Is there any way new Gold AP won't come back?

[BillPA]

They just raised the minimum pay to $15 an hour, and increased our dues to cover that, so what did they do layoff 75% of them and pocket the rest?

 

[tjkraz]

There used to be discounts on length of stay sticks though during that time right?

There basically has always been a ticket discount available. It makes most sense for DVC to try and latch on to whatever FL residents get in the end.

Not really. We bought about 4 years before the AP discount debuted. Back then, ticketing was different in many ways. I don't remember all of the details, but Disney marketed a "length of stay" pass which was required to run from check-in day to check-out day for all guests, even if you had a late arrival or early departure. The one perk they afforded to DVC owners was that we could drop either the arrival or departure day from the LOS pass, thus paying for one less day than a member of the general public.

The trade off was that you couldn't buy the LOS tickets under these terms until you arrived at the resort. That meant foregoing the modest pre-arrival discounts offered back then. The net benefit was very small savings.

There were never blanket DVC discounts on Park Hopper / Magic Your Way tickets.

 

[DebbieB]

My Gold AP expires 10/1. I have a reservation after that date, so I renewed in March. I’m not taking chances.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Every day I come on here hoping to see that APs are back. Every day I'm disappointed.

We are either recently fully vaccinated or recently had covid in my house and everyone is like "let's book a last-minute trip!" since we have points to burn. We already have a trip booked for January, but nobody wants to wait. I'd easily jump on a plane and go next month if we had APs.

No APs, no trips. Sigh. Not paying full price for no fireworks, etc. We often go into parks for just a few hours a day, or go into Epcot just to eat. No APs changes our entire vacation - not for the better.

Sorry. Just whining. Carry on.

 

[CarolMN]

Sorry. Just whining. Carry on.

We hear you. Most of us feel exactly the same!

 

[BikeFan]

Certain DVC members can actually buy a new gold pass now. If you had a gold pass in 2020 when the world shut-down and took the offer for a partial refund in 2020, leaving you without a pass and no AP pass to renew, you can now purchase a new gold pass and start your one year period by activating it the next time you go to WDW. That would seem to indicate that Disney is likely to bring back the gold AP generally sometime in the future.

Is there any indication when this renewal loophole will stop? My wife and I took partial refunds on our 2020 APs due to the COVID shutdown, but expect to take at least three trips to WDW in 2022. I was going to wait until closer to our trips in 2022 to try to get APs, but maybe that's a mistake and I should try to renew them now? And it's definitely the case I can buy a new Gold AP now and wait to activate it until January 2022?

 

[drusba]

Is there any indication when this renewal loophole will stop? My wife and I took partial refunds on our 2020 APs due to the COVID shutdown, but expect to take at least three trips to WDW in 2022. I was going to wait until closer to our trips in 2022 to try to get APs, but maybe that's a mistake and I should try to renew them now? And it's definitely the case I can buy a new Gold AP now and wait to activate it until January 2022?

Nothing has been said one way or the other as to how long the current rules will remain in place. My personal sense is that you likely do not have an issue as to whether you will be able to buy an AP because I feel the current rule will simply be in place until Disney starts selling APs generally again. However, due to lack of any definitive staments from Disney, you may assume there is some possible risk that the option to get APs may end before 2022 when you want to purchase them.

Possibly, you might want to just consider a different outcome that is more likely to occur and may make buying now the better move. The one thing we can definitely say about Disney and ticket prices, based on past history, is that it is likely the price of any tickets such as APs will go up at least once a year no matter how bad the economy is.

 

[CarolMN]

Is there any indication when this renewal loophole will stop? My wife and I took partial refunds on our 2020 APs due to the COVID shutdown, but expect to take at least three trips to WDW in 2022. I was going to wait until closer to our trips in 2022 to try to get APs, but maybe that's a mistake and I should try to renew them now? And it's definitely the case I can buy a new Gold AP now and wait to activate it until January 2022?

I can understand if you don't want to spend the money just yet. But in case you didn't know, what you would be purchasing is an AP for which the year of admission doesn't begin until you activate it. I wasn't too worried about the "offer" going away, but we purchased now because I wanted to make park reservations for an October trip (when we will activate the APs) as well as for the trip we hope to take in December.

 

[Evita_W]

The market differences for the AP for DL and WDW is huge. 75% of DL passes are sold to residents while only 25% of WDW passes are sold to residents. I would expect to see some more changes to the price and or black out dates for the DL APs .

Right, but keep in mind they are trying to change both to be closer to 50%, that way if tourism isn't strong, they still have a reliable income source, but when it is strong they have a decent number of tourists who spend more money per person.

This is why I really think we will see a unifying system. Pricing may vary in some shape or form, but I suspect there will be a single unifying system in place that works the same at all Disney owned parks.

It will be some form of membership program, but I think the traditional APs are on their way out. Just the way it appears.

 

[Evita_W]

I can understand if you don't want to spend the money just yet. But in case you didn't know, what you would be purchasing is an AP for which the year of admission doesn't begin until you activate it. I wasn't too worried about the "offer" going away, but we purchased now because I wanted to make park reservations for an October trip (when we will activate the APs) as well as for the trip we hope to take in December.

Also, buying now locks in the current price, which could increase at any time.

 

[Brian Noble]

keep in mind they are trying to change both to be closer to 50%

I have not seen anything from TWDC that suggests they want WDW's guest mix to be 50% passholders. Can you point me at the basis you have for this?

 

[Chuck S]

I can understand if you don't want to spend the money just yet. But in case you didn't know, what you would be purchasing is an AP for which the year of admission doesn't begin until you activate it. I wasn't too worried about the "offer" going away, but we purchased now because I wanted to make park reservations for an October trip (when we will activate the APs) as well as for the trip we hope to take in December.

The park reservation thing is why I bought my Gold AP this month (I qualified as I had one during the shutdown) I will activate on November 20th, for a 7 night trip, and it will still be good for a trip I'm planning in June 2022

 

[Evita_W]

I have not seen anything from TWDC that suggests they want WDW's guest mix to be 50% passholders. Can you point me at the basis you have for this?

It just makes logical sense and if you look at the policies they gave been putting in place, it is fairly apparent this is the direction they have been headed for the past 2 or 3 years now.

 

[Bearval]

It just makes logical sense and if you look at the policies they gave been putting in place, it is fairly apparent this is the direction they have been headed for the past 2 or 3 years now.

I disagree. The policies they keep putting in place are to discourage the annual passes by adding blackout dates and continuing to raise the prices by huge leaps compared to what they were especially for DL. But I sure they are saying if people want to pay 1K or more for an AP we will sell it to them.

 

[Chuck S]

I disagree. The policies they keep putting in place are to discourage the annual passes by adding blackout dates and continuing to raise the prices by huge leaps compared to what they were especially for DL. But I sure they are saying if people want to pay 1K or more for an AP we will sell it to them.

Honestly, the blackout dates on the WDW Gold pass are times I would not want to travel anyway. It's really only Easter Week, Christmas and New Years. And I did just purchase a new Gold AP (I did have one that was valid during the closures) that I will not activate until November 20, 2021...so I'm not seeing a lot of added restrictions. I think WDW simply wants to limit new APs right now to insure park availability for onsite and out of state guests while some COVID restrictions are still in place. I think APs will go back to normal as soon as Disney lifts their COVID restrictions. But I would kind of expect an AP price increase when that happens.

 

[Nabas]

Honestly, the blackout dates on the WDW Gold pass are times I would not want to travel anyway. It's really only Easter Week, Christmas and New Years.

We like to go just before Christmas and wish they would change the blockout date from December 17 (Friday) to December 19 (Sunday).

If we could use those ticket on that Friday and Saturday, we would have planned our December 2021 trip to be one week later.

 

[Grumpy Mouse]

Remaining hopeful, but not confident.

Because Disney is continuing to process renewals (if eligible) is not a good reason to infer the system will return. It's wishful thinking - as the elimination of AP's in its current form will put all you old timers in the same 'gold plated boat' us newbies are in.

In my conversations with DVC management, they've had multiple chances to allay my fears now concerning annual passes; multiple chances to say something like 'we don't when AP's will return, but we are confident at some point they will return'. But in the one written conversation I've had, the tone was more along the lines of: AP's are gone but look for other exciting possible new perks in the future. My text message conversations with another DVC manager have gone unanswered - and this was the manager that had hoped to have 'good news' concerning our AP request now months ago. They've gone completely radio silent.

Now it could be they know nothing - but more likely they know something and us DVC members are not going to be completely happy with whatever is coming.

Again, Disney has now had months to say something, anything - and the silence is speaking volumes.

 

[Brian Noble]

It just makes logical sense and if you look at the policies they gave been putting in place, it is fairly apparent this is the direction they have been headed for the past 2 or 3 years now.

We must be seeing things completely differently.

 

[Chuck S]

Remaining hopeful, but not confident.

Because Disney is continuing to process renewals (if eligible) is not a good reason to infer the system will return. It's wishful thinking - as the elimination of AP's in its current form will put all you old timers in the same 'gold plated boat' us newbies are in.

In my conversations with DVC management, they've had multiple chances to allay my fears now concerning annual passes; multiple chances to say something like 'we don't when AP's will return, but we are confident at some point they will return'. But in the one written conversation I've had, the tone was more along the lines of: AP's are gone but look for other exciting possible new perks in the future. My text message conversations with another DVC manager have gone unanswered - and this was the manager that had hoped to have 'good news' concerning our AP request now months ago. They've gone completely radio silent.

Now it could be they know nothing - but more likely they know something and us DVC members are not going to be completely happy with whatever is coming.

Again, Disney has now had months to say something, anything - and the silence is speaking volumes.

What I purchased it not a renewal, it is not backdated, it is a voucher for a NEW AP, that I can activate when I visit. Sorry, but DVC is not the entity in control of APs, discounted or otherwise. They have absolutely no say in the matter, are likely not included in the decision making process, and their opinions are pretty irrelevant. All they really know is that new APs, for people who didn't have one prior, are gone...for now. That is totally up to Theme Park management. And since the Theme Parks ARE still selling new APs, albeit in very limited quantities, that really indicates that the system is still in place and operating and can ramp up at any time, depending upon the status of COVID restrictions. Right now, they are operating on limited admissions to the parks. APs, which would normally allow unfettered access, is not what they are looking for at this time. Even for onsite guests, park admission slots are pretty limited. Why add to that by selling a lot of APs right now? They currently need to be restricted in the number they are selling. Imagine being a local, with an AP, and being told, nope, no park for you today due to COVID restrictions. Theme parks have greater concerns than selling new APs right now, whether it be to locals or DVC Members. That is the status in the Florida parks. They are still re-establishing supply lines, food services, hiring cast members, but they are further along in that process than California.


As far as California, the vast majority of guests ARE locals, and with limited admissions, it makes sense to just kill the AP program, at least temporarily, and either replace it with something new, or keep it on hold until a later date. I mean, the parks were closed for over a year, there is no way they could fully ramp up to full capacity immediately after being closed for so long. Cast members need to be hired & trained, food services and supply lines needs to be checked and re-established. Even if COVID disappeared tomorrow, it would take more time to bring back California parks to full operational status, than in Florida, since Florida is at least operating. I mean, seriously, the supply lines are so devastated that we had shortages of toilet paper, and now there weirdly is a shortage of...ketchup. Imagine other commercial supply lines...especially those that originate overseas.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I really haven't been paying attention to room availability, park reservations, etc. until we started considering an end of May trip (last minute). Holy cow! Limited park reservations (none for MK) and my options for CASH rooms are GF, FW cabin, and AofA family suite. That's it. Period. Nothing DVC side for more than 1-2 nights.

So, yeah. I can see how selling APs would put too much pressure on the system. There are many of us chomping at the bit to get back to WDW but won't without an AP. Sell me one and I'm trying to get there 3 times this year, when they obviously don't need me!!

Very very hopeful this is temporary and very very mad at myself for not buying vouchers before they pulled the plug. Never will I make that mistake again. New rule: always have an extra set.