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

[Louie7080]

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.

 

[Klayfish]

$70 isn't chump change, but not sure it's enough to really have an impact on an AP holders decision on how often to go. We have APs, and while we don't have plans to renew in '18, if we do, the price increase won't really change our philosophy...we go as often as we can no matter what.

 

[HopperFan]

Have had one for years, live 8 hours away. You know, once you buy it and the money is gone .... it's gone. It won't change my spending but then I don't spend that much anyway because I do have to pay for hotels, and I want to go often. No matter my pass cost, I never factor it into each trip's budget.

 

[AFwifelife]

I bought our APs before the increase but the only reason why we bought them is because we are close enough to go frequently. As long as we are stationed close enough, our travel plans for Disney won’t change. The past 5 years we’ve been further away which requires plane rides to get to Disney (and where our families are) so the frequency of our trips were much less.

 

[Tomh]

I'll actually be getting my first ever AP this year. I don't live close enough for it to influence how often I visit. We travel down one time each summer, for 10 days in the parks. We will be staggering our trips a bit in order to fit two consecutive trips into one calendar year, and getting one AP to take advantage of the discounts etc. With the price of parking going up $5 a day, over the course of two vacations, that would be 20 days in the parks, so the parking increase would be $100 for us over the cost of two trips. That is more than the increase in the AP, making the AP an even better deal now than it was before.

 

[hertamaniac]

For us, the AP purchase is used frequently enough that it makes budgetary sense. We are able to go to WDW almost at will and are close enough to make a day trip. Because of the increase, if we renew next year, I'm sure that will impact our on-site spending.

 

[Texans_loyal]

If I renew, we will cut down on table service. $70 is a lot when you go multiple times a year.

 

[PSUGuy]

As long as an AP costs less than 2 trips of 9 days each, we're in. It's just wifey and I now, we never do more than 2 TS meals per trip as it is, we do breakfast and snacks in our Board Walk kitchenette and a few $$ more won't cut into our Food&Wine grazing.

Bill From PA

 

[tlmadden73]

I was thinking of getting an AP before the increase (for use in November), but opted not to but still willing to shell out the extra $70 come November. (I just wanted to wait on that decision (and spending the money) until it was closer to activating it). I plan on "saving" some of that increased cost by getting a ton of gift cards at Target for the 5% discount. Just buying $849 in gift cards saves $42 (over half the cost of the increase).

For me .. I am purposely getting it to SAVE money on ticket prices .. but if anything it will make me spend MORE money at WDW (hotel, food, souvenirs, etc.). It is easy to calculate that going for two 4-day trips is cheaper getting an AP than getting two 4-day park hopper passes at $455 each. If the AP wasn't an option at all, I wouldn't even consider a second trip within the same year.

My goal is to go in November and then go again right before my daughter turns 3 in October of 2019 (while she is still free).
The thought is do a 1-2 punch with two 4+ day trips in 11 months and HOPEFULLY catch Toy Story Land opening in 2018 and SWGE in fall of 2019 (which may be risky -- who knows when it will be ready to open).

If I get the AP .. I'll save money on per day ticket cost, but that will probably encourage me to go a 3rd time in the Spring or Summer 2019 (especially since my sister's family may be going then) (being only 8 hours away) . which means more money spent on hotels, food and souvenirs (and gas money to drive there).

 

[Louie7080]

I was thinking of getting an AP before the increase (for use in November), but opted not to but still willing to shell out the extra $70 come November. (I just wanted to wait on that decision (and spending the money) until it was closer to activating it). I plan on "saving" some of that increased cost by getting a ton of gift cards at Target for the 5% discount. Just buying $849 in gift cards saves $42 (over half the cost of the increase).

For me .. I am purposely getting it to SAVE money on ticket prices .. but if anything it will make me spend MORE money at WDW (hotel, food, souvenirs, etc.). It is easy to calculate that going for two 4-day trips is cheaper getting an AP than getting two 4-day park hopper passes at $455 each. If the AP wasn't an option at all, I wouldn't even consider a second trip within the same year.

My goal is to go in November and then go again right before my daughter turns 3 in October of 2019 (while she is still free).
The thought is do a 1-2 punch with two 4+ day trips in 11 months and HOPEFULLY catch Toy Story Land opening in 2018 and SWGE in fall of 2019 (which may be risky -- who knows when it will be ready to open).

If I get the AP .. I'll save money on per day ticket cost, but that will probably encourage me to go a 3rd time in the Spring or Summer 2019 (especially since my sister's family may be going then) (being only 8 hours away) . which means more money spent on hotels, food and souvenirs (and gas money to drive there).

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.

 

[mamapenguin]

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 had the same strategy planned as far as bridging, but for a dlr AP. My target pass went up $110pp, and has black out dates. I had pretty much ruled out AP because I lost the gamble, but I might consider yor question and make it up elsewhere. I still have NE WDW tickets so, I’m good there. I really hope Universal doesn’t go crazy and mess up my AP there...time will tell.

 

[kagmypts]

I am not sure how this will affect us going forward. We love Disney, but the cost is hitting the point where the value just isn't there. Between the long waits and the increasing prices, the value has decreased over the past few years. The most recent price increase may have just pushed us over our threshold. Time will tell.

However, I can speak for my brother's family. They recently decided not to renew their Disney APs and bought Universal APs. He said that they will not be buying new Disney APs due to the price increase.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

With the AP increases, I will be skipping Universal in the fall and just visiting the Disney parks.

 

[FortForever]

Although I renewed before the increase this year, it wouldn't make a difference either way. The cost of the AP is what it is and we just buy it every year regardless. There have been some years that one of my sons has had a pass and never even went to Disney that year. One of my son-in-laws only spent a few hours there last year. Some years I have spent the equivalent of 6-8 weeks on property. I really don't care how much it costs.

 

[HopperFan]

I am not sure how this will affect us going forward. We love Disney, but the cost is hitting the point where the value just isn't there. Between the long waits and the increasing prices, the value has decreased over the past few years. The most recent price increase may have just pushed us over our threshold. Time will tell.

However, I can speak for my brother's family. They recently decided not to renew their Disney APs and bought Universal APs. He said that they will not be buying new Disney APs due to the price increase.

You are correct about the cost/value .......... but what I always say is ... the tickets are the one thing you have no control over other than small discounts at times. So to save money, so we can go often, I have to be proactive in the other areas. You can cut costs ... other than tickets.

- Curb merchandise and snack spending.
- Cut food budget by breakfast in room, sandwiches to park when works and carefully choose other meals.
- Hotel; not staying in Disney hotels we can get way more for less, often breakfast included and hotel points.

We have decided to let our Universal passes lapse this year. We got in a quite a few visits and DS2 gets to go twice a year with his job so he still has that. We may pick them up again next year, we'll have to see.

 

[kagmypts]

You are correct about the cost/value .......... but what I always say is ... the tickets are the one thing you have no control over other than small discounts at times. So to save money, so we can go often, I have to be proactive in the other areas. You can cut costs ... other than tickets.

- Curb merchandise and snack spending.
- Cut food budget by breakfast in room, sandwiches to park when works and carefully choose other meals.
- Hotel; not staying in Disney hotels we can get way more for less, often breakfast included and hotel points.

We have decided to let our Universal passes lapse this year. We got in a quite a few visits and DS2 gets to go twice a year with his job so he still has that. We may pick them up again next year, we'll have to see.

I feel that we already do Disney quite affordably. We stay off site in a spacious place that we love, and it is extremely convenient to the parks. The onsite resort amenities are plentiful as well. Because the unit comes with a full kitchen, including a refrigerator, we always pack our lunch and bring plenty of water bottles. Our kids are limited to one souvenir per trip, and while we splurge, we don't go crazy with snacks. We love Disney! We really do. However, Disney is not a luxury vacation (not speaking in terms of dollars spent but in terms of the product that Disney provides). When spending time at Disney begins to cost (monetarily) the same as a true luxury or international vacation, we will go elsewhere. Between the ticket prices increasing and the declining park experience, we are getting to the point where other vacations are looking far more attractive. I am not going to say that we will never be back because we will (and would be heartbroken if we didn't). I just see us spending less of our vacation time in the Orlando area.

And at the end of the day, other families will spend their vacation money where they find the best value. And many will continue to do so at Disney. It's really a personal decision.

 

[HopperFan]

I feel that we already do Disney quite affordably. We stay off site in a spacious place that we love, and it is extremely convenient to the parks. The onsite resort amenities are plentiful as well. Because the unit comes with a full kitchen, including a refrigerator, we always pack our lunch and bring plenty of water bottles. Our kids are limited to one souvenir per trip, and while we splurge, we don't go crazy with snacks. We love Disney! We really do. However, Disney is not a luxury vacation (not speaking in terms of dollars spent but in terms of the product that Disney provides). When spending time at Disney begins to cost (monetarily) the same as a true luxury or international vacation, we will go elsewhere. Between the ticket prices increasing and the declining park experience, we are getting to the point where other vacations are looking far more attractive. I am not going to say that we will never be back because we will (and would be heartbroken if we didn't). I just see us spending less of our vacation time in the Orlando area.

And at the end of the day, other families will send their vacation money where they find the best value. And many will continue to do so at Disney. It's really a personal decision.

Oh I agree with you in that once a vacation destination does not fulfill your vacation desires .... try something else. Vacations are a luxury, the are priceless and they should be special. Would never try to convince someone who has doubts about going back. Listen to your gut.

But I do think there are two different situations ............ there are Disney Vacations (and it may involve an AP with just enough use to break even or so) and then there are AP often trips. We are AP often trips ............ where we might be going every other month (anywhere from 4-7 park days). In this situation (24-30+ park days) we totally get our AP monies worth. If we were only purchasing to use once or twice ......... then at that point it might not be a value like it once was and I would look at other parks.

DS went to Disneyland Paris last fall. Plane fare was $400 RT. His Disney hotel was reasonable and he came out ahead with the dining plan. [He then spent a week in Paris.] He plans to go back this summer. My DS and DH went to Disney Tokyo, again reasonable hotel and park tickets. (Use FF miles). In comparing to Disney World both these were very reasonable trips. I get that they are not big nice resorts overall, and offer half (or less with Paris) the parks ... but they were very competitive destinations. PS And neither dealt with any kind of lines or crowds.

 

[quandrea]

In the past feel years we have responded to the high AP prices by allowing the passes to lapse for a bit. For example, in January 2017, our passes had lapsed. We repurchased APs in October 2017, for trips in Oct 17, January 18, April 18 and October 18. We will then let the passes lapse again and take a no parks trip in January 2019. We will renew again in August 2019, maybe Oct.

This allows us to avoid that huge expense every few years. Works for us. We used to always have APs, but those days are over.

 

[fla4fun]

I am fortunate that I am a local so I don’t have any added transportation costs (WDW is actually closer to the house than my job is). So that makes a big difference. I used to stay almost exclusively deluxe, but as AP and room rates increased, I find myself staying more mod and value, at least on my solo trips. Right now, I get six weeks vacation and usually spend four of them at WDW, averaging 44 days per year. So my per day cost is also not too bad for the AP. But if my circumstances changed where I only got a couple weeks of vacation time, I don’t know if the value would still be there for me. I will have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

 

[randumb0]

The increase on the Silver renewal was minor so it won't influence me much