Any idea of when new DVC members can purchase annual pass?

[Divaofdisney]

I was just wondering if anyone happens to know if and possibly when the purchase of annual passes may come back? We are going in June- tickets already purchased but was wondering if it does come back will they be able to credit any of our ticket prices towards annual pass?

 

[Yinn]

I was just wondering if anyone happens to know if and possibly when the purchase of annual passes may come back? We are going in June- tickets already purchased but was wondering if it does come back will they be able to credit any of our ticket prices towards annual pass?

You can ask, some folks have been told their account would be noted. I asked when I was there 6 months ago but still no AP. I'll ask again when I'm there in a couple of months. There is also news that a revamped Disneyland APs would be back at the end of this year, so hopefully Disneyworld will be about the same.

 

[Divaofdisney]

You can ask, some folks have been told their account would be noted. I asked when I was there 6 months ago but still no AP. I'll ask again when I'm there in a couple of months. There is also news that a revamped Disneyland APs would be back at the end of this year, so hopefully Disneyworld will be about the same.

Okay thank you!

 

[CarolynFH]

tickets already purchased but was wondering if it does come back will they be able to credit any of our ticket prices towards annual pass?

Pre-COVID as well as after reopening, in general, people have been able to apply the cost of completely unused regular tickets to the purchase of an AP (but only one ticket can be applied to each AP; you can't apply the cost of two tickets to the purchase of a single AP). So, there's hope, but of course no one knows whether/when APs will return.

 

[macman123]

I purchased a gold pass 2 weeks ago.

Someone from the ViP pass line called me.

 

[Divaofdisney]

I purchased a gold pass 2 weeks ago.

Someone from the ViP pass line called me.

hmmmm I was under the impression they were not being sold- it was only renewals or those that had recently expired, not new ones.

 

[macman123]

hmmmm I was under the impression they were not being sold- it was only renewals or those that had recently expired, not new ones.

I had a pass. It was cancelled and refunded.

However, now I am entitled to a new one. Its not a renewal - its called re-activiation.

I would call the Passholder line. They said I would be contacted within 30 days if I was entitled to one - and they called!

 

[RossK]

I have to say, I am pretty disappointed in the way Disney are handling tickets and passes at the moment.

While we all completely get the technicality that "this is just a timeshare" and is nothing to do with the Parks, clearly many of us would not be vacationing on property without the parks. I feel particularly disadvantaged as a UK DVC member, as like many Brits, we stay 21 nights each year and not only have Disney removed APs, but in the UK they have taken away our 21-Day tickets which have existed since at least the late-1990's. I have a 21-night DVC stay booked in October, and no park tickets or AP.

The problem is, 21-Day tickets typically cost almost the same as 14-Day tickets - but now I'm forced to buy two sets of 14-Day tickets - doubling our ticket costs (and actually almost quadrupling them compared to APs, since we time our following year vacation such that we can get a second use out of a one-year AP). I would not mind this so much if Disney were clear that APs and/or 21-Day tickets are not returning for 2021. However, they are being completely opaque. Now you could say its because they don't know what will happen (though I bet they know full well), but even so, that does not forgive their complete inflexibility on current ticket terms.

For example - I can buy two sets of 14 Day Tickets now - and in a months time, Disney may reinstate the 21 Day ticket - which means I've paid double the cost unnecessarily and that's money just down the drain. Normally, you could just wait until closer to your vacation to see what happens, but with the introduction of the park reservation system - you risk not getting in to any of the parks if you do that. I did call Disney in the UK and asked whether, if I were to purchase two 14-Day Tickets and the 21-Day were to come out prior to my vacation, whether I could switch - and the of course they reverted to their terms and conditions that they are non-transferrable and non-refundable. I think that's just pretty awful and nothing other than either a calculated money grab, or extremely poor customer service on the part of Disney.

Since DVC members are "locked in" to a certain extent - we have points that we must use or lose - I do think Disney needs to address the situation that is unique to DVC members and consider opening AP purchases to members sooner rather than later. But also for non-DVC members, there should be better flexibility around the ticket terms, since they have effectively created a pressure-cooker sales tactic, forcing people to buy expensive day-tickets to make their park reservations, despite the fact APs will likely return at some point (and it is currently not clear whether they will allow these to be exchanged for APs, and historically they have only allowed one ticket to be applied to the purchase). There is simply no reason to be vague about this - its either poor management, or an intentional money grab - I'm not sure which.

 

[macman123]

While we all completely get the technicality that "this is just a timeshare" and is nothing to do with the Parks, clearly many of us would not be vacationing on property without the parks. I feel particularly disadvantaged as a UK DVC member, as like many Brits, we stay 21 nights each year and not only have Disney removed APs, but in the UK they have taken away our 21-Day tickets which have existed since at least the late-1990's. I have a 21-night DVC stay booked in October, and no park tickets or AP.

The problem is, 21-Day tickets typically cost almost the same as 14-Day tickets - but now I'm forced to buy two sets of 14-Day tickets - doubling our ticket costs (and actually almost quadrupling them compared to APs, since we time our following year vacation such that we can get a second use out of a one-year AP). I would not mind this so much if Disney were clear that APs and/or 21-Day tickets are not returning for 2021. However, they are being completely opaque. Now you could say its because they don't know what will happen (though I bet they know full well), but even so, that does not forgive their complete inflexibility on current ticket terms.

I am from the UK. I brought a Gold Pass 2 weeks ago. Disney called me.

 

[RossK]

I am from the UK. I brought a Gold Pass 2 weeks ago. Disney called me.

That's because you recently held one, or it was cancelled/refunded due to COVID. My last vacation was 2019, and so my pass expired Oct 2019. I did not buy one for 2020, as October 2020 was clearly off the cards. As a result, I'm not eligible to get one - which was confirmed by the Passholder line.

 

[Divaofdisney]

My point exactly! I am a new member and so I have not previously held an AP- but now that I will be making more trips per year it might just make sense for me. I was simply asking if anyone might happen to know when they might start selling them again? But I suppose this is the question of the year as no one really knows anything. For now I will just take the dining and shopping credits and be satisfied with that. We go in June and so I was just hoping by then we might know something.

 

[Sandisw]

hmmmm I was under the impression they were not being sold- it was only renewals or those that had recently expired, not new ones.

You had to already be a pass holder in 2020 when the parks closed to qualify to get a new one right now.

If you canceled it or it expired because of the closure you are eligible for a recovery offer.

If you did not have one, then you can not get a new one.

Anyone who had one that didn’t expire or that took the 4 month extension can renew.

 

[heynowirv]

I purchased a gold pass 2 weeks ago.

Someone from the ViP pass line called me.

Was that a renewal? Or a new pass?

 

[Yinn]

Was that a renewal? Or a new pass?

It's not a renewal. It's technically a new pass.

To be eligible for a new pass as of today, you had to have been an AP holder at some point in 2020 - regardless of whether it was later cancelled, expired, refunded, etc.

 

[karen4546]

IMO if you are a first time DVC direct purchase member that you should be allowed to buy a new Gold AP. Everyone knows that "perks" are not guaranteed, but if you buy direct from Disney and they are still technically allowing the perk then you should be able to buy one. like I said, My opinion


Good Luck OP

 

[Divaofdisney]

IMO if you are a first time DVC direct purchase member that you should be allowed to buy a new Gold AP. Everyone knows that "perks" are not guaranteed, but if you buy direct from Disney and they are still technically allowing the perk then you should be able to buy one. like I said, My opinion


Good Luck OP

That would be awesome but I am okay until such time this perk returns and I hope it does at some point.

 

[E2ME2]

You had to already be a pass holder in 2020 when the parks closed to qualify to get a new one right now.

If you canceled it or it expired because of the closure you are eligible for a recovery offer.

If you did not have one, then you can not get a new one.

Anyone who had one that didn’t expire or that took the 4 month extension can renew.

We had ours extended, and were able to use them in 2021. My wife had not activated hers in Jan of 2020, when I used mine for the first time, so now our renewal dates are staggered -- I kinda like that, so we spread the price out across the year. I just saw a link in my MDE app, asking me to renew. Has anyone renewed via the App?? Does it account for your DVC GOLD renewal price ??-
I have until June, but want to know my options before spending half a day on the phone

 

[CarolynFH]

We had ours extended, and were able to use them in 2021. My wife had not activated hers in Jan of 2020, when I used mine for the first time, so now our renewal dates are staggered -- I kinda like that, so we spread the price out across the year. I just saw a link in my MDE app, asking me to renew. Has anyone renewed via the App?? Does it account for your DVC GOLD renewal price ??-
I have until June, but want to know my options before spending half a day on the phone

SFAIK, you can renew via MDE at the Platinum level (although to be truthful, I’m not sure that it would give you the DVC price) but have to call DVC MS to renew your DVC Gold AP. Sorry! The good news is, there are several recent reports of more reasonable wait times when calling in, so here’s pixie dust for you!

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

SFAIK, you can renew via MDE at the Platinum level

Ugh. I am getting fairly bummed by the AP “stuff” right now. The changes in policy, the lack of knowing what’s coming... all of it. When I renewed my pass online, I could choose which level pass I wanted, but now that my husband & boys’ APs are ready to renew- it’s platinum only. So, a call is necessary. There should be MORE options online than over the phone- stop making us call!!

The good news is, there are several recent reports of more reasonable wait times when calling in, so here’s pixie dust for you!

Bless you. Thanks for ending on a happy note- I needed it

 

[E2ME2]

SFAIK, you can renew via MDE at the Platinum level (although to be truthful, I’m not sure that it would give you the DVC price) but have to call DVC MS to renew your DVC Gold AP. Sorry! The good news is, there are several recent reports of more reasonable wait times when calling in, so here’s pixie dust for you!

Thanks for the info. - saved me the trial and error of attempting it in the app!