Deluxe AP Blockout Dates!

[cccdisney]

We have Deluxe AP's and have had them off and on for many years. I just went online to check out the blockout Saturdays for next year. Our current AP's expire on May 30th and I wanted to try to get a trip in next year since we won't be renewing right away (going to WDW in Nov 2010!)
EVERY SATURDAY from March 13th - August 21st is blocked out!!! That's crazy and makes it VERY hard for us AP holders that live out of the Southern CA area!
Additionally I see they blocked out the whole New Year's weekend! Last year we went with our AP's on Jan 1st-4th. This year the 1st and 2nd are blocked for Deluxe AP's.
I'm waiting for them to release the October 2010 Blockout Dates. Due to the large crowds they've had on weekends this month it should be interesting to see if they block out all the Saturdays next October.
What do you all think?

 

[GrandBob]

Well, this is the first year that DW & I have had APs, so I have nothing to compare against. But it seems to me that 6 days in the park, Sun-Fri, is more than enough. The Saturdays can be travel days. So I don't have a problem with that part. I can understand being disappointed at entire holiday weekends being blacked out (New Years, 4th of July). But they are holidays, after all, and I would expect Disney to control crowds then by using blackouts. For myself, I figure that if we need to go during those popular times, I'll need to upgrade to a PAP. Now, don't get me started on the price increase for that.

-Bob

 

[bumbershoot]

As I read, I thought....that's normal...we've had Deluxe APs since sept 07 and that's what I recall.

Googled, laughingplace has this list for Deluxe in '08:
(just posted partial list)


# March 2008: 8, 15, 21, 22, 29
# April 2008: 5, 12, 19, 26
# May 2008: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
# June 2008: 7, 14, 21, 28
# July 2008: 4, 5, 12, 19, 26
# August 2008: 2, 9, 16, 30, 31


I know when we went for DS's b'day over Mem Day weekend that year, we arrived on Saturday, which was nice b/c it was blocked out, and the guys got to swim while I went to a DVC event. And this year we arrived on the Sunday if memory serves, because Saturday was blocked.

The January thing looks like things changed b/c of the date being right up on a weekend...as the dates/days change through the years things like that do happen. Sorry it's impacting you so much, though!!!!

I was actually astonished that Octobers were so free and easy for Deluxe APs; I was expecting a blocked out day or two.

 

[pixiewings71]

Molly, that can't be right, we had APs July 07-July 08, they were Deluxe and we only went over 2 black out weekends, and we went 1 weekend a month that year. Our ONLY blackout date with our last AP was in June (that we paid for a black out ticket), but we went the first weekend of every month from Jan-July and we were only blacked out for the June and July months, we paid the upgrade fee in June but in July we were there longer (for DD's bday) so we just skipped the parks that day.
I also noticed that with the Deluxe APs this year the blackout days started much earlier. I do remember that over Easter weekend and Spring Break in 2008 there were Saturdays blacked out, but we didn't go then so I'm not counting those. As for this past January, we activated our Deluxe AP vouchers on 1-3, which was a Saturday, and we were able to get in the following day as well, the 4th.

 

[cccdisney]

Well, this is the first year that DW & I have had APs, so I have nothing to compare against. But it seems to me that 6 days in the park, Sun-Fri, is more than enough. The Saturdays can be travel days. So I don't have a problem with that part. I can understand being disappointed at entire holiday weekends being blacked out (New Years, 4th of July). But they are holidays, after all, and I would expect Disney to control crowds then by using blackouts. For myself, I figure that if we need to go during those popular times, I'll need to upgrade to a PAP. Now, don't get me started on the price increase for that.

-Bob

Yes! The prices are crazy. We probably need to get premium AP's but for a family of 6 that is a whole lot of money!
The problem is we like to go during the school year and if we work around a weekend it is less time (if any) for the kids to miss school.

As I read, I thought....that's normal...we've had Deluxe APs since sept 07 and that's what I recall.

Googled, laughingplace has this list for Deluxe in '08:
(just posted partial list)


# March 2008: 8, 15, 21, 22, 29
# April 2008: 5, 12, 19, 26
# May 2008: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
# June 2008: 7, 14, 21, 28
# July 2008: 4, 5, 12, 19, 26
# August 2008: 2, 9, 16, 30, 31


I know when we went for DS's b'day over Mem Day weekend that year, we arrived on Saturday, which was nice b/c it was blocked out, and the guys got to swim while I went to a DVC event. And this year we arrived on the Sunday if memory serves, because Saturday was blocked.

The January thing looks like things changed b/c of the date being right up on a weekend...as the dates/days change through the years things like that do happen. Sorry it's impacting you so much, though!!!!

I was actually astonished that Octobers were so free and easy for Deluxe APs; I was expecting a blocked out day or two.

Thanks Molly for googling that for me. Wow - my memory is worse than I thought! I could of swore that May's Saturdays weren't blocked out in past years.
Oh well. It is just hard to work around the school schedule and I refuse to go when it is both hot AND crowded!
But I suppose I shouldn't complain - we always get our $$ out of our AP's!

 

[cccdisney]

Molly, that can't be right, we had APs July 07-July 08, they were Deluxe and we only went over 2 black out weekends, and we went 1 weekend a month that year. Our ONLY blackout date with our last AP was in June (that we paid for a black out ticket), but we went the first weekend of every month from Jan-July and we were only blacked out for the June and July months, we paid the upgrade fee in June but in July we were there longer (for DD's bday) so we just skipped the parks that day.
I also noticed that with the Deluxe APs this year the blackout days started much earlier. I do remember that over Easter weekend and Spring Break in 2008 there were Saturdays blacked out, but we didn't go then so I'm not counting those. As for this past January, we activated our Deluxe AP vouchers on 1-3, which was a Saturday, and we were able to get in the following day as well, the 4th.

So maybe I'm not losing my mind!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Im not sure about the Saturdays, but the January dates depend on when the holidays lie. Last year DAP were blocked starting 12/20 and this year they aren't blocked until 12/24.

 

[nunzia]

I'd really like to see that Oct 2010 calendar also. (any idea when it will be posted?) We are taking one of our sons and his family next Oct (it was planned for Jan, but they can't wait!) so blackout days will really determine if I renew our APs. I knew about the May days, and since we are going then we will just spend our Saturday sleeping in late, having a nice breakfast in DTD and seeing a movie or something. We extended our stay to cover Friday night to hopefully see WOC, so hope it shows

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I'd really like to see that Oct 2010 calendar also. (any idea when it will be posted?) We are taking one of our sons and his family next Oct (it was planned for Jan, but they can't wait!) so blackout days will really determine if I renew our APs. I knew about the May days, and since we are going then we will just spend our Saturday sleeping in late, having a nice breakfast in DTD and seeing a movie or something. We extended our stay to cover Friday night to hopefully see WOC, so hope it shows

I'm curious about next Oct too. It will be out in November (they only post 12 months at a time).