UGH! Disney is offering a cheap "Summer Pass" for SoCal AP's!

[Califgirl]

I agree completely with MartinaC. I'm glad that DL has a massive fan base from the locals. But the issue is that they can go anytime and I can't. I want to be able to see/do as much as possible when I'm there.

Well, if you think about it, locals have to work, too. Most of us can't just pick up any ol' time and go to Disneyland, as much as we'd like to. We have obligations like kids soccer, football, baseball, and swim meets to attend. We have a myriad of things to do in Southern California that (gasp!) don't have anything to do with Disneyland. We have friends that need our attention and want our company. And, in less than 2 hours we can be at the beach, the mountains, or the desert (Palm Springs is a favorite). So while you're thinking that the 'locals' have nothing better to do than take up room at the parks during your vacation, please remember it's our vacation too. Only we're only getting a day off, and you've got three, four days - heck maybe even a week of vacation to be able to see everything.

We all deserve the same courtesy and consideration. Because someone can come more often does not mean they shouldn't be able to enjoy the park that day to the fullest. Just because others can only come once every few years, or once in a lifetime doesn't put their right to enjoy the park above anyone else's. That being said, I hope we can all be respectful and courteous to one another, in the park and on the boards.

For those who do have the SoCal AP's, well, they want to get their money's worth out of their tickets, just like any other visitor. There was just a post on this board bemoaning the fact that they lost the two free days on their 3 for 5 tickets. So we all want to use our tickets in the most optimum way.

As far as AP's - of course I have one. The Premier. You'll even see me on block out days.
Okay, I didn't intend for that AP remark to sound so snarky. But really there are a lot of AP holders that don't have the block out dates. We need or want to be able to go anytime, just like you. Out of town visitors always want to go to Disneyland, so of course we take them. We're out of school, have more free time. All the reasons you go to DLR when you do often applies to us. Don't hate us 'cause we're local.

 

[rentayenta]

I love all people that love Disney. Just wish everyone would stay home during my vacation. That way I would have the parks all to myself.

Love it!

 

[Funball]

Well, if you think about it, locals have to work, too. Most of us can't just pick up any ol' time and go to Disneyland, as much as we'd like to. We have obligations like kids soccer, football, baseball, and swim meets to attend. We have a myriad of things to do in Southern California that (gasp!) don't have anything to do with Disneyland. We have friends that need our attention and want our company. And, in less than 2 hours we can be at the beach, the mountains, or the desert (Palm Springs is a favorite). So while you're thinking that the 'locals' have nothing better to do than take up room at the parks during your vacation, please remember it's our vacation too. Only we're only getting a day off, and you've got three, four days - heck maybe even a week of vacation to be able to see everything.

We all deserve the same courtesy and consideration. Because someone can come more often does not mean they shouldn't be able to enjoy the park that day to the fullest. Just because others can only come once every few years, or once in a lifetime doesn't put their right to enjoy the park above anyone else's. That being said, I hope we can all be respectful and courteous to one another, in the park and on the boards.

For those who do have the SoCal AP's, well, they want to get their money's worth out of their tickets, just like any other visitor. There was just a post on this board bemoaning the fact that they lost the two free days on their 3 for 5 tickets. So we all want to use our tickets in the most optimum way.

As far as AP's - of course I have one. The Premier. You'll even see me on block out days.
Okay, I didn't intend for that AP remark to sound so snarky. But really there are a lot of AP holders that don't have the block out dates. We need or want to be able to go anytime, just like you. Out of town visitors always want to go to Disneyland, so of course we take them. We're out of school, have more free time. All the reasons you go to DLR when you do often applies to us. Don't hate us 'cause we're local.

I agree. It isn’t just us Ap’s, um people do take vacations from other countries and states… and unlike the vacationers, us AP’s only come maybe between 2 -4 times a week ,maybe less. Just like you said, we have jobs, and repsonsibities also.

 

[nana50]

I understand the OP point. I live in San Diego and have an AP. I've been 4 times this year already. So I understand. Since I can drive up anytime why should I get extra benefits. If anything the real tourists should get a break. However I'm keeping my AP and enjoying it to the fullest.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Any AP holder can pay $45/day during blackout dates, which is only $6 more for 3 days than the current offer.

It's not going to make a huge different in the crowds. If you don't want to battle the crowds, why go during the summer anyway?

 

[kikiq]

Premier AP here and I live 30 minutes from my driveway to Mickey and Friends parking lot.

I went with my brother and family Memorial Day weekend to both parks. My brother said that the longest wait he had for any ride was 25 minutes even TSMM. He was in the parks by rope drop on Saturday and by 4 pm, had done everything they wanted and went back to the hotel for a rest before we joined them for the second showing of Fantasmic.

If you are concerned about local AP holders then look at the blockout dates for the lower level APs. The only reason I have a Premium AP for DL is so I can go with family that visit during the summer. It's crowded but not as bad as the Sundays that are not blocked during fall/winter/spring.

Disneyland and WDW are crowded during the summer because that's when people take vacations. The folks in the parks during July and August are mostly tourists. Most of the people we talked to Memorial weekend did not live in So Cal. The lower level APs are blocked for July and August. The Deluxe AP is blocked on all summer Saturdays. So I'm thinking all those people in the parks on summer Saturdays can't be all the dreaded APs and if you're talking about folks like me, trust me, we have paid a lot of money to be in the park every day. And I have given up good parade/firework spots for out of towners especially if you are polite and have cute kids.

 

[Califgirl]

I understand the OP point. I live in San Diego and have an AP. I've been 4 times this year already. So I understand. Since I can drive up anytime why should I get extra benefits. If anything the real tourists should get a break. However I'm keeping my AP and enjoying it to the fullest.

*bolding and red highlight mine*

I'm curious ~ what extra benefits do you get? I've been an AP holder for years and I have no idea what extra benefits we are supposed to get.
And what sort of break should the real tourists get? Should we brand them 'tourist' (or make them wear goofy buttons)so we know who they are?

 

[pixiewings71]

I just wish Florida and California would offer those great deals to people who live out of state! I guess they figure we'll come anyway, even without a great deal? Florida residents get the best room rates at WDW. But me, not only do I have to pay airfare, I have to pay more for my passes and room. Doesn't seem fair.

Just so you know, it's not ALL of CA that gets those deals, just those who live in So Cal, those of us who live in Nor Cal do not qualify and do not get these deals. It doesn't seem fair to me that I'm not allowed to get these deals either.......

I agree. It isn’t just us Ap’s, um people do take vacations from other countries and states… and unlike the vacationers, us AP’s only come maybe between 2 -4 times a week ,maybe less. Just like you said, we have jobs, and repsonsibities also.

2-4 times a week....LOL You do realize that those of who travel to get the DLR don't get there that much, that is a LOT! I had an AP last year, the PAP, we went about 19 trips but those were TRIPS, with drive time, gas expense, hotel stays, food you had to buy because you aren't a local. It's very different. And believe me, if I was a local I would have one of the So Cal APs because I would WANT to be able to go to DL as often as 2-4 times a week. So Cal residents that live close enough to go that much are very lucky in my book.

 

[Raindown]

All the reasons you go to DLR when you do often applies to us.

I had to quote this for truth.

I too often see people going during the busy season and complaining about APs when most are blocked. Summer will be busy no matter who goes.

 

[brenda1966]

Just so you know, it's not ALL of CA that gets those deals, just those who live in So Cal, those of us who live in Nor Cal do not qualify and do not get these deals. It doesn't seem fair to me that I'm not allowed to get these deals either.......

You have my sympathies for sure! At least in Florida I think all Florida residents get the resident discount, not just the regional ones.

I like the quote above about wishing everyone would stay home. I agree! i don't care where you're from. I'd like to have the park all to myself. Please, everyone, go to the mountains or the beach or Vegas in July, not to DL.

 

[farmfresh]

Without judging this for good or ill, it is clear that the large increase in crowd numbers is coming from AP holders. There are simply more of them now.

Can't see why, if you buy an AP, you wouldn't go as often as you liked -that is the point - but at the same time, you can't really argue it has no effect on numbers.

One reason why there are larger numbers is the time payment system. That i's where I think Disney might want to reconsider the 'fairness' aspect. Effectively time payment AP holders are using the park at a lesser rate than other guests, and more frequently.

That is their absolute right - that is what Disney allows, so all power to them. It's hard to argue against making DL more affordable. And it was a Disney response to the financial downturn - so smart business on their part. And probably, in the bigger scheme of things, the numbers add up for Disney - the increase in total revenue versus the per capita profitabliity of guests.

From the other side of the fence though, a three day visit for a family of four will cost $736 (might get two days free with that though!). With a Socal pass, on time payment, you'd pay $288 then $32 a month. If I then add in three days at a Disney hotel, that's (conservatively) another $750. Throw in extra for all meals, and souvenirs - likely these will be higher because we won't be going home. So those three days will be worth about $2000.

To provide equivalent value per customer, the Socal pass holder needs to buy a lot of turkey legs!
There is room then, to argue that Disney at peak time (and peak times now are those unblocked dates) is not offering good value to its "full fare" (for want of a better term) customers.

It's not that Socal AP holders are bad (I think you're both smart and lucky), but that the differential for 'tourists' who do provide a very significant revenue stream is perhaps too great. At the same time, it puts pressure on Disney operations to deliver a value for money experience to those people who are paying more, and experiencing greater crowds for their trouble.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...So those three days will be worth about $2000.

To provide equivalent value per customer, the Socal pass holder needs to buy a lot of turkey legs! There is room then, to argue that Disney at peak time (and peak times now are those unblocked dates) is not offering good value to its "full fare" (for want of a better term) customers.

It's not that Socal AP holders are bad (I think you're both smart and lucky), but that the differential for 'tourists' who do provide a very significant revenue stream is perhaps too great.....

Without going into your lengthy math scenario, I can tell you that while I do not spend $2,000 on a 3 (possibly 5) day trip, I VERY easily spend more than that on Disney collectibles from the Park over the course of a year. Do not underestimate the spending of a "local Disney fan." We may not spend on hotel, but we have our fair share of celebratory dinners at the Blue Bayou and certainly spend a large portion of our "disposable income" in the Park. And Disney knows it.

...us AP’s only come maybe between 2 -4 times a week ,maybe less. Just like you said, we have jobs, and repsonsibities also.

Wow! You are a lucky one! I can truly say none of my local AP holding friends or family are able to go that often... though we'd all love to!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Without judging this for good or ill, it is clear that the large increase in crowd numbers is coming from AP holders. There are simply more of them now.

Can't see why, if you buy an AP, you wouldn't go as often as you liked -that is the point - but at the same time, you can't really argue it has no effect on numbers.

You can't see why an AP holder wouldn't go as often as they like? Because life happens. People work. Weekends and holidays are blocked out, so less than half the days of the year are available to SoCal Select AP holders. And many, like me, live 90+ minutes away with no traffic, so going every day or even every week is simply not an option.

You seem to think that all SoCal AP holders visit the parks often. That's often not the case.

It is more economical to buy a SoCal Select AP if an eligible guest thinks they will visit the parks again 2-3 times in the year. That doesn't necessarily mean they will be there frequently. My husband has a SoCal Select AP because I wanted him to go for my birthday and then for a couple of days the week of our daughter's birthday. So he's been to DLR a grand total of 3 days this year, and has no plans to return.

The numbers of visitors for 2009 was about 9% over 2008 for both parks IIRC. That's just not a huge increase. Great for the stockholders, yes, but a 9% increase in time spent waiting in line is negligible. As in, 4th of July, waiting 109 minutes for Indy instead of 100 minutes.

Does it have no effect on numbers? Of course not. But it's not the gloom and doom that some posters who aren't even in the parks on a regular basis seem to think it is.

 

[disfan07]

I love how people think that anyone who lives in SoCal can just go anytime they want. We have jobs, school, etc as well.

We live an hour away from DL. Our trip next week will be our first this year. We don't have APs. We can't just go for the day. None of us can do the drive after a full day in the parks.

So it cost money for tickets, for a hotel, food, plus boarding the dogs overnight.

Since June 2009, i've been a grand total of 8 days including our trip next week.
I used to spend more days in WDW a year when we lived in virginia than I do in DL a year.

Our trip next week is costing:
$535- 2 nights DLH
$400- 3 day SoCal summer plus pass (3 ppl)
$100- boarding dogs for 2 nights
$400- food (3 people, 3 days)
Total- $1435...before souveniers

It's expensive....even for locals

 

[Mugglemama]

YIKES!

First, let me say AGAIN, that I have nothing against SoCal AP holders! I was once one myself (I am a Ventura native and lived in Torrance for 3 years and had AP's in 2001 & 2002). Back then, however, there were no payment plans, and the days we actually went into the parks they were almost always nearly empty. We used to swing over once or twice a week sometimes. Clearly though, we were not impacting crowds, because, lol, there WERE no crowds on the days we went. If we got there and the parking garage was really crowded, we didn't even go into the parks, we just went home. Over the years, obviously, the numbers have changed and DLR is often much more crowded than it EVER was back in those days that we were going pretty frequently.

I should also point out that I misinterpreted the summer pass. I thought it was an all-summer-long PH for SoCal residents. If it's just a pass that's good for 3 day-visits, then hopefully it won't really impact crowds too much.

As to the poster who asked why I would go in Summer when I want to avoid crowds....I was going in Summer IN ORDER TO avoid (extreme) crowds, LOL!!! My last trip was the last 2 days of September ('08), and it was ridiculously crowded due to the Halloween festivities. See, a few years earlier, Halloween wasn't a big deal at DLR, so Fall was a "quiet" time to visit the parks (and Fall was always our first choice as to when to go to DLR). I've been following threads closely this last year, and am convinced that the huge increase in SoCal AP holders is definitely impacting crowds (a lot), and that Summer is actually a better time to visit now than Fall, crowd-wise. I don't have anything against the SoCal residents who get to go (if I could get the same discounts living here in Northern CA, I'd take advantage of it!) It's just that now, things are different when it comes to planning when to attend when the crowds are smaller, that's all.

Again, my frustration isn't with SoCal AP holders....it's more with Disney for creating these situations where horrific crowd levels exist and make it really hard to be in the parks. Also, there were people last year saying on the boards that crowds were so bad at times that they were stuck in very unsafe situations (ie: stuck standing in the middle of a crowd for an hour trying to move through the shops on main street to exit the parks - these people said they were frightened, even crying. Some pondered what they would all have done in the event of fire or other emergency?). Personally, I just don't want to be there on those kinds of days.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

YIKES!

First, let me say AGAIN, that I have nothing against SoCal AP holders! I was once one myself (I am a Ventura native and lived in Torrance for 3 years and had AP's in 2001 & 2002). Back then, however, there were no payment plans, and the days we actually went into the parks they were almost always nearly empty. We used to swing over once or twice a week sometimes. Clearly though, we were not impacting crowds, because, lol, there WERE no crowds on the days we went. If we got there and the parking garage was really crowded, we didn't even go into the parks, we just went home. Over the years, obviously, the numbers have changed and DLR is often much more crowded than it EVER was back in those days that we were going pretty frequently.

I should also point out that I misinterpreted the summer pass. I thought it was an all-summer-long PH for SoCal residents. If it's just a pass that's good for 3 day-visits, then hopefully it won't really impact crowds too much.

As to the poster who asked why I would go in Summer when I want to avoid crowds....I was going in Summer IN ORDER TO avoid (extreme) crowds, LOL!!! My last trip was the last 2 days of September ('08), and it was ridiculously crowded due to the Halloween festivities. See, a few years earlier, Halloween wasn't a big deal at DLR, so Fall was a "quiet" time to visit the parks. I've been following threads closely this last year, and am convinced that the huge increase in SoCal AP holders is definitely impacting crowds (a lot). I don't have anything against the SoCal residents who get to go (if I could get the same discounts living here in Northern CA, I'd take advantage of it!) It's just that now, things are different when it comes to planning when to attend when the crowds are smaller, that's all.

Again, my frustration isn't with SoCal AP holders....it's more with Disney for creating these situations where horrific crowd levels exist and make it really hard to be in the parks. Also, there were people last year saying on the boards that crowds were so bad at times that they were stuck in very unsafe situations (ie: stuck standing in the middle of a crowd for an hour trying to move through the shops on main street to exit the parks - these people said they were frightened, even crying. Some pondered what they would all have done in the event of fire or other emergency?). Personally, I just don't want to be there on those kinds of days.

Trust me when I say that there are not horrific crowd levels on non-blockout days in the off-season (perhaps Halloween excluded).

I know because I have been to DLR approximately 40 separate days in 2008 and 2010 on non-blockout days for SoCal Select AP holders. The very idea that mid-summer will be less crowded than a Wednesday in February is preposterous.

 

[toocherie]

I am a Premiere pass holder too--and I certainly understand the frustration of people who plan an entire family vacation around DLR and then encounter people who treat the park as a baby-sitting service or a substitute for a normal family park. I'm amazed on Sundays--when the SoCal passes are not blocked out--at the numbers of large families that are traveling together around the resort. For that reason, I have switched my visits to prefer Saturday over Sunday. A lot of the time the grandmas stay back with the babies and crowd a lot of areas outside of attractions so you can't even get by! But--they have a right to be there and until Disney makes charges in the cost or delete the lower level passes it's not going to change.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

I am a Premiere pass holder too--and I certainly understand the frustration of people who plan an entire family vacation around DLR and then encounter people who treat the park as a baby-sitting service or a substitute for a normal family park. I'm amazed on Sundays--when the SoCal passes are not blocked out--at the numbers of large families that are traveling together around the resort. For that reason, I have switched my visits to prefer Saturday over Sunday. A lot of the time the grandmas stay back with the babies and crowd a lot of areas outside of attractions so you can't even get by! But--they have a right to be there and until Disney makes charges in the cost or delete the lower level passes it's not going to change.

Why would that be different on blockout days? Large families visit DLR all year long. I see it all the time midweek, and it's not locals. I see many large families who are part of family reunions, and groups of students, and foreign visitors, and regardless of where they are from, seem to think that however much they spent on admission means they are entitled to stop in the middle of a pathway or block any area they want.

 

[Mugglemama]

The very idea that mid-summer will be less crowded than a Wednesday in February is preposterous.

Well, not all of us can go on a Wednesday in February. I used to do that type of thing all the time, when we could drive to the parks in half an hour. If you are a SoCal resident, you likely don't think much about bad travel weather. Weather can, and does, affect our family's road travel during the times of year that might be best to visit the parks.

So, finding times of year when weather is fair along our driving route, and trying to coordinate that with lower-crowd times of year at DLR can be tricky. The times of year when that used to be easier to do, have now been affected by SoCal AP crowds.

In the end, it was all a misunderstanding, anyway. So, I apologize if I offended anyone (although I stated multiple times that I wasn't coming down on SoCal AP'rs ).

 

[Disney Dreams]

...So, I apologize if I offended anyone (although I stated multiple times that I wasn't coming down on SoCal AP'rs ).

But...

...The times of year when that used to be easier to do, have now been affected by SoCal AP crowds.

To place the blame for those times of year being busy on SoCal APs is exactly what people here on DIS are constantly doing. That's the entire point. Those times have been affected by LOTS of things. Tourists. Increasing promotions. New things to see and experience at DLR. Great weather in So Cal during that time.

To blame it on SoCal AP crowds is just not fair - and I'm not convinced entirely accurate.

- Dreams