Magic Key Passes

[gelatoni fan]

I just can’t believe small stuff like Nintendo “world” would pull money away from the juggernaut that is Disney. The square footage and number of new attractions is just too low.

This might take a trip away from Disney while people rush off to try something new, but the kind of people that would be annual pass holders probably wouldn’t bail and suddenly be routine Universal guests, at least in California.

Florida is a totally different story but that’s less Nintendo and more Epic Universe.

I'd say it's Disney's own systems that are pushing people away rather than Universal attracting people away.

I've already decided that I'm not going to get a Magic Key even if they do allow renewals and I absolutely am not buying tickets for Disneyland unless a friend that I really want to see really wants to go to Disneyland and refuses to be convinced out of it. I've already gotten my SeaWorld Annual Pass and have plans to do my first visit to Orlando that doesn't include WDW.

I agree that Epic Universe is a bigger draw that Super Nintendo World. Even though I live in California, I'm also considering a Universal Studios Orlando pass over a Universal Studios Hollywood pass. Even though flights are more expensive, hotels are cheaper so it's not really that much more expensive to do multiple days in Orlando compared to multiple days at Disneyland right now.

 

[TsWade2]

I don’t know if Disneyland wants to bring back Magic Key Pass. Maybe it’s best they end Magic Key passes and maybe make a new type of annual passes that will be easier to use than the Magic Key pass.

 

[BethCPTSD]

I don’t know if Disneyland wants to bring back Magic Key Pass. Maybe it’s best they end Magic Key passes and maybe make a new type of annual passes that will be easier to use than the Magic Key pass.

I can definitely get behind that idea. It may never happen, but I'm longing for the days of "normal" APs and coming and going as we please. No more reservations!

 

[skierrob]

I don't think anyone should plan on an "easier" AP. Disneyland has an over-crowding problem. You can only stuff so many "souls" into the Haunted Mansion at once. And annual passes / magic keys are a major part of the problem.

As long as there are more people that want to go to Disneyland than there are places for everyone to stand in line, the only options are:

* Raise prices to a point that some people no longer want to go
* Use a lottery to decide WHO can go
* Continue to reservation system for ticketholders and annual passholders
* Make it more difficult for some people to go so often by not having Annual Passes, or reducing the number of days a year that an annual passholder can go (like giving you only 30 or 15 days of your choice to visit the park throughout the year), or getting rid of monthly payments, etc.

You can't have a "utopia" of allowing EVERYONE in at a cheap price -- the park will just hit fire code capacity every day. And Disney is NOT giving up the $160 per person day ticket revenue so an annual passholder can show up -- especially when most annual passholders don't spend nearly the same amount of money on food, lodging and merch as a one or two day ticket holder. This is why everything with Genie + and Lightning lane is geared to the person spending ALL DAY in the parks. Early bird gets the worm. And the early bird is the one day ticket holder while the annual passholders show up and slam the park Friday night at 5 pm after work.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I don't think anyone should plan on an "easier" AP. Disneyland has an over-crowding problem. You can only stuff so many "souls" into the Haunted Mansion at once. And annual passes / magic keys are a major part of the problem.

As long as there are more people that want to go to Disneyland than there are places for everyone to stand in line, the only options are:

* Raise prices to a point that some people no longer want to go
* Use a lottery to decide WHO can go
* Continue to reservation system for ticketholders and annual passholders
* Make it more difficult for some people to go so often by not having Annual Passes, or reducing the number of days a year that an annual passholder can go (like giving you only 30 or 15 days of your choice to visit the park throughout the year), or getting rid of monthly payments, etc.

You can't have a "utopia" of allowing EVERYONE in at a cheap price -- the park will just hit fire code capacity every day. And Disney is NOT giving up the $160 per person day ticket revenue so an annual passholder can show up -- especially when most annual passholders don't spend nearly the same amount of money on food, lodging and merch as a one or two day ticket holder. This is why everything with Genie + and Lightning lane is geared to the person spending ALL DAY in the parks. Early bird gets the worm. And the early bird is the one day ticket holder while the annual passholders show up and slam the park Friday night at 5 pm after work.

Based on what has been going on in the parks this summer I’m pretty sure Disney wants the parks as full as possible.

 

[skierrob]

Based on what has been going on in the parks this summer I’m pretty sure Disney wants the parks as full as possible.

They don't have enough staff. What are you seeing that suggests the parks are too empty and that Disney needs more people?? Just look at trying to get dining reservations as one example. Disneyland needs LESS visitors not more.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

They don't have enough staff. What are you seeing that suggests the parks are too empty and that Disney needs more people?? Just look at trying to get dining reservations as one example. Disneyland needs LESS visitors not more.

You're looking at it from the consumer standpoint, not Disney's. Really, as long as people keep coming and throwing money at them even if Disney offers a sub-par experience, what motivation does Disney have to improve the experience, reduce the number of guests, or make any other more consumer-friendly changes? If all the dining reservations are full, then that's great news for Disney. Why should they be concerned about those who didn't get them? Those guests will probably find some other food to buy. And if they eventually get more staff and can increase capacity, then those reservations will fill too.

 

[DLgal]

They don't have enough staff. What are you seeing that suggests the parks are too empty and that Disney needs more people?? Just look at trying to get dining reservations as one example. Disneyland needs LESS visitors not more.

No they don't. If that's what they wanted, they would make it so. Instead, they are offering an unprecedented number of special CA resident ticket offers and cramming in as many people as they can. They want bodies in the parks, period. The crowding issues right now are largely a function of covid causing staffing shortages, and nothing more. They want to have their cake and eat it too.

 

[DLgal]

I just can’t believe small stuff like Nintendo “world” would pull money away from the juggernaut that is Disney. The square footage and number of new attractions is just too low.

This might take a trip away from Disney while people rush off to try something new, but the kind of people that would be annual pass holders probably wouldn’t bail and suddenly be routine Universal guests, at least in California.

Florida is a totally different story but that’s less Nintendo and more Epic Universe.

You can not believe it if you want, but it's happening.

My sister and her family live in LA. They are believe key holders. Their passes expire in November. They are not renewing. They visited Universal Hollywood this summer and upgraded their park tickets to annual passes because they are so cheap. They are excited about Super Nintendo World coming next year and plan to continue to keep passes to USH and only visit Disneyland sporadically using the So Cal resident special ticket offers.

I'm guessing Universal will get more of their money than Disney will. My sister also said they are going to pack food for Disneyland and instead of spending on food/drinks in the parks, they are going to just buy Genie+ because after doing that once, they had SO much better of an experience that they would rather pay for that so they can enjoy themselves. However, the need to use Genie+ to have a good time is PRECISELY why they won't be renewing passes. It gets too prohibitively expensive having to pay for that e every time.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Reading this thread really just reminds me how much I wish they had kept the flex pass and also makes me think a lot. Seriously though, I was finally ready after a few years of not having passes to upgrade my tickets to keys earlier this summer and they announced no more new keys literally days before I was set to go. So, I'm really anxiously awaiting what will happen. I think they'll end up charging more for less again, which means my family is probably going to pass, but we'll see what happens.

And I agree that from a business perspective, Disney doesn't really care. They keep raising prices and people keep coming and paying. So, it will continue. Disneyland is still the best amusement park in California and they know it.

The Universal question is interesting. I don't find much value in Universal. It's small and doesn't have much if any space to grow unless they get rid of the studios themselves, which are part of the appeal of the park. Sure, the passes are cheaper, but they have a surprisingly low number of attractions and high wait times. Nintendo World is going to be a huge draw just like the Wizarding World was, but it's not that big. So, there's going to be an influx of people who need something to do when they're done waiting 2-4 hours for the Mario Kart ride. I suspect there might be a temporary increase in people choosing Universal, but it won't last.

I'm wondering what all the former Disneyland APs that left for Knott's are thinking about now given both the issues at Disneyland and the issues as Knotts. I suppose technically I fall into that group, but I'm not a daily/weekly visitor to any theme park like I know a lot of people are.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

They don't have enough staff. What are you seeing that suggests the parks are too empty and that Disney needs more people?? Just look at trying to get dining reservations as one example. Disneyland needs LESS visitors not more.

I don’t personally think that the parks need more people. The parks have been very, very crowded in the last month. Reservations for day tickets and Magic Keys have been completely open and available almost every day, even same-day reservations, despite the heavy crowds. Disney can manage the park attendance with the reservation system however they want. Clearly, Disney wants as many people in the parks as will come.

 

[Disney0010]

“Whatever” Disney is going to do with AP’s, they need to do make it known and now. It’s ridiculous that people have passes expiring in less than thirty days and no announcement one way or the other. This shows me that this is a company without strong leadership. I think we‘re going to renew depending on the offerings. If Disney is doing away with any type AP then say something. Personally I don’t see that happening.

 

[dieumeye]

It’s ridiculous

I think we‘re going to renew

This is why they are in no rush. Many people will complain but still sign up anyway, myself included. I don’t like the reservation system at all, but it’s not enough to drive me away from getting a pass. There’s obviously a limit, but they aren’t there for me yet.

The people who complain and then choose to spend their money elsewhere are the true heroes!

 

[DLgal]

I heard a rumor Aug 1 will be when we get info about renewals but they WILL be able to be renewed.

 

[Aurora0427]

That's not really how it worked. You had to renew within the 40 day window before your pass expired. If you let it expire, they would keep your pass number in the system and link it back to you when you repurchased, but it would not technically be a renewal (it would have a new expiration date). They used to discount renewals. You would lose that discount if the pass expired before you renewed it.

With that said, there is a possibility that Disney is either shortening the renewal window OR having the window be on the back end of expiration, and will give people a block of time AFTER the pass expires to renew it.

My money is on shortening the renewal window to something like 10 days prior to expiration. My theory is they want to put pressure on people to renew. I also expect it to be a situation where you can renew into your current level or upgrade, but not downgrade. Downgrades will require the purchase of a new pass, which may not be an option immediately. This is just my speculation. I think Disney is going to do everything they can to entice people to renew and make it look like if you don't, you may never have a pass again.

I would love to upgrade. I detest these Enchant passes. Ideally we’d get one dream pass if they keep the free parking, and then do believe for everyone else in the family. I can’t stand the blockout dates with enchant. It makes me crazy.

 

[Aurora0427]

They won't risk losing all the current Magic Key holders. They need people to renew. They will alienate way too many people if they just don't allow renewals until 2023. People will take their money elsewhere. I know we will. Universal is opening up Super Mario World early next year. Disney needs to tread carefully.

We love our Universal Platinum passes. We get free parking, and from 3pm on we get to fastpass every ride. It’s also such a nice park with beautiful views…… in two weeks I’m taking my girls up there and we’re doing the LA Museum of Natural History in the morning, and then just popping over to Universal at 2:30 to do our rides via fastpass. The Garland Hotel has great staycation rates that night, so we’re even staying overnight and may hit up Universal in the morning before we head home to OC. I feel like this pass is what Disneyland APs used to be back in the good ole days. City Walk also has superior dining to DTD, in my opinion. No reservations, no genie plus insanity…. It’s just easy. Show up and have fun.

 

[Wesley815]

....I feel like this pass is what Disneyland APs used to be back in the good ole days. City Walk also has superior dining to DTD, in my opinion. No reservations, no genie plus insanity…. It’s just easy. Show up and have fun.

Totally agree.

I won't get into debate about who can or can't afford, but honestly if Disney dropped the monthly payments I feel things would instantly improve with Magic Key's. When they started monthly payments the old AP program turned into a mess basically overnight. Parks at capacity levels or at least very crowded everyday and parking full too.

I was a CM during the monthly payment introduction and it was rough and never really improved, similar to how we would dread 'SoCal ticket' offer days. Like it or not ticket cost (or payment affordability) does play a factor. ....again I'm not judging anyone, as my family couldn't afford Disney growing up besides once or twice and never WDW. However now that Disney seems to enjoy controlling crowd levels why not learn from the past.

 

[KPeterso]

Totally agree.

I won't get into debate about who can or can't afford things, but honestly if Disney dropped the monthly payments I feel things would instantly improve with Magic Key's. When they started monthly payments the old AP program turned into a mess basically overnight. Parks at capacity levels or at least very crowded everyday and parking full too.

I was a CM during the monthly payment introduction and it was rough and never really improved, similar to how we would dread 'SoCal ticket' offer days. Like it or not ticket cost (or payment affordability) does play a factor. ....again I'm not judging anyone, as my family couldn't afford Disney growing up besides once or twice and never WDW. However now that Disney seems to enjoy controlling crowd levels why not learn from the past.

I agree on the monthly payments and it being a large part of the crowding at Disneyland. Definitely felt a difference after they started the monthly payments. We pay ours in full up front every year even though we could do the monthly payments. I just have it saved for.

 

[Wesley815]

I agree on the monthly payments and it being a large part of the crowding at Disneyland. Definitely felt a difference after they started the monthly payments. We pay ours in full up front every year even though we could do the monthly payments. I just have it saved for.

Great point! I do the same, basically setup my own monthly (advance) payment saving up during year for next renewal time and pay in full.

 

[Aurora0427]

Totally agree.

I won't get into debate about who can or can't afford things, but honestly if Disney dropped the monthly payments I feel things would instantly improve with Magic Key's. When they started monthly payments the old AP program turned into a mess basically overnight. Parks at capacity levels or at least very crowded everyday and parking full too.

I was a CM during the monthly payment introduction and it was rough and never really improved, similar to how we would dread 'SoCal ticket' offer days. Like it or not ticket cost (or payment affordability) does play a factor. ....again I'm not judging anyone, as my family couldn't afford Disney growing up besides once or twice and never WDW. However now that Disney seems to enjoy controlling crowd levels why not learn from the past.

. And it would really limit the number of people who buy the dream and believe passes if you have to pay in full. I think for a family of 4, dream passes are well over $5000. Not many families can afford to drop that kind of money all at once on passes to a theme park.