New biometrics on passes

[DeeCee735]

Anyone else think this is not such a great thing? I liked the freedom of "gifting" a day or two left over on my passes to friends or family that would be visiting while we aren't there.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Well, since I've never bought PH-type tickets (AP's in DVC, LOS passes back when I was a Disney-dummy, and A-B-C-D-E tickets as a youth), it's a wash to us. What is interesing is that this is a situation where a rule that has always been in place but poorly policed is now being enforced quite rigorously by Disney.

 

[CapeCodFam]

As far as I'm aware, the tickets have never been transferrable. Now it will be enforced. I guess this will also stop valid tickets being hawked on ebay.

 

[cruise-o-matic]

The only bad thing is that most of the time I'm behind the APer's, they have to scan at least twice. If that doesn't work, you have to wait til they dig for their ID.

They're going to need more entry gates or the lines are really going to back up.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

The only bad thing is that most of the time I'm behind the APer's, they have to scan at least twice. If that doesn't work, you have to wait til they dig for their ID.

They're going to need more entry gates or the lines are really going to back up.

I believe i have read they adding entry gates at all the parks. And personally I think its a great tool. I dont have to worry about losing the ticket and having someone else use it, it will reduce/eliminate all the after market selling on ebay and the like

 

[Laurabearz]

What about biometrics at the water parks, DQ, and PI?? Are they in place already or will they be added later?

 

[tjkraz]

Options for increasing WDW ticket revenue:

1. Implement a system that eliminates the illegal "gifting" or resale of partially used passes, forcing all guests to purchase their own, legitimate admission media.

2. Across the board price increases.

I'll take #1, thank you very much.

(Whether you like the word "illegal" or not, it is appropriate. WDW park passes have always been sold as "non-transferrable", meaning that they were intended to be used by one guest and one guest only. Selling partially used tickets or even giving them to another at no cost violates Florida law.)

 

[mickeysaver]

I love the new plan. It will save us money on tickets. We never go to the waterparks and rarely go to PI. We have several PHP passes around with many unused Plus features. We had considered buying AP's for our next trip, but now, it looks like the flexibility of the new ticketing system will make it more cost effective to just pay as we go next year and maybe have a couple of days left over for a pin event or a day or two before or after a cruise the next year. I am all for saving money. That's why I started reading this board years ago. Maggie

 

[LIFERBABE]

The new pricing will have a big impact on DVCers. Yes we have the AP discount and will benefit from the new pricing if we plan ahead. But many of us have guests that only join us for a small part of our stay at our DVC homes. I have no intention of ever spending 5 days or more with any of my welcomed guests, so that will leave them with the more expensive short stay passes as their only option. I also have no intention of them coming back with us every year so I wouldnt recommend the longer tickets either.

At first i thought the new pricing would work better for our guests, but after further consideration shorter stay guests are left with about the same expensive options as was available before but even fewer now that they are closing the loophole on being able to illegally use a day on a hopper and they've taken away the UPH option.

I normally recommend to guests that dont have $1000 to spend on hoppers to visit US/IOA (5 days for $80 with current promo) and pay the 1 day admission to visit MK if they really want to go. My recommendation won't change based on the new pricing.

I do think this will affect the Sun-Thurs. stays also. Many people will opt to stay put as they increase the length of their stays to get max benefit of the MYW tickets. You can do 12 days at DVC and pay points for only 1 weekend and get the 10 day MYW tickets for $199 +tax. That would be a good value trip on points.

I think Disney would rather us pay as we go as opposed to the way many of us benefitted by purchasing hoppers before price increases or AP vouchers etc. They want us to live in the now so their revenue increases are more effective later.

 

[dan-tot]

All disney cares about now adays is to squeeze every penny from us. Disney will still raise prices on tickets with or without this new system.

 

[goofyernmost]

All disney cares about now adays is to squeeze every penny from us. Disney will still raise prices on tickets with or without this new system.

I have to agree. I have been shot down in other threads for taking this stand but here goes again. What I do with the tickets that I paid for with usable currency is not Disneys business under any circumstances, ever.

They have put a little message on the tickets that they are not transferable in an effort to prevent you from selling your tickets, at discount, to someone else. Unfortunitely, this system will probably interfere with even the "legal" use of them. Let me give you an example. Last year I, that's correct "I" purchased with my hard earned money, a 5 day park hopper for my GF. Two days were used on it. I have since broken up with her but I still have the ticket. Under this new, and in my opinion, questionably immoral system, I would not be able to use a ticket that I PURCHASED, with MY MONEY. In an effort to stop the questionable practice of selling tickets to others it will also block the proper use of them as well.

They can't even make exceptions because for all they know I could be making that excuse up. Make an exception and you might as well not have done it to begin with. It is wrong, wrong, wrong. Nothing will convince me that it is anything other than corporate greed. It will, in the long run, cost Disney in lost additional sales. And what about the money that people spent for a service that wasn't rendered. If we as "guest" are expected to live up to the high moral standard of non-transferable status then isn't it just as necessary that Disney return the portion of the money that they received and gave nothing in return?

I've said it before and I'll say it again. When, and if,that starts happening, the magic will be dead for me and Disney will be just a part of my history. It will no longer be a part of my present or future!

Check out my counter. That's how many day I have before I go to WDW again and use what is left of that ticket plus buy a couple of days more. Without the use of that ticket I would be staying home and spending my money some other place. Sometimes reality is far more lucrative then theory and common sense is more profitable then greed!

 

[tjkraz]

All disney cares about now adays is to squeeze every penny from us. Disney will still raise prices on tickets with or without this new system.

And as a shareholder, my response is "yeah, Disney." If the economy and guest demand didn't dictate a price increase, then they wouldn't be able to do it. Disney's prices (admission, food, souvenirs) are not out of line with the rest of the industry.

Don't like it--go to Universal.

Edit: I also want to note that I firmly believe these moves will stave off at least one price increase. Annual increases are a reality of the theme park business. But I, for one, do not foresee another increase in 2005 following the introduction of this new program. If true, then this new program has helped avoid an across-the-board increase for at least a year.

Will there be an increase in '06? Yeah, probably. But that's completely unavoidable.

 

[tjkraz]

I have to agree. I have been shot down in other threads for taking this stand but here goes again. What I do with the tickets that I paid for with usable currency is not Disneys business under any circumstances, ever.

When you surrender that currency for the pass, you agree to the usage guidelines printed on the back. It's the same as when you buy a DVD and agree not to copy and redistribute it. Or, when you purchase a software application and agree to use it under very specific terms as outlined by the seller.

I'm not going to bother with the philosophical argument, because it's totally moot.

Disney always had some holes in its ticket scheme in that you couldn't purchase a 1 or 2 day hopper pass. Folks only wanting to visit for a couple of days would often turn to eBay out of need.

The new pricing structure invalidates that need. You can now purchase a 1-day hopper if desired. And, WDW now offers 10-day hoppers at HUGE discounts. I, for one, certainly can't fault them for protecting the value of their asset by taking steps to ensure that all 10 of those days are used by the original purchaser.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Woah!

First of all, there's been NO confirmation that the biometrics WILL be required. It's an idea that they're tossing around, but has not as of yet become a reality. That comes direct from a CM that posts here on the DIS.

And many people here are only seeing the negatives. There are quite a few positives. With this new system, leftover days will more likely than not become a thing of the past. You'll purchase what you need, and you won't HAVE leftover days to give away. Not to mention, photocopying the backs of your passes will become a thing of the past. Lost your ticket? Go to Guest Relations and get a new one. And, best of all? More often than not, this new system will save you money. 5+ day hoppers are working out CHEAPER than they have in the past. And even though it's expensive, how many people have been seeking 1, 2 or 3 day hopper passes? Now they have a legit avenue to purchase those tickets.

I'm a HUGE SaveDisney.com supporter, and see a lot of bad things going on within the company. But this is one thing that I think Disney is doing right.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Goofyernmost, I really sympathize with the situation you're in, but I hope you'll allow me a little chuckle at the thought of a whole new topic for Divorce court-does the ex need to reimburse you for the ticket.
I'm glad they're adding extra entrance turnstiles. As another poster mentioned, how often does one parent keep all the passes, then just quickly hands them out at the front gate. Now everyone has to take the time to be matched up with the exact right pass.