WDW Annual Pass Timing Speculation

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[LSUmiss]

That argument has also been made many, many, many times. Seriously it is like pulling a bunch of levers that automatically voice the same old arguments campaigning for Disney to open sales of APs that have been unavailable for 14 months WHILE the Pixie has been continuously for sale.

Here is the challenge. Explain the fact that DISNEY has decided to keep Pixie passes on sale. Why is that? Why does Disney see this as an advantage if all of you argue against the true local passholder. … “The locals are the worst.” “The ones who live in Orlando are another kettle of fish altogether … .” Put aside this palpable bias against locals and look for the reason Disney wants the true local guest.

I think it’s b/c it’s more than just money, like I said. It’s more about goodwill. I have APs & renew so not a problem for me. But I think if it were just money then they would open it open to other groups.

 

[LSUmiss]

Indeed. I do not see it as locals outspend, but that Disney sees a purpose for them in the mix. They also capture a gate market they would otherwise completely miss.

That’s what I am saying too. Perhaps you misunderstood what I was saying earlier.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

I had a discussion with a "Executive Correspondence Specialist" from WDW, regarding an email I sent about the FL resident tickets maxing out at 4 days. Anyways, she mentioned that I may want to look into the Pixie AP as an option but I said that even though we live in Florida it's still an 8 hour drive and that when we go we normally like to stay a full week including weekends. Well see saw my point and mentioned that the Pixie pass is aimed for the locals that live close to WDW. So, I believe that the Pixie pass was left available to fill in during the slower weekdays and for the locals that live close to WDW.
As for the regular FL resident APs, once they added more blackout dates to the Silver (or whatever they call it now), we were better off waiting for the 3-4 days FL Resident ticket specials that they have throughout the year, because the break even point on the APs was now over 14 park days. It has nearly doubled in the last 10 years.

Added: When we were talking about AP's, she did tell me to keep a look out because there are going to be some big changes coming before our scheduled March trip.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[DizneyFamof4]

Thank you so much for the important information that the Pixie market was aimed at the true local who lives nearby. That is very clarifying and puts an end to the speculation that locals are the worst or another kettle of fish. Disney closed their marketing to all others except true local passholders.

If you really think about it, it makes good sense. With the park reservation, G+ etc. people who live close can quickly check and see how the lines are, and then they can quickly make a park reservation and head over, not really needing to do G+ etc. As a business person, on slower days, I much rather have people come for a 1/2-3/4 day and spend a little bit on snacks, food etc. then no one at all. JMO

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[Ms Bibbidi]

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[LSUmiss]

Knowing this about the Pixie being marketed to the true local and the only pass to survive during the suspension of sales brings a new realization about when sales of the higher AP tiers at WDW will return. They may never reopen AP sales. The sale of pixies with the ability to upgrade after a year seems to all but assure Disney that, except for those grandfathered in, new passholders will mostly be true locals. In short, they changed the program to be a local program.

My prediction is that at present there are no plans to resume sales of the higher three tiers. There are no current plans to resume annual pass sales to international guests, out-of-state guests or DVC owners. The only way one gets an Incredi-pass or sorcerer now is if they are grandfathered in or a Florida resident (most likely local) who has renewed.

Ftr it’s not the only pass to survive but the only one open to new sales. I can & have renewed all 3 of my out-of-state incredipasses.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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[Ms Bibbidi]

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[dsanner106]

I had a discussion with a "Executive Correspondence Specialist" from WDW, regarding an email I sent about the FL resident tickets maxing out at 4 days. Anyways, she mentioned that I may want to look into the Pixie AP as an option but I said that even though we live in Florida it's still an 8 hour drive and that when we go we normally like to stay a full week including weekends. Well see saw my point and mentioned that the Pixie pass is aimed for the locals that live close to WDW. So, I believe that the Pixie pass was left available to fill in during the slower weekdays and for the locals that live close to WDW.
As for the regular FL resident APs, once they added more blackout dates to the Silver (or whatever they call it now), we were better off waiting for the 3-4 days FL Resident ticket specials that they have throughout the year, because the break even point on the APs was now over 14 park days. It has nearly doubled in the last 10 years.

Added: When we were talking about AP's, she did tell me to keep a look out because there are going to be some big changes coming before our scheduled March trip.

I live in Georgia, About 6 hours from the parks and Universal marketed and we had Georgia-Florida resident passes for years. I was always hopeful that Disney would recognize the fact that Georgia is just a 3 hour drive to the north and include us in more "locals" marketing.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Tickets are nonrefundable...

AFAIK... you can only do ticket upgrades in person at Customer Service Windows. For sure if they go on sale again, you can call and explain your situation, never know what kind of magic "might" happen. But accept if there is nothing they can do..

We totally received some magic when we purchased our AP. First, we managed to snag them before Disney stopped selling them. And the wonderful CM at Guest Services refunded our current tickets on a GC! We didn’t ask but were just trying to activate our APs.

 

[twinme]

I lived in NY and started coming to Disney in 1991, often for ten days. Buying a pass became necessary due to cost of a day ticket. Now, I live here, retired from Nursing last .April…I never cancelled my pass, renewing all through Covid. Im sure i didnot get full value for that pass but I have the pass, as many DVC members from out of state do not.
Pixie pass is a great pass for retirees, it’s the kids who lose with the pixie pass, Blackout days even include their March week off from school….but still, if your a Floridian and can come for five days a year it is a good value…one I’m not sure Disney will continue So I strongly suggest buying it now. The official start day is its first day of use, not day of purchase unless your so excited you run to Epcot or MK !

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I kept my AP all through Covid and am Out of State. I don't own DVC, so when I come down, I stay Deluxe Epcot Resort area. The Deluxe resorts are not full. My DVC friends report that they are having difficulty getting reservations. So if I were WDW and DVC rooms are full, I don't see the incentive to open AP's to DVC over OoS guests. OoS residents aren't locked into anything.

I took my DD and DN to FL last May and ended up splitting my stay with Universal. It was shockingly more expensive to stay at a WDW Epcot resort with 2 tickets than Portofino Bay and 3 tickets, almost double for the same amount of days and Portofino Bay includes the Express Pass.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

I lived in NY and started coming to Disney in 1991, often for ten days. Buying a pass became necessary due to cost of a day ticket. Now, I live here, retired from Nursing last .April…I never cancelled my pass, renewing all through Covid. Im sure i didnot get full value for that pass but I have the pass, as many DVC members from out of state do not.
Pixie pass is a great pass for retirees, it’s the kids who lose with the pixie pass, Blackout days even include their March week off from school….but still, if your a Floridian and can come for five days a year it is a good value…one I’m not sure Disney will continue So I strongly suggest buying it now. The official start day is its first day of use, not day of purchase unless your so excited you run to Epcot or MK !

I just purchased FL Resident tickets for 7 days (a 4 day ticket and a 3 day ticket), in March, that includes weekends for the same price. The value really only starts if you do more than one 5 day trip a year. Plus, I do not think it will go away.

I kept my AP all through Covid and am Out of State. I don't own DVC, so when I come down, I stay Deluxe Epcot Resort area. The Deluxe resorts are not full. My DVC friends report that they are having difficulty getting reservations. So if I were WDW and DVC rooms are full, I don't see the incentive to open AP's to DVC over OoS guests. OoS residents aren't locked into anything.

I took my DD and DN to FL last May and ended up splitting my stay with Universal. It was shockingly more expensive to stay at a WDW Epcot resort with 2 tickets than Portofino Bay and 3 tickets, almost double for the same amount of days and Portofino Bay includes the Express Pass.

Yes, over the last couple of years, we have been going more to US then to WDW, for that exact reason.

 

[emilymad]

I kept my AP all through Covid and am Out of State. I don't own DVC, so when I come down, I stay Deluxe Epcot Resort area. The Deluxe resorts are not full. My DVC friends report that they are having difficulty getting reservations. So if I were WDW and DVC rooms are full, I don't see the incentive to open AP's to DVC over OoS guests. OoS residents aren't locked into anything.

I took my DD and DN to FL last May and ended up splitting my stay with Universal. It was shockingly more expensive to stay at a WDW Epcot resort with 2 tickets than Portofino Bay and 3 tickets, almost double for the same amount of days and Portofino Bay includes the Express Pass.

DVC is designed to be run at very high occupancy. We leave in two weeks for yet another resort only stay. Just because DVC reports are full it does not mean everyone is going to the parks.

 

[Tigger1]

. We went last June and bought 9 day tickets. Too expensive to purchase every trip. I did not renew my pass the November before due to ill family. Wish I had renewed but did not think things would work out like they did (both parents passed away in December).

I will be doing only resort DVC stays for a while if Annual passes do not come back. Some things I plan are

*Vero Beach
* Sanibel Island Day
*Cocoa Beach Day
* Nasa Day
* Downtown Disney for window shopping and a dinner
*Lego Land
*Universal
* Resort Pool Days
*Arts and Crafts in Resort
*Hot tub Days
*Resort Hop
*Adventure to other Florida places, any suggestions

When the annual pass returns, back to the parks.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

. We went last June and bought 9 day tickets. Too expensive to purchase every trip. I did not renew my pass the November before due to ill family. Wish I had renewed but did not think things would work out like they did (both parents passed away in December).

I will be doing only resort DVC stays for a while if Annual passes do not come back. Some things I plan are

*Vero Beach
* Sanibel Island Day
*Cocoa Beach Day
* Nasa Day
* Downtown Disney for window shopping and a dinner
*Lego Land
*Universal
* Resort Pool Days
*Arts and Crafts in Resort
*Hot tub Days
*Resort Hop
*Adventure to other Florida places, any suggestions

When the annual pass r

I'm huge Sanibel fan for decades. Sadly, it is still very much in recovery stage. You may want to check out current you tube vids showing the state of the beaches & available food/facilities before heading there And it's a long drive.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

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