Magic Key Renewals

[Viva Las Disney]

The lawsuit isn't about whether they can or should do it one way or the other. It's about how they misled buyers regarding how the Dream Key would actually work. If fairness is the goal, then part of being fair is Disney being straightforward and clear about what you are actually buying when you buy a pass. And that's what is at issue in the lawsuit.

Sums it up perfectly and also why the lawsuit is 100% valid, knowledgable Disney visitors (including all passholders) knew for a fact that DL only sold out on Christmas, New Years, and a handful of other days every year. When Disney sold the passes “pending availability” they knew the expectation from their guests was a few sold out days every year but availability the other 350+ days of the year, just like it had been for the last several decades, this is not what they delivered.

We don’t care if we ever see a penny, we just don’t want others to feel taken like we did, it’s too late for us anyway, we’ve had no-blackout date APs for over a decade but won’t be renewing next month, we feel burned by the Keys fiasco and all the recent changes have resulted in a diminished experience for us, we’ll still visit a few times a year to get our fix but we’ll spend most our vacation time elsewhere. They‘ve pushed us away and we’re looking forward to trying other things.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Sums it up perfectly and also why the lawsuit is 100% valid, knowledgable Disney visitors (including all passholders) knew for a fact that DL only sold out on Christmas, New Years, and a handful of other days every year. When Disney sold the passes “pending availability” they knew the expectation from their guests was a few sold out days every year but availability the other 350+ days of the year, just like it had been for the last several decades, this is not what they delivered.

We don’t care if we ever see a penny, we just don’t want others to feel taken like we did, it’s too late for us anyway, we’ve had no-blackout date APs for over a decade but won’t be renewing next month, we feel burned by the Keys fiasco and all the recent changes have resulted in a diminished experience for us, we’ll still visit a few times a year to get our fix but we’ll spend most our vacation time elsewhere. They‘ve pushed us away and we’re looking forward to trying other things.

Depending on where you live and the cost of flights, you could even try out other parks rather than feel forced to keep returning to Disneyland to get the most value out of an Annual Pass. I like Tokyo a lot more and it's way cheaper if ignoring the cost of flights. Tickets usually come out to just over 1/2 the cost of Disneyland in California and hotels are way nicer and cheaper. The Westin is the only hotel near Disneyland I'd say is even close to the quality of the Sheraton Grande on Tokyo Disney property but costs at least double on normal nights.

 

[dcraytho]

I just received an emailed survey from Disneyland. The survey was on the Magic Key passes. If I just received today, 39 days from expiration, I don’t think any decisions have been made on the renewals.

 

[DLgal]

I just received an emailed survey from Disneyland. The survey was on the Magic Key passes. If I just received today, 39 days from expiration, I don’t think any decisions have been made on the renewals.

What kind of questions were on the survey?

 

[dcraytho]

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[PirateBrigade]

Sums it up perfectly and also why the lawsuit is 100% valid, knowledgable Disney visitors (including all passholders) knew for a fact that DL only sold out on Christmas, New Years, and a handful of other days every year. When Disney sold the passes “pending availability” they knew the expectation from their guests was a few sold out days every year but availability the other 350+ days of the year, just like it had been for the last several decades, this is not what they delivered.

And I gotta say, the other part of it is Disney deviated from its own previous practices and history by closing off AP reservations but allowing the sale of day tickets. Financially, makes sense. But if you have a previous AP holder being told that there is a "reservation required" and that the parks are subject to "capacity restrictions," it's not unreasonable to think that it is based on actual, physical capacity, and not Disney trying to maximize revenue by preferentially admitting ticket holders.

To the Dream Key holder, they are basically saying:

Disney: "Here's a $1200 blockout date free, capacity controlled access pass!"
Holder: "Great, I want to go on November 7"
Disney: "Sorry, there is no capacity...unless you buy this other ticket. It's not technically blocked out! We have room, but you just can't come in, unless you pay me another $154."

That is why this case will settle out of court on the day before it goes to trial.

 

[PirateBrigade]

Depending on where you live and the cost of flights, you could even try out other parks rather than feel forced to keep returning to Disneyland to get the most value out of an Annual Pass. I like Tokyo a lot more and it's way cheaper if ignoring the cost of flights. Tickets usually come out to just over 1/2 the cost of Disneyland in California and hotels are way nicer and cheaper. The Westin is the only hotel near Disneyland I'd say is even close to the quality of the Sheraton Grande on Tokyo Disney property but costs at least double on normal nights.

Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are the crown jewels of the Disney park empire... and that's only because Disney/Bob Cheapskate doesn't run them, hahaha.

 

[zzzzk]

This also may be delaying magic pass renewals. Vote on July 19th. Ridiculous how high taxes are. "

Anaheim Government to Vote on New Admissions Tax That May Increase Ticket Prices at Disneyland Resort​

The City of Anaheim is due to vote on a proposed new “admissions tax” that may cost guests more to get into Disneyland Resort.
The new ordinance would apply a 2% tax to ticket sales for any venues with a capacity of 15,000 or greater. It would be added as an amendment to the Anaheim Municipal Code. The tax would also apply to “season passes or subscriptions,” meaning a potential increase on Magic Key Passes as well (when they are available for renewal or purchase

 

[PirateBrigade]

This also may be delaying magic pass renewals. Vote on July 19th. Ridiculous how high taxes are. "

Anaheim Government to Vote on New Admissions Tax That May Increase Ticket Prices at Disneyland Resort​

The City of Anaheim is due to vote on a proposed new “admissions tax” that may cost guests more to get into Disneyland Resort.
The new ordinance would apply a 2% tax to ticket sales for any venues with a capacity of 15,000 or greater. It would be added as an amendment to the Anaheim Municipal Code. The tax would also apply to “season passes or subscriptions,” meaning a potential increase on Magic Key Passes as well (when they are available for renewal or purchase

Probably not. The vote today is to put it on the ballot for voters to decide in November. Also, if there's a gate tax, it would be 100% Disney's fault:

For 19 years, Anaheim had in place a little-known measure to spare Disneyland Resort from any entertainment or gate taxes imposed by the city until 2015. The city extended the agreement for 30 years as long as Disney agreed to invest at least $1 billion in the resort. Disneyland met its obligation by building Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a 14-acre expansion project that opened in 2019.

The agreement, and the goodwill between Anaheim and Disney, crumbled when the city canceled a $267-million tax rebate plan offered to Disneyland in exchange for building a luxury four-diamond hotel on the resort property. Frustrated Disney executives responded in 2018 by asking Anaheim to rescind all of its previous finance agreements, including the 30-year break on entertainment and gate taxes. That move opened the door to the proposed gate tax measure.

 

[whiteness]

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Probably not. The vote today is to put it on the ballot for voters to decide in November. Also, if there's a gate tax, it would be 100% Disney's fault:

Disney will just pass it on to the guests. I don’t think it’s an issue one way or the other.

 

[njchris]

Disney will just pass it on to the guests. I don’t think it’s an issue one way or the other.

It's really the town that's passing it on to the guests.

 

[whiteness]

It's really the town that's passing it on to the guests.

Regardless, Disney doesn't care unless it affects their income. 2% isn't enough to do that significantly. 10% might.

 

[DLgal]

A 2% gate tax is nothing, considering that local sales tax would be 7.75% if they charged that instead.

 

[StormyCA]

Sales tax has been paid on WDW tickets for yonks. I'm surprised it's taken Anaheim this long to start taxing tickets as a source of revenue. I can only assume that TPTB at DL have been able to keep pressure on City officials to 'discourage' them in the past. With the recent 'breakdown' in Disney/Anaheim relations those officials have probably decided that 'now is the time'.

As far as the specifics of the MKey lawsuit go IANAL and happy to let the courts decide, but I'm afraid the plaintiff may have cut off her nose to spite her face if what she wanted was to force Disney to remove reservations from the 'all you can eat buffet' pass level. Instead she may find that Disney will choose to eliminate that class of pass altogether at DL or make other changes that are 'even worse'.

But I also think that to an extent MKeys were their own worst enemy by making reservations 'just in case we want to go' for popular seasons which resulted in no availability to those who didn't 'get in there first' and make their own reservations. I don't think it was a case of 'not enough reservations', it was a case of reservation 'hoarding'. Et voila, we now have the lawsuit because the plaintiff couldn't go when she wanted because other MKeys had snapped up the reservations. IMO if they'd only booked days they knew they were going (as day ticket holders must do) there never would have been a shortage. Or the shortage would have been much less. No, they weren't breaking the rules, it was allowed. But just because something is allowed it doesn't always follow that it's the best course of action. And there is nothing wrong with Disney 'favoring' day ticket holders over MKeys, I think day tickets should have a larger pool. Firstly, day ticket holders make Disney more money and Disney isn't a charitable institution. Secondly, they would assume (correctly IMO) that the vast majority of MKeys have more flexibility in scheduling days whereas day ticket guests are more likely to be traveling from out of town and/or limited to specific time periods by work, school, etc.

 

[dcraytho]

What kind of questions were on the survey?

The questions were rate your experience with reservations, the parks in general. How did I like my pass what could be better about the pass. Just those type of questions.

 

[evilmommie]

The questions were rate your experience with reservations, the parks in general. How did I like my pass what could be better about the pass. Just those type of questions.

Pretty sure I received that survey. Nov or Dec LY.

 

[DLgal]

The questions were rate your experience with reservations, the parks in general. How did I like my pass what could be better about the pass. Just those type of questions.

Okay, so that's not a new survey. I've received several like that since late last year. I wouldn't read much into it.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Sales tax has been paid on WDW tickets for yonks. I'm surprised it's taken Anaheim this long to start taxing tickets as a source of revenue. I can only assume that TPTB at DL have been able to keep pressure on City officials to 'discourage' them in the past. With the recent 'breakdown' in Disney/Anaheim relations those officials have probably decided that 'now is the time'.

As far as the specifics of the MKey lawsuit go IANAL and happy to let the courts decide, but I'm afraid the plaintiff may have cut off her nose to spite her face if what she wanted was to force Disney to remove reservations from the 'all you can eat buffet' pass level. Instead she may find that Disney will choose to eliminate that class of pass altogether at DL or make other changes that are 'even worse'.

But I also think that to an extent MKeys were their own worst enemy by making reservations 'just in case we want to go' for popular seasons which resulted in no availability to those who didn't 'get in there first' and make their own reservations. I don't think it was a case of 'not enough reservations', it was a case of reservation 'hoarding'. Et voila, we now have the lawsuit because the plaintiff couldn't go when she wanted because other MKeys had snapped up the reservations. IMO if they'd only booked days they knew they were going (as day ticket holders must do) there never would have been a shortage. Or the shortage would have been much less. No, they weren't breaking the rules, it was allowed. But just because something is allowed it doesn't always follow that it's the best course of action. And there is nothing wrong with Disney 'favoring' day ticket holders over MKeys, I think day tickets should have a larger pool. Firstly, day ticket holders make Disney more money and Disney isn't a charitable institution. Secondly, they would assume (correctly IMO) that the vast majority of MKeys have more flexibility in scheduling days whereas day ticket guests are more likely to be traveling from out of town and/or limited to specific time periods by work, school, etc.

The thing about consumer psychology is that Disney created the hoarding behavior by seriously restricting reservations during Halloween and Christmas. If everybody could trust that there would always be enough reservations, people would not feel a need to make speculative reservations.

Day ticket holders do make Disney more money per person per day but Keyholders make Disney more money per year. When I had an annual pass, I was regularly asking friends and family if they wanted to go which resulted in many ticket sales for Disney. This past year, I was actively trying to convince my friends and family to go elsewhere for vacation due to lack of reservations. Once my Magic Key expires, even the thousands of dollars I give to Disney will be gone. And that trickles down further than just the parks. If I'm not going to the parks, I'll feel less of a need to watch the newest Disney movies so that's movie tickets that my friends and family won't be buying. And without easy access to the parks, I've already eliminated buying new pins for pin trading which means I'm less likely to buy other random stuff at the Disney store online to get free shipping so they're losing out on merchandise from me too.

I have no doubt Disney will be very successful at increasing their revenue per guest per day. But I think overall, it'll eventually come back to bite them.

 

[zzzzk]

Just my opinion, all the complainers are probably going to ruin it for everyone. We are coming off of a pandemic. REMEMBER?!! I've noticed that usually the people who complain the most are the ones with the best passes. Life is tough having money. (I've had the best and the cheapest passes, for my family, by the way). Do you get terribly perturbed if your steak isn't cooked perfectly? All the while poorer people have to save up just to be able to get tickets or lower-end passports. How about a little gratitude? No. Time to throw a temper tantrum you didn't get ALL the reservations you wanted. Those who fit in this category (obviously, not all) are acting like spoiled, arrogant, kids. Just my opinion. I wonder how many kids will not be able to go, now? Disneyland is doing the best they can with finite resources. Perfectly, no.

 

[DisneylandFan22]

Just my opinion, all the complainers are probably going to ruin it for everyone. We are coming off of a pandemic. REMEMBER?!! I've noticed that usually the people who complain the most are the ones with the best passes. Life is tough having money. (I've had the best and the cheapest passes, for my family, by the way). Do you get terribly perturbed if your steak isn't cooked perfectly? All the while poorer people have to save up just to be able to get tickets or lower-end passports. How about a little gratitude? No. Time to throw a temper tantrum you didn't get ALL the reservations you wanted. Those who fit in this category (obviously, not all) are acting like spoiled, arrogant, kids. Just my opinion. I wonder how many kids will not be able to go, now? Disneyland is doing the best they can with finite resources. Perfectly, no.

I’m cool with playing the world’s tiniest violin for someone whose biggest problem is not being able to go to Disneyland the 2nd Saturday in December. But I’m not clear how things are going to be ruined for everyone? Disney literally doesn’t have to change anything except their language. If they increase prices and price out people at the lower end (which are the passes I have) it will have nothing to do with this lawsuit.