AP increase: will you actually go more now and/or cut other Disney spending?

[North of Mouse]

With the AP I am planning on getting for my family going up 70 dollars each, I will probably cut out some dining I was planning as a way to still fit the trips in my budget. I am sure Disney has data on how these kind of increases affect other spending in their parks or products purchase through other outlets, etc.... and have concluded that the increases will not negatively affect overall spending negatively, but for me, I will be spending the same total by decreasing other purchases. For those that live close to Disney, I wonder if the AP increases will actually cause those that get a pass to go even more to make the pass more worth it thereby off setting some of the decrease in attendance that might come from fewer people getting passes. Newish here and I am sure this has been discussed but there is a lot of content here so have not seen it.

We will take our final trip in April for F&G on our current AP's, then we have no plans for the next few years. The price increases are getting more outrageous every year IMO.

Yes, we can afford the increase, but there comes a time when we just say - too much. We will re-evaluate our decision when most of the new construction is finished in the parks in the next few years.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

We will take our final trip in April for F&G on our current AP's, then we have no plans for the next few years. The price increases are getting more outrageous every year IMO.

Yes, we can afford the increase, but there comes a time when we just say - too much. We will re-evaluate our decision when most of the new construction is finished in the parks in the next few years.

My same opinion .. I can afford it but with the constant price increases, huge increases for resort costs for lower level resorts , not as great service..I probably also will not renew our passes after April trip and continue to do DCL and other locations .

 

[Willow1213]

We are definitely cutting back with the price increases announced this year. I almost swallowed my tongue spending $1800 on 6 day base tickets for our family trip this year. I haven't been an AP holder since 2012. We are staying offsite for the first time ever, and with a move to FL likely in our near future (work relocation), we probably will not be back to the resorts for a real "vacation" for a while.

In the spirit of research, I pulled out my old Premier Passport. I was fortunate enough to have a DL trip planned the first year this ticket was available. In summer 2010, I paid $700 for the Premier Pass. That's the Premium/Platinum Plus on BOTH coasts. Now I can't even get a standard WDW AP for that price. In 8 years, the ticket price on the premier has MORE THAN DOUBLED. That's insanity.

 

[loves to dive]

I do the math every year and buy my AP according to the cost of tickets and that's it. If I know, or at least think I know, that I will be going for at least 10 days in the parks, I'll buy an AP because it's less than the regular PH ticket. I don't ever get MM or whatever it's called now so the fact that is included doesn't sway me one way or another. I stay on site and use Disney transportation even though I drive down so free parking doesn't matter to me. The discounts for rooms are a moving target and in over 5 years of having an AP I think I've gotten a better deal with the AP discount once, otherwise, it's general discounts stacked with Orbitz discounts or staying at Swan/Dolphin. Food discounts with an AP are an even bigger moving target, it seems they change on a daily basis and we seem to pick the places to eat where it isn't offered. Merchandise discounts are nice but since we go often, we don't really buy that much there any more and what we do buy (masks in Italy for me) don't get the discount. I will continue to get one if it's less than the cost of the ticket, I live about a 7 1/2 hour drive away so going down twice a year is pretty much normal for me. I probably won't change any of my habits because of the price of the ticket/AP. I have started to have to stay in the moderate resorts more now but that is because my income has gone down since I'm semi-retired.

 

[lovethattink]

We stopped eating at resorts and parks. Might buy a snack to hold us over. But even snack items have increased so much.

We cut our resort stays to once or twice a year.

Our park visitations have remained about the same.

Each renewal the last couple years resulted in a lower AP.

 

[tlmadden73]

I had already calculated in the cost with discounted Disney gift cards so I can't squeeze more out of my WDW budget that way. I don't deny that an AP is still a way to save money with the discounts it offers, free parking etc.. What I am looking at though is spending less on other things in WDW to make up for the AP increase. My strategy in getting an AP kind of backfired on me. I bought a 3rd party multi day ticket and was going to bridge it to an AP once there. I knew there was going to be an increase, but I didn't expect it to be as big as it was, and with my calculations I could have saved much more buying an AP at the previous price using discounted Disney gift cards. So are you saying a higher priced AP is going to make you spend more than you would in the parks? I understand buying an AP might lead to some going more and thus spending more on hotels, etc... but that isn't what I am trying to get at. What I was wondering about is if the change in price might affect other spending. Does that make sense? In otherwords, will you be spending the same amount in the WDW parks despite the increase in the AP price? It sounds like you will. Again, I am not trying to flush out the benefits of having an AP or why someone would want one. The increase in the AP is not enough for me to not get one, it is just that I will be spending less on Disney food and merch now.

I think disney will begin to see people making cuts like you are planning. Cut a day, cut a table service meal,etc. I mean its like anything.

If it costs me $5 to get into a movie, I am likely to spend money on the inflated popcorn and soda prices. If it costs $10+ .. well let's just say I haven't bought movie concessions in a VERY long time.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

If it costs me $5 to get into a movie, I am likely to spend money on the inflated popcorn and soda prices. If it costs $10+ .. well let's just say I haven't bought movie concessions in a VERY long time.

The only difference there is that with Disney tickets or dinner or souvenirs, Disney gets the money. With movie tickets, the movie studio gets the money. The theatre only really makes money on concessions.

 

[smokeyblue]

I'm thinking I will probably be laying off Disney for awhile after my AP expires. I think the biggest factor for me is the on-site room prices. I love going to Disney and the feeling of safety as a solo traveler, but I think it's time to step out of my comfort zone and do something new.