Warning about Black Out dates on new AP

[andyman8]

I don't see a change for DVC Members. Previous version of GOLD pass also blocked out days around Thanksgiving, Christmas & NYE. Other passes with blocked dates are only available to Florida residents and not DVC Members. But good advice to check for black out dates for any pass you are considering.

The change — and I’d consider it quite sizable — is that there is no longer any discounts on APs for DVC members. They still have one “exclusive” pass to purchase, but they no longer get discounts on the equivalent of the Platinum and Platinum Plus passes. That’s a big loss.

 

[ScubaCat]

Any DVC discount on the incredi-pass published anywhere?

Nope, same price for everyone

 

[ScubaCat]

The change — and I’d consider it quite sizable — is that there is no longer any discounts on APs for DVC members. They still have one “exclusive” pass to purchase, but they no longer get discounts on the equivalent of the Platinum and Platinum Plus passes. That’s a big loss.

Same for Florida residents, though. We're all on the same ship now, it seems.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

Same for Florida residents, though. We're all on the same ship now, it seems.

Funny, because Disney and DVC are trying so hard to make classes.

 

[RobDoc]

Non-FL Resident, non-DVC AP holders have only one option now - the Incredi-Pass.

The FL Resident "Pixie Dust" pass offers no weekends and no Holiday dates and a max Park Reservation limit of three unless staying in Disney hotels.

 

[Lorana]

The change — and I’d consider it quite sizable — is that there is no longer any discounts on APs for DVC members. They still have one “exclusive” pass to purchase, but they no longer get discounts on the equivalent of the Platinum and Platinum Plus passes. That’s a big loss.

This. So much this.

Honestly, we bought direct partly because of the AP discounts - we had been looking at how Disney was constantly increasing AP prices, and felt we were starting to get priced out of Disney vacations with all the hotel/food/ticket increases. Losing those makes me unhappy, *especially* that they've made it so that the new Sorcerer pass has blackouts over Thanksgiving. This jumps my ticket costs from approximately $766 ($651 renewal) per person ($3064 for our family) to $1383 ($1176 renewal) per person ($5532 for our family - an increase of ~$2500! Almost double!). And that new "Incredi-Pass" isn't all that incredible, because it does NOT include Water Parks & More NOR Photopass. If I included those, I'd be looking at close to $1600 per person!

When you then add in $15 per person per day for Fast Passes (sorry, Lightning Lane) + Variable Additional Costs per person per day for the most popular rides, it's getting ridiculously expensive to visit the Mouse.

I'll give DVC my feedback, though I doubt that will make a difference. Especially as Disney seems to think we wanted all these changes and extra costs, since they keep saying "based on feedback." I'm not sure what feedback they are basing this on, though.

 

[RobDoc]

These changes may not have been in DVC's control. Theme Parks make the decisions for admission media and THEY may not have felt that they needed DVC Members to make Incredi-Pass to be successful as much as they wanted the extra revenue.

We sometimes forget that DVC needs to negotiate Member discounts with the other Disney divisions. While this one would seem to be a no-brainer to most of us, apparently Theme Parks had a different assessment.

Basically, Incredi-Pass is ONLY available at that price as FL residents and DVC Members receive no special consideration regarding price.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

These changes may not have been in DVC's control. Theme Parks make the decisions for admission media and THEY may not have felt that they needed DVC Members to make Incredi-Pass to be successful as much as they wanted the extra revenue.

We sometimes forget that DVC needs to negotiate Member discounts with the other Disney divisions. While this one would seem to be a no-brainer to most of us, apparently Theme Parks had a different assessment.

Basically, Incredi-Pass is ONLY available at that price as FL residents and DVC Members receive no special consideration regarding price.

I understand DVC or DVD..?? Negotiate for lower pass options, but who negotiates for Florida residents?

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/p...AP_Program_Active&cid=PDM378369&bid=112787932

Your link only shows renewal prices, not new prices.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

The Sorcerer's Pass now blocks out Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat of Thanksgiving and the last 2 weeks of December. No blackout for Easter as in the past. There are actually fewer Blackout Dates than with the "current" Gold AP.

Sorcerer's Pass Blackout Dates

New Passholder Information - Starting September 8, 2021

Edited to correct Thanksgiving blockout nights- Thanks Lorana

Your link only shows renewal prices, not new purchase prices.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I don't even remember the days around Thanksgiving being that crowded?

 

[New Mouse]

These changes may not have been in DVC's control. Theme Parks make the decisions for admission media and THEY may not have felt that they needed DVC Members to make Incredi-Pass to be successful as much as they wanted the extra revenue.

We sometimes forget that DVC needs to negotiate Member discounts with the other Disney divisions. While this one would seem to be a no-brainer to most of us, apparently Theme Parks had a different assessment.

Basically, Incredi-Pass is ONLY available at that price as FL residents and DVC Members receive no special consideration regarding price.

That would be assuming DVC has been acting and negotiating in the best interest of members recently. Unfortunately, we know they have not.

 

[Sandisw]

That would be assuming DVC has been acting and negotiating in the best interest of members recently. Unfortunately, we know they have not.

DVC doesn’t manage perks. DVD does and their responsibilities to us as owners are not the same as DVC.

From my info over the years, DPEP controls who gets what for tickets and what DVD does is negotiate with that division to include DVC owners in having access to the passes afforded to FL residents.

The Gold pass and the discount on the platinum came out of that understanding.

No one is getting a discount for the Incredi pass. They took it away from FL residents which means they were not going to allow a deal with DVD. No one reimbursed them for FL residents and I don’t believe DVD reimbursed them for the platinum discount either.

It’s the same with the merchandise and dining discounts we get. They are agreements but DVD doesn’t actually pay those restaurants for them.

 

[BennyBoyWrench]

The only benefit for being a FL resident is the ability to pay over the course of the year, plus the chance to look at a massive list of block-out dates.
Ultimately, folks, as long as it's still cheaper than spending two separate weeks in Disneyworld, we're onto a winner, right? We're going to plump for the Sorcerer Pass, because while it's regrettable about Christmas and Thanksgiving, we've discovered the true joy of DVC is spending time in your resort, not in the parks.

 

[RobDoc]

I understand DVC or DVD..?? Negotiate for lower pass options, but who negotiates for Florida residents?

I believe that Theme Parks recognizes the "need" for such options for local parkgoers. The minimal "Pixie Dust" blacks out all weekends and Holidays - but allows Sun - Thurs visits - presumably when those coming from greater distance are not as likely to fill the parks. The "Pirate" pass, at more cost, still encourages local support with fewer blackouts. Even the Sorcerer's Pass includes blackout dates (although fewer than the current Gold AP).

All of these new passes include the need for Theme Park Reservations and limit the number which may be held at any point in time unless guests are staying in Disney resorts.

 

[RobDoc]

That would be assuming DVC has been acting and negotiating in the best interest of members recently. Unfortunately, we know they have not.

... and we KNOW that how?

 

[New Mouse]

DVC doesn’t manage perks. DVD does and their responsibilities to us as owners are not the same as DVC.

From my info over the years, DPEP controls who gets what for tickets and what DVD does is negotiate with that division to include DVC owners in having access to the passes afforded to FL residents.

The Gold pass and the discount on the platinum came out of that understanding.

No one is getting a discount for the Incredi pass. They took it away from FL residents which means they were not going to allow a deal with DVD. No one reimbursed them for FL residents and I don’t believe DVD reimbursed them for the platinum discount either.

It’s the same with the merchandise and dining discounts we get. They are agreements but DVD doesn’t actually pay those restaurants for them.

Not $1 to $1, but they most certainly do get compensated.

 

[pkrieger2287]

Question: With the park pass system enabled, couldn't Disney in theory extremely limit AP availability and turn any day into a blackout day?

 

[New Mouse]

... and we KNOW that how?

All the illegal attempts to screw over members? Check out the thread on point chart modifications for a start.

 

[Sandisw]

Not $1 to $1, but they most certainly do get compensated.

So, which division then pays for the FL resident discounts?