AP prices increased [6/18/2019]

[KristinU]

I don't think tying up that kind of money for future events that may or may not happen is a good idea. It might be more economical to just buy parkhopper tickets when you need them. Paying to renew a pass for a year that you're not going to use, just to ensure a *possible* future discount (Dis might take them away at any time), doesn't make sense to me. Neither does tying up a ton of money now for a trip that may or may not happen in 1 - 3 years time.

This is exactly what DH and I ultimately decided yesterday. Tying up almost $3k just didn't feel right for us...although I still have that nagging FOMO! Rather than try to schedule multiple trips using APs like we've done in the past, we might just pare back to one and leave it at that...then IF we're able to go again we'll just do fewer days or choose somewhere different altogether.

 

[SaintsManiac]

This is exactly what DH and I ultimately decided yesterday. Tying up almost $3k just didn't feel right for us...although I still have that nagging FOMO! Rather than try to schedule multiple trips using APs like we've done in the past, we might just pare back to one and leave it at that...then IF we're able to go again we'll just do fewer days or choose somewhere different altogether.

100% with you on this!

 

[jolynne28]

To be honest, I'm pretty heartbroken about the price increase as an out of state AP holder. It's part of what has made Disney obtainable for us, but the hike in the past 5 years has brought it to the point that's no longer the case. The increase in resort prices has been significant as well, even before you add the cost of parking at your hotel. Five years ago we stayed at CBR with a discount for around $150 a night. Now Pop Century is even higher than that with a discount. I realize that prices increase on everything over time, but the jumps here have far outpaced what we can keep up with.

We've continued to give things up to make it work within our budget by dropping the extras like park hoppers, special events, character meals, etc. each and every year and finally staying offsite for the first time in over a decade. We still make the most of it and enjoy it, but there isn't anything more to cut back on to make it work at this point.

I get that they are a business and it's ultimately all about the bottom line, and they will continue to raise prices as long as people will pay it, but Disney is my happy place and it's sad that I'm not going to be able to afford to go much longer. Aside from our love of Disney, they've been the absolute best at accommodating our family's special needs between ASD, other medical issues, and extremely complex food allergies. It's the only place we travel where my kids are able to feel included with regards to meals. And the only places that somehow doesn't create extra anxiety for me and instead I feel very comfortable and at home.

My current pass expires in November so I'll crunch the numbers when I know what discount may be offered, but it's unlikely I'll be able to renew. With the added issue of my oldest reaching Disney adulthood this year, and becoming a divorced single mom, the odds are against us.

I find myself wishing they would stop all the building if it meant they could keep the prices down. I'd rather come and do the same things over and over than not be able to afford to go back.

You should check out the AP at Sam's Club, it's still bring sold at the old rate, with a slight discount. You have until 2030 to use them. This would be cheaper than a renewal rate.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Need help from the experts. We are DVC and have a gold AP up for renewal in two weeks. With that said we only take one 7-day trip a year at this point, and my DD is graduating middle school NEXT year so due to timing of commencement we can't do the "take the trip a week later in 2020 and use the same annual pass in 2021" unfortunately. We do enjoy the water parks though, and I can envision our family in 2022 or 2023 wanting to go for a nice long 10- to 12-day trip that incorporates the water parks. I wonder if joining sam's and paying for 3 Plat+ APs at the old price would make sense to hold for a couple/few years??? And if so, should i renew my gold for next year so that i am still eligible to keep renewing at the gold rate with the renewal discount? I actually think we CAN do the "2 for 1" AP gold for 2021 and 2022, just not for 2020 and 2021. (So we'd do gold renewal now and lose money since it's only a 7-day trip in 2020, then a gold renewal in 2021 that gets us a 2 for 1 for 2021 and 2022, and then use the Plat+ AP in 2023.) Thanks to anyone who got through this and can advise me.

It's almost always better to let your AP expire if you don't have a trip coming up for awhile and in your case I'd believe that's definitely the case. Just purchase your tickets for the next trip and then in 2021 a new Gold AP. Then 2022 or 23 a Gold AP's and purchasing a Water Parks AP for that trip or the Platinum Plus. So far the DVC price is right around the old pricing so you could wait and decide later this year if you feel secure on your thought of the trip with water parks. They do offer a small discount off of daily Water Park tickets for DVC too. Of course what they do now may not be what they do then but you also never know what my occur with your plans between now and then either.

 

[cakebaker]

Just got off the phone with Disney, you can't view AP rates online until after your pass is activated. If you have questions about rates or want to book something with the discounted rates, you have to do it over the phone.

Unless things have changed, I've done this time and again. Friends of mine booked last week with a non activated AP. You can book FP's with a non-activated AP, I'm still tweaking ours and 3 of us aren't activated. Edited to add: My daughter's AP is not activated and she just checked for AP rates and was able to see them.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Just got off the phone with Disney, you can't view AP rates online until after your pass is activated. If you have questions about rates or want to book something with the discounted rates, you have to do it over the phone.

Yea, I booked 2 trips about 2 months ago with AP rates with just the voucher. Won't be activating it until my trip next week.

 

[PrincessNelly]

I believe it was this ^ post that first shared the info about the Sam’s Club APs. Just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. While I did know that discounted multi-day tickets are available at many resellers, I had absolutely no idea that APs could be purchased anywhere other than directly from Disney.

Take a bow @PrincessNelly! Your kind post saved many people a lot money!

No problem everyone! We all have to help each other out!

 

[jolynne28]

Yea, I booked 2 trips about 2 months ago with AP rates with just the voucher. Won't be activating it until my trip next week.

Some others on this thread are having the same issue as me. I can’t see AP rates for anything online or on the MDE app. When I called about it they told me I can always call in go get rates but that I wouldn’t be able to view anything online until my AP is active. I’ve loaded my vouchers and can see them, but it still tells me to log in and load them again when I try to view rates.
It’s not a big deal to me, I’ve got all my trips planned out for 2019-2020 at the Fort, and to my knowledge they don’t offer AP discounts on the campsites. But a cast member told me that too so maybe I’m just not talking to the right people.

 

[cakebaker]

Some others on this thread are having the same issue as me. I can’t see AP rates for anything online or on the MDE app. When I called about it they told me I can always call in go get rates but that I wouldn’t be able to view anything online until my AP is active. I’ve loaded my vouchers and can see them, but it still tells me to log in and load them again when I try to view rates.
It’s not a big deal to me, I’ve got all my trips planned out for 2019-2020 at the Fort, and to my knowledge they don’t offer AP discounts on the campsites. But a cast member told me that too so maybe I’m just not talking to the right people.

Sounds like an issue with your AP's being loaded correctly. The error message is telling you that. It's not recognizing your AP's. I'm looking at my daughters account right now with a non activated AP and she does not have a current AP. I can see the PH rates. I'd call IT about that issue, not that you can't see the PH rates. Once they're properly loaded, you'll be able to see them.

 

[StuckInKS]

We are an out-of-state family of 8....this makes it over $9,500 for us to get APs again. We had APs for 2016-2017 and then renewed for 2017-2018. Those expired last July and we were thinking about getting them again within the next month or so for 2019-2020. It was already a lot of money, but it just became an additional $1,800 + tax for us. So, we mostly likely won't be able to get them again We are very quickly being priced out of going to Disney altogether. Our usual 2-week trip at a value with QSDP is now about $10,000

 

[PPFlight75]

I couldn't decide about buying the Sams vouchers, but I just checked and the price is up to around 1190. That solves that problem for me lol!

 

[elaine amj]

I bought mine a couple of hours ago and there was a notice on my confirmation email that said anything ordered after 1am would be processed the next business day. That seems weird, maybe a typo and it should be pm? I'm in no hurry, won't be using it until next year sometime but just odd.

I didn't buy my APs until about 2am. I got an email about my purchase immediately. The email with the voucher code that I need for MDE showed up the next business day (a little after 6am). It could be they have employees manually reviewing and approving the orders?

 

[dtstampz]

Ticketsatwork is still showing a $924.28 price.

 

[FoxC63]

Just fyi, Sams Club still has the old pricing online. Grab em while you can

https://serviceshub.samsclub.com/packages.php?sub=packages&action=view&id=2538

I wish my hands could reach out and give you a big hug! Thank you so much for posting this!!!!



You saved me some serious money!

 

[StacyStrong]

I couldn't decide about buying the Sams vouchers, but I just checked and the price is up to around 1190. That solves that problem for me lol!

@PPFlight75 member price is still 865

You have to be logged in or it shows gate price

 

[focusondisney]

@PPFlight75 member price is still 865

You have to be logged in or it shows gate price

Yep, I literally just checked & still getting the 865 price too.

 

[focusondisney]

We are an out-of-state family of 8....this makes it over $9,500 for us to get APs again. We had APs for 2016-2017 and then renewed for 2017-2018. Those expired last July and we were thinking about getting them again within the next month or so for 2019-2020. It was already a lot of money, but it just became an additional $1,800 + tax for us. So, we mostly likely won't be able to get them again We are very quickly being priced out of going to Disney altogether. Our usual 2-week trip at a value with QSDP is now about $10,000

Any chance you could buy them right now? Sams club still has them at the old price. If you can’t get all 8, maybe you can get some of them at least? If you’re not a member, you can join online for $45. I actually joined ebates, went to the Sams site thru there, joined & bought my vouchers. Sams had a $20 e-gift card for joining too. So the ebates rewards & that $20 pretty much covered the fee to join.

 

[SWBCMusic]

I couldn't decide about buying the Sams vouchers, but I just checked and the price is up to around 1190. That solves that problem for me lol!

Just saw, many others found the same thing...You are probably seeing the listed gate price. It is still showing $865.99 member price for me.

 

[PPFlight75]

Just saw, many others found the same thing...You are probably seeing the listed gate price. It is still showing $865.99 member price for me.

So I guess I would need to add the membership to see the lower price?

 

[FoxC63]

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