Anybody letting their Annual Passes lapse?

[Matt@WDWR]

I think we're going to let our WDW annual passes lapse this year for the first time in five years. I am sure I'll get them again in a few years but with all the cuts in offerings and benefits, I just think it's time for a change.

We still love Disney but I think we're going to visit the rest of the country for a change.

 

[mikelan6]

This is actually the first year in many, many years I'm thinking of getting the Florida Seasonal Annual pass again as I'm planning on visiting the World more often.

 

[sshaw10060]

We're in the same boat. We used to buy an annual pass and plan at least two trips a year, but since we bought into DVC the discounts are less important. In the next year we are going to DL and on two cruises, but will only spend 5 or 6 days at the park. I was thinking about buying a no expiration 10 day hopper instead and use it to fill in future gaps between APs.

 

[thewall2k]

My wife and I got them for the first time last year and I think it is going to be a one time thing. We are using them one more time in September for 11 days but we arent sure when we will be back and for how long(Looks like ESPN the weekend and then some time near the next podcast cruise) but the benefits have not been worth the price and we could probably do it all with a 10 day no exp park hoppper.

 

[cobbler]

I let mine lapse for the first time in about 5 years. I just won't be making enough trips over this year and next year to justify it.

 

[kpadalik]

We let ours lapse this past year. We decided to get Universal APs instead (I felt like a traitor!). It was a very hard decision, but my girls had to realize that there was another park besides Disney. And we also felt like the benefits/perks w/ AP were lacking. However, I REALLY miss Disney. Universal is great and all, but it's just not Disney. We will be getting seasonal APs next year though. No point in getting regular APs...we are Floridians, so we don't go during the summer or during busy holiday times and those are the block out dates. And we always stay on property, so we don't have to worry about paying for parking.

 

[BriarRosie]

I only let mine lapse once since 1999, due to having no trips in 2006.

Since then, when DVC decided to offer AP discounts, I have bought a new one in 2007 and renewed in 2008. I plan on renewing in 2009, since the cost plus the Disney Rewards I can apply against it will make the cost next to nothing for me.

And since I buy only for myself, it makes sense to keep renewing, as long as I've got trips planned. If I were paying for a family, things might be different.

 

[shmedly123]

I let mine lapse this past March. I had purchased it b/c of the great rates you used to be able to get during off peak times and it payed for itself after the third night at staying at the BC last year. We made a second trip down in December as I had some flight credit left over and figured for the better rate and the flight credit we were able to save about $1000 on our $3000 vacation.

But now with all of the promotions they are running and with the way the economy is going it just didn't seem to make sense. If we return this year we'll probably only go once instead of twice and since the promotions are so good we really don't need the AP to get a reasonable rate.

It's funny b/c in a way Disney kind of hurt themselves with repeat guests by offering such good deals to the one timers that the repeaters really don't have much of a motivation to renew their pass. For the Fla residents I still believe the pass is worth it, but for someone like me who lives 1200 miles away it doesn't make sense.

 

[rtobe]

I have thought about the lack of benefits with the AP but will be renewing when mine expires in early December. I just wish Disney would realize that some of their AP holders are leaving because they are not getting enough value from their pass. The room discount was really nice for me when I would plan a long weekend but now Disney doesn't give discounts for weekends.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We have APs for Disneyland. We are an 8 hour drive away. We went last July and knew we were going this June also. So we are getting two years of vacations from one AP. We plan to let them expire in July and then get new ones next summer to use for 2010 and 2011. I then have my heart set on going to WDW in 2012, but don't know if can or not. I don't know if it is worth it to use WDW APs the same way since it seems much more expensive there, but that's what we plan to do here.

 

[yitbos96bb]

We're in the same boat. We used to buy an annual pass and plan at least two trips a year, but since we bought into DVC the discounts are less important. In the next year we are going to DL and on two cruises, but will only spend 5 or 6 days at the park. I was thinking about buying a no expiration 10 day hopper instead and use it to fill in future gaps between APs.

Filling in the gaps might work... Just as an FYI though... The DVC discounted AP is cheaper than the 10 day no expiration park hopper, by quite a bit. We were looking between the two and decided to use the AP instead and just plan around the pass instead. Plus TIW too.

 

[yitbos96bb]

THat makes sense. We only do 1 big trip a year to Disney, but we are there for 7-9 days. We are DVC as well. usually we will book our trip, buy the AP and then schedule the next years trip a week or so before it expires. Then we just buy new the next year. Seems to be the most cost effective for us. if we got down there more often, i would just do renewals.

I only let mine lapse once since 1999, due to having no trips in 2006.

Since then, when DVC decided to offer AP discounts, I have bought a new one in 2007 and renewed in 2008. I plan on renewing in 2009, since the cost plus the Disney Rewards I can apply against it will make the cost next to nothing for me.

And since I buy only for myself, it makes sense to keep renewing, as long as I've got trips planned. If I were paying for a family, things might be different.

 

[sanapunk]

I'm not renewing just because it made me spend more money than I planned originally. Having that pass stare me in the face everytime I opened my wallet, knowing I could go to disney anytime, made me plan a lot of unnecessary trips.

 

[mrzrich]

I too am seriously considering ot renewing this year. I know for a fact that I am not renewing when they expire in June, I have a weekend trip on tap for August during free dining, but nothing planned after that. This is the first tme in 5 years, that I have ever had less two trips planned at one time.

 

[OKW Lover]

We actually do let our AP's lapse. We do it intentionally because it stretches our dollars. No sense in renewing if you aren't going to get there for several months. The renewal discount isn't great enough to compensate for the months we won't use it.

 

[georgemoe]

We bought our first AP 12/1 of last year but will not be renewing. We will get three trips and 12/13 park days on this pass. But after 12/1 this year we will only be visiting in May/2010 and then again for Podcast Cruise II 12/12/2010. We'll only get one trip out of it. Won't be worth it for us to renew.

We are strongly considering a 10 day non expiring which should cover us for about 18 months.

 

[doconeill]

We've not had APs long (one renewal) since we've only been DVC for a couple of years, but we've gotten several trips out of them. We're lapsing this time though because it won't make sense to renew - aside from me taking DD#1 down for SWW, we won't be back until Dec. 2010 if plans stay put.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

We let our AP expire this past December after our Thanksgiving trip. Like another post, it didn't make sense for us to renew them in December, when we knew we wouldn't use them for at least six months.

We just purchased new ones a few weeks ago using our DVC discount. We will get three trips out of them (May, June, November/December). Who knows, we may plan an early 2010 trip for Spring Break and get four trips out of them. I do notice we go to WDW more when we have an AP. The room is paid (DVC), tickets paid (AP). All that is left is travel expenses and food. That makes it so much easier to visit WDW three times a year!

Jennifer

 

[kbelle8995]

I am considering it. The annual pass is just so expensive and we get very little benefits. I have considered letting it lapse in the past but have chosen not to by an inch. Between the cutting of benefits and the private parties, I am seriously considering letting it lapse. My parents did but recently rejoined.

So far the amount of times I go pays for the pass but if that drop due to expensive stays onsite I will drop the pass

 

[chirurgeon]

We actually do let our AP's lapse. We do it intentionally because it stretches our dollars. No sense in renewing if you aren't going to get there for several months. The renewal discount isn't great enough to compensate for the months we won't use it.

I always let my AP expire. My current one expires in December and I won't be back before next April. I got 18 days of park entry out of the last one. Not much in direct discounts, but the TIWL card truly makes it worth it for me. I generally have 1 TS meal a day. I like sitting down and someone waiting on me. I will decide next year how I will handle my passes for my trip. To be honest I have 6 days left on a non expiring ticket with 4 plus options. I will have to see if I can get any AP discounts next year. I probably won't need more than 11 or 12 days next year. The question will be how much would a 10 day non expiring park hopper cost next year.

Kim