Disney World AP price increase? [Answer: Yes]

[SaintsManiac]

That's just shocking to me to see a $300/night AP discount when no others are available.

I'm doing my hotel searches the wrong way....

My main issue is that GF should never be $650 a night. That is a stupid, inflated rate.

(I'm guessing that was the rack rate?)

 

[disneygirlsng]

My main issue is that GF should never be $650 a night. That is a stupid, inflated rate.

(I'm guessing that was the rack rate?)

It was $700 when I went.

 

[AngiTN]

Saved a little over $300/night on the hotel (Grand Floridian) with an AP discount. That was close to $950 right there in savings. Plus food/merch discounts was about $60. Then tickets that I would've had to pay for anyway were about $350. All together is well over what I paid for the AP. And I've had one other trip and two more coming up that are just gravy on top with savings. The hotel savings wasn't even a factor when I decided to purchase an AP, but it's been huge. Saving close to $200 each for a value resort during the other 3 trips.

I see what you did.

I just calculate differently. Since I'm a FL resident, I look at the AP discount vs the FL discount vs the gen pop discount to see how much I really "saved". Normally the AP is a hair better than the FL resident, but you are talking $20 more a night. Do you know what the gen pop discount was then? I also use priceline which can save substantially more than all of them.

I don't ever get discounts on food with my AP. We eat QS though. I've gotten some merch discounts, but with the price increases, we don't buy as much.

To each their own. I'm glad the >$1k pass is still working out for some.

I figure the same way as PP
I can only compare to GP discounts, or rack rate. AP discounts over GP discounts adds up pretty quick.
The rooms I book aren't on Priceline, or other deep discount sites.
Plus, I don't gamble. I'm not risking where I want to stay on the majority of my trips.
I'm toying with using the blind booking for 1 night next month but I'm still afraid of it.
Plus, I'm not seeing anything any way.
We only eat TS but use TiW for that, and we drink (a lot, )
And I tend to shop, a lot LOL
We skrimp on other things, like new cars only when the current one has wheels falling off. We stay in houses for a long time, well smaller than our budget would otherwise dictate. Our fun times, Disney trips and season football tickets, are worth whatever we pay. We'll skip something else.
So far, it's still fun. It has to change before we opt to skip our tickets.

 

[SaintsManiac]

It was $700 when I went.

Yep. Ridiculous and so very overpriced.

 

[AngiTN]

That's just shocking to me to see a $300/night AP discount when no others are available.

I'm doing my hotel searches the wrong way....

They are out there. I got that kind of deal at GF last summer. They aren't constant but happen. I check rates every day when I have a trip planned. Right up till we check in really. You never know when a good deal pops up.

 

[dlavender]

It was $700 when I went.

Hot dang! I mean, $400/night is way more reasonable.

Also, thanks for answering my questions, wasn't trying to put you on the spot. I really was curious.

 

[AngiTN]

Yep. Ridiculous and so very overpriced.

Which is why they had some super discounted rates at that time. It is way over priced but like every other business out there, they'll put a crazy price on something and then discount it to make you think it's a bargain, when that discount rate is what it should be anyway.
But Penney's proved one thing, if you don't do pricing that way, folks won't buy. They don't want to see the discount as the regular price. It has to be a sale. Even if the bottom line price is the same.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I figure the same way as PP
I can only compare to GP discounts, or rack rate. AP discounts over GP discounts adds up pretty quick.
The rooms I book aren't on Priceline, or other deep discount sites.
Plus, I don't gamble. I'm not risking where I want to stay on the majority of my trips.
I'm toying with using the blind booking for 1 night next month but I'm still afraid of it.
Plus, I'm not seeing anything any way.
We only eat TS but use TiW for that, and we drink (a lot, )
And I tend to shop, a lot LOL
We skrimp on other things, like new cars only when the current one has wheels falling off. We stay in houses for a long time, well smaller than our budget would otherwise dictate. Our fun times, Disney trips and season football tickets, are worth whatever we pay. We'll skip something else.
So far, it's still fun. It has to change before we opt to skip our tickets.

I'm afraid of the blind booking, too. I'd rather book Swan with my AAA rate than take that risk!!!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Which is why they had some super discounted rates at that time. It is way over priced but like every other business out there, they'll put a crazy price on something and then discount it to make you think it's a bargain, when that discount rate is what it should be anyway.
But Penney's proved one thing, if you don't do pricing that way, folks won't buy. They don't want to see the discount as the regular price. It has to be a sale. Even if the bottom line price is the same.

Yeah and I finally quit doing the mental gymnastics over their rates. I have a number I am comfortable with and won't book over it for a monorail resort. No way.

 

[dlavender]

I'm afraid of the blind booking, too. I'd rather book Swan with my AAA rate than take that risk!!!

I've only done it three times in the past 3 years. There's a great thread on here and I've only booked when I was sure what it was. I hear what you are saying, though. Not going to lie, before I pressed book every time I was very nervous.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I've only done it three times in the past 3 years. There's a great thread on here and I've only booked when I was sure what it was. I hear what you are saying, though. Not going to lie, before I pressed book every time I was very nervous.

I follow the Priceline thread for research. Still scared!

 

[disneygirlsng]

Hot dang! I mean, $400/night is way more reasonable.

Also, thanks for answering my questions, wasn't trying to put you on the spot. I really was curious.

Yep, once in a lifetime kinda thing for me. Saw that discount and couldn't pass it up. It's always been my mom's dream resort that she's wanted to stay in forever. I surprised her with a stay there for our mother-daughter trip.

 

[sweetmama17]

Even with the "discounted" Florida resident APs it still is our entire vacation budget for the year. We only do Disney every couple years because of it. I basically compare our year of AP to someone taking 1 10-14 day trip, we just spread it out to a few long weekends and the occasional day trip. I like everyone else, still need to book an onsite reservation to get any of the "good" FPs. Our total for 4 AP (1 gold, 3 silver) was over $2000 this year.

For comparison, Legoland AP were $300 TOTAL for my family of 4 last year (including a preschool pass) and we pay about $300-400 total for Busch Gardens/Adventure Island passes as well.

But I'm glad I got my gold pass before the summer hike and the silvers before this current hike, and this will probably be the last year of APs for awhile....

 

[dlavender]

Yep, once in a lifetime kinda thing for me. Saw that discount and couldn't pass it up. It's always been my mom's dream resort that she's wanted to stay in forever. I surprised her with a stay there for our mother-daughter trip.

That's amazing!

It's been on DW's bucket list for sometime. I still have the Contemporary on mine just from childhood nostalgia. Just hoping we get one of these kids raised right and they will feel compelled to do what you have done for your mom.

I'd say in that case the AP did in fact work out for your situation.

 

[johnnyr]

How many ticket price increases did they do last year? I feel like it was more than once. Here we are in the 2nd week of February with the first one. Still 10 months left in the year...

 

[AngiTN]

I follow the Priceline thread for research. Still scared!

LOL, I try to follow the thread but gotta be honest, it's so far over my head
Some smart folks over there, that's for sure

 

[disneygirlsng]

That's amazing!

It's been on DW's bucket list for sometime. I still have the Contemporary on mine just from childhood nostalgia. Just hoping we get one of these kids raised right and they will feel compelled to do what you have done for your mom.

I'd say in that case the AP did in fact work out for your situation.

Thanks! Yea it was a great experience. Just wanted to try and bring some positivity to the typical doom and gloom of price increases.

 

[blistex]

But the price you paid for the ticket is never lost. You'll always be able to apply that towards an updated, valid ticket. So while not "free" to use, it's a huge discount compared to new tickets.

When you do this, do they apply the gate price currently or what you paid? I'm considering grabbing some at UT but there's a small (10%) chance we'll have to change weekends to a weekend that is about $15 more expensive. I don't mind taking the risk if I can just upgrade them later.

 

[AngiTN]

When you do this, do they apply the gate price currently or what you paid? I'm considering grabbing some at UT but there's a small (10%) chance we'll have to change weekends to a weekend that is about $15 more expensive. I don't mind taking the risk if I can just upgrade them later.

It's supposed to be gate price unless they are expired and then it's more complicated. It would be gate price at the time your ticket was valid.
I think the date thing adds a layer of complication. Having an AP, it's not something I have dealt with directly.
I would read the upgrade info on the Ticket sticky. I'm sure it's covered there

 

[dlavender]

How many ticket prices did they do last year? I feel like it was more than once. Here we are in the 2nd week of February with the first one. Still 10 months left in the year...

They just did one massive increase last year.

Two years ago they did 2 smaller tweaks.

These look smaller, so I bet another one is coming.