Ticket Prices Going Up 2/12/17 ~ New Pricing Page 8>>>

[Eastern]

I probably still won't try to do this again because the savings was definitely NOT worth the HUGE hassle it took to get the correct price.

It's unfortunate that you got an uniformed CM. I've done this a few times and it worked fine. I usually go to the Main St GS but I have gone to the one at Epcot and they were good as well.

 

[BrianL]

Well, I did just grab some UCT Tix for my October trip. I saved about $60 per ticket for myself and two friends, so not bad. I'm not sure I understand UCT's math sometimes, but there's no doubt I saved a little money (Food & Wine money!).

I'm still not sure about my Park Hopper for March. I'll figure it out. I'll either do it when I get there or maybe not even bother.

 

[ArielSRL]

Or, maybe Disney will convert to fully digital/etickets as they already do with tickets sold through Park Savers and Expedia. Guests will purchase their tickets and receive a receipt/Confirmation of purchase. Then, a few days later, the actual voucher numbers will be sent to the reseller who then forwards the info to the guest.

Resellers still make their profit and they don't end up with excess tickets that have an expiration date.

That sounds like the smartest thing for them to do.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I'm not sure I understand UCT's math sometimes

Their savings at the moment are based on their current old prices as compared to Disney's new prices, purchased at the park.

 

[BrianL]

Their savings at the moment are based on their current old prices as compared to Disney's new prices, purchased at the park.

Yeah, I think I figured that out. It says "Save $79" but that's including this new $20 fee for an at-the-gate purchase, so realistically, it's only $59 (still a lot of food for my trip!). They also have some tickets that say things like "4 day with 5th day free) but then it's just the same as a 5-Day ticket. I know it's all marketing-speak, I was just very careful about what I was selecting.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

The bottom line is Disney wants the families who stay on property for 7 days and buy food and souvenirs. They come once or twice while their kids are growing up and spend big. Those families who scrimp and save, stay off site, and bring in their own food are not who they are concerned about even if they come every year or two. They use the locals with bargain ticket deals and cheap APs for off times to keep the parks looking reasonably full.

Attendance being down while profits up is what they want. Less people in the parks is a better guest experience and it easier for them to manage. I hate to sound mean, but if my Disney trip costs $500 more, but there are less people and it is a better experience for me, then I am all for it.

 

[Day-Day]

The bottom line is Disney wants the families who stay on property for 7 days and buy food and souvenirs. They come once or twice while their kids are growing up and spend big. Those families who scrimp and save, stay off site, and bring in their own food are not who they are concerned about even if they come every year or two. They use the locals with bargain ticket deals and cheap APs for off times to keep the parks looking reasonably full.

Attendance being down while profits up is what they want. Less people in the parks is a better guest experience and it easier for them to manage. I hate to sound mean, but if my Disney trip costs $500 more, but there are less people and it is a better experience for me, then I am all for it.

I like the idea but it probably won't work out this way. There are many more families now than in the past. Even if the percentage of families that can afford WDW goes down, the absolute number will probably still go up. This will continue to keep the parks full. This seems to come up every year. WDW raises prices on everything and the parks get more crowded.

 

[Disneymom8181]

I am upset about the elimination of the separate water parks and more option. I don't want to have to buy hoppers to go to Buy the water park multi admission ticket. We have never used Hoppers and Have had fabulous vacations without them. I guess I can look at it as just a price increase. It won't make or break our upcoming March trip, but as a percentage increase, it is rather large for the add on that we want.

 

[quandrea]

The bottom line is Disney wants the families who stay on property for 7 days and buy food and souvenirs. They come once or twice while their kids are growing up and spend big. Those families who scrimp and save, stay off site, and bring in their own food are not who they are concerned about even if they come every year or two. They use the locals with bargain ticket deals and cheap APs for off times to keep the parks looking reasonably full.

Attendance being down while profits up is what they want. Less people in the parks is a better guest experience and it easier for them to manage. I hate to sound mean, but if my Disney trip costs $500 more, but there are less people and it is a better experience for me, then I am all for it.

The thing is APs are not inexpensive. My family of five would have to put out $3000 for gold APs that have three weeks of black out dates. That's $4000 Canadian! Just two years ago I could get a pass that was good all year for all four parks and the water parks for just $399 a piece or $1995. Two years is not a long time. We've reached our limit and won't be getting APs. We won't be going into the parks at all when at WDW. When the inevitable recession hits and those big spending 7 day visitors stop coming, Disney will have alienated their most loyal and reliable customers. Their business plan may not look so good then.

I used to visit forty days a year, at least, when I held an AP. I'd eat at least one meal out a day, plus snacks. We'd shop at Disney Springs, bowl, golf, go to the movies, visit the parks every few days for a few hours.

Without an AP I am down to about 20 days per year. I hang out at the hotel, use community hall (free), swim (free), cook in my kitchen (free), have movie nights (free), watch fireworks from my room (free).

My point is that these APs aren't cheap. Raising the cost of them further is lots of money out of Disney's pocket. I think it's short sighted.

 

[WDW1979]

There are many more families now than in the past. Even if the percentage of families that can afford WDW goes down, the absolute number will probably still go up. This will continue to keep the parks full. This seems to come up every year. WDW raises prices on everything and the parks get more crowded.

I agree, and the increasing relative safety for families of Disney hotels and Disney parks may add to that as well by increasing the relative value. So if parks are staying crowded even with price increases, maybe they could do something like expand the parks to help improve guest experience (a 5th gate would be nice but expanding the existing parks may be easier). Animal Kingdom is getting Pandora and an evening show, so that is good. Hollywood Studios should come online with a lot of new stuff in 2019. I know Magic Kingdom opened "New Fantasyland" a few years ago, adding a great restaurant and two good rides, though the net number of new rides could arguably be considered zero considering the loss of the old 20,000 Leagues and the loss of Snow White; Magic Kingdom could use a couple of great new rides in Tomorrowland and an expansion of Frontierland or Adventureland, maybe including adding space and rides to Frontierland on the other side of the train tracks. Epcot is a large park with lots of space, but could use a couple of new rides in Future World, a couple of new countries in World Showcase, and some additional rides or movies in a couple of existing countries. Well, that's what I would like to see anyway, but I'm not a theme park development expert.

 

[WDW1979]

The thing is APs are not inexpensive. My family of five would have to put out $3000 for gold APs that have three weeks of black out dates. That's $4000 Canadian! Just two years ago I could get a pass that was good all year for all four parks and the water parks for just $399 a piece or $1995. Two years is not a long time. We've reached our limit and won't be getting APs. We won't be going into the parks at all when at WDW.

It sure costs a lot. If my family of five is to keep up with annual Disney trips, I'll have to adjust the direct debit of my paycheque from the Royal Bank of Canada to the Disney Bank of All The World's Money.

 

[disneyfor3]

Just purchased the 4 day ph with 3 day free from UT. They only had e tickets left. If I exchange this for tickets at the park or link to my MDE will it have an expiration date of end of 2018 to use them? There is nothing listed on the receipt about them not expiring until after first use.

 

[randumb0]

Orlando Fun Tickets is cheaper than UT right now

 

[Day-Day]

nevermind

 

[JessicaW1234]

I am upset about the elimination of the separate water parks and more option. I don't want to have to buy hoppers to go to Buy the water park multi admission ticket. We have never used Hoppers and Have had fabulous vacations without them. I guess I can look at it as just a price increase. It won't make or break our upcoming March trip, but as a percentage increase, it is rather large for the add on that we want.

How does it work now?

 

[JessicaW1234]

Then call them ASAP and ask them to change the tickets to Hoppers.
Explain what happened (a misunderstanding.)
They MIGHT be able to do that at the old price.

I have a Disney package and we were considering switching from water parks & more to hoppers. Is this possible now? Would we pay the increased price?

 

[rlduvall]

Orlando Fun Tickets is cheaper than UT right now

Which ticket? Because I just checked them out and they add taxes at the end making them quite a bit more expensive. The 7 day PH is $448. versus UCT or Parksavers at around $418., when buying a 4 day PH + 3 free days. I know, I know, why not just say it's a 7 day PH?

 

[Disneybuckeye]

I like the idea but it probably won't work out this way. There are many more families now than in the past. Even if the percentage of families that can afford WDW goes down, the absolute number will probably still go up. This will continue to keep the parks full. This seems to come up every year. WDW raises prices on everything and the parks get more crowded.

Based on numbers though attendance is down. This should make the parks less crowded in theory.

The thing is APs are not inexpensive. My family of five would have to put out $3000 for gold APs that have three weeks of black out dates. That's $4000 Canadian! Just two years ago I could get a pass that was good all year for all four parks and the water parks for just $399 a piece or $1995. Two years is not a long time. We've reached our limit and won't be getting APs. We won't be going into the parks at all when at WDW. When the inevitable recession hits and those big spending 7 day visitors stop coming, Disney will have alienated their most loyal and reliable customers. Their business plan may not look so good then.

I used to visit forty days a year, at least, when I held an AP. I'd eat at least one meal out a day, plus snacks. We'd shop at Disney Springs, bowl, golf, go to the movies, visit the parks every few days for a few hours.

Without an AP I am down to about 20 days per year. I hang out at the hotel, use community hall (free), swim (free), cook in my kitchen (free), have movie nights (free), watch fireworks from my room (free).

My point is that these APs aren't cheap. Raising the cost of them further is lots of money out of Disney's pocket. I think it's short sighted.

A silver AP For 5 is $1945.00. Yes, that is a lot of money, but if a local family visits 10 times that is less than $200 per day for the family. Going to a movie will cost $50 and only lasts two hours. Going to a ball game is well over $100. Most families buying APs are going to visit multiple times or they would not purchase. With the black out dates of prime season this moves their volume to less demand times of the year.

As for the gold AP that you are buying as a DVC member, I thought those only went up $10? We paid under $600 for ours and are using them for four trips and are getting about 30 days out of them. They are still a good deal in my book.

 

[quandrea]

Based on numbers though attendance is down. This should make the parks less crowded in theory.



A silver AP For 5 is $1945.00. Yes, that is a lot of money, but if a local family visits 10 times that is less than $200 per day for the family. Going to a movie will cost $50 and only lasts two hours. Going to a ball game is well over $100. Most families buying APs are going to visit multiple times or they would not purchase. With the black out dates of prime season this moves their volume to less demand times of the year.

As for the gold AP that you are buying as a DVC member, I thought those only went up $10? We paid under $600 for ours and are using them for four trips and are getting about 30 days out of them. They are still a good deal in my book.

I think value is different for everyone. We bought our last APs in October 2015. Had planned a year off with renewal October 2017 because even a year ago we were starting to get uncomfortable with the cost. So even with the ten dollar hike, we've been uncomfortable for a while with the value. Dh figures we come in at about $220 per visit. He asks, "What do I get for that $220". His answer is crowds, maybe 7-10 rides, the hassle of security and rude guests. He places more value on a ball game, movie, etc because they involve something novel to him and a whole lot less hassle. His idea of value may be different from yours. I do know while I love Disney more than he does the numbers associated with an AP purchase literally cause me discomfort. It is sooooo much money. Perhaps it's just time to hit the parks every now and then and to keep costs down that way. My days of spending many days a year inside a Disney park are probably over. That last ten dollars put me over the edge.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Just purchased the 4 day ph with 3 day free from UT. They only had e tickets left. If I exchange this for tickets at the park or link to my MDE will it have an expiration date of end of 2018 to use them? There is nothing listed on the receipt about them not expiring until after first use.

If they "only had etickets left," that means you purchased the tickets that don't have the 2018 expiration date.

Link them in MDE and you can use linked MBs. You won't need to pick up a plastic ticket at the parks.