Besides entry at any time, I get free preferred parking, 50% off most food and merch, a drink cup for unlimited refills, and other fun things. Also access to a Member Lounge where there is a drink station, seating, and charging ports.

A season pass only gets you into the park for free. I don't think it even includes parking.

Entry perks are are good at any Six Flags, too.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I have the top-tier Diamond Elite membership for Six Flags. Besides entry at any time, I get free preferred parking, 50% off most food and merch, a drink cup for unlimited refills, and other fun things. Also access to a Member Lounge where there is a drink station, seating, and charging ports.

A season pass only gets you into the park for free. I don't think it even includes parking.

Entry perks are are good at any Six Flags, too.

When I lived in Texas we had memberships to six flags because it was a lower down payment when you are buying for a family , we would typically get one gold and and the kids would have bronze memberships. I hated the membership though because overall it was more expensive and I was under contract for a year. When i use to buy the season passes I would get deals , like free parking and 4 pack.

When it comes to Disney I would love to get a lower down payment... the APs we use to buy were super expensive.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

You might want to look at Seaworld/Busch Gardens and how they do membership. It is tiered and per park. You can buy a multi-park membership for more and it allows monthly payment.

FL residents can do monthly payments for Disney annual passes. They are also technically tiers as well when you look at them. The most expensive is all parks, with the water parks and golf included with absolutely no blackouts. Then you go down different tiers by what blackouts you want and exclude water parks and golf. You can go down to an Epcot only park, after 4pm or a Waterpark only after 2pm. They really are not set up much different than Sea World.

 

[BorderTenny]

FL residents can do monthly payments for Disney annual passes. They are also technically tiers as well when you look at them. The most expensive is all parks, with the water parks and golf included with absolutely no blackouts. Then you go down different tiers by what blackouts you want and exclude water parks and golf. You can go down to an Epcot only park, after 4pm or a Waterpark only after 2pm. They really are not set up much different than Sea World.

Except Sea World lets you add on the water park to any level of pass. Or easily upgrade to include the park(s) over in Tampa, or even all of their parks nationwide.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Except Sea World lets you add on the water park to any level of pass. Or easily upgrade to include the park(s) over in Tampa, or even all of their parks nationwide.

True, they do let you add on the water park. Disney allows you to purchase waterpark as a stand alone. As far as "membership" goes, I don't see how Sea World is that different than Disney. At one time, I am not sure if they still have it, Disney did have a pass that included CA and FL.

 

[Q-man]

DL has(had?) a huge issue Disney created for themselves when the west coast arm leaned into selling APs during the Great Recession due to the fact there are 15 million people w/i a 2-3 hour drive from DL. WDW doesn't have that kind of local population and used 'free dining' as their tool.

Disney has been trying to figure out how to extricated themselves from how many APs there are for DL and how much the locals ability to come in for a few hours and spend little money effects bottom line and nonlocal guests experience at DL

Disney was already restricting times of the year APs could be used at DL when COVID gave Disney a lifeline to cut off the APs for DL and deflect blame.

 

[kbelle8995]

It is not going to be cheap that's for sure. I have both Disney and Universal here in Florida. And I just feel Universal AP is a better value. And with WDW when you are blocked you are blocked.

It will be interesting to see how this membership thing works out. And how they set it up.

 

[jmurray2446]

Membership sounds intriguing but could also backfire for WDW passes. With FL residents paying monthly payments feels more affordable, after the 50% deposit. And let's be honest a gold pass at $500 or so, is a great value if you go monthly, let alone weekly. Going to memberships will seem expensive if you are used to FL rates, since I doubt they will take an initiation fee. Honestly if the Platinum pass is north of $1100, they could have a membership tier at $120-$150/month, probably north of that if you think about it. Especially if you have the ability to cancel anytime, like most other memberships work.
And I don't think that is that crazy considering a 1 day ticket at min. is $109. They can justify that price.
I was just looking at Six Flags memberships and their top tiers include skip the line perks. And steep discounts off food and beverage. Just the skip the line perks are pretty awesome, that would make some people shell out the money.
I would be sold on the idea of Memberships, as a DVC member and FL resident, if we get some savings off the price off the monthly premium.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

DL has(had?) a huge issue Disney created for themselves when the west coast arm leaned into selling APs during the Great Recession due to the fact there are 15 million people w/i a 2-3 hour drive from DL. WDW doesn't have that kind of local population and used 'free dining' as their tool.

Disney has been trying to figure out how to extricated themselves from how many APs there are for DL and how much the locals ability to come in for a few hours and spend little money effects bottom line and nonlocal guests experience at DL

Disney was already restricting times of the year APs could be used at DL when COVID gave Disney a lifeline to cut off the APs for DL and deflect blame.

Yup, I think the AP program over at Disneyland will look much different than what you see at WDW. The amount of APs over there was out of control, it made the parks so busy. And Chapek was quoted talking about how they don't see as much of a financial return from APs there so that of course, plays a part too.

Be curious to see what they do. But I think it's a good sign for WDW folk that they didn't cancel passes during all this even if they stopped new sales. The programs will probably look different with DL being more restricting?

 

[Brett Wyman]

Disney has always treated WDW and DL APs, and similar programs, differently. I don't see any reason they would try to match them up now. Two parks with completely different guest populations.

 

[Pooh's World]

I have the top-tier Diamond Elite membership for Six Flags. Besides entry at any time, I get free preferred parking, 50% off most food and merch, a drink cup for unlimited refills, and other fun things. Also access to a Member Lounge where there is a drink station, seating, and charging ports.

A season pass only gets you into the park for free. I don't think it even includes parking.

Entry perks are are good at any Six Flags, too.

Not true. Universal's top two annual pass tiers include free parking

 

[Pooh's World]

Disney would only do Membership if it could squeeze out even more money than APs.

With something like Six Flags they are desperate for visitors and on the verge of bankruptcy so have really good deals like free preferred parking, free entree and dessert per visit, can visit any six flags park in the US and Dolphin swim voucher.

 

[aztraveler]

This all will be interesting to watch. As DVC members, we bank and borrow to use DVC at WDW two of every three years. Often an AP will work for us depending on our scheduling. We are anxiously awaiting news about APs because they could benefit us in 2022. Right now WDW does not seem to be lacking visitors because of restrictions. We'll see what happens when they are lifted.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Not true. Universal's top two annual pass tiers include free parking

I was speaking to my perks at Six Flags with a membership.