Disneyland Annual Passport Deception

[ImTempest]

So, let the annual passport go last year, due to life interfering with my Disney Obsession again. Was able to purchase again two days ago for the family and decided to take advantage of the monthly payment plan. Put down a Park Hopper's worth for three tickets, and confirmed I would then make 11 monthly payments of $170/mo. Two days later, my card had been charged for both a down payment of $297 AND a payment of $170. When I tried to talk to Julie on the annual passport line, she ran for cover as fast as she could and transferred me to a spokeshole name Alex, who informed me (in a polite way) it was my misunderstanding that the down payment was not considered a payment, and I should suck it up. Quote: "It's not a payment - it's a DOWN payment. The payment is separate." I was told it was in the contract I was sent. But the contract is not sent until after the payment is accepted. Therefore, it cannot be read before they charge the money. He then tried to give me an example, saying that if I bought a car, I would put a down payment, then make a payment. Just by coincidence, a year ago I purchased a car. I made a down payment, and A MONTH LATER, I made the first car payment. Not a day later, but a month later. I also just bought a house, two months ago. Same thing. Made a down payment. The first mortgage payment was A MONTH LATER. Alex's explanation? "Well, this is so you have a month without a payment before you renew." Renew? Hmm. I'm heading to WDW in a few months. I'll let Alex know if we'll be renewing after I see Universal Orlando. I hear they're doing great things over there.

 

[agamble]

Hmm...Yes, we also bought a car last year and a house this year and neither collected a payment for at least a month after papers were signed. So the CM did not use a good analogy.

We don't have annual payments, lived in NV when we bought the APs. We're in CA now, but I imagine when we want passes again in a few years we'll just save and pay for them. It seems they should make it more clear to people that they will be charged their first moth immediately on top of the down payment.

 

[figment_jii]

I agree that it's a bad analogy. The monthly payment plan is designed to be paid over 12 installments, so that you're last payment occurs about a month before you pass expires. Consider it this way, if you bought your pass on April 1 and didn't pay the first installment until May 1, the last installment would be due on April 1 of the following year (the day your pass expires). So maybe the first CM thought you wanted to finish paying early (i.e., on Feb 1 in the example).

I did find this on the Canadian version of the Disneyland.com website:

When will my Monthly Payments be due?
When purchasing a new Annual Passport your down payment is due at the time of purchase, and your first monthly payment will be deducted from your account within about 24 hours of purchase. Your payments are due on or about the monthly anniversary of your contract, and will be automatically charged to the credit or debit card you used to purchase your Annual Passport.

 

[superlarz]

I'm sure this comes up a lot. When I bought my AP i was expecting the down payment to be followed by 11 monthly payments. At signup I was explicitly told it would be 12 payments, and the first of the 12 would basically come out immediately or in the next few days.

 

[Epek]

While I do agree it sucks, I'm pretty sure it's in the writing before you make the payment. I was not surprised when we first got our annual passes, and I sure as hell would have been had I not read it beforehand.

 

[tiffjoy]

They were really clear about this when we bought our annual passes last month, but we didn't want to do the payment plan anyway. I think it unfortunately may depend on the CM and how well they describe the process to you, which shouldn't be the case. I think we were shown the plan options though. I'd have to ask my husband if it included, in writing, that the first payment was right after the down payment.

 

[iKristin]

I got mine with the payment plan in February and I as well was not told that the first payment would be taken out 24 hours after my down payment. It is in the contract that you sign and that they give you though. I think it's just certain cast members that obviously shouldn't be doing that job if they can't make you aware of this and go over the contract with you at least somewhat before you walk away from the counter.

 

[bumbershoot]

Honestly, I have a really hard time feeling bad for those eligible for the monthly payment program (that doesn't involve NOT going to Disney while putting that money aside for 12 months).

That said, I still try to be helpful even when jealous, so I went to disneyland.com. I went to where you can buy APs. I clicked on the Premium AP option, which took me to a page that listed things out. And right there it said:

Monthly Payment Option - California Residents includes a down payment of $99.00 and an additional 12 payments of $56.67

Which matches your prices, and shows 12 payments, not 11.

 

[iKristin]

Yeah it's 12 payments, they just aren't always clear to some that buy it that the first payment comes out the next day after paying the down payment. That's kind of important to mention.

 

[Drusilla99]

When they first started the payment plan option a few years ago they weren't super clear about it the first time, but I remember asking the cm point blank when the first payment would be and they were able to tell me it would be within a few days. I would rather make the payments up front than make a payment the day it expires, that would make me sad.

 

[whoever]

Kill the payment plan, problem solved.

 

[iKristin]

I love having the payment plan this year, but only because I just moved and couldn't afford the $700 upfront for my pass. So it's been nice to make monthly payments while I'm getting settled after a huge move.

 

[Nicolette11785]

I think you just have to read it more carefully. I was fully aware that after my down payment I would be charged my first monthly payment within 24-48 hours.

 

[colormegreen]

I've gotten annual passes twice and both times I was made aware about the charge only being a day or two after that day I signed the contract. It's a shame not all cast members inform people properly, heck, I was told twice during one of my transactions.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

The first time I used the payment plan, I was surprised, too, but really it makes sense. I would prefer to pay a little more per month and not pay so much up front, but such is life. At least we have a payment plan option. I could never afford them for my family if I had to pay it all up front.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

So, let the annual passport go last year, due to life interfering with my Disney Obsession again. Was able to purchase again two days ago for the family and decided to take advantage of the monthly payment plan. Put down a Park Hopper's worth for three tickets, and confirmed I would then make 11 monthly payments of $170/mo. Two days later, my card had been charged for both a down payment of $297 AND a payment of $170. When I tried to talk to Julie on the annual passport line, she ran for cover as fast as she could and transferred me to a spokeshole name Alex, who informed me (in a polite way) it was my misunderstanding that the down payment was not considered a payment, and I should suck it up. Quote: "It's not a payment - it's a DOWN payment. The payment is separate." I was told it was in the contract I was sent. But the contract is not sent until after the payment is accepted. Therefore, it cannot be read before they charge the money. He then tried to give me an example, saying that if I bought a car, I would put a down payment, then make a payment. Just by coincidence, a year ago I purchased a car. I made a down payment, and A MONTH LATER, I made the first car payment. Not a day later, but a month later. I also just bought a house, two months ago. Same thing. Made a down payment. The first mortgage payment was A MONTH LATER. Alex's explanation? "Well, this is so you have a month without a payment before you renew." Renew? Hmm. I'm heading to WDW in a few months. I'll let Alex know if we'll be renewing after I see Universal Orlando. I hear they're doing great things over there.

Maybe the analogy wasn't as clear as you wanted it to be, but the policy is correct. For the payment plan, you pay $99 down, and the first payment is charged in about 24 hours. This applies to new AP's only. There is no down payment for renewals. Also, you will be making 12 monthly payments in addition to the down payment. So you should have 11 payments left. The down payment is equal to a one day, one park admission ticket.

 

[pigletliz]

I was told that I was making a down payment (more than the minimum) and the balance would be divided by 12 months. I was also told the first month's payment would be taken out within a day or so. Sounds like your original cast member didn't explain it clearly and the one on the phone used a poor analogy. It is on the paperwork because the cast member pointed it out when I signed it.

Love the payment plan!

 

[SMD]

I was also explicitly told by the ticket booth CM that I would be charged the first monthly payment almost immediately. Maybe the CM forgot or assumed as a previous AP holder you'd know. It is in the terms that you have to sign when you buy the AP, so even if the analogy isn't true in all cases, they still were entitled to charge the first installment. Nothing they're going to say is going to change what happened or why it happened.

 

[jetskigrl]

I agree with the PP's. The CM that processed your AP financing dropped the ball on explaining the terms. I have always been reminded that the first payment will happen within a day or two. If you are making 12 monthly payments, they don't want you making a payment after your AP has expired.

That is why the car analogy is bad. Yes, the first payment is usually a month later on a car but you still make the set number of payments. But they can wait a month for the first payment because your car doesn't "expire" at the end of those payments. With the AP, they want to make sure those payments occur while the AP is still valid.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I have to agree with many of the other posters. We have bought APs on the payment plan twice and both times it was very clearly spelled out that the down payment and first payment would be taken within days of eachother. Shame on the CM for not making that clear to you, but it's not deception.