Any idea when we can buy WDW annual passes?

[Apeters430]

I have been out of the loop for a little but is there anything new on when you can purchase new APs? We currently own resale contracts and have thought about buying direct at Riviera. I have been holding back for months on buying direct because I want to make sure I can get the gold pass if I do purchase direct. I was hoping by the end of the year we would hear something. Disney seems to be moving forward with opening up more so I don't understand the hold up on APs.

 

[Apeters430]

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.

They are not even letting DVC owners buy them either. I think they should at least allow DVC owners to buy new APs.

 

[Chuck S]

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.

I've had an AP for years, even before I bought DVC, and I never stayed offsite except when we drove down and arrived at night, we spent the first night in Kissimmee.

 

[skeeter31]

I've had an AP for years, even before I bought DVC, and I never stayed offsite except when we drove down and arrived at night, we spent the first night in Kissimmee.

I wasn’t saying it’s all APs staying off site. We did the same thing when we lived in NY. We had APs every year and stayed onsite every single time, and then bought DVC. But especially now, with onsite resorts not having the perks they once had, they don’t want to offer APs and then have those people stay offsite.

 

[starry_solo]

My guess is not until after fall 2021

 

[Nlfm432010]

I have an AP and my renewal window is coming up. Does anyone know if I can upgrade at renewal time?

 

[skeeter31]

I have an AP and my renewal window is coming up. Does anyone know if I can upgrade at renewal time?

Yea you can.

 

[OKW Lover]

I have an AP and my renewal window is coming up. Does anyone know if I can upgrade at renewal time?

I just renewed ours on line. Didn't upgrade but it looks like it is possible.

 

[Nlfm432010]

Awesome thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

I have an AP and my renewal window is coming up. Does anyone know if I can upgrade at renewal time?

You can also downgrade, I just did from gold to select. I don't need to park hop or photopass and it had more available days than silver. Saving about $30 per ap.

 

[Chuck S]

Since my pass expired in May, and I didn't renew because I wasn't planning a trip due to COVID concerns until Thanksgiving 2021, now I'm wondering if they are simply not going to sell new annual passes until after the 50th Anniversary starts winding down in 2022, because of expected crowd levels? I hope I can buy one in September, so I can go again in June.

 

[skeeter31]

Since my pass expired in May, and I didn't renew because I wasn't planning a trip due to COVID concerns until Thanksgiving 2021, now I'm wondering if they are simply not going to sell new annual passes until after the 50th Anniversary starts winding down in 2022, because of expected crowd levels? I hope I can buy one in September, so I can go again in June.

You would most likely be eligible to purchase right now. If your pass was due to expire in May, it would have been extended until at least August or September with the closure extension. Plus, they’re allowing anyone who cancelled or had passes end during or after the shutdown to purchase new ones if you call. Plus, when you buy the new one it would be a voucher which wouldn’t start until you activate it. Definitely worth a call.

I don’t think they’ll wait until after the 50th is winding down. I think they’re just going to wait until their park capacity is higher (say around 50%) AND more people are staying in resorts. It’s the resort stays that they really want to increase, and that’s why they’re doing ticket offers right now.

 

[Chuck S]

Great, I will call and see.

 

[unwritten01]

We just returned and are DVC and AP. I wanted to know about getting one for my oldest kid and spoke with them in Epcot. She stated they will not sell more until attendance levels increase to prevent existing holders from being able to book parks. Might be just as much for new buyers not getting to get into parks, but from the level increase standpoint it makes sense.

 

[LSUmiss]

They are not even letting DVC owners buy them either. I think they should at least allow DVC owners to buy new APs.

I was able to renew mine.

 

[mitsukoshi samurai]

We just returned and are DVC and AP. I wanted to know about getting one for my oldest kid and spoke with them in Epcot. She stated they will not sell more until attendance levels increase to prevent existing holders from being able to book parks. Might be just as much for new buyers not getting to get into parks, but from the level increase standpoint it makes sense.

Sounds like no ap sales in 2021

 

[Krandor]

Sounds like no ap sales in 2021

Or at least not until Q3/Q4 at the earliest.

 

[skeeter31]

Sounds like no ap sales in 2021

Not exactly true. If you have an AP, you can renew. If your AP expired or you cancelled during or after the shutdown, you can buy new ones. So a blanket statement of no AP sales in 2021 is false.

 

[20minutesaway]

She stated they will not sell more until attendance levels increase to prevent existing holders from being able to book parks.

I assume she meant they won't sell any until capacity increases? Attendance would increase IF they sold APs.

And here's a little news for that cast member, existing annual pass holders ARE currently able to book parks. If they truly were concerned about AP holders taking up all of the capacity, they wouldn't be renewing APs or allowing those who cancelled their APs to now re-buy them. Disney's not limiting ticket sales, not at all. They're just not selling Annual Passes. If one did an analysis I think we would find that, on any given day, Disney oversells the current capacity of the parks. They are not using ticket sale limits to control capacity (has anyone been refused the sale of a ticket, other than AP?). But they are claiming that APs are not for sale because of capacity concerns.

 

[skeeter31]

I assume she meant they won't sell any until capacity increases? Attendance would increase IF they sold APs.

And here's a little news for that cast member, existing annual pass holders ARE currently able to book parks. If they truly were concerned about AP holders taking up all of the capacity, they wouldn't be renewing APs or allowing those who cancelled their APs to now re-buy them. Disney's not limiting ticket sales, not at all. They're just not selling Annual Passes. If one did an analysis I think we would find that, on any given day, Disney oversells the current capacity of the parks. They are not using ticket sale limits to control capacity (has anyone been refused the sale of a ticket, other than AP?). But they are claiming that APs are not for sale because of capacity concerns.

Keep in mind that’s what one front of show CM is saying. CMs generally have less inside knowledge than some posters on here.