Lifetime Theme Park Pass

[tjkraz]

From today's article at Jim Hill Media:

...The next thing I know, I'm looking at a proposal for a special annual pass which was to have only been sold during WDW's 25th anniversary year. This pass was to have cost $2500. But -- for that one-time fee -- you would have gotten a lifetime pass to all of Disney World's theme parks. Including (the survey taker made a point of mentioning this) any theme parks that the Mouse hadn't built yet.

I recall that -- in addition to that lifetime pass -- your $2500 would have also gotten you a special commemorative watch. Plus some sort of certificate. But -- to be honest -- the big draw here was that this one time payment would have gotten you lifetime admission to all of the Florida Disney parks.

Me personally? I thought that this was a great idea. Admittedly a bit pricey. But -- when you think about what it costs to buy a WDW annual pass today -- spending $2500 to gain admission to WDW's theme parks for the rest of your life seemed like a really good investment to me.

Unfortunately, given that this conversation with the WDW survey taker is the first & last time that I ever heard about a lifetime pass to Disney World's theme parks, I have to assume that I was one of the only people who said that that this was a good idea. Which is why (I'm betting) this concept eventually died in committee.

Click here for the full story:

http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/articles/showarticle.php?ID=1327

Interesting that Jim concludes that people thought it was too expensive to pay for the pass. I've always wondered how much Disney would have to charge for such an item in order to justify its existence. I always figured it would be much more than $2500 (even in 1995 dollars) given the years and years of pass revenue that would potentially be forfeit on a purchaser in his/her 20s or 30s. Anyone remember what APs were going for back around '95?

Now that we got the AP discount, maybe we should start campaigning for the lifetime AP.

 

[magicmouse2]

I would love a lifetime pass!!! I dont think $2500 is to expensive for it at all. We pay that every year for our families aps.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

I would hop all over a lifetime pass. $2500 would have been nothing compared to what I can quickly estimate I spent on tickets.

how nice would it be if you had your room AND tickets covered!?!

since 95 I must have blown through probably 75% of that total already and thats not even when we were members and planning on more regularly scheduled trips.

 

[Pluto4Pres]

... Anyone remember what APs were going for back around '95?

Now that we got the AP discount, maybe we should start campaigning for the lifetime AP.

I think they were around $199 if I remember correctly.

 

[tjkraz]

I think they were around $199 if I remember correctly.

So they wanted about 12-13x the current price, in advance, for the lifetime pass. That is a pretty big chunk of change.

 

[athenna]

I would absolutely love that!
I would get those in a heartbeat!

 

[Deep-Thots]

So they wanted about 12-13x the current price, in advance, for the lifetime pass. That is a pretty big chunk of change.

I agree. For a family of four at today's prices (i.e., not the original $2500 figure quoted), you'd almost have to consider financing....

 

[Deep-Thots]

P.S. -- interesting thread/article!

 

[sjdisneywedding]

doesnt seem anywhere way to much to me. not even close to a lot

 

[sjdisneywedding]

heres what I know, its 4 day hoppers, ap's and pap's. all adult.



1995: $14_,
1996: $144, $236, $339
1997: $152,
1998: $159,
1999: $165, ___ ,$420
2000: $177,
2001: $186, $370, $497
2002:
2003: ---, $392, $520
2004: $233, $403, $531
2005: ---, $420, $538

 

[wtpclc]

Now that we got the AP discount, maybe we should start campaigning for the lifetime AP.

Please don't. In getting the AP, we lost the LOS passes. I know that's a benefit for many DVCers, but not all. In getting the lifetime pass, you may lose the AP. I guess, in my case, that woudn't matter because I won't be getting an AP in the near future. Just be careful what you wish for!

(Don't mean to be neagative, the pass would be awesome, I'd just hate to lose another benefit.)

 

[CRSNDSNY]

I would have paid the $2500 for each of us probably without too much thought. Sounds like a good deal to me.

BUT, perhaps TOO many people thought it was a good idea and they were afraid that too many recurring visitors would have these passes, therefore, cutting back on future profits of ticket sales and inflation?

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Please don't. In getting the AP, we lost the LOS passes.

I do not believe that the AP discount is a result of or has any stipulation on why they took away the LOS passes. -- if that is what you were saying.

Disney has been changing their tickets patterns and options for many years now and I believe that is probably based on the vacationing trends. I think with these new passes they are trying to get you to stay longer and on property. The Orlando area is being built up so much and you can get some really fabulous deals at beautiful resorts that are not owned by Disney. I also think that perhaps they are seeing families split their Orlando stay between Disney and other theme-parks such as Universal. In that respect I also think they are trying hard to get you to stay with them instead by offering lesser ticket-per-day costs with each additional day you stay on-site.

 

[wtpclc]

I guess I didn't say it correctly. I didn't mean LOS passes being replaced by MYW. I meant that DVCers lost the 10% off the LOS and it was not reinstated on the MYW. I believe the loss of that discount was directly related to the AP discount. JMO

 

[SoCalKDG]

So you figure $4,000 for a pass today? Famly of four makes it $16,000?

Hey, thats a DVC membership.

 

[tjkraz]

I can't believe they would ever replace a full-time ticket discount with something like a lifetime AP purchase program. While they both relate to ticket media, they have very different goals and appeal to different markets. Many members would be unable or unwilling to purchase lifetime passes, but Disney still wants to encourage them to visit the theme parks.

 

[wtpclc]

I can't believe they would ever replace a full-time ticket discount with something like a lifetime AP purchase program. While they both relate to ticket media, they have very different goals and appeal to different markets. Many members would be unable or unwilling to purchase lifetime passes, but Disney still wants to encourage them to visit the theme parks.

To me, though, that's exactly what they did this year. People who go ~10 days/yr+ (just a guesstimate) make out on the deal, while those who go less or every other year lost the LOS discount with nothing to replace it.

Hold on, I can see wh at you're saying. You're saying that a lifetime pass would not necessarily be discounted for DVCers? Got it. If it was available to everyone and DVCers did not get a discount, they would not likely take the AP discount away. However, if the option was only available to DVCers, I think they might take the other discount away.

 

[DrTomorrow]

So you figure $4,000 for a pass today? Famly of four makes it $16,000?

Hey, thats a DVC membership.

True, but even for non-DVCers staying at WDW, it's not unusual to pay as much - OR MORE - for park admission than for lodging....

But as a DVC owner, I'd be all over a LAP for DW and me ....

 

[CarolAnnC]

Will these come with insurance riders in case of untimely death? Would hate to not get my money's worth out of one, lol...

 

[sjdisneywedding]

I wonder if it was to include the water parks and such because then youd be looking at the equivalent of a PAP which was about 300 and therfore the $2500 would be about 8X's the PAP