Annual Pass Rumors??

[Liquidice]

While I agree I don't see Disney offering new APs at either park anytime soon, I do think its feasible for them to do so at one park and not the other. It wouldn't be a PR problem if they came out and simply said that WDW is a larger park with more capacity and therefore has the ability to support more APs.

I also could see them doing away with APs / Magic Keys all together at Disneyland and letting everyone expire and perhaps replace them at some point with a much more limited program - so there are less people with an AP overall at DLR. But they really screwed up because their opportunity to do that was when Magic Key was first offered - not sure how they could have screwed it up so bad that they are now stuck with an unfavorable guest mix. Nobody to blame there but Disney themselves.

At WDW though they seem happy with the current guest mix and could continue to allow renewals while maybe offering new APs once a year for a limited time with limited quantities (assuming some amount of APs drop out every year) -- think about how crazy the demand would be - Disney seems to love "shows" with long lines and craziness around Limited Edition Merch and events, they could do the same with APs. Maybe they could even run a lottery or contest for the right to buy an AP lol.

If they ever build more capacity into WDW with a 5th gate they could then of course open things up a bit again.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

I know they are but from Disneys perspective I don't think they want to deal with the negative PR if WDW resumes AP sales and DL doesn't.
Also the parks are packed right now so there is no need to offer APs

Possible negative PR from this is negligible IMO. They are completely separate entities with completely separate fan bases. Not offering APs at Disneyland would cause much more of an uproar than WDW I think because majority of DLR patrons are locals while WDW are out-of-town visitors who don't necessarily need APs.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

But they really screwed up because their opportunity to do that was when Magic Key was first offered - not sure how they could have screwed it up so bad that they are not stuck with an unfavorable guest mix. Nobody to blame there but Disney themselves.

If they ever build more capacity into WDW with a 5th gate they could then of course open things up a bit again.

I think most people, even the locals were surprised when the MKs released the way they did last year. I agree. Disney's chance at making drastic changes to the AP program was immediately coming out of the pandemic closure. Now that they've given locals a whole year to get used to the new MK program, they will piss off the fan base even more if they were to eliminate them now.

WRT a 5th gate, yeah, I don't believe it. If anything, I'd be happy if they can make some drastic updates to the existing parks. Like upgrading Tomorrow Land. Completely demolishing Dinoland USA. etc..

 

[bbeagle]

Possible negative PR from this is negligible IMO. They are completely separate entities with completely separate fan bases. Not offering APs at Disneyland would cause much more of an uproar than WDW I think because majority of DLR patrons are locals while WDW are out-of-town visitors who don't necessarily need APs.

Different fan bases? Wha? Me, my family and most of my friends visit Disneyland and DisneyWorld all the time. I live on the east coast, own a DVC at the polynesian, and go to Disneyland and DisneyWorld equally.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Different fan bases? Wha? Me, my family and most of my friends visit Disneyland and DisneyWorld all the time. I live on the east coast, own a DVC at the polynesian, and go to Disneyland and DisneyWorld equally.

do you own APs to both parks?

 

[bbeagle]

do you own APs to both parks?

No. We go one year to world, then one year to land. We’ve had APs before Covid when it made sense (like when we wanted to go more than 5 days and all Disneyland offered was max 5 day passes). We currently don’t have APs.

There's so much to love of both. Disneyland is easier as it’s more walkable and no need for transportation. DisneyWorld is a city, with need for transportation and so much more to do. We love both. Disneyland being on the west coast has different school vacation times than the east coast. We don’t have to take the kids out of school to have a great low crowd trip. We usually need to take the kids out of school to go to disneyworld on a low time.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

No. We go one year to world, then one year to land. We’ve had APs before Covid when it made sense (like when we wanted to go more than 5 days and all Disneyland offered was max 5 day passes). We currently don’t have APs.

We are similar in situation. We live in Hawaii, own DVC, and go to both. Except we do have MKs. My comment was speaking generally of most people who frequent DLR. Personally, I prefer both parks to eliminate all APs as it doesn't affect me as much. But that is probably an unpopular opinion on this thread.

 

[Liquidice]

Different fan bases? Wha? Me, my family and most of my friends visit Disneyland and DisneyWorld all the time. I live on the east coast, own a DVC at the polynesian, and go to Disneyland and DisneyWorld equally.

I suspect you may be in the minority of someone who regularly goes to both parks. It isn't necessarily different fan bases, but just more of a locality thing and whether people could afford to go to both parks regularly.

Even still - different parks with different policies is not that big of a deal imho. Consider pre-pandemic, DLR had an optional paid system for Fastpass (MaxPass) while WDW had free Fastpass+ or even today Genie+ works slightly differently between DLR and WDW.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

It is but I don't see how they can bring back APs for one and not the other.

Of course they can. They opened one park months before they opened the other
They do many things different between the 2

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Different fan bases? Wha? Me, my family and most of my friends visit Disneyland and DisneyWorld all the time. I live on the east coast, own a DVC at the polynesian, and go to Disneyland and DisneyWorld equally.

Fan bases is likely the wrong phrase. Different avg visitor is a better phrase.
The avg visitor to DL and the avg visitor to WDW are VERY different
It's the reason used as to why DL will put in overlays to HM and SM every year and WDW will not
DL avg visitor is a local, within a day or so drive to DL. They know this guest is ok if they see DL with an overlay
WDW is a distance vacationer, usually 1 time. They want this guest to see HM in it's original state, not an overlay

That's not to say there are never exceptions. Of course there are. We visit DL at times. But we are not the avg DL visitor. Nor are we an avg WDW visitor. We are exceptions to both.

 

[buzlite]

What kind of moron calls your most active users an unfavourable guest. This is the stupidest thing I’ve seen a ceo do this year. The hardcore users are the ones that pull in everyone else. If you get rid of the hardcore users then the secondary marketing will collapse. YouTube forums etc. Hardcore users aren’t usually your big spenders but they bring in the big spenders. You can’t sell bottle service at a club without having the regular GA people to show off to. You can’t attract the upper middle class to ski resorts unless you have the ski bums. I mean they could just raise the AP price. The most hardcore users will complain but they will still come and pull us all in with their excitement.
When the recession hits Chapek is gonna beg for the hardcore AP users.
Limit them, up charge them or even price some out. But why the hell would you insult them.

 

[imbelle]

I don't get the perception that AP holders don't spend as much money in the parks as a day ticket guest. Someone who is willing to make the cash outlay for an AP seems to be a much more invested fan who would be more likely to want to accumulate Disney merchandise, pay for unique Disney experiences, etc.

 

[Liquidice]

What kind of moron calls your most active users an unfavourable guest. This is the stupidest thing I’ve seen a ceo do this year. The hardcore users are the ones that pull in everyone else. If you get rid of the hardcore users then the secondary marketing will collapse. YouTube forums etc. Hardcore users aren’t usually your big spenders but they bring in the big spenders. You can’t sell bottle service at a club without having the regular GA people to show off to. You can’t attract the upper middle class to ski resorts unless you have the ski bums. I mean they could just raise the AP price. The most hardcore users will complain but they will still come and pull us all in with their excitement.
When the recession hits Chapek is gonna beg for the hardcore AP users.
Limit them, up charge them or even price some out. But why the hell would you insult them.

Their entire executive staff has been making blunders. Remember when CFO Christine McCarthy said that they would reduce food portions and that it was probably good for guest's waistlines?

Chapek also has previously said that ticketed guests are "marginally more valuable" than APs.

This group doesn't seem to care or doesn't think they need to care about guests, they're perfectly happy calling them out.

The thing is - if a recession hits and Disney needs APs, could they turn things back on for a year, perhaps with a higher price and more restrictions but offer a free AP magnet and get most if not everyone back? Probably.

 

[Marionnette]

I don't get the perception that AP holders don't spend as much money in the parks as a day ticket guest. Someone who is willing to make the cash outlay for an AP seems to be a much more invested fan who would be more likely to want to accumulate Disney merchandise, pay for unique Disney experiences, etc.

Disney probably has the data to support that claim. For every AP that visits, stays in a Disney hotel, buys some merch, and drops a c-note on dinner there's another who pops in to watch the fireworks, maybe buys a cool beverage and then heads home.

It averages out to be much less that the family that Disney really wants to see - the once in a lifetime guests who blows a wad of cash on character dining, souvies for the kiddies, pays for Genie+ and ILL$ every day, stays at a Disney hotel and buys regular tickets with hopping.

 

[DeeBee3]

Agree management needs a class on communication - CFO telling people they need a diet and I think it was the same person with the "unfavorable mix" language yesterday. Maybe it was Chapek. Obviously they don't care, but they should at least pretend to value the customer.

 

[TraderStitch]

I'm not saying influencers are the cause but they give you a peak into the microcosm Disney is probably talking about. Go to the park for a few hours, look at the new merch, buy a coffee and leave. Locals love APs because they can pop in and then eat offsite close to home for cheaper. That is probably the audience Disney is looking at... and it is more than likely much larger than most of us think. Disney tracks everything we do in the parks... and we let them. While I can't wait for APs to resume, I understand why they are saying what they say.
We go once a year and drop a lot of money. Stay on site, meals at the resorts or in the parks, and souvenirs.

 

[sheilafri]

I don't get the perception that AP holders don't spend as much money in the parks as a day ticket guest. Someone who is willing to make the cash outlay for an AP seems to be a much more invested fan who would be more likely to want to accumulate Disney merchandise, pay for unique Disney experiences, etc.

But the frequent AP visitor also has more opportunity to develop money saving strategies, guests presumably have a limit on the number of souvenirs they will buy, infrequent visitors might be more motivated to throw money at unique Disney experiences to make the most of their limited time. But the best reason to believe that AP holders don’t spend as much per capita is because Chapek said so. I am certain Disney knows who is spending money in their parks and just how much.

 

[Mexacajun]

I'm not saying influencers are the cause but they give you a peak into the microcosm Disney is probably talking about. Go to the park for a few hours, look at the new merch, buy a coffee and leave. Locals love APs because they can pop in and then eat offsite close to home for cheaper. That is probably the audience Disney is looking at... and it is more than likely much larger than most of us think. Disney tracks everything we do in the parks... and we let them. While I can't wait for APs to resume, I understand why they are saying what they say.
We go once a year and drop a lot of money. Stay on site, meals at the resorts or in the parks, and souvenirs.

The solution is a resort stay AP. Then you have the same spend pattern.

 

[TraderStitch]

The solution is a resort stay AP. Then you have the same spend pattern.

I agree 100% or DVC AP.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

… But the best reason to believe that AP holders don’t spend as much per capita is because Chapek said so. I am certain Disney knows who is spending money in their parks and just how much.

Warning. Speculation or conjecture.
Disney’s “knowledge” on this is not perfect. They are currently doing surveys asking passholders questions about spending and there are still cash sales without AP discounts that are not tracked. Not everyone uses plastic in the parks.