DLR AP Monthly Payments Update

[pixiewings71]

It's not "fair," it is excellent customer service.




Yes, it is cost prohibitive to go after defaulters outside the state, especially when the default is only for $100-$300. It is not harder if they consent, but an out-of-state defaulter can refuse to consent to in-state jurisdiction, which then leads to having to prove sufficient in-state connections. The reality is that - yes - it would be easy because they came to Disneyland and bought a ticket - but it still is cost time and money.

As for why they don't give NorCal customers SoCal passes: that's easy. Because then they would not buy park-hoppers.

The fact is that Disneyland needs to balance the SoCal deals with outside-of-SoCal prices to find the right balancing point to make money. Giving NorCal customers the SoCal deals would skew the numbers so heavily that prices would go up for everybody. SoCal passes are cheap, but SoCal residents with passes go often and spend money at the parks. I go about 5-6 times a month, and, while, yes, some days I'll only spend $3 on a snack, some days I'll spend $30-40. On average I probably spend about $100 a month in the parks. Disney can't get that kind of in-park revenue from NorCal people, because NorCal people won't come as often.

Don't live in SoCal or Baja California? Tough, suck it up or move there.

WDW has Florida-resident deals, Six Flags have local resident deals, etc., etc. It's how businesses work.



Every state has in rem jurisdiction. It's not a California thing. It's federal law.

That's why they wouldn't go after defaulters who owed less than $100. We write those debts off as well but for more than that we will go after the debtors. Disney is able to write off bad debts just like anyone else, it's a tax credit at the end of the year. I don't have park hoppers, I have an AP so they are not making much money from me. I don't stay on site, we eat on site and buy a thing or two every trip or two and I beg very heartily to differ that I wouldn't go often, with my AP from July 07-08 I made 14 trips, 12 with my kids, this year we activated our new APs in Jan, we've already been 4 times this year, 3 times within a 6 week window. We average 1 trip per month with our APs, in fact we are leaving tomorrow for a quick weekender to the parks.

As for what I bolded, you just made my point. WDW has FLORIDA specials, why does DL not have CALIFORNIA specials.

I wasn't arguing with you about rem jurisdiction, I don't even think I said anything to you about it. I made a joke to Black Jack Delta.....

Oh and regarding them giving APs to whomever has paid in, they should figure out what they have paid towards the AP and prorate it, or give them the option of paying the remaining balance up front. That's what I think.

 

[mechurchlady]

pixiewings71 bring your tent and live in my back yard. WE can make you an southern Californian that way.

 

[MAH4546]

That's why they wouldn't go after defaulters who owed less than $100. We write those debts off as well but for more than that we will go after the debtors. Disney is able to write off bad debts just like anyone else, it's a tax credit at the end of the year.

Yes, but imagine if everybody defaulted. Imagine if everybody discovered the "loop hole." Too much risk, and Disney is smart by not taking it on.

I don't have park hoppers, I have an AP so they are not making much money from me. I don't stay on site, we eat on site and buy a thing or two every trip or two and I beg very heartily to differ that I wouldn't go often, with my AP from July 07-08 I made 14 trips, 12 with my kids, this year we activated our new APs in Jan, we've already been 4 times this year, 3 times within a 6 week window. We average 1 trip per month with our APs, in fact we are leaving tomorrow for a quick weekender to the parks.

I'm sure there are a handful like you, but you are most likely not the norm.

As for what I bolded, you just made my point. WDW has FLORIDA specials, why does DL not have CALIFORNIA specials.

Florida might be the fourth most populous state, but with 18.3M, it is only slightly more populated than the Los Angeles consolidated metropolitan area, which has 17.7M. Then add the fact that residents of San Diego and Mexico's Baja California also benefit from SoCal offers.

And let's not forget the demographic differences. Disneyland is a local's park, Walt Disney World is a destination. I've lived in Florida - mostly Miami but a short time in Orlando. You are far more likely to run into a WDW AP holder in Miami than in Orlando. Orlando resident's don't love and flock to the Magic Kingdom the same way that Disneyland is an institution for those in Orange County. Epcot is popular with locals in Orlando, especially for its restaurants, however, which is why Disney offers an Epcot "After 4PM" AP.

Disney simply can't afford to offer heavy discounts to the entire state of California. The economics will not work. For Florida, it does work.

Oh and regarding them giving APs to whomever has paid in, they should figure out what they have paid towards the AP and prorate it, or give them the option of paying the remaining balance up front. That's what I think.

And isolate customers and make them mad for Disney's mistake? Not smart at all. Disneyland did the right thing, no doubt about it. Kudos to Disney for top notch customer service.

 

[grumpyskirtgirl]

You know, as a Nor Cal resident this is so unfair of Disney!!! I am a CA resident, I am an AP holder, why do I not get the same treatment as So Cal residents. Just really bugs me, one Californian should be treated the same as another Californian.

PREACH IT SISTER!!!!!!!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

To start off, I'm one of those NorCal residents who just wound up with a substantial and quite unexpected discount on my AP.

I think the entire point of this program is to make it easier for people within a certain geographic area to pay for the sometimes prohibitive cost of an AP. So when it became clear that Disneyland was allowing all California residents the opportunity to use a payment plan, many of them jumped on it.

I'm guessing that most people budgeted those APs because they were now able to and don't have the funds to pay off the AP balance now. If Disneyland were to pull the plug on those APs they would have a PR fiasco and many people who would simply cancel those APs, possibly to never return. Now, they have time to save up accordingly (just like in the old days) and perhaps some extra money to make more visits and theoretically spend more money at the DLR. Likewise, this allows those any outraged NorCal AP holders to calm down and hopefully forget that this happened. I'm also sure that there will be some who never see this letter or hear about it because of mail delivery issues and/or not hanging out on message boards.

In addition to the customer service element of the issue, a contract was also signed. As part of that contract Disneyland issued an AP. I'm not certain they can simply void that contract and demand the remaining balance up front. While it is certainly unfair to the SoCal deluxe and premium AP holders, it's probably the best option for Disney to avoid a total PR disaster.

 

[mechurchlady]

pixiewings71 bring your tent and live in my back yard. WE can make you an southern Californian that way.

OK pixiewings look what you gone and done now, lol.

Someone said they could read in my posts my changes and boy was I tired when I posted that. Now it is my tag. I am going to have to set on you pixiewings and drip Dole whips on your nose. Slow torture.

I am just teasing and would actually have lunch with her instead as it is a much less offensive tag and shows how I always help people.

hugs pixiewings

Hugggles
Laurie

 

[pixiewings71]

pixiewings71 bring your tent and live in my back yard. WE can make you an southern Californian that way.

I have a nice tent, it sleeps 8 actually....LOL

PREACH IT SISTER!!!!!!!

OK pixiewings look what you gone and done now, lol.

Someone said they could read in my posts my changes and boy was I tired when I posted that. Now it is my tag. I am going to have to set on you pixiewings and drip Dole whips on your nose. Slow torture.

I am just teasing and would actually have lunch with her instead as it is a much less offensive tag and shows how I always help people.

hugs pixiewings

Hugggles
Laurie

Torture by Dole Whip...Hmmmmmmmm that doesn't sound so bad to me...LOL Altho we could meet up for a lunch sometime, I had Taste Pilot's Grill on Saturday and thought of you.

I still stand by the statements that I made earlier but no point in arguing with others who don't agree. Sleepless, enjoy your unexpected bonus!!!! I'm super glad that a Diser is reaping the rewards!!

 

[JenniBarra]

You know, as a Nor Cal resident this is so unfair of Disney!!! I am a CA resident, I am an AP holder, why do I not get the same treatment as So Cal residents. Just really bugs me, one Californian should be treated the same as another Californian.

I hear ya! While I don't currently have an AP, I had one for several years in the past, and I know a lot of other Northern California APs. I liked it back in the late 90s when you could buy a "Regular" AP and residency was not an issue. (That was the pass that later got changed to the "Southern California" AP and eligiblity became restricted.)

 

[mechurchlady]

Disney slap in the face to northerners part two.

There is a new 3 day day ticket that is good for 45 days.
Southern Californians and Mexicans only. You have to be a resident of Baja Mexico or Southern California and that is so not fair. Foreigners get the discount but not Northerners, that is so wrong. Sorry my Northern brethren and I will be setting up that tent city in my back yard for you all.

Charge is one hug and is optional.

 

[JenniBarra]

Yes, I had read about this new promotion and was flabbergasted that Baja was included, but not the whole of California! I'm kind of hoping that, now that D23 exists, Disney will conduct more surveys and will see how many diehard fans live outside of Southern California.

 

[arliepooh68]

to be fair, i work with lots of people that live south of the boarder and treck the crossing every day to work up here. it is much much cheaper to live south of the border. . . not that I personally could live down there, but i'm sure that disney recognizes that there are thousands that live down there but work and pay taxes here in the socal.

I have not a clue why nocal is not part of it, but socal and nocal have been seperated by more than just disney. . . many companies seperate the state by nocal and socal.

 

[MAH4546]

Yes, I had read about this new promotion and was flabbergasted that Baja was included, but not the whole of California! I'm kind of hoping that, now that D23 exists, Disney will conduct more surveys and will see how many diehard fans live outside of Southern California.

Never going to happen. And here is why in the most laymen terms I can think of:

The above is a simple supply and demand graph. The red line is supply, the blue line is demand and the dot is the optimal price to sell the good. That is how Disneyland will set their prices.

Now, when you take into consideration promotion pricing, the demand goes up, profit goes down, but the maximum supply remains constant.

Assume that everybody is charged the same price. In that case, profit equals x.

So when Disney reduces prices for a certain amount of people, it needs to do so cautiously in order to keep an optimal price. The swing to the left on the blue line made by SoCal residents needs to be made up for by a swing to the right on the blue line for non-SoCal residents. Otherwise, optimal price is not reached, and that's simply not good. So assume profit from SoCal is now "y" and profit from non-SoCal is now "z." Disney still wants profit x, and they'll still make it. The difference between y and z will equal x.

Baja California (which qualifies for discount tickets but not the payment plan) is added in because adding it is of negligible difference to the supply curve as a whole (same reason why select Southern Georgia counties qualify for Florida Resident at WDW). Adding NorCal is not.

Disney knows what they are doing. They would destroy themselves if they offered this to everybody in California, because demand would never be able to keep up with supply.

 

[LuLusApple]

Had to have my 12 year old explain that to me! LOL
Seriously she's in Algebra 2