"more time on property yields more revenue for Disney, even with the benefits of discounts and perks factored in."
For us the more time we spend on WDW property the more we spend. This isn't rocket science. When we got the AP passes last year we ate every meal onsite in a WDW restaurant. We didn't even venture to Pleasure Island. The same will likely hold true this April.
Originally we had planned on staying offsite for the first 3 nights and then 7 days at BWV. But when I checked rates this month for Pop Century, the price for 2 rooms was so much better than the 2 BR suite at Sea World that I changed my reservations. Then I went ahead and made more dinner reservations on site.
In past years it has been so hard to remember what discount (
DVC, AMEX or DC) applied that we hardly asked for them or ever got one. The truth is that we don't choose our dining venues on the basis of the discounts. We eat where we enjoy the food as a family. The AP pass makes it easier for us to justify staying onsite for our meals.
And when we're on site for meals and in the parks everyday.....we spend more money on clothes and gifts at WDW, DUH! I used to think that someone at WDW was watching my spending habits (and they probably are). If someone were truly paying attention, however, they'd do the math and figure out that we've spent more $$$ since we acquired the AP pass......and they offer us a discount this summer on renewing.....rather than letter our passes lapse and with them the probability of us not spending more $$$$ in 04-05.
