Life Time Park Pass

[18sprint]

Nope, not a rumor, just a thought I had one day thinking how nice it could be if we could buy lifetime park passes. So being DVC members all we would have to worry about would be annual dues and travel to and from the resorts. How much would you be willing to pay for a lifetime pass?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Disney will never attempt to price a model like that nor make one available. You have to account of people ages 4 v. 40, and expected life spans and such. It's not like a lifetime hunting license where they are not actually losing revenue by your not buying another one each year AND it's costing them to let you in.

While it would be nice, I'm quite certain I wouldn't be able to afford it, even if there were a such thing.

 

[Dean]

Nope, not a rumor, just a thought I had one day thinking how nice it could be if we could buy lifetime park passes. So being DVC members all we would have to worry about would be annual dues and travel to and from the resorts. How much would you be willing to pay for a lifetime pass?

I'm not sure how much I'd pay but I shudder to think what it's be priced at. I'm guessing north of $5K and possibly as much as $10K per person and non transferable. And that assumes an AP, not a PAP, add about 20% for that and another 5% if it included the minor parks.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I'm not sure how much I'd pay but I shudder to think what it's be priced at. I'm guessing north of $5K and possibly as much as $10K per person and non transferable. And that assumes an AP, not a PAP, add about 20% for that and another 5% if it included the minor parks.

I think you're about right, Dean. At 5k, I'd probably make arrangements to jump on it, but I suspect it would have to be closer to 10k, and like you, that's pure speculation. People obviously have varying pain thresholds.

I'm sure this isn't an original idea from the perspective of the parks. they probably could use a standard pricing model based on statistics but like Dean said, it would be so outrageous in the eyes of most that they wouldn't sell enough to make it worthwhile.

The only way this would ever work would be if Disney would somehow finance the option. There's no reason they couldn't and it could prove quite profitable. Once they roll out the AP financing option beyond FL residents (assuming they ever do), who knows.

Personally, I think the financing of AP's for non-FL residents is a helluva step and I doubt we'll ever see very much beyond that.

 

[Dean]

I think you're about right, Dean. At 5k, I'd probably make arrangements to jump on it, but I suspect it would have to be closer to 10k, and like you, that's pure speculation. People obviously have varying pain thresholds.

I'm sure this isn't an original idea from the perspective of the parks. they probably could use a standard pricing model based on statistics but like Dean said, it would be so outrageous in the eyes of most that they wouldn't sell enough to make it worthwhile.

The only way this would ever work would be if Disney would somehow finance the option. There's no reason they couldn't and it could prove quite profitable. Once they roll out the AP financing option beyond FL residents (assuming they ever do), who knows.

Personally, I think the financing of AP's for non-FL residents is a helluva step and I doubt we'll ever see very much beyond that.

It has been rumored over the years that Disney sold a few lifetime admissions but I've never seen credible confirmation so I doubt it to be true. I'm sure they could work out a price that would make sense from their side but I'm doubting if they'd get enough participation to justify it at that price. As for financing, that's not what they do so I don't think internal financing is something they'd consider just like they don't with DVC. This is different that spreading dues or a years pass out over a year.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I agree 100%, Dean.

 

[bwvBound]

It sure would make a fascinating incentive for adding-on Direct from Disney. I'd be tempted ...

 

[Dean]

It sure would make a fascinating incentive for adding-on Direct from Disney. I'd be tempted ...

I can see it now. GF all concierge DVC with lifetime pass only $200-225 a point (plus concierge point rates 25% higher than BLT villas).

 

[tjkraz]

Disney will never attempt to price a model like that nor make one available. You have to account of people ages 4 v. 40, and expected life spans and such. It's not like a lifetime hunting license where they are not actually losing revenue by your not buying another one each year AND it's costing them to let you in.

Never say never. The day may come when some Disney exec decides that short term profits are more important than long term rewards.

Really there is something to be said for collecting a large up-front sum of money as opposed to counting to earn the business year-after-year. If Disney were to charge $5K for the lifetime pass (just to pick a number), many buyers wouldn't have otherwise spent that much money on tickets.

If Disney offered financing at terms similar to DVC (12% interest), there's money to be made on the loans as well.

The economics of it are not all that dissimilar from DVC. Disney is accepting a large up-front commitment from DVC owners while sacrificing smaller returns over a much longer period of time. We all know how much owners can "save" compared to paying cash prices. To Disney those guest "savings" are losses...assuming similar vacation habits are maintained.

DVC is a bit different with regard to the annual dues. Disney is able to continue billing members for operations and upkeep, something they presumably could not do with a lifetime park pass. However DVC is also transferrable while a park pass certainly would not be.

As for pricing, having an actuary establish variable rates depending upon the age of the individual is no great challenge. Ultimately there would be risk assumed by both parties.

Whenever I try to guess Disney's price for some new service or product, they usually go about 20-30% over my drop-dead, maximum point of tolerance. So whatever they would charge, I'm sure it would be painful to consider.

 

[disneynutz]

Didn't Disney issue free AP's to DVC Members during the early days of OKW?

Bill

 

[Dean]

Didn't Disney issue free AP's to DVC Members during the early days of OKW?

Bill

To OKW and VB as well but expiring the end of 1999

 

[Breyean]

To OKW and VB as well but expiring the end of 1999

They really weren't APs since you only got them when you checked in at OKW. So it wasn't as though you could drive over for a day if you lived close enough, and just go to a park for free. You needed to be staying at OKW.

Plus they limited the # per stay to 1/2 the number of people the room booked could sleep. So if you had a studio sleeping 4, you got 2 tickets good for the length of your stay. Since we always had our young son with us on trips back then, my wife and I got the free tickets and we got him a real AP (since for a few years at least he qualified for the child price).

Still was an amazing deal no matter how you slice it. Best promo to buy DVC ever, I'd think.

 

[disneypoor]

I think you're about right, Dean. At 5k, I'd probably make arrangements to jump on it, but I suspect it would have to be closer to 10k, and like you, that's pure speculation. People obviously have varying pain thresholds.

I'm sure this isn't an original idea from the perspective of the parks. they probably could use a standard pricing model based on statistics but like Dean said, it would be so outrageous in the eyes of most that they wouldn't sell enough to make it worthwhile.

The only way this would ever work would be if Disney would somehow finance the option. There's no reason they couldn't and it could prove quite profitable. Once they roll out the AP financing option beyond FL residents (assuming they ever do), who knows.

Personally, I think the financing of AP's for non-FL residents is a helluva step and I doubt we'll ever see very much beyond that.

Did I miss something? Do they now finance AP's for non-Florida residents, or were you just stating that would be nice? I remember reading several posts about people wishing they would do that, but I hadn't actually heard it had happened. Great news if so!

 

[lugnut33]

How about a 10 year pass for $4000?

 

[Dean]

They really weren't APs since you only got them when you checked in at OKW. So it wasn't as though you could drive over for a day if you lived close enough, and just go to a park for free. You needed to be staying at OKW.

Plus they limited the # per stay to 1/2 the number of people the room booked could sleep. So if you had a studio sleeping 4, you got 2 tickets good for the length of your stay. Since we always had our young son with us on trips back then, my wife and I got the free tickets and we got him a real AP (since for a few years at least he qualified for the child price).

Still was an amazing deal no matter how you slice it. Best promo to buy DVC ever, I'd think.

And they didn't include all parks either IIRC.

 

[Breyean]

And they didn't include all parks either IIRC.

Wow, this is going back a while, but I know all 3 main parks were included. Up until 1998 when AK opened there was never an issue. I remember going to AK for the first time in January 1999, but I can't recall if the free pass promo had already expired or if AK was included or not.

I do think the way the promo was worded it said something about free admission to the three theme parks. In 1993 that just excluded a water park, I guess, and I don't know what happened when a true 4th gate opened.

Now I hope someone else will post the answer and put me out of my misery!!

 

[tjkraz]

I seem to recall reading that the free DVC passes were blocked from Animal Kingdom for about 6-9 months. Then, sometime before 12/31/99, they did allow DVC owners access to DAK on the free passes.

Rumor was that either they were tired of tracking who could and could not access the park (i.e. grew weary of turning people away) or that attendance was below projections and they just wanted to get folks in the gate.

Admittedly I might be confusing this with standard park tickets which were purchased before the April '98 opening of Animal Kingdom. Those, too, were initially blocked from Animal Kingdom.

 

[Dean]

Wow, this is going back a while, but I know all 3 main parks were included. Up until 1998 when AK opened there was never an issue. I remember going to AK for the first time in January 1999, but I can't recall if the free pass promo had already expired or if AK was included or not.

I do think the way the promo was worded it said something about free admission to the three theme parks. In 1993 that just excluded a water park, I guess, and I don't know what happened when a true 4th gate opened.

Now I hope someone else will post the answer and put me out of my misery!!

As written, it specified only MK, EPCOT and MGM.
ETA: It is possible that they first said no then later allowed it as Tim suggests and to correct a mental slip.

 

[navywifetill2002]

I have a friend that bought DVC in 1991 and it came with "lifetime passes." She still goes to WDW at least once each year and never has to pay for park addmission!

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

I AGREE