Any idea when we can buy WDW annual passes?

[Makmak]

Im still trying to figure out the reason . Do you think Disney just wanted to control capacity and not sell pass holders in case you would not get your money’s worth out of it ? Currently I am local and renewed my pass but the value has changed... It is restricted to only 3 days at a time and with the parks filling up it feels like I can choose Epcot or Disney Springs . I’m not complaining and I totally understand the shock pricing for vacations... but the reality is very apparent when you see how empty the huge parking lots are... it makes me realize Disney might be having more of a financial struggle than we want to believe.
Currently Disney Springs parking structure is considered full and walking around feels crowded but hanging out at Disney Springs is not the answer. That is just an example of observing what is going on daily.
Don’t forget not all the resorts have opened for reservations either.

A few months ago there were a few “spirited” threads and I will summarize : Some theorized that it makes more profit for Disney to sell tickets than passes therefore, with reduced capacity they don’t want more APs as they are associated with less per capita spending overall. The idea is that reduced capacity has caused Disney to need to focus on the guests that represent the most $$$$ per guest. Then, the debate about the (anecdotal) out of state passholders and far away in state passholders also spending a lot on resorts and in parks raged for awhile before math and logic won.
EDITED : wanted to add my own anecdote that we have expired APs (Nov 2020) and I have said we won’t go until they bring them back but I agree with a PP that said prob not until 2022 and they will not be the same. My kid is only young once so I’m shelling out the money. It does make me ill to think about how much money we have spent on tickets this year. We are out of state, and even those passes would have cost less.

 

[Haley R]

My daughter in law called around 3-15 or so, she got a call back a couple days ago.
They are happy to get their passes back, but now their child is 3 and they need 3 passes.

This makes me really worried for our trip. I need an MK park pass for may 11. We didn’t call until 3/31 so I think we have awhile before they call us

 

[lorimay]

This makes me really worried for our trip. I need an MK park pass for may 11. We didn’t call until 3/31 so I think we have awhile before they call us

Send an email and explain the situation.
They bought the 3 days pass as back up in case and so they could make reservations. They are crediting the cost toward the passes of course.
Good Luck.

 

[Haley R]

Send an email and explain the situation.
They bought the 3 days pass as back up in case and so they could make reservations. They are crediting the cost toward the passes of course.
Good Luck.

I already called and emailed with no help. They said they can’t move me ahead in line in front of others. We bought a one day ticket before we knew we could get APs. But the day we want to add MK is full for regular tickets

 

[LSUmiss]

Why is there such a backlog anyway? It seems like they should be able to handle that request when you actually call. I don’t get it.

 

[starry_solo]

Why is there such a backlog anyway? It seems like they should be able to handle that request when you actually call. I don’t get it.

research to see if one qualifies for the recovery offer.

 

[LSUmiss]

research to see if one qualifies for the recovery offer.

But for me it was to buy one for my just turned 3 year old & DH & I both have them & they could see that & my child’s age when I called, so that seems like they should be able to decide that pretty quickly.

 

[New Mouse]

Why is there such a backlog anyway? It seems like they should be able to handle that request when you actually call. I don’t get it.

Because they let everyone go and now they are unable to hire them back.

 

[DisneyDad728]

I agree. I think it is wrong for Disney to create different classes of Guests based on who happened to have a pass prior to COVID.

Exactly either sell APs or don’t sell APs but selling to some and not others is not fair!

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Exactly either sell APs or don’t sell APs but selling to some and not others is not fair!

I'm still very salty that new DVC owners are not eligible.

I just gave Disney a ton of money as a long term commitment to keep giving them money, and all I want is the privilege of giving them even more money

 

[DisneyDad728]

If we are willing to buy APs with acceptance of park availability and other restrictions I don’t understand why DVC Owners that qualify for perks cannot purchase Gold APs.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

Anyone know the average wait time to get a call back now?

I never did get my call back, so I kept calling until I got through to someone. They seemed very puzzled that I first got an unhelpful callback & that I never got one from the AP people. Either way, when I finally got through they were able to let me buy my pass again. I'm not sure when I'm actually going to activate it, but at least I have it & can make park pass reservations for my potential trip.

 

[LSUmiss]

I never did get my call back, so I kept calling until I got through to someone. They seemed very puzzled that I first got an unhelpful callback & that I never got one from the AP people. Either way, when I finally got through they were able to let me buy my pass again. I'm not sure when I'm actually going to activate it, but at least I have it & can make park pass reservations for my potential trip.

Any tips on how you were able to get through? How did you get them to transfer you to someone?

 

[Narcoossee11]

Because they let everyone go and now they are unable to hire them back.

Also that team is small .maybe 100 CM, with 1000 request a day. Each request takes maybe an hour to resolve.

 

[whiteness]

Can't laid off CMs purchase Annual Passes, either?

In Ex-Disney World employees mourn the careers of their dreams at 'the most magical place on Earth'

While employees can visit Disney parks for free, regularly priced tickets, even with a Florida resident discount, can go for more than $100 a day. As a result, former employees on tighter budgets can no longer stop by the parks whenever they please.

"It sucks," Craft, a mother of one (and soon to be two), said. She added that her mother, who holds an annual pass, is now the person who takes her son to the parks. "It really, really sucks to not be able to be there for all of that."

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

Any tips on how you were able to get through? How did you get them to transfer you to someone?

So, I always call the AP hotline, and somehow the automatic system always transfers me out of it. Like, "Thanks for calling the VIPassholder hotline, what are you calling about? Questions about your annual pass?" and then the next person I get to isn't an AP person and they tell me to call the AP hotline. -_- That being said, I guess I just got lucky that time. I can't really remember what I said that got me through but I feel like I just said something like passholder or annual pass until it said they'd find someone to help me. That time the wait was pretty short, but I was still transferred from the first CM (that's the one who was like "Wait, you got a call back and they didn't help you??") to another who was able to help me buy mine back. When I got the first person I just quickly summarized my specific situation and asked if it was possible for me to buy my AP again. She transferred me to the second CM who put me on hold a couple times (I assumed to get supervisor approval or look up how to do it) but was able to let me buy it. Sorry I can't be more help. :/

 

[Kimpossible1]

Can't laid off CMs purchase Annual Passes, either?

In Ex-Disney World employees mourn the careers of their dreams at 'the most magical place on Earth'

No, CM's have not been able to purchase AP's since the shutdown last March. It has been very sad to not be able to go to WDW especially when family and friends have annual passes. CM's can go very occasionally for a day or two here and there but that only opens a day or two in advance. This week they opened availablilty on Monday for Tuesday and Wednesday for Epcot and AK. The rest of April and May are currently blocked out for CM's. It is very frustrating.

 

[whiteness]

No, CM's have not been able to purchase AP's since the shutdown last March. It has been very sad to not be able to go to WDW especially when family and friends have annual passes. CM's can go very occasionally for a day or two here and there but that only opens a day or two in advance. This week they opened availablilty on Monday for Tuesday and Wednesday for Epcot and AK. The rest of April and May are currently blocked out for CM's. It is very frustrating.

Disney laid them off, and won't even let them purchase Annual Passes? That's just wrong.

My opinion of Disney just went down a notch.

 

[Haley R]

So, I always call the AP hotline, and somehow the automatic system always transfers me out of it. Like, "Thanks for calling the VIPassholder hotline, what are you calling about? Questions about your annual pass?" and then the next person I get to isn't an AP person and they tell me to call the AP hotline. -_- That being said, I guess I just got lucky that time. I can't really remember what I said that got me through but I feel like I just said something like passholder or annual pass until it said they'd find someone to help me. That time the wait was pretty short, but I was still transferred from the first CM (that's the one who was like "Wait, you got a call back and they didn't help you??") to another who was able to help me buy mine back. When I got the first person I just quickly summarized my specific situation and asked if it was possible for me to buy my AP again. She transferred me to the second CM who put me on hold a couple times (I assumed to get supervisor approval or look up how to do it) but was able to let me buy it. Sorry I can't be more help. :/

I guess I’ll be calling tomorrow at 7. Our trip is coming up really soon

 

[mickey1968]

So, I always call the AP hotline, and somehow the automatic system always transfers me out of it. Like, "Thanks for calling the VIPassholder hotline, what are you calling about? Questions about your annual pass?" and then the next person I get to isn't an AP person and they tell me to call the AP hotline. -_- That being said, I guess I just got lucky that time. I can't really remember what I said that got me through but I feel like I just said something like passholder or annual pass until it said they'd find someone to help me. That time the wait was pretty short, but I was still transferred from the first CM (that's the one who was like "Wait, you got a call back and they didn't help you??") to another who was able to help me buy mine back. When I got the first person I just quickly summarized my specific situation and asked if it was possible for me to buy my AP again. She transferred me to the second CM who put me on hold a couple times (I assumed to get supervisor approval or look up how to do it) but was able to let me buy it. Sorry I can't be more help. :/

How much was it to buy back your pass?