So, AP's are out of luck for certain FPs...

[mummabear]

...and we only paid $729 for this privilege.

So you pay only a couple of dollars per day you can visit...

While I think Disney needs to appreciate their loyal base of AP holders and that many AP holders still spend money on food/merchandise I think Disney has found on a per day amount non AP holder spend more

 

[mummabear]

Its not about APs...its about creating classes of guests. Its about onsite versus offsite, doesnt matter what your ticket type is.

Disney wants their hotel rooms filled.

Lets just hope this new class system doesnt go further than this

I don't think it is a class thing. Staying in the Value resorts is a very similar price to staying offsite.
People who choose to stay offsite instead do so because, they can get a bigger room, a fancier hotel, a private house etc so it id up to each person to decide for their money which set of perks they want.
It would be a class system if Deluxe resort guests got more FP+'s or could book earlier than values...

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't think it is a class thing. Staying in the Value resorts is a very similar price to staying offsite.
People who choose to stay offsite instead do so because, they can get a bigger room, a fancier hotel, a private house etc so it id up to each person to decide for their money which set of perks they want.
It would be a class system if Deluxe resort guests got more FP+'s or could book earlier than values...

From Disney's POV, it's not the same amount of profit.

 

[mummabear]

So far, I have always stayed onsite or each of my trips for the past three years as an AP. Yes, I bring a lot of my own food and we don't buy souvenirs but I did a breakdown a while back and I spend more at Disney each year than the average family spends on their once a year trip.

When I went to the travel agent training, I was told that the average trip was $3,000. So far, I have booked three trips for people with price tags of $5K, $5K and $3K

Annual passes (w/WP and more) cost our family of four $2916 so before even booking a hotel or buying single meal, we have spent what an entire average family spends on their once a year vacation to WDW.

Out of curiosity what does that $3K consist of? Does it include transport to Florida?
It is irrelevant to Disney how much you spend on your trip-just with them. It costs us near on $10K just to get our family to Florida but sadly since I can't fly Air Disney (wouldn't that be great so long as Goofy isn't flying) it just doesnt matter. Tickets, food, souvenirs, tours do.
You also need to take into account not just what you spend at Disney but what you cost to Disney.

 

[mummabear]

From Disney's POV, it's not the same amount of profit.

I don't understand the part you have bolded.

My point is that Disney makes more from you staying onsite and should therefore create perks to entice you to do so.
Another poster said it was a class thing and I was disagreeing, if you can afford to stay off site then you can afford to stay on site at a value but people choose not to because of the perks they get by staying offsite (like a bigger room for the money)

 

[Anc96]

From some posts I've been reading regarding early FP+ selections...It seems that Disney "opens" a certain amount of FP+ for early bookings, but then releases more the night before or day of. I've read on the boards where many people were able to get their FP+ selections the night before or the morning of.

For instance, I have AP - actually just the voucher now but it is linked to MDE. We're staying onsite but no going until Aug. For the fun of it, I went online to MDE this morning around 8:45 and I was able to choose FP+ selections for today for TSM, Star Tours and Little Mermaid. I had three options to choose from - one had early morning TSM FP, another had Later afternoon TSM FP and the third had early evening TSM FP. From what I gather this is a very busy week at WDW and I was still able to get TSM FP+ day of. Of course I didn't book them and just cancelled.

I am assuming FP+ like Elsa & Anna will always be difficult to get because it is still so new and very popular even if you try 60 days out.

I totally understand and agree with your frustration. APs are a big expense and you should be able to choose FP+ sooner or get your magic bands before your first trip. But there is still hope you will get the FP+ you want.

I may be wrong, but I think as time progresses the FP+ system will evolve and change to accommodate some of these early problems/issues. In the meantime I can see how it can be annoying. I hope you're able to get the FPs you want as you get closer to your trip.

I just wanted to point out to those who don't know, AP holders do get their bands before their first visit. They simply sign on to MDE and design their bands and choose ship.
Ours came in the mail last week and we won't be in Disney until the end of June. But being AP holders, we could show up anytime (in Disney's eyes), so you should have your bands ahead of time.
I can't book FP+ more than 30 days out from any given day.

 

[china mom]

Out of curiosity what does that $3K consist of? Does it include transport to Florida?
It is irrelevant to Disney how much you spend on your trip-just with them. It costs us near on $10K just to get our family to Florida but sadly since I can't fly Air Disney (wouldn't that be great so long as Goofy isn't flying) it just doesnt matter. Tickets, food, souvenirs, tours do.
You also need to take into account not just what you spend at Disney but what you cost to Disney.

This is just the Disney part (hotel, tickets, dining plan). I removed airfare from these figures

 

[jrjankowski8]

I just wanted to point out to those who don't know, AP holders do get their bands before their first visit. They simply sign on to MDE and design their bands and choose ship. Ours came in the mail last week and we won't be in Disney until the end of June. But being AP holders, we could show up anytime (in Disney's eyes), so you should have your bands ahead of time. I can't book FP+ more than 30 days out from any given day.

Is this your first ever ap or renewal?

I was told I couldn't get my MB til after first visit.

My AP is in my account and I can link FP to it. But no MB

 

[Anc96]

Is this your first ever ap or renewal?

I was told I couldn't get my MB til after first visit.

My AP is in my account and I can link FP to it. But no MB

If you have your actual AP, and not just a voucher, you should be able to get your MBs. It is not my " first ever" AP, but I also never renew. I purchase late June or early July one year, and use it again the following year in early-mid June. Since we live so far (PA), getting APs is worth it with using it for 2 years (kinda) and the savings in parking (and the small saving in merchandise and food helps too). I work for a school district, and my daughter is now too old to take out of school, so summer is the only time we can go.
We've had our current APs since early July last year. I went online in my MDE account and linked it. Then you need to look for "design your bands". After you've finished there should be an option to ship now.
If someone has an actual AP (not a voucher) they have to let you activate and choose your fp*s at anytime within a 30 day period from that day since you can go there at anytime. There's no reason why they wouldn't send your MBs. But if you haven't activated your passes yet, I guess I can see not sending the MBs until they're activated. But those with resort reservations get their bands before their tickets are activated, so I don't know why AP voucher holders wouldn't too.

And I don't have resort reservations so that wouldn't be a reason why we got our MBs. When I ordered them they took less than a week to come

 

[sethschroeder]

So far, I have always stayed onsite or each of my trips for the past three years as an AP. Yes, I bring a lot of my own food and we don't buy souvenirs but I did a breakdown a while back and I spend more at Disney each year than the average family spends on their once a year trip.

When I went to the travel agent training, I was told that the average trip was $3,000. So far, I have booked three trips for people with price tags of $5K, $5K and $3K

Annual passes (w/WP and more) cost our family of four $2916 so before even booking a hotel or buying single meal, we have spent what an entire average family spends on their once a year vacation to WDW.

How long do you stay? Where do you stay? How many days in a year do you go? It's about money per day not overall. For instance if you go 20 days and they get two 1-timers those 1-timers spent $3760 on tickets compared to your AP. The 1-timers potentially are spending more on food/special extras/souvenirs for friends and family.

It's like the people who live down the road if you go every weekend, have just maybe a snack and a light dinner 2 times a month you might spend more for the year but not on a daily basis. Heck even if you were to get a dinner ever time you went by not staying onsite your already at a $ spent disadvantage.

 

[backfire103]

I live in NY and have a AP. I go for generally 3 weeks out of the year to disney at different times. I do think for the crap load of money you put down they really should at least give you 60 days. I refuse to stay on site any more after having possibly the worst hotel experience ever last year at the POP. (seriously I have stayed in $60 a night hotels with better customer service). I really think they should be offering AP's the same benefits as on site guests. While I don't stay on site I promise I drop more money over the course of the year than a family of 4 on a week vacation. I know that for a fact. That said as long as A list attractions still have a booking window I'm generally fine. Characters aren't that big of a deal to me.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I buy APs because it drives down my cost per day to visit WDW. I save enough that I can accept a few limitations.

 

[lugnut33]

Then it is AP holders and offsite folks that are out of luck. I highly doubt that will be the case going forward though. They are not going to anger 50+% of their park goers by saying A&E FPs are for on site guests only. What you will likely have to do is schedule things like that 30days in advance though. Which does suck.

And yet The Hub says they are holding back 30-40% of available fastpasses for day of.

 

[ArwenMarie]

And yet The Hub says they are holding back 30-40% of available fastpasses for day of.

He/she came back and said that number was before they added offsite to prebooking. IIRC, I don't he/she knew what the current number is. I imagine it can change based on prebooking demand.

 

[theparsons]

It looks like AP holders who are not onsite are just SOL for getting Anna and Elsa FPs. The slots are all taken way before the 30 day mark that we are allowed. I still see availability for TSM and meets with the other characters, but I assume that the Mine Train will also sell out before we are allowed to book....
I'm ok for my August trip cause we're on site, but I'm not the only one out there...and I'm not always onsite.
thoughts?

I think it must depend on your dates....I just went and checked (Thursday, 9:50am Florida time) and would be able to make Anna/Elsa FP on May 19, May 22, May 28 (I stopped checking after these three). The dates in between those are "standby available".


I just made our FP earlier this week and got 2 dates for Anna/Elsa.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I agree it sucks you can't get an A&E FP though, one advantage of the AP is you get lots of chances though. I have a Disneyland AP and love that I never stress about missing anything anymore.

Not all AP holders live close to WDW like so many at DLR do...they may go 2 or 3 times/year...that's not what I'd call "lots of chances"

 

[delmar411]

And yet The Hub says they are holding back 30-40% of available fastpasses for day of.

There likely are few to none held for same day anymore since everyone other cast can book in advance now.

 

[annielous]

I just wanted to point out to those who don't know, AP holders do get their bands before their first visit. They simply sign on to MDE and design their bands and choose ship.
Ours came in the mail last week and we won't be in Disney until the end of June. But being AP holders, we could show up anytime (in Disney's eyes), so you should have your bands ahead of time.
I can't book FP+ more than 30 days out from any given day.

We are AP holders and we didn't receive our Passholder MB yet. Only reason we do have MBs right now is because we stayed on property back in January before they were available to AP members. We too travel WDW quite abit. We stay at Wyndam Cypress Palms through Armed Forces Vacation Club. We will get a one or two bedroom with a full kitchen ( we eat lunch dinner at parks) for $400 (7 nights). With gas and food a 2 day trip averages about $1000 dollars a 7 night averages about $2000. Granted we don't spend a ton at gift shops, however they don't go without. We spent about $3400 for our AP and I wished too we got to book our FP +even maybe a 45 days out.

 

[StuckInKS]

I think it must depend on your dates....I just went and checked (Thursday, 9:50am Florida time) and would be able to make Anna/Elsa FP on May 19, May 22, May 28

Those dates are all more than 30 days out from today. They may or may not still be available once offsite AP booking becomes available for those days.

 

[jahber]

Those dates are all more than 30 days out from today. They may or may not still be available once offsite AP booking becomes available for those days.

They almost certainly won't. I checked MDE for May 17, the furthest date out I can book with my AP. No Anna & Elsa. Or the 16th or the 15th. So, no luck. Am I supposed to wake up midnight to try to book or chain myself to the computer and check every day, Disney? Very magical.