Surprise AP & Ticket Increase

[yetiowine]

I have a vacation package with tickets already paid off....but a few of them I was planning on upgrading once on site. Bad gamble on my part not to upgrade everything in advance, because it's going to cost me more now! I wonder if this weekend should've been anticipated with the end of their holiday season and refurb/changes coming up.

 

[pharmama]

The price increases are NOT a surprise. I kind of expected them to raise the Max Pass pricing and I thought last year when they came out w/ MP that they’d probably increase it to $12-15 a day by the time SWGE opened. For our family of 4, that means an extra $60/day for MP.

I totally agree that, in a general sense, the increases are not a surprise and everyone has been expecting a price increase, especially on MP, for a while. But usually murmurings and hints of a coming price increase start to leak out at least a of couple days before they hit. Seems like they did a good job of keeping the actual date under wraps this time.

I, for one, am surprised they did it before the official end of the holiday season in the parks. Today is Three Kings Day which is still a huge part of the holidays for some cultures. There are still folks at the parks today and possibly even tomorrow (my kids don't go back to school till Tuesday) who are going to be pretty surprised they have to pay $5 more for MP today than yesterday or even tickets if they had planned to buy at the gate. Of course there will always be people there spanning a price increase like this but it still seems like the tail end of the peak season...

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

The block out calendar will not change much, if at all.

So your belief is that they won’t change Signature around the opening of SWGE opening? What changes to do see possible?

I’m trying to plan some dates for future trips and don’t want to plan one where we might end up blocked out. Also, if there are changes, in your opinion, how much notice do you think they’ll give? Will they come with the official SWGE opening announcement?

 

[dina444444]

So your belief is that they won’t change Signature around the opening of SWGE opening? What changes to do see possible?

I’m trying to plan some dates for future trips and don’t want to plan one where we might end up blocked out. Also, if there are changes, in your opinion, how much notice do you think they’ll give? Will they come with the official SWGE opening announcement?

I'm thinking we are going to get an opening announcement in likely the next 4/5 weeks.

 

[VandVsmama]

I just looked at the AP block out calendar on the DL website. Looks like So Cal APs are blocked out for all of June, July, and August. And the rest of the year, those APs only get you in Mon-Thurs. So no more So Cal APs on Sunday’s.

Deluxe APs can go to DCA all summer, but no DL once SWGE opens. The first week that Deluxes can get in, DL will probably be a bit crazy.

And on the first month of Mon-Thursdays that So Cal APs can get in to DL, it will be nuts, too. A lot of them will take the day off of work in order to go in the morning.

So if you’re planning a trip which will involve being at DL on a So Cal AP day, then this is why the $15 for Max Pass will still be a valuable investment despite the increased cost. Because you will be in the parks before they will (assuming that you’re not sleeping in that day). And because you’ll then be able to get a FP through MP while in line for a different ride while you are getting your FP for a SWGE ride.

The alternative is standing in line for your FP like it was for the first 2 years’ worth of Cars land being open when you wanted an RSR FP.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I hope you’re right! I’m not trying to be argumentative but I don’t think anyone expected Deluxe to get blocked out that much time this summer. And Disney has made a point now that they can and will change the blockout calendars at any time. Just makes me nervous.

Right, but they announced that before people renewed for that time period. It’s not like people bought Deluxe passes that showed summer availability and then they were all, “haha, gotcha, you’re blocked all summer!”

 

[katyringo]

Unfortunately, they will not because it is their way to keep a steady monthly cash flow. I bet they hope people will purchase the highest costing one on payments, then, they can't make it to the parks nearly as much as they hoped. I see some bean counter say, hey, let's open up the payment plan to neighboring states!! That will help with generating even MORE steady revenue!

We are passing on APs and since we have a trip already booked since last year, we will still go, but after that, who knows. We have Knotts APs now too, so, we will do other things.

To be honest if they had a payment plan for AP’s for other states, I’d buy one.

 

[pharmama]

LMTClub is still selling tickets at DISCOUNTED prices on the OLD rates. Just purchased 3 day park hoppers for Memorial day weekend at $301 each. Don't have the actual vouchers yet, just a confirmation email, but I'm hoping it will all go through...

Just got the actual tickets from LMT Club so I can confirm they are offering what is now a $75/ticket discount on a 3 day hopper. Tickets are good thru 1/13/2020. Per another poster looks like Undercover Tourist still has discounted tickets at the old price too.

 

[Kender]

Oh great. It wasn't a nightmare. I was hoping it was and I dreamed posting this last night

This is definitely not going to reduce crowds. Increases never do. I would rather have lost payment plan which would decrease AP crowds... But I'm pretty darn sure that's not what Disney wants to do. They just want to maximize profit and will continue to push it until the system breaks. There are still plenty out there willing to pay anything (whether they should or not).

I still think that 13th month promotion was because of some profit hit due to the removal of Premium and replacing it with a pass that cost quite a bit more. They needed to encourage people to upgrade to an AP. But things have settled, we've all mostly accepted the prices, and they have gotten confident enough again to do another huge increase. I've even noticed more getting Sig+. Can't wait to see the next one

I'm definitely out until I live close enough I could look at it as a daily break down of cost (I'm dumb enough I'd still budget the $1,399 in). I really dislike when anyone does that for those who physically can't go every day. Pass cost break down is a very personal number and one break down won't qualify for everyone. My spreadsheets happily detail out mine including the added costs of transportation, lodging, and food because it really is more than the cost of the pass.

And to clarify: the "surprise" is the timing. Not that it happened . Usually we have some sort of mumblings something is coming (all have been February for 2019 so far for the next increase). This is reminiscent of the change October 2015 when no one knew anything until WDW's site went down and then the rumors started circulating a big change was coming for DLR. We didn't even get that with this one, though. Nothing even just before.

 

[Flattes]

Do any of you know what the "blackout dates" for tickets from Undercover Tourist are? The promos they have say blackout dates apply but I can't find anywhere that states what the blackout dates are....

 

[sbd78]

It seems like Disney on both coasts must have lower than normal bookings leading up to the openings of their respective Galaxy's Edge lands. Disneyland's SWGE is set to open this summer, they release a rare ticket deal with dates through May. WDW's SWGE is set to open in the Fall and they released free dining this week with summer dates which is unheard of. Makes me wonder if WDW too, will see crazy ticket price increases as they get closer to their opening date. It's frustrating because I don't even care about Star Wars!

 

[Erin M]

I have a four day hopper for the time during the promotional discount, which is still available now, but I’d planned to upgrade to a five day hopper when there. Wondering if they’ll still let me do that at the promotional rate, or if I’ll pay the new difference.

I’m sad to see MaxPass go up because it makes it hard to afford for large groups and multiple days. I understand it though. It is like magic when you figure it out and use it to its full capacity. I’ll still pay for it, but it’ll change other budgets.

It’s nuts when you look back at cost increases, though when I do some rough math in my head considering operation costs it makes sense. I remember my mom basically yelling at me in the 90s because I was afraid to get on Space Mountain, “I paid $25 for you to get in this park. We are going on this ride!” Ha!

 

[pharmama]

Do any of you know what the "blackout dates" for tickets from Undercover Tourist are? The promos they have say blackout dates apply but I can't find anywhere that states what the blackout dates are....

The blackout dates on the PROMO tickets are:

• Before January 7, 2019.
• After May 23, 2019.
• April 14, 2019 - April 22, 2019

Note that the promo tickets are not unique to Undercover Tourist- this is a DLR ticket promo, though UC does appear to be further discounting the promo tickets.

Looks like UC also has discounted tickets at the old price similar to what I found on LMT if you are visiting during the promo blackout dates or after May 23rd.

 

[VandVsmama]

WDW raised their parking rates to $25/day, so that’s kind of expected that DL would raise them, too. Frustrating, for sure, regardless. It makes staying at a Harbor Blvd hotel all the more desirable so you can walk instead and pay lower hotel parking prices.

We usually end up going to DL for 3 days and we usually get park hopper tickets. Those prices went up by $25 from $330 to $355 per person, so my total for tickets is $1420. Definitely more than the approx $1150-1200 range that we paid for those same tickets 5-6 yr ago.

This will just mean that we will shift how we spend our Disneyland vacation budget. More of it will go toward tickets and less on park food. We’ll stick more religiously to the “bring our own snack” rule instead of only loosely following it.

 

[Howry]

With California minimum wage going up to $12 per hour it doesnt surprise me at all. Did you think Disney was going to foot that bill? We the consumer will pay for the jump.

I have a feeling that is one of the reasons it happened in the beginning of January rather then later.

 

[Kender]

WDW raised their parking rates to $25/day, so that’s kind of expected that DL would raise them, too. Frustrating, for sure, regardless. It makes staying at a Harbor Blvd hotel all the more desirable so you can walk instead and pay lower hotel parking prices.

We usually end up going to DL for 3 days and we usually get park hopper tickets. Those prices went up by $25 from $330 to $355 per person, so my total for tickets is $1420. Definitely more than the approx $1150-1200 range that we paid for those same tickets 5-6 yr ago.

This will just mean that we will shift how we spend our Disneyland vacation budget. More of it will go toward tickets and less on park food. We’ll stick more religiously to the “bring our own snack” rule instead of only loosely following it.

With California minimum wage going up to $12 per hour it doesnt surprise me at all. Did you think Disney was going to foot that bill? We the consumer will pay for the jump.

Psst. The surprise is the timing and the fact there were no whisperings beforehand like we often get

 

[dina444444]

With California minimum wage going up to $12 per hour it doesnt surprise me at all. Did you think Disney was going to foot that bill? We the consumer will pay for the jump.

Disney's minimum wage is going up to $15/hour a year or two before the state hits it. It's also why DVC dues took a massive increase this year.

 

[Flattes]

The blackout dates on the PROMO tickets are:

• Before January 7, 2019.
• After May 23, 2019.
• April 14, 2019 - April 22, 2019

Note that the promo tickets are not unique to Undercover Tourist- this is a DLR ticket promo, though UC does appear to be further discounting the promo tickets.

Looks like UC also has discounted tickets at the old price similar to what I found on LMT if you are visiting during the promo blackout dates or after May 23rd.

Perfect - thank you so much! I was about to buy the Canadian Resident offer on the Disney site (still has the old pricing and maxpass for $10) but it seems the Undercover Tourist prices are even less...$572 for 3 day non hopper versus $612 on Disney. I can live without maxpass if adding it on separately costs me $45 per day for the three of us.

 

[Jperiod]

Sigh. I'm so annoyed I took the chance and waited to buy the AP! We were planning to buy the Sig AP, is it just my imagination or did it include MP last year or was it always an add-on cost?

We were also hoping the premier wouldn't go up much because we were gonna upgrade to that so we could do WDW in Jan 2020. Not so sure about that trip now. $370 is a HUGE increase!

So now I'm trying to decide if I should buy 5 day hoppers on LMTclub now in order to get an $75 upgrade credit in the summer when we go (and upgrade to APs)? Or do I just buy the Sig APs now? Could they do another crazy increase of that AP before July?

Or do I price out our trips for the next year with just park hoppers? I liked the option of the AP because we always found ways to make more trips. If disney is trying to decrease attendance, this certainly worked in our case. While we can afford it, we don't "need" to go to disney more than 1-2 times a year, so these AP increases really make me re-evaluate our 2019-2020 plans.

 

[dina444444]

Sigh. I'm so annoyed I took the chance and waited to buy the AP! We were planning to buy the Sig AP, is it just my imagination or did it include MP last year or was it always an add-on cost?

We were also hoping the premier wouldn't go up much because we were gonna upgrade to that so we could do WDW in Jan 2020. Not so sure about that trip now. $370 is a HUGE increase!

So now I'm trying to decide if I should buy 5 day hoppers on LMTclub now in order to get an $75 upgrade credit in the summer when we go (and upgrade to APs)? Or do I just buy the Sig APs now? Could they do another crazy increase of that AP before July?

Or do I price out our trips for the next year with just park hoppers? I liked the option of the AP because we always found ways to make more trips. If disney is trying to decrease attendance, this certainly worked in our case. While we can afford it, we don't "need" to go to disney more than 1-2 times a year, so these AP increases really make me re-evaluate our 2019-2020 plans.

It was always an add on on that pass