? AP blackout dates

[michelle1]

I am a little confused how this works since I am more familiar with WDW and have never been an AP pass holder. I have been looking at various calendars for June 27-30 and some show dates blacked out and others do not. Does a blacked out day on the calendar mean AP holders can't use their pass on that day? Would a day like that be considered a better day to choose to go as far as crowds go?

 

[oc_tony]

There are 4 different levels of annual passes (3 of which have blackout dates: SoCal Select, SoCal, and Deluxe), so there are 3 different calendars of blackout dates. If a date is blacked out, then that level of passholder cannot not use his/her pass that day. Hope this makes sense.

DLR is visited by locals much more than WDW. So generally speaking, the more APs that are blacked out, the lower the crowd levels will be.

 

[HydroGuy]

I have been looking at various calendars for June 27-30 and some show dates blacked out and others do not. Does a blacked out day on the calendar mean AP holders can't use their pass on that day? Would a day like that be considered a better day to choose to go as far as crowds go?

Yes and yes. See "Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983

Not sure of the rules exactly, but usually AP holders can get in on blockout days if they buy a ticket at a reduced price. I think for $40? Apparently most do not do that and just wait for the blockout to lift.

 

[mareed]

DLR is visited by locals much more than WDW. So generally speaking, the more APs that are blacked out, the lower the crowd levels will be.

This is the exact opposite of the way the logic used to be, right? I can remember several years ago when I'm pretty sure the recommendation was to avoid the blackout dates because they were blacked out specifically because they'd be the most crowded!

 

[pixiewings71]

This is the exact opposite of the way the logic used to be, right? I can remember several years ago when I'm pretty sure the recommendation was to avoid the blackout dates because they were blacked out specifically because they'd be the most crowded!

Yes, that's how it used to be but with all the new So Cal APs out there it's turned around and now the open days are more crowded then the black out days.

Black out passes can be purchased for $45 for the day.

 

[bumbershoot]

This is the exact opposite of the way the logic used to be, right? I can remember several years ago when I'm pretty sure the recommendation was to avoid the blackout dates because they were blacked out specifically because they'd be the most crowded!

Oh, I'm pretty sure that's still the thinking that the disney people have. It's just that they keep scheduling things funky and creating an influx of people just at the worst times. And of course people have figured out to look at blockout days and plan their trips based on them...