Any idea when we can buy WDW annual passes?

[CNorwood3]

I'll be 40 in July meh lol. I plan on getting an AP if available then so I could enjoy Tron, Ratattoie*, Guardians Cosmic Rewind etc.

 

[tlmadden73]

Based on a question from the investor call .. doesn't seem like they will be offered any time soon. As long as they are limiting capacity, it sounded like they have no plans to sell APs. My hopes of them being offered by my trip in January to use them all of 2021 is gone.

Oh well . at least I can take advantage of the one AP we have (my daughter's) for discounts in 2021. I'll just have to buy "regular" tickets for a fall/winter 2021 trip. Though honestly .. at the price of APs now -- it will probably be cheaper to buy 1 AP and just regular tickets for everyone else unless you are going on more than 3 trips since the perks still apply whether you have one or many APs.

I think the comment was:
Answer from Schultz: Do not know when annual passes will return. Hold in sales based upon limited capacity in parks. Hopefully good news on vaccine front will help.

 

[CarolynFH]

Based on a question from the investor call .. doesn't seem like they will be offered any time soon. As long as they are limiting capacity, it sounded like they have no plans to sell APs. My hopes of them being offered by my trip in January to use them all of 2021 is gone.

Oh well . at least I can take advantage of the one AP we have (my daughter's) for discounts in 2021. I'll just have to buy "regular" tickets for a fall/winter 2021 trip. Though honestly .. at the price of APs now -- it will probably be cheaper to buy 1 AP and just regular tickets for everyone else unless you are going on more than 3 trips since the perks still apply whether you have one or many APs.

I think the comment was:
Answer from Schultz: Do not know when annual passes will return. Hold in sales based upon limited capacity in parks. Hopefully good news on vaccine front will help.

OTOH they’re letting people renew APs, including people whose APs expire this summer (outside the 60-day renewal window) but who have Disney resort reservations for the 50th on October 1 so they can make park pass reservations for that date. And they’re also letting people who cancelled APs due to the closure buy new AP vouchers that can be activated any time between now and 2030. So maybe by the time you need to buy tickets for 2021, they’ll be selling completely new APs. Who knows!

BTW a minor correction - the quote was from the DVC Condo Association mtg yesterday. Terri Schultz is the VP over DVC and other sections.

 

[tlmadden73]

OTOH they’re letting people renew APs, including people whose APs expire this summer (outside the 60-day renewal window) but who have Disney resort reservations for the 50th on October 1 so they can make park pass reservations for that date. And they’re also letting people who cancelled APs due to the closure buy new AP vouchers that can be activated any time between now and 2030. So maybe by the time you need to buy tickets for 2021, they’ll be selling completely new APs. Who knows!

BTW a minor correction - the quote was from the DVC Condo Association mtg yesterday. Terri Schultz is the VP over DVC and other sections.

Who knows .. I had called and asked if I could get APs because I already had one .. and wanted to get some for the rest of the family to "sync up" .. but they said no. I didn't try pressing the point. At this point I am sorta seeing the benefit of just getting one AP and buying normal tickets for the rest.

Obviously not as "flexible" as having everyone have an AP .. but if you only have 2-3 trips planned .. you'll probably come out ahead or break-even. It really depends on how many trips you plan on going for. If I go on 3 trips of 5 park days each .. getting 3 sets of 4-day tickets is only about $50-100 more than getting an AP ($200-300 more if go for the park hopper option). .
Go only two trips (no matter the length) and getting standalone tickets is cheaper than getting APs.

Add in the perks that are "wasted" when you get more APs (you only need 1 AP to get the memory maker, get free parking, get discounts, get AP exclusive merch, so the cost of getting those perks (built into the high AP price) are "wasted" when you buy additional APs).

 

[mattpeto]

I believe AP sales will happen again when:

1. After the holidays are over. January/February are "quieter" times. I find this scenario to be unlikely, but possible.
2. Whenever they can increase capacity again.

 

[CarolynFH]

It really depends on how many trips you plan on going for.

I agree with your post, but I'd add it also depends on how long those trips are. DH and I (being retired, hooray) usually go for 7-8 nights at a time, two or three times a year. If we're buying new APs we'll do the math, but for renewals (as long as the interval from renewal to first use isn't more than 3 months) it usually makes sense for both of us to renew.

 

[20minutesaway]

I agree with your post, but I'd add it also depends on how long those trips are. DH and I (being retired, hooray) usually go for 7-8 nights at a time, two or three times a year. If we're buying new APs we'll do the math, but for renewals (as long as the interval from renewal to first use isn't more than 3 months) it usually makes sense for both of us to renew.

Not to mention if you live 20 minutes away from the parks, anything but an AP seems a waste of money. We have family coming to town several times next year and of course they want to go to WDW. Having to buy daily passes for ourselves every time they come seems like such a waste of money. The math does not work out at all for us with no APs. It does work in Disney's favor though. I'll just put that out there.

 

[YesterDark]

I agree with your post, but I'd add it also depends on how long those trips are. DH and I (being retired, hooray) usually go for 7-8 nights at a time, two or three times a year. If we're buying new APs we'll do the math, but for renewals (as long as the interval from renewal to first use isn't more than 3 months) it usually makes sense for both of us to renew.

At around $1200 a pop and if you normally would by park hoppers, you need roughly at least two 5-6 day vacations in a year to break even. Something like maybe 7 day and a 5 day or whatever it works out to be. If you plan on going 7-8 days twice in a year and planned on getting tickets for most days you are there an AP is worth it. You'll save on some of the discounts associated with it to. You may come out ahead a few bucks too.

Again, I don't remember the math, but I have a 9 day trip coming next year for the 50th. To get APs I would have to do another 5-6 day stay to just break even. Non hoppers.

 

[Jlovesdis]

Looking to see if anyone has heard if DVC members will be able to purchase new annual passes soon. I know they suspended new annual pass purchases back in July. I also know that you can currently renew annual passes. Looking to plan a Feb 2021 trip "home".

 

[mitsukoshi samurai]

nothing new yet

 

[yulilin3]

Sending you to the rumors and news forum so @rteetz can merge you to the existing thread

 

[Mit88]

Looking to see if anyone has heard if DVC members will be able to purchase new annual passes soon. I know they suspended new annual pass purchases back in July. I also know that you can currently renew annual passes. Looking to plan a Feb 2021 trip "home".

DVC just introduced a new offer for members

Beginning January 5, 2021, owners will receive 2 free days with the purchase of a non-discounted 4-night Walt Disney World theme park ticket. A Disney Vacation Club reservation for 4 or more nights is also required.

The offer is valid for the number of guests on the DVC room reservation. Owners must be eligible for Membership Extras in order to qualify for this discount. The offer is available for check-ins occurring through September 25, 2021.

What that means for when APs will be available again, we still don’t know. I’m sure DVC will be one of the first to allow APs to be purchased again. This offer doesn’t necessarily mean APs won’t be available through Sept 25th, but probably just gives Disney a cushion to decide when it’s best to bring them back while offering at least some sort of discount to members. If things go well with the virus, vaccine, and crowd levels come the spring, we could see APs back around May or June would be my guess

 

[sssteele]

Who knows .. I had called and asked if I could get APs because I already had one .. and wanted to get some for the rest of the family to "sync up" .. but they said no. I didn't try pressing the point. At this point I am sorta seeing the benefit of just getting one AP and buying normal tickets for the rest.

Obviously not as "flexible" as having everyone have an AP .. but if you only have 2-3 trips planned .. you'll probably come out ahead or break-even. It really depends on how many trips you plan on going for. If I go on 3 trips of 5 park days each .. getting 3 sets of 4-day tickets is only about $50-100 more than getting an AP ($200-300 more if go for the park hopper option). .
Go only two trips (no matter the length) and getting standalone tickets is cheaper than getting APs.

Add in the perks that are "wasted" when you get more APs (you only need 1 AP to get the memory maker, get free parking, get discounts, get AP exclusive merch, so the cost of getting those perks (built into the high AP price) are "wasted" when you buy additional APs).

We will have 3 trips in 2021, totaling more than 35 days because we cancelled 2020 trips. April trip is covered by APs thanks to the extension granted by Disney, but October 10 days and December 10 days during gold blackout days are a problem. We can probably renew the gold pass, but Xmas will be a problem if we can't buy platinum passes.

 

[Wendy12]

We just got home from Disney. We activated our new APs this trip. We had originally been scheduled to go in June so had purchased APs a while back. The CM at guest relations seemed very surprised when we went in to activate them. She said “Oh, these are brand new passes. Disney hasn’t been selling them.” I explained we had bought them for a previous trip that was canceled by park closure. We were pixie dusted a bit with an extra day. I activated 12/18 and the expiration date is 12/19. We will squeeze in one last trip next year before Christmas so it was very appreciated!

They are platinum plus so I was waffling on whether or not to activate. We are going back for spring break. With Blizzard Beach opening and park hopping returning for that trip, we decided to go for it!

 

[CarolynFH]

We can probably renew the gold pass, but Xmas will be a problem if we can't buy platinum passes.

When you renew your Gold passes you can get Platinum APs at the renewal price for Platinum.

 

[SoCalDisneyFan2708]

Just adding myself to the list of people very anxious for Disney to start selling new AP’s. Recently moved to the Orlando area and have been several times with the Florida resident 4 day ticket offer they had going on. with that offer 1 day cost 50$. Much cheaper than a regular 1 day ticket but still not as good as an AP

 

[tlmadden73]

We just got home from Disney. We activated our new APs this trip. We had originally been scheduled to go in June so had purchased APs a while back. The CM at guest relations seemed very surprised when we went in to activate them. She said “Oh, these are brand new passes. Disney hasn’t been selling them.” I explained we had bought them for a previous trip that was canceled by park closure. We were pixie dusted a bit with an extra day. I activated 12/18 and the expiration date is 12/19. We will squeeze in one last trip next year before Christmas so it was very appreciated!

They are platinum plus so I was waffling on whether or not to activate. We are going back for spring break. With Blizzard Beach opening and park hopping returning for that trip, we decided to go for it!

That seems odd the CM was surprised you had a "new" AP to activate considering the vouchers are good for a long time. I am in the same boat (purchased the AP back in Feb 2020 to use in June 2020 and been sitting on it ever since) and plan on activating the one I have in January ... again . .

I don't see why they wouldn't start selling them soon -- since it's not like most people (except locals) would take advantage of them and come a lot these first few months -- and after that .. hopefully .. things start to creep (and I do mean creep) back to normal.

Especially if they already are starting to encourage more people to start coming in 2021. It's not like that many more guests would be coming -- they are still limited by the reservation system.
Just seems odd to me . .they will entice guests to come back via open more hotels, steep hotel discounts and ticket offers (like two free days of tickets) .. but not via selling a whole year's worth of tickets? Are they that revenue conscious at this point, that they don't want to give the frequent guest a discount on their tickets merchandise and food?

Maybe I underestimate how many people would get APs if they start selling them again. I guess they could only sell their most expensive one to start .. to limit demand?

 

[skeeter31]

That seems odd the CM was surprised you had a "new" AP to activate considering the vouchers are good for a long time. I am in the same boat (purchased the AP back in Feb 2020 to use in June 2020 and been sitting on it ever since) and plan on activating the one I have in January ... again . .

I don't see why they wouldn't start selling them soon -- since it's not like most people (except locals) would take advantage of them and come a lot these first few months -- and after that .. hopefully .. things start to creep (and I do mean creep) back to normal.

Especially if they already are starting to encourage more people to start coming in 2021. It's not like that many more guests would be coming -- they are still limited by the reservation system.
Just seems odd to me . .they will entice guests to come back via open more hotels, steep hotel discounts and ticket offers (like two free days of tickets) .. but not via selling a whole year's worth of tickets? Are they that revenue conscious at this point, that they don't want to give the frequent guest a discount on their tickets merchandise and food?

Maybe I underestimate how many people would get APs if they start selling them again. I guess they could only sell their most expensive one to start .. to limit demand?

I really think the reason they’re not selling APs is they know that most out of staters that buy APs wind up staying off site. They want to get the resorts full, hence the ticket discount of extra days being offered right now. Selling APs would only lead to more locals filling up the parks on weekends and more money going to off property hotels. They are hurting to fill on site resorts still (there was a lot of DVC availability even for Christmas Eve and Christmas night which never happens). AP sales wouldn’t help them fill resorts to the degree people on here think it would. People that are booking multiple trips already for 2021 are going to come regardless of AP sales, unfortunately for them, so it’s not going to bring the new business to them that they want.

 

[Wendy12]

That seems odd the CM was surprised you had a "new" AP to activate considering the vouchers are good for a long time. I am in the same boat (purchased the AP back in Feb 2020 to use in June 2020 and been sitting on it ever since) and plan on activating the one I have in January ... again . .

Her initial reaction gave me a quick moment of anxiety. I had wondered before we went about them not activating a new pass. I know that’s not logical but I’m just a natural worrier.

There was also a CM (an older gentleman) in Epcot that approached us while we were looking at a festival booth menu. He was talking about how crazy the prices for everything had gotten. He said “and the ticket prices are going up at the beginning of the year, for what?!?” He seemed a bit disgruntled. His name was Bob so maybe he has an inside scoop.

 

[tlmadden73]

I really think the reason they’re not selling APs is they know that most out of staters that buy APs wind up staying off site. They want to get the resorts full, hence the ticket discount of extra days being offered right now. Selling APs would only lead to more locals filling up the parks on weekends and more money going to off property hotels. They are hurting to fill on site resorts still (there was a lot of DVC availability even for Christmas Eve and Christmas night which never happens). AP sales wouldn’t help them fill resorts to the degree people on here think it would. People that are booking multiple trips already for 2021 are going to come regardless of AP sales, unfortunately for them, so it’s not going to bring the new business to them that they want.

That makes sense .. never thought of that .. since I am an out-of-stater that has used the AP to stay ONSITE (using the big AP expense for the hotel discount) .. though .. I know I would save a lot of money staying offsite with the free parking perk.

Maybe they should offer free parking to the resorts with the AP .. or some other AP perks at resorts or something to encourage staying onsite with AP. (like a bigger discount? Discount at the QS places at resorts)