APs are coming

[mistysue]

But you could always buy a WP AP for $99.00.

Yes, hence the second part of my comment being that I liked it just being a single pass, not two different things. I realize that is mostly a psychological thing but it always bothered me that I couldn't just tag it onto the gold, it was either two different passes or major price upgrade.

 

[jmassey1samchi]

Same here, as Fla. Residents all our Family members had the old weekday select pass (one had Gold for the photopass), thinking we can make Pixie Dust Pass work.

Except now they conveniently blocked out days like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the week of thanksgiving.

 

[OffToDWD]

Can we buy a waterpark annual pass separately? Or does it have to be an add-on to a park annual pass?

 

[Sandisw]

Can we buy a waterpark annual pass separately? Or does it have to be an add-on to a park annual pass?

There is nothing on the WDW website that allows for it. It only gives you a one day ticket for $69. Good question though!!!

 

[Jiminy76]

I’m happy they finally announced APs. I’ll be buying two September 8. I find the price to be reasonable. Day passes add up fast. I don’t mind paying for a premium product.

Bob Chapek is that you?

 

[cellomom]

Except now they conveniently blocked out days like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the week of thanksgiving.

you are correct. As I read through the posts here on the boards, I see the loss of Thanksgiving is hurting many. Somehow our family will find a way to make it work and if we can’t, then we will spend time visiting HHI, Vero, & Aulani.

 

[Avery&Todd]

Ummm...I'm sure it's been talked about somewhere in the last 17 pages....but.... ...I have a valid Gold pass that expires mid October 21, and I've already paid for and and have linked in my MDE a Gold Pass Renewal Exchange that we will activate when we arrive in November...

becauase when I purchased the Gold AP renewal it included PhotoPass but as of Sept 8th, the equivalent AP will not, will I still have it included when I activate it or will I need to add it on?

or are we still trying to figure that out??

thanks!

 

[quinnc19]

I activated my gold pass in July. Subsequently I made plans to return on 12/29, planning to upgrade to the platinum pass to be able to go to the parks on 12/30, 12/31, and 1/1. I called today to do so and was told absolutely no way (spoke to supervisor also). They said I could upgrade to the new highest level pass for the new price difference. I am very angry about this. I can understand if I waited until after 9/7 to do so but I was being proactive. I am having the urge to just cancel the trip but that would mean that I then waste the money I already sunk into the gold pass, and disappoint my daughter and my friend who was joining us. Any advice?

 

[NoTime42]

I activated my gold pass in July. Subsequently I made plans to return on 12/29, planning to upgrade to the platinum pass to be able to go to the parks on 12/30, 12/31, and 1/1. I called today to do so and was told absolutely no way (spoke to supervisor also). They said I could upgrade to the new highest level pass for the new price difference. I am very angry about this. I can understand if I waited until after 9/7 to do so but I was being proactive. I am having the urge to just cancel the trip but that would mean that I then waste the money I already sunk into the gold pass, and disappoint my daughter and my friend who was joining us. Any advice?

They haven’t been allowing pass upgrades (ie gold to platinum) mid year since Covid, guests have only been allowed to change pass types at renewal time.

 

[quinnc19]

They haven’t been allowing pass upgrades (ie gold to platinum) mid year since Covid, guests have only been allowed to change pass types at renewal time.

I wish I was aware of that earlier. I guess I will talk to my friend and see if she is interested in Universal. I can afford $600 x 2 for 3 park days, but that seems crazy when we can get a whole year at Hogwarts for almost the same price.

 

[arrrroooooo]

I’m happy they finally announced APs. I’ll be buying two September 8. I find the price to be reasonable. Day passes add up fast. I don’t mind paying for a premium product.

Bob Chapek is that you?

I hate to say it, but we'll have to go for the APs, too. Unless my math is off, if you go over 11 days a year - our next trip is 14 - it becomes cheaper to buy the DVC-discounted Sorceror's Pass. Prices are going up universally across the board, so the economics still favor the passes...... if you're still planning to go to Disney, that is....

Crossing my fingers - but not holding my breath - that DVC decides to offer an additional incentive for the PhotoPass. Or something.

 

[Cabius]

I hate to say it, but we'll have to go for the APs, too. Unless my math is off, if you go over 11 days a year - our next trip is 14 - it becomes cheaper to buy the DVC-discounted Sorceror's Pass. Prices are going up universally across the board, so the economics still favor the passes...... if you're still planning to go to Disney, that is....

Crossing my fingers - but not holding my breath - that DVC decides to offer an additional incentive for the PhotoPass. Or something.

APs can still be cost-effective relative to park tickets, but the math is harder and the savings less. Disney wants that "more favorable guest mix" I guess.

We're doing 2-3 days in November and then 7-8 days in January. That's right on the cusp where it makes sense to get one AP for the discounts, but buy regular tickets for the rest, unless we end up planning another trip next year. (Baby is coming in March, so we'll see...)

 

[Beachmom0317]

APs can still be cost-effective relative to park tickets, but the math is harder and the savings less. Disney wants that "more favorable guest mix" I guess.

We're doing 2-3 days in November and then 7-8 days in January. That's right on the cusp where it makes sense to get one AP for the discounts, but buy regular tickets for the rest, unless we end up planning another trip next year. (Baby is coming in March, so we'll see...)

I agree the cost is getting hard to justify. We live a plane ride away in MA and have a small DVC contract. Plus we like a rental car. After plane ride and rental car, we sometimes stay on cash if we’re out of points, so then we have to pay extra for parking. Everything seems to have gone up! Mickey ears, light saber building….food and beverage….now genie +, (we have little kids so FP was awesome for smaller waits)…at some point each trip is so expensive! It’s like either go to Disney and only spend bare minimum (no rental car/Disney genie+, no souvenirs, quick service only)…or maybe stretch your dollar elsewhere on an entirely different type of vaca lol my husband would NOT recognize me for saying this, I love WDW! But is what it is. At some point it’s a little much

 

[Cabius]

I agree the cost is getting hard to justify. We live a plane ride away in MA and have a small DVC contract. Plus we like a rental car. After plane ride and rental car, we sometimes stay on cash if we’re out of points, so then we have to pay extra for parking. Everything seems to have gone up! Mickey ears, light saber building….food and beverage….now genie +, (we have little kids so FP was awesome for smaller waits)…at some point each trip is so expensive! It’s like either go to Disney and only spend bare minimum (no rental car/Disney genie+, no souvenirs, quick service only)…or maybe stretch your dollar elsewhere on an entirely different type of vaca lol my husband would NOT recognize me for saying this, I love WDW! But is what it is. At some point it’s a little much

Haha -- I feel ya'.

I was complaining to my wife last night, and she asked me, so should we stop going? I looked at her like she had two heads. Because the reality is, when I'm there, it's wonderful. When I remember it, it's wonderful. When my kiddos talk about it, it's wonderful. Maybe I'll take fewer or shorter trips, but it doesn't change how we feel each day that we spend there. My wife knew that, which was why she asked the question. Perspective is healthy; anger is poison; Chapek sucks; D'Amaro low-key sucks too, it turns out; Mickey still da king.

 

[Beachmom0317]

Haha -- I feel ya'.

I was complaining to my wife last night, and she asked me, so should we stop going? I looked at her like she had two heads. Because the reality is, when I'm there, it's wonderful. When I remember it, it's wonderful. When my kiddos talk about it, it's wonderful. Maybe I'll take fewer or shorter trips, but it doesn't change how we feel each day that we spend there. My wife knew that, which was why she asked the question. Perspective is healthy; anger is poison; Chapek sucks; D'Amaro low-key sucks too, it turns out; Mickey still da king.

Definitely! I love the way we tour, but to make that happen we just have to go less.

 

[Jiminy76]

I hate to say it, but we'll have to go for the APs, too. Unless my math is off, if you go over 11 days a year - our next trip is 14 - it becomes cheaper to buy the DVC-discounted Sorceror's Pass. Prices are going up universally across the board, so the economics still favor the passes...... if you're still planning to go to Disney, that is....

Crossing my fingers - but not holding my breath - that DVC decides to offer an additional incentive for the PhotoPass. Or something.

Yes it does make sense if you are going over a certain amount of days to get the annual pass instead of paying the daily ticket price.

The increases definitely sting, but Disney knows people will continue to pay what ever they charge. More than likely after the annual passes go back on sale they will raise the price of daily tickets substantially. This will set up justification for next years annual pass increase. People will hurry to buy the passes before they increase, but ultimately they will end up paying the increased amount at some point just delayed a year. Disney is masterful at raising their prices and doing it in a way that people feel compelled to buy before the prices go up because they are getting a deal relative to another absurdly higher price they set. They have been doing this for years now and the prices for their tickets have greatly outpaced inflation to this point.

Now they have many individual price components they can manipulate and increase at their disposal with all the new AP add on options, Genie+ and Lightening Lane. Trust me they will leverage this to the max to increase their prices astronomically each year as it is easier to make a bunch of modest increases across all the pricing components as opposed to one huge increase.

 

[Sandisw]

Ummm...I'm sure it's been talked about somewhere in the last 17 pages....but.... ...I have a valid Gold pass that expires mid October 21, and I've already paid for and and have linked in my MDE a Gold Pass Renewal Exchange that we will activate when we arrive in November...

becauase when I purchased the Gold AP renewal it included PhotoPass but as of Sept 8th, the equivalent AP will not, will I still have it included when I activate it or will I need to add it on?

or are we still trying to figure that out??

thanks!

You will be given the photo pass for free when you redeem the certificate.

 

[Sandisw]

I activated my gold pass in July. Subsequently I made plans to return on 12/29, planning to upgrade to the platinum pass to be able to go to the parks on 12/30, 12/31, and 1/1. I called today to do so and was told absolutely no way (spoke to supervisor also). They said I could upgrade to the new highest level pass for the new price difference. I am very angry about this. I can understand if I waited until after 9/7 to do so but I was being proactive. I am having the urge to just cancel the trip but that would mean that I then waste the money I already sunk into the gold pass, and disappoint my daughter and my friend who was joining us. Any advice?

I tried to inquire about the same thing when we had decided we may be going in April 2022 around Easter.

Since I had already used the pass, they would not allow the upgrade. They said I would have only been allowws when I renewed in January.

The good news is that the new passes are not blacked out so it’s all good!

 

[keishashadow]

Wow, get yet another covid booster, go down in flames for a few days, come back here & see the Pooh has hit the fan

cliff notes version please, as I still have thumping headache…

Our last Gold renewal was $650 or so.

Barring no additional price increases, what will the Sorceror set us back when renewal time rolls around?

 

[npatellye]

Wow, get yet another covid booster, go down in flames for a few days, come back here & see the Pooh has hit the fan

cliff notes version please, as I still have thumping headache…

Our last Gold renewal was $650 or so.

Barring no additional price increases, what will the Sorceror set us back when renewal time rolls around?

I think someone said about $813 if you include tax.