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

[Jrb1979]

Absolutely. This New FP system is very similar to Disneyland‘s max pass bar the pay per ride option. I always added the max pass to my AP (forgot how much extra it cost). Now that I live next WDW I will definitely be adding Genie+ to my pass unless it’s a insane amount more.

I also think that them unveiling the new FP system will mean it won’t be much longer until they start selling new AP’s

They didn't add as an option for Disneyland pass holders so I don't see it happening at WDW either.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

 

[TankFamily]

Good morning all, hoping to hear an update soon from Disney about the sale of AP. We have a trip booked in September but have been holding out to see if we could get an AP.

don't hold your breath...

 

[Dawg74]

I am totally holding my breath!!! Soon I will just buy regular tickets I guess.

 

[TankFamily]

I am totally holding my breath!!! Soon I will just buy regular tickets I guess.

I hear ya! I'm the opposite...I've purchased 4 day park hoppers for October back in April...now waiting to "convert" them into APs

 

[jmurray2446]

I am totally holding my breath!!! Soon I will just buy regular tickets I guess.

I held my breath. Passed out. Woke up at Universal buying a Premier AP.

 

[TankFamily]

So the blog posted on 03 August detailing Magic Key reported that WDW would have more info on annual passes by the end of this month...other than that report posted 23 days ago there has been no activity to suggest that will happen...I'm wondering if the overwhelmingly negative response to Genie/Genie+ is the reason why...thoughts?

 

[fabfemmeboy]

So the blog posted on 03 August detailing Magic Key reported that WDW would have more info on annual passes by the end of this month...other than that report posted 23 days ago there has been no activity to suggest that will happen...I'm wondering if the overwhelmingly negative response to Genie/Genie+ is the reason why...thoughts?

I suspect that it means there will be something tying the AP/Key to Genie in a way that they are thinking people won't like given the negative response to what they have put out so far about Genie. It doesn't help that it's just come out that Magic Key at DL is still limited in the number of daily reservations you can have even if you have a reservation in an on-site hotel for more days. They desperately need to announce something popular before they take another hit, and this makes me think that the new AP might not be it?

But seriously, just announce it already so I can know what kind of tickets I'm getting for my November trip!

 

[TankFamily]

I suspect that it means there will be something tying the AP/Key to Genie in a way that they are thinking people won't like given the negative response to what they have put out so far about Genie. It doesn't help that it's just come out that Magic Key at DL is still limited in the number of daily reservations you can have even if you have a reservation in an on-site hotel for more days. They desperately need to announce something popular before they take another hit, and this makes me think that the new AP might not be it?

But seriously, just announce it already so I can know what kind of tickets I'm getting for my November trip!

I agree...there messaging over the last couple of months has been extremely poor...i have a suspicion that not all is well behind the curtain at Disney...attendance is dropping in orlando because of COVID, vacations and reservations are being cancelled, park is not at capacity when they planned it to be, the rift between Chapek and Iger, and the poor reception of almost everything that's been rolled out over the last couple of months

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I agree...there messaging over the last couple of months has been extremely poor...i have a suspicion that not all is well behind the curtain at Disney...attendance is dropping in orlando because of COVID, vacations and reservations are being cancelled, park is not at capacity when they planned it to be, the rift between Chapek and Iger, and the poor reception of almost everything that's been rolled out over the last couple of months

Yeah, there's a lot of oddness going on right now.
(Though I would disagree with the idea that attendance is dropping unexpectedly due to the delta spike; it's the end of August which is always when attendance plummets as kids go back to school. September has historically been the least busy month, especially with so many people holding off until October 1 when the birthday celebration stuff begins. But still - not a great look and leading to a lot of negative stories about the parks at the same time as all the Genie nonsense.)

 

[TankFamily]

Yeah, there's a lot of oddness going on right now.
(Though I would disagree with the idea that attendance is dropping unexpectedly due to the delta spike; it's the end of August which is always when attendance plummets as kids go back to school. September has historically been the least busy month, especially with so many people holding off until October 1 when the birthday celebration stuff begins. But still - not a great look and leading to a lot of negative stories about the parks at the same time as all the Genie nonsense.)

that's true...for some reason I forgot that kids go back to school in August...been a while since I've been in school (haha)...I read an article on wdwnt a few days ago that WDW resorts were averaging 30% below the capacity that they were planning, and that there were cancellations in September as well...either way, agree...not a good look

 

[Pooh's World]

They might be pushing it back due to Delta. My flight for September was just cancelled by the airline.

 

[blabadie]

I could see delta causing lower attendance than expected (although historically it's always a lower crowd time.)

I think it's unlikely low late-August attendance has anything to do with negative Genie+ reactions. It seems if someone strongly disliked Genie+, they would be *less* likely to cancel August reservations since they would want to enjoy their last non-Genie trip.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Everything Disney has done has had a wide reaction of emotions... but at the same time free press. We are still talking about splash mountain with the new artwork released, everyone is talking about the Starwars hotel cost , magic key and now LL and genie +. And yet we end another week with no word about Annual passes. Tuesday is August 31st so maybe... hopefully something by then.
I still think it will be soon the Florida resident tickets "expire" September 14th

 

[DisneyKidds]

I’m not sure us Disney nutjobs on the DIS count as free press. We may be talking, but the general public doesn’t have a clue/care.

As to Annual Passes (and Genie+), Disney/Chapek THINKS they are smart. Genie+ is priced such that most people will swallow the $15 a day ticket increase. The new WDW annual passes are still priced such that they are cheaper (for us at least via DVC) than buying two sets of park hopper tickets…..IF we were to make two trips on one pass. IF.

The point about current weirdness is relevant. While a company like Disney needs to innovate and change…such innovation and change should be in furthering an improved experience, not just an improved bottom line. I don’t see any of Disney’s recent moves as being geared toward improving the experience. What they are doing is eroding what value proposition had existed, while taking away from the experience.

At a time of weirdness when one might think Disney should be capitalizing on the goodwill (and stability/$$$) of their built in repeat customers….they are doing the exact opposite. We are long time DVC owners. In the past, at this point ahead of a planned trip next year, we’d be thinking about how to get two trips in and buy an Annual Pass. Now…not so much.

With 2042 on the horizon I’ve always thought when/if Disney offers for existing DVC owners to re-up at a reasonable rate we need to strongly consider that, for our own sake and to allow our kids and their kids to enjoy WDW long into the future. Now….not so much.

Heck, with the kids a few years from being out of college Disney has me thinking I should look into what little I can get on the resale market.

I can be as cranky as the next guy/girl, I could go into a diatribe about Walt, and quality, and Traditions. Blah, blah. I’m convinced if Disney even cared to pretend to listen it would fall on deaf Mickey Ears. That is what Disney seems to be accomplishing of late…turning once passionate, long time, $$$$ spending Disney proponents into people who question how often they want to go moving forward and may be looking for a way out. Seems short sighted and foolish to me, but what do I know!

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I’m not sure us Disney nutjobs on the DIS count as free press. We may be talking, but the general public doesn’t have a clue/care.

As to Annual Passes (and Genie+), Disney/Chapek THINKS they are smart. Genie+ is priced such that most people will swallow the $15 a day ticket increase. The new WDW annual passes are still priced such that they are cheaper (for us at least via DVC) than buying two sets of park hopper tickets…..IF we were to make two trips on one pass. IF.

The point about current weirdness is relevant. While a company like Disney needs to innovate and change…such innovation and change should be in furthering an improved experience, not just an improved bottom line. I don’t see any of Disney’s recent moves as being geared toward improving the experience. What they are doing is eroding what value proposition had existed, while taking away from the experience.

At a time of weirdness when one might think Disney should be capitalizing on the goodwill (and stability/$$$) of their built in repeat customers….they are doing the exact opposite. We are long time DVC owners. In the past, at this point ahead of a planned trip next year, we’d be thinking about how to get two trips in and buy an Annual Pass. Now…not so much.

With 2042 on the horizon I’ve always thought when/if Disney offers for existing DVC owners to re-up at a reasonable rate we need to strongly consider that, for our own sake and to allow our kids and their kids to enjoy WDW long into the future. Now….not so much.

Heck, with the kids a few years from being out of college Disney has me thinking I should look into what little I can get on the resale market.

I can be as cranky as the next guy/girl, I could go into a diatribe about Walt, and quality, and Traditions. Blah, blah. I’m convinced if Disney even cared to pretend to listen it would fall on deaf Mickey Ears. That is what Disney seems to be accomplishing of late…turning once passionate, long time, $$$$ spending Disney proponents into people who question how often they want to go moving forward and may be looking for a way out. Seems short sighted and foolish to me, but what do I know!

As much as I hated to say it the dis podcast made since, you should check it out.

 

[DisneyKidds]

As much as I hated to say it the dis podcast made since, you should check it out.

That was worth the hour. Amazing how much time Pete et. al. spent talking about Universal. Obviously I agree with his assessment that the recent news (Genie+, new APs) are a big F.U. to previously loyal/faithful Disney fans, and something that may not work out as well as the Disney execs in their ivory tower think. However, there are an awful lot of new Disney suckers out there to burn thru I s’pose.

The thing Pete said early on that intrigued me was that the new AP pricing structure was a Disney response to the biggest guest complaint at WDW….crowds. As if making the price point so high would cut down on the number of people purchasing passes, and maybe reducing crowds? I don’t know about that….and that thought would be at odds with stuff he said later, about how Genie+, AP increases, charging for Photo Pass/Memory Msker, etc. were an attempt by Disney to recover some of the billions in lost revenue over the past 18 months.

Who knows!?

 

[cakebaker]

The thing Pete said early on that intrigued me was that the new AP pricing structure was a Disney response to the biggest guest complaint at WDW….crowds. As if making the price point so high would cut down on the number of people purchasing passes, and maybe reducing crowds? I don’t know about that….and that thought would be at odds with stuff he said later, about how Genie+, AP increases, charging for Photo Pass/Memory Msker, etc. were an attempt by Disney to recover some of the billions in lost revenue over the past 18 months.

The goal is fewer guests paying more per guest= higher profits, fewer people.