WDW Annual Pass Timing Speculation

[tidefan]

FWIW, I appreciate your posts. I was an out of state Plat, took the extension during the closures and was grandfathered into Incredi-pass, but let it lapse last year because work got crazy and just did not allow for the pick up and go trips I used to do. That has changed now, but now I have no AP. I know there is a lot of talk about people within easy driving distance but there were also a lot of APs in the NY/NJ/CT area because flights to MCO are so cheap and plentiful from here. I can't remember the last time I even paid for a flight to WDW, I almost always fly down on B6 via TrueBlue points. And just anecdotally, a lot of those folks are heading to Uni instead or looking to other destinations. For personal/ethical reasons Uni is off the table for me so I'm just not taking trips like I once did. And I'd like to, despite all the kvetching online. The negative talk has been a real bummer. Been praying I can update my 10 day hopper by the time my gf and I go at the end of May. I always stay on property, nearly always in a deluxe (except Gran Destino), etc. The room discounts made it a no brainer for how I like to Disney and pretty much paid for the pass. Not having one for our upcoming trip meant the difference between cutting out CL at the Poly.

We have changed our habits as well without an AP. In fact, since the parks reopened, we've only purchased 2 one-day tickets plus 1 Boo Bash ticket, 1 MNSSHP ticket, and 1 MVMCP ticket. That's it. And the special tickets would have had to have been purchased anyway, with or without AP's.

We are DVC and have a good number of points, but our point usage has changed dramatically. Instead of spending multiple trips a year at WDW, over the last 3 years we have used our points by:

2 weeks at Vero Beach
3 weeks (2021, 2022, 2023) at Aulani
1 week at HHI
2 separate 4 night stays at BLT (for Boo Bash and MNSSHP)
a 2 night stay at OKW (for MVMCP)
4 nights at GFV (for DD and her friends)

So... Is Disney really making more $$ off of us? It's saying something when taking a trip out to Hawaii works out cheaper than driving down to Orlando and staying at WDW...

 

[Loro]

FWIW, I appreciate your posts. I was an out of state Plat, took the extension during the closures and was grandfathered into Incredi-pass, but let it lapse last year because work got crazy and just did not allow for the pick up and go trips I used to do. That has changed now, but now I have no AP. I know there is a lot of talk about people within easy driving distance but there were also a lot of APs in the NY/NJ/CT area because flights to MCO are so cheap and plentiful from here. I can't remember the last time I even paid for a flight to WDW, I almost always fly down on B6 via TrueBlue points. And just anecdotally, a lot of those folks are heading to Uni instead or looking to other destinations. For personal/ethical reasons Uni is off the table for me so I'm just not taking trips like I once did. And I'd like to, despite all the kvetching online. The negative talk has been a real bummer. Been praying I can update my 10 day hopper by the time my gf and I go at the end of May. I always stay on property, nearly always in a deluxe (except Gran Destino), etc. The room discounts made it a no brainer for how I like to Disney and pretty much paid for the pass. Not having one for our upcoming trip meant the difference between cutting out CL at the Poly.

Thank you. It's good to feel appreciated.

The tri-state area has always been a hotbed of hardcore Disney fans, DVCers, and APs. The cheap flights are certainly a part of it. As someone who makes that flight quite a bit I completely get it, but I save my miles for big international travel.

I hope the APs come back in time for your trip... And mine too. I have at least 3-4 trips planned already this year, and will cancel some if no AP. At least mine are partially for work, which helps.

 

[LSUmiss]

Anyone recently renew an incredipass? If so, how much was it?

 

[Lewisc]

Completely agree. DVC members should always have access to APs. Without them there's really no reason left to buy direct, not that there's a great argument to do so even then... Minus the Riviera restriction.

Maybe that should be an incentive. New, direct, purchaser's, will have the right to purchase APs for the next 10 years.

Existing owners would earn this perk, with a minum add on purchase.

 

[hethj7]

$1189 before tax to renew Incredipasses.

 

[Loro]

Maybe that should be an incentive. New, direct, purchaser's, will have the right to purchase APs for the next 10 years.

Existing owners would earn this perk, with a minum add on purchase.

That's just it, it has been used as an incentive to buy direct instead of resale since they decided to take away all discounts for new resale contracts several years ago. The reps have even used it as a sales tactic. The contracts dictate that all discounts and perks can be changed, so... Yeah it's a gray area, but messed up in my opinion that they don't sell them to DVC owners that should be allowed to buy them. If enough owners got together and complained... Perhaps...

 

[Lewisc]

That's just it, it has been used as an incentive to buy direct instead of resale since they decided to take away all discounts for new resale contracts several years ago. The reps have even used it as a sales tactic. The contracts dictate that all discounts and perks can be changed, so... Yeah it's a gray area, but messed up in my opinion that they don't sell them to DVC owners that should be allowed to buy them. If enough owners got together and complained... Perhaps...

I meant use it NOW but to stimulate NEW DIRECT sales. Guests buying direct for the next 30 days can buy some kind of AP. Disney could be generous and include a couple of Pixie Passes.

Existing DVC owners, even direct, Disney already has your money.

 

[Loro]

I meant use it NOW but to stimulate NEW DIRECT sales. Guests buying direct for the next 30 days can buy some kind of AP. Disney could be generous and include a couple of Pixie Passes.

Existing DVC owners, even direct, Disney already has your money.

If they did that it would trigger a whole lot of issues from existing owners who would like to buy APs

 

[Lewisc]

If they did that it would trigger a whole lot of issues from existing owners who would like to buy APs

Existing owners would be the option to buy AP as part of an add on purchase of at least 50 pts.
Seriously Disney could offer a couple of AP as a sales incentive. Might make sense if marketing believes lack AP is impacting sales.

 

[Mexacajun]

Existing owners would be the option to buy AP as part of an add on purchase of at least 50 pts.
Seriously Disney could offer a couple of AP as a sales incentive. Might make sense if marketing believes lack AP is impacting sales.

I would add on 50 points in a heart beat to be able to do this.

 

[CarolynFH]

Maybe that should be an incentive. New, direct, purchaser's, will have the right to purchase APs for the next 10 years.

Existing owners would earn this perk, with a minum add on purchase.

Unfortunately, sales of APs are completely under the control of the Parks division, and apparently they aren’t listening to DVC begging them to restart sales. DVC is well aware of intense desire for APs on the part of existing members as well as what an excellent sales incentive APs are.

 

[Bo1203]

Maybe there's a chance tomorrow during the earnings call DIS announces WDW APs. Believe it was during an earnings call that they mentioned AP holders as unfavorable...Maybe they try correcting their messaging tomorrow.

 

[MaveDatthews]

Maybe there's a chance tomorrow during the earnings call DIS announces WDW APs. Believe it was during an earnings call that they mentioned AP holders as unfavorable...Maybe they try correcting their messaging tomorrow.

Will be interesting to see. A lack of any info. or deflecting questions would also be telling as well.

 

[Brian Noble]

Fans/customers are not the audience for the call. Investors do not care except in how it impacts the bottom line--said bottom line being more or less why the are no APs right now in the first place.

APs will be back once Disney feels the need to discount frequent admission for out of state guests and/or upsell the twice-a-year guests into more frequent visits. So far, they haven't seen the need.

 

[Bo1203]

Fans/customers are not the audience for the call. Investors do not care except in how it impacts the bottom line--said bottom line being more or less why the are no APs right now in the first place.

APs will be back once Disney feels the need to discount frequent admission for out of state guests and/or upsell the twice-a-year guests into more frequent visits. So far, they haven't seen the need.

Shareholders in it for the long term should care. Chapek left the brand/image/reputation disfigured. They sacrificed long term profits & customers for short term gains. Iger should come out swinging, get the people going!

 

[Brian Noble]

Shareholders in it for the long term

You mean two quarters from now instead of the next one?

(I kid, I kid)

 

[Jrb1979]

Shareholders in it for the long term should care. Chapek left the brand/image/reputation disfigured. They sacrificed long term profits & customers for short term gains. Iger should come out swinging, get the people going!

I don't think he will. He was brought back to fix Disney+ and the studios side of things.

 

[Loro]

You mean two quarters from now instead of the next one?

(I kid, I kid)

You may kid, but you're not wrong... Hahaha

 

[Scalemaster34]

Was some mention on the lawsuits... Sounds like the WDW AP lawsuit is still only two people, and Disney pointed out that they gave AP holders several options, including full refunds.

 

[Bo1203]

Well doesn't sound good on the call. Iger basically just applauded throttling APs in favor of once in a life time visitors who are better for the bottom line. His argument is that its the best way to lower attendance and increase guest satisfaction while maintaining profits.