Magic Key Renewals Start 8/18

[Snap Crackle Pop]

So then if you are a dream key holder and want to renew to the inspire key will is there going to be a concern that the pass won't be up for renewal when its closer to your window of re-newel date? I don't want to downgrade I want to keep the same tiered pass that I have.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Even during busy times like Thanksgiving weekend, for multiple people? For us this is a concern because we’re not local and have to travel to get there, so we can’t really gamble on getting a reservation last minute especially during a holiday week.

I want to echo what @dina444444 said. I have NEVER not been able to get a day, but you might have to wait until the night before. I could have gone on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day. People WILL cancel the night before if they aren’t going to avoid getting a ding for a no-show.

 

[twodogs]

So then if you are a dream key holder and want to renew to the inspire key will is there going to be a concern that the pass won't be up for renewal when its closer to your window of re-newel date? I don't want to downgrade I want to keep the same tiered pass that I have.

Disney have shown that they will stop selling any pass if they feel that they need to, from a business standpoint. If you read the new Terms and Conditions, they can basically devalue your current pass any way that they want, at any time, and there is nothing you can do (you agree to this, of course). And they can stop selling passes or Renewals. So only you can decide how much trust you want to put in them to offer the product that you want, when you are eligible or ready to purchase it.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

But back in the FP days, it was open to everyone AND there was MaxPass that could be added to APs. That seemed to work fine. That’s why I don’t understand why Genie+ / LLs seem to be more crowded despite fewer people using it each day compared to the old system.

I think about this allllllllllll the time. Why did it woke so well when everyone had access to FP in one form or another, but works soooooooo badly now when only some people have it???? It boggles the mind!

 

[twodogs]

I want to echo what @dina444444 said. I have NEVER not been able to get a day, but you might have to wait until the night before. I could have gone on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day. People WILL cancel the night before if they aren’t going to avoid getting a ding for a no-show.

I am sure this has been true. If you read the new terms and conditions for the MKs, they basically say that they can restrict available reservations to “zero” for MK holders, even for a day that is not “blocked out”. And you have to agree to this when you buy the pass. So yes, things may change, and yes, MKs can complain, but they can’t sue anymore.

 

[bwvBound]

We have VGC reservations over Christmas. But given the block-out dates we will very likely cancel. I wonder if you'll see lots of fresh openings at VGC during that window?

LOL. It would be a very expensive and risky science project. Especially since I didn't make any VGC reservations for that time. But I'm sure there will be plenty of Vloggers waiting to test this theory out in my stead.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[twodogs]

Yes. The new terms and conditions essentially mean the pass is worth zero as far as park reservations. That is if you do not trust Disney. But there is such a thing as the legal requirement of good faith and fair dealing. Disney will have a duty to be fair and reasonable and put enough reservations in the passholder bucket.

Personally, I will buy one, expect that fair dealing and see how it goes. I will also be keeping track of “no reservations available” days. I suggest you all do the same.

Too many and it will definitely devalue the pass.

The Disney lawyers have been busy writing these types of things in the new T&C “Pass benefits, rules and policies, including but not limited to the reservation booking window and the no-show policy, may change from time to time in Disney’s discretion without notice or liability.” I know they probably won’t do it, but they can basically block you out all year, with no liability, based on this statement, no matter what pass you bought. This is nuts.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[elenex]

You are correct. They could indeed sell a billion dollars in DLR Magic Keys and WDW Annual Passes and allocate one reservation per day per park. They also basically write the courts out of any legal remedy.

You trust them or you don’t.

You pays your money. You takes your chances.

It is very much like buying a lottery ticket. The prize we are drawing for is a park reservation.

This is true, but MK holders aren't without leverage. We live in a society where information travels quickly and public opinion can greatly affect a business' reputation. Doing something that extreme would have major bottom-line consequences, and at the end of the day that's what matters to them. They may no longer be a company looking to go the extra mile for the consumer, but they also know that they can't get away with pissing off a large portion of the consumer base to that degree.

This whole refreshed system looks like a middle finger to the plaintiffs of the class action suit. And honestly, as expected, that suit ended up hurting all of us at the gain of very few.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[DisneylandFan22]

The Disney lawyers have been busy writing these types of things in the new T&C “Pass benefits, rules and policies, including but not limited to the reservation booking window and the no-show policy, may change from time to time in Disney’s discretion without notice or liability.” I know they probably won’t do it, but they can basically block you out all year, with no liability, based on this statement, no matter what pass you bought. This is nuts.

They could have done that last year as well. They control the reservation system with no transparency. They are being sued because someone that had a pass without blackout dates couldn’t go when they wanted. This is not a big change.

 

[LilyJC]

We have VGC reservations over Christmas. But given the block-out dates we will very likely cancel. I wonder if you'll see lots of fresh openings at VGC during that window?

We ended up super lucky with our December VGC staycation…18th - 20th. Otherwise we’d definitely cancel as well

 

[DisneylandFan22]

This is true, but MK holders aren't without leverage. We live in a society where information travels quickly and public opinion can greatly affect a business' reputation. Doing something that extreme would have major bottom-line consequences, and at the end of the day that's what matters to them. They may no longer be a company looking to go the extra mile for the consumer, but they also know that they can't get away with pissing off a large portion of the consumer base to that degree.

This whole refreshed system looks like a middle finger to the plaintiffs of the class action suit. And honestly, as expected, that suit ended up hurting all of us at the gain of very few.

How did it hurt all of us?

 

[DisneylandFan22]

Ah, the Court of Public Opinion. Yes. That is possible.

I do want to say that while the language in the terms and conditions makes it theoretically possible to severely short the passholder buckets, I do not expect Disney to do so. In the hands of a bad company yes. Disney, no. I do intend to trust and continue my annual pass, but I will keep records. Then when it comes time for me to renew, that will factor into my choice.

The entire time you have had your pass they have had the ability to reduce reservations so you couldn’t make one without you knowing the reason why. That hasn’t changed.

 

[elenex]

How did it hurt all of us?

Mainly because they will no longer offer a pass without blackout dates and there are large price increases on top 2 tiers, so we are offered less for more. You can argue price increases were coming anyway, but the blackout dates were a result of the lawsuit.


This may be a bit more derived, but it's my belief that the suspension of new pass sales has been influenced by the lawsuit and now serves as the only motivation to renew. For people like me who don't live in socal but travel there 2 to 4 times per year, there are gaps in our travel and traditionally, a renewal discount would be my only motivation to renew on expiration otherwise I'm paying for 4-6 months that I'm not using. Now I'll be renewing for FOMO and wasting DVC points.

 

[DizMe]

Even during busy times like Thanksgiving weekend, for multiple people? For us this is a concern because we’re not local and have to travel to get there, so we can’t really gamble on getting a reservation last minute especially during a holiday week.

These changes are not good for us.. our current Dream Keys expire in the middle of our Thanksgiving week trip. My concern is if we can’t renew until 30 days before, 1) what if the Inspire Keys are no longer available by then and 2) what if there are no more reservations left for the rest of our Thanksgiving week trip? Another one of our main trips for the year is between Christmas and New Year’s, which we’d have to buy tickets for now. This might be the end of our being AP/MK holders for years.

same for us. I called customer care and they told me I can renew on the 18th and my new pass (I'm upgrading to an Inspire) will start the day after my old one expires.

Are you talking about VGC customer care? Are they telling you that if you have a VGC reservation during the time your pass expires you can renew your pass tomorrow even though it doesn't expire until Nov? Or are they saying that anyone can renew on the 18th?

 

[CoachBeard]

I just got the email as well. I only bought my enchant key in May. I am wondering if I will be able to utilize the parking discount benefit with my current key? I don't believe it was a benefit at the time of purchase but they say "new for this year" and I've got 9 months until expiration so... may be too soon to know but I'm going in a week or so and would like to pay less for parking.

This seems to have been addressed now but I finally got a chat reply from the Disneyland app:

“Hello CoachBeard! The new Magic Key benefits will be in effect August 18th which will be available to our current Magic Key Holders.”

Good. They did it proper for us.

 

[jordan13402]

Are you talking about VGC customer care? Are they telling you that if you have a VGC reservation during the time your pass expires you can renew your pass tomorrow even though it doesn't expire until Nov? Or are they saying that anyone can renew on the 18th?

no, not VGC...regular MK users

 

[DizMe]

no, not VGC...regular MK users

Just so I'm completely clear on this, you were told by Disney that anyone can renew their pass tomorrow regardless of expiration date of their current pass?