AP payment plan ~ why wouldn't locals go Deluxe or Premium??

[DisneyMomma81]

With the option of the monthly payment plan - why would a "local" choose the S CA AP??

 

[amamax2]

While I can't speak for everyone, we always get a So Cal AP because we do not want to go to DL with all the crowds. We always go mid-week when DL has the shortest hours because to us it is more enjoyable to not deal with the crowds. We've rarely waited in a line longer than 15 min and are always able to do everything we want in the hours DL is opened. So it would not be worth it to us to pay the extra money when we would not go during the summer or on a weekend anyways.

 

[Disney Dreams]

With the option of the monthly payment plan - why would a "local" choose the S CA AP??

Ummm... because they can't afford it.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

While I can't speak for everyone, we always get a So Cal AP because we do not want to go to DL with all the crowds. We always go mid-week when DL has the shortest hours because to us it is more enjoyable to not deal with the crowds. We've rarely waited in a line longer than 15 min and are always able to do everything we want in the hours DL is opened. So it would not be worth it to us to pay the extra money when we would not go during the summer or on a weekend anyways.

Yeah, that.

Just because there is a payment plan doesn't mean it's cheap.

 

[Tamarap]

I would think schedules would play a big role for some. We recently bought the Deluxe passes for our family (myself, DH and 2 DS) and to be honest I wish we had bought Deluxe for myself and youngest DS and SoCal for DH and oldest DS. Their schedules (work and baseball) are not going to allow them to go as often.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sure that plenty of so cal residents DO choose the deluxe and premium.

 

[Eeee-va]

A lot of locals just aren't as big of Disney/Disneyland Resort fans as most of us are, either. Frankly, if you want to take 3 or 4 weekday visits and you live in Southern California, then the cheaper Southern California AP will generally more than pay for itself.

Last year they had a free admission on your birthday promotion, and I believe to upgrade to the cheapest Southern California AP (which was a hopper to boot!) cost less than a second day's single-park admission. So in 2009 the question for many locals was more like, "Why not upgrade to a Southern California AP?"

Amamax2's reasoning is certainly valid for some locals. And really, the logic of "why pay extra for something you don't want to use?" probably applies to everyone; that's why I didn't get a Premium AP, but just a Deluxe.

But I'll bet a whole lot of the lower-tier AP-holders aren't the huge fans that a whole lot of the people on the DISboards are.

 

[deedeecee]

Our first annual passports were Deluxe. This year, we opted for the cheaper SoCal annual passport.

I really didn't even consider the monthly payment plan. The Deluxe and Premium passports cost more than I am willing to spend. With the SoCal passport, I can spend a couple of hours in the evening in the off-season and get my Disney fix then.

I would compare it to buying a car. I don't look at the monthly payment, I look at the overall cost of the car before I decide to buy.

 

[samkj]

With the option of the monthly payment plan - why would a "local" choose the S CA AP??

We are not local, but as many have stated cost. Yes the price difference with monthly payments for 1 pass isn't much, but multiply that times 5 for a family and it can be $50-$100 more per month. That adds up quickly when the extra admission days are unnecessary.

 

[pixiewings71]

If I was a So Cal resident for us it would depend on price and our schedules. We had Deluxe our first year, the blackout dates worked for us, we had Premium our second year because the blackout dates didn't work for us. So we would weigh cost and our schedules to see what worked best for us, but in theory if I lived in So Cal I would have a PAP because that's what I would want to have. LOL

 

[Funball]

umm im confused by the question.. why wouldn't we go deluxe or premium?? some of is have the premium that are locals......

am i missing something here?

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Funball ~ I'm wondering why all or more "locals" wouldn't have the Deluxe or Premium APs.

 

[Funball]

We are not local, but as many have stated cost. Yes the price difference with monthly payments for 1 pass isn't much, but multiply that times 5 for a family and it can be $50-$100 more per month. That adds up quickly when the extra admission days are unnecessary.

But if your single and ready to mingle like me.. the monthly cost for a premium is worth the extra x amount of dollars it is versus the deluxe. I just don’t like black out dates.. I can’t handle not going anytime I want.. and I go at such random days every week that a premium just made more sense.. plus the parking.. $14 dollars adds up every time you go…it just makes more sense for me to have a premium.

 

[Funball]

well i have premium.. does that help you?

why do not all locals have the deluxe and premium?? oh wit you know what it's a cost factor that's why. most people that buy a pass have kids and stuff...

 

[Disney Dreams]

I think it truly is a money issue more than anything. Money is money and a lot of people cannot afford $432 on un-necessary expenses. I think it's sort of like, "Why would someone own a VW Bug if they coud have a Porsche?"

... most people that buy a pass have kids and stuff...

L-O-T-S of people have APs that do not have kids. Of my 7 closest friends, 6 had APs for years before they were parents. (The 7th isn't a Disney fan but we love him anyway!)

 

[Funball]

 

[Funball]

Yes money issue.. So there is the answer for the OP, money issue. Disney dreams is right a lot of AP holders have don’t kids and stuff, but also a lot of them do have kids but it doesn’t mean that they ALL can afford the price of a PAP, i have also heard of some families, mixing it up, like one or two of the parents will get a Premium, and the kids will get a less expensive pass. But in this economy, I am surprised a little that anybody can afford an AP with monthly payment plan or not, i guess if you truly love disneyland like we all do then it's no big deal...

 

[CrazyDuck]

Yeah, that.

Just because there is a payment plan doesn't mean it's cheap.

Also, a lot of people who are buying AP's have families, so multiply the price difference by the number of people and you can see that the savings on the so-cal passes can really add up.

While I can't speak for everyone, we always get a So Cal AP because we do not want to go to DL with all the crowds. We always go mid-week when DL has the shortest hours because to us it is more enjoyable to not deal with the crowds. We've rarely waited in a line longer than 15 min and are always able to do everything we want in the hours DL is opened. So it would not be worth it to us to pay the extra money when we would not go during the summer or on a weekend anyways.

And since everyone thinks that way that is why weekends have become the slow days and the parks are packed on the weekdays.... Those of us who go on the weekends thank you for that!

 

[Judy from Boise]

finances are an obvious reason.......complicating it are all of the option, why spend all of my money on DLR when I have Knotts,Universal, Sea world, San Diego zoo, 3 water parks ,etc all in an easy drive? I think it would be stupid to not spread it around.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

finances are an obvious reason.......complicating it are all of the option, why spend all of my money on DLR when I have Knotts,Universal, Sea world, San Diego zoo, 3 water parks ,etc all in an easy drive? I think it would be stupid to not spread it around.

That too - my husband, son and I all have SoCal Select APs and SD zoo passes, and my son and I have SeaWorld passes. It used to be a lot cheaper before my son turned 3, and I'm sure I'll have to prioritize when DD turns 3 and isn't free at all those places anymore!