I Now Can Wait For An Annual Pass

[HairyChest]

I LOVE Disneyland and would go once or twice A WEEK as a passholder. Ive been really excited about the opening and keep going back and forth on getting a one day ticket. But after watching the cast previews, while very exciting and beautiful, I feel like I can wait for an annual pass. I realize spending $150 for 1 day isn’t going to be worth it. Because I was going so much, it wasn’t about hitting the rides, it was about the atmosphere, catching a show and eating some food. The rides were the icing on the cake. This daily ticket purchase won’t work for me. Especially with the lack of fantasmic , fireworks and the nighttime hours. Any other legacy passholders feel the same way after seeing all the coverage of the soft opening?

 

[Nabas]

I LOVE Disneyland and would go once or twice A WEEK as a passholder. Ive been really excited about the opening and keep going back and forth on getting a one day ticket. But after watching the cast previews, while very exciting and beautiful, I feel like I can wait for an annual pass. I realize spending $150 for 1 day isn’t going to be worth it. Because I was going so much, it wasn’t about hitting the rides, it was about the atmosphere, catching a show and eating some food. The rides were the icing on the cake. This daily ticket purchase won’t work for me. Especially with the lack of fantasmic , fireworks and the nighttime hours. Any other legacy passholders feel the same way after seeing all the coverage of the soft opening?

We are WDW Annual Passholders. I agree with you, after you've been enough times, the rides become secondary.

We've reached the point where we rarely do more than 3 attractions in a day. For us (like you), it's about the atmosphere. Even now, 30 years after my first visit to Disney's Hollywood Studios, I still get happy each time I walk in.

 

[Epicnemesis]

Yea, same boat. Doubly so with a pregnant wife. An AP really changes the way you digest the parks.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I am going one day in May for DL and one day in June for DCA. After that I have no immediate plans to go back. I’d rather wait for APs to come back. Of course if APs don’t come back for years or something I may have to change up that plan.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

We are going for two days in June for our daughter’s birthday, but if she hadn’t found out it was opening back up, we might have held off going for longer. I am pregnant so it’s going to be an even more limited experience for me. I think the two days will be enough for us until the new membership program is announced and/or more opens up. I know we are going to miss the shows, Animation Academy, and other special experiences we love. And we definitely miss not being able to stay at DLH.

 

[Sunnyore]

Like some of the others had said, I'm also going to go just one day each for each park and then hopefully just wait patiently for AP to come back. Luckily I have WDW AP to tie me over but Dland is my true home but I can't justify paying over $100/ticket for a place I've been hundreds of times. I would have been okay not going at all but my curiosity of exploring the park at low capacity made me cave.

 

[Corpsebride]

We have had APs for years and years as well. We used to go once a week at least. Sometimes just Disneyland, sometimes just DCA. Sometimes, just atmosphere and sometimes ride as many rides as we could. Sometimes we'd stay for a few hours and sometimes from pretty early to close. We can wait for the next version of passes. We're fine with going to DTD , having dinner, shopping and hanging out until then.

 

[cruisehopeful]

After having APs for years, I can't bring myself to pay $150. for a day that has limited activities. My husband asked if I wanted to try to go before his big surgery in May and my surgery in June. I said.... no, there's nothing to do there, lol. I really enjoy a very kicked back approach and I can't visualize myself having a good enough time to pay that much and drive that much. It's possible I will feel differently if I get my waitlists for VGC, but other than that, I can't see myself putting effort into going there right now.

 

[monkeypat83]

I have had an AP most years since college but let it expire partway though my pregnancy in 2019 with plans to get a new one in late 2020 when my I was ready to take my daughter and/or was comfortable leaving her overnight to go which obviously didn't happen due to COVID. I am pregnant again now so wouldn't be getting a pass this year anyway so because it is important for me to get to take her once just the two of us before she has a sibling to share the spotlight with we are going in July. Pretty much anything a toddler can go on a pregnant person can go on. The only thing I can ride that she can't is Sourn' but we will just skip it.

 

[GatorChris]

APs priced most of us out years ago. As great as they were, it got too costly to buy even every other year for a family of 5. Sure, I'd love to find ways to go to DL all year round, but it has to be within reason. For now, I've got a 5 day PH Max that we'll probably use in October. Hoping that this crazy state has lifted a lot more restrictions by then.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

For us, coming from northern California, we started taking longer, more relaxed trips so we didn't have to worry about how busy the parks were. Once you got past 5 park-hopper days, it was less expensive to convert to an AP than it was to add extra days as long as you planned at least one additional trip before the AP expired. Our AP status was based on the cost per day alone. The AP discounts were icing on the cake. Like everyone else, I'm curious to see what Disney creates to replace the AP membership.

 

[gerilyne]

For us, coming from northern California, we started taking longer, more relaxed trips so we didn't have to worry about how busy the parks were. Once you got past 5 park-hopper days, it was less expensive to convert to an AP than it was to add extra days as long as you planned at least one additional trip before the AP expired. Our AP status was based on the cost per day alone. The AP discounts were icing on the cake. Like everyone else, I'm curious to see what Disney creates to replace the AP membership.

This is what we do (we're in Oregon) so that we can take a relaxed approach to the parks and aren't stressing about things we may miss or skip.
I did see something today that said Ken Potrock has confirmed a new AP program for Disneyland will debut later this year but no other details were given.

https://insidethemagic.net/2021/04/disneyland-new-annual-passes-kj1/

 

[b52hbuff]

Watching these posts makes me appreciate the wisdom of the ticket books. If a lot of the locals just want to hang out, then why not allow cheaper admission and then charge for the rides?

 

[Corpsebride]

Watching these posts makes me appreciate the wisdom of the ticket books. If a lot of the locals just want to hang out, then why not allow cheaper admission and then charge for the rides?

I might be down for that. Sometimes, we just go eat at LLL at the bar and look at the water.

 

[MillauFr]

Watching these posts makes me appreciate the wisdom of the ticket books. If a lot of the locals just want to hang out, then why not allow cheaper admission and then charge for the rides?

It is already too crowded. Wouldn't that just make the crowding problem worse?

 

[luv4mouse]

I've only been a southern California resident and ap holder for 9 years. I have seen the ap price triple and the crowds quadruple in that time frame. But being from midwest and knowing we were only here for 10 years we felt the price was worth it to go at least once a week to our favorite place. The single day ticket prices are not worth it to us to go. We actually added up the amount we spend on ap's as well as that spent on food and merchandise for our family and booked 3 wdw vacations for the next year. I will miss my weekly visits, but I'm not missing out entirely, plus my family from the midwest and east coast are meeting us there so it's a win in my book. Sorry Disneyland you're the one missing out on a huge chunk of money you think ap holders don't spend.

 

[b52hbuff]

It is already too crowded. Wouldn't that just make the crowding problem worse?

Depends on your definition of crowded. If the walkways are packed and RotR is a 15 minute wait, is that crowded?

Lots of different ways to enjoy Disneyland, attractions, shows, dining and ambiance. The interesting thing about ticket books was that it attempted to decouple the experiences and let you pay for what you experienced.

 

[MillauFr]

Depends on your definition of crowded. If the walkways are packed and RotR is a 15 minute wait, is that crowded?

Lots of different ways to enjoy Disneyland, attractions, shows, dining and ambiance. The interesting thing about ticket books was that it attempted to decouple the experiences and let you pay for what you experienced.

So no annual passes?

 

[b52hbuff]

So no annual passes?

Don't understand the question...

Will they be available?
...who knows when? They were announced, but how long to get past this initial stage of pent up demand and ramping up park operations, not to mention juggling COVID limitations.

Will my family buy them?
...depends on what kind of value they provide relative to our ability to visit the park.

Do I support the concept?
See above.

 

[goooof1]

Don't go wishing for something that you aren't clear on how it works !!.....
"ticket books" were AWFUL !! It was so nice when they were ended ! they really were a waste and quite limiting. Today they would end up being mighty expensive.