WDW Annual Pass Timing Speculation

[MaveDatthews]

In keeping with the spirit of the thread, my complete and wild speculation is that passes won’t return until after the 50th wraps. Maybe even after Tron - prior to summer. But who knows - I’m not even sure that Disney knows at the moment.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[Scalemaster34]

I think not offering the annual passes to DVC members is a real big mistake…. I think they should open the pass sales to DVC members TODAY… I am grateful to be a FL resident so we can at least still get Pixie passes and (for now) upgrade them after one year if we want to…. Frankly with the parks so crowded, I’m not sure weekends are that attractive to visit the parks…

If it helped them to sell more DVC memberships... yes they should.

But other side is if they have a group locked into coming to WDW, and the parks are already packed out.... why discount anything for these locked in customers?

I know folks here are expressing their disaffection and making threats about going less or visiting other parks. Bottom line is Disney tracks everything and they know what the numbers are.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

But other side is if they have a group locked into coming to WDW, and the parks are already packed out.... why discount anything for these locked in customers?

I know folks here are expressing their disaffection and making threats about going less or visiting other parks. Bottom line is Disney tracks everything and they know what the numbers are.

My point exactly! If DVC members start to sell off their timeshares or the rooms go empty, then they will do something, not necessarily selling AP's, maybe some Moonlight Magics. Right now, there is no reason to add more guests to the park or fill DVC rooms.

I don't think we'll see anything until summer and only IF the summer numbers are soft.. They know the numbers.

They could decide to open the Incredipass only to Out of State residents. That is a huge financial commitment and would incentivize people to travel down to WDW and fill hotel rooms. Maybe Incredipass holders are more likely to book deluxe hotels and those rooms are the most likely to go unfilled in a soft economy.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[w84no1]

We are a family of 7 and live 12 hours away. We had APs for one year, then let them expire during COVID. Luckily, my kid's godmother lives in Florida and I was able to buy 5 Pixie passes for my kids. I added photopass to one of them and we have went for 5 days so far and plan on 10 more park days over the summer. We saved around $600 on merch and food so far, enough to cover one of the regular park tickets.

If they do open AP sales back up, me and my wife will get them and leave our kids on the Pixie passes. I don't think we will upgrade them until they turn 18. We don't mind weekdays only and no holidays, we travel around those anyway.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

To Disney, a new annual passholder is about a 10 year commitment.

I can think of two much shorter tools they would use in their market dynamics business modeling that would be applied to hotel room vacancies — deluxe or at any level.

The obvious one is short term sales or discounts in pricing.

The other is more subtle. WDW is the most popular international destination resort. For any perceived weakness in the US economy, Disney can market sales incentives to select international markets. Those are much shorter term remedies that are not always big price discounts.

Disney needs the excess profits on their parks to support the streaming and other branches of their business. That is another reason they are unlikely to make gate entry less expensive for new passholders or anyone else who would otherwise buy full priced tickets. So, they think streaming might become profitable in what … 2025? Do you see Disney curtailing their own profits just to appease people who want to buy APs? Particularly if these DVC owners manipulated their AP purchases to use the bridge method of one year on and one year off and got caught-out when AP new sales suddenly stopped.

Well said!

Instead of "Thanks Shanghai!" it is now "Thanks Streaming!"

Feeling like a cash cow for the company isn't a good feeling. Add on the dislike for the Genie +, Theme Parks Reservation system, and Park Hopping restrictions. It isn't a welcoming feeling. But as you mentioned a new international guest wouldn't notice.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Here’s the bottom line. If you do not have an annual pass and you are not a Florida resident so you cannot buy the Pixie, then you can still be a Disney super fan passholder at Disneyland in California. They are still selling Inspire and Believe keys. If you traveled to WDW, then those planes also fly to California. Go there and be a passholder again. I know that isn’t very helpful for WDW DVC owners. But, the rest of you who could do that.

This isn't really helpful advice for anyone IMO. People that want WDW APs are still going to wait for them regardless of Disneyland keys being for sale.

I think the more likely scenario is that people wanting WDW APs will go to Universal and other parks in Florida (Seaworld, Legoland, Busch Gardens, etc.) instead. In Comcast's Q4 earnings report, their revenue went up by 50%, partially due to higher theme park attendance so people definitely are shifting over to their parks.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[EdwardtheConfessor]

Here’s the bottom line. If you do not have an annual pass and you are not a Florida resident so you cannot buy the Pixie, then you can still be a Disney super fan passholder at Disneyland in California. They are still selling Inspire and Believe keys. If you traveled to WDW, then those planes also fly to California. Go there and be a passholder again. I know that isn’t very helpful for WDW DVC owners. But, the rest of you who could do that.

I went ahead and bought a Believe Key. I already had a DL trip planned and tickets purchased. However, they do not credit tickets towards APs like WDW because their system is different. Kinda stinks but oh well.

I am leaning towards them not releasing WDW APs before my March trip. We just decided to go to DL the rest of the year for a couple extended weekends and buy a WDW AP whenever they drop, but we wont activate till our DL AP expires.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[loves to dive]

Here’s the bottom line. If you do not have an annual pass and you are not a Florida resident so you cannot buy the Pixie, then you can still be a Disney super fan passholder at Disneyland in California. They are still selling Inspire and Believe keys. If you traveled to WDW, then those planes also fly to California. Go there and be a passholder again. I know that isn’t very helpful for WDW DVC owners. But, the rest of you who could do that.

While it is a thought the reasoning is slightly flawed. I'm betting there are a large number of out of state people who are close enough to drive so don't get on that plane. Not just Georgia but alabama, Miss. La. Add to that the fan who goes to WDW for parks other than MK, there is nothing like Epcot or AK at DL. So, while yes the rest can do that, it's added another expense over the cost of tickets and less of an experience, which might be why some go to WDW.

Having said that, as an out of state Previous Incredi pass holder, I'm not holding out much hope of us out of state disney fans getting annual passes again any time soon. I had to let mine expire due to financial reasons causing me to know I would not take more than one trip in the upcoming year. It just didn't make financial sense to renew. I had always planned on getting a new one the next year, even knowing I'd pay more for it instead of renewing. One of those would have should have could have situations. Should have renewed anyway but nothing can change that now. Time will tell if I go more than once a year after my upcoming year has passed. And yes, I still stay on property and buy all my food at WDW so am throwing money at them.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

In keeping with the spirit of the thread, my complete and wild speculation is that passes won’t return until after the 50th wraps. Maybe even after Tron - prior to summer. But who knows - I’m not even sure that Disney knows at the moment.

Im sure they have different options based on how things play out.

 

[MaveDatthews]

While it is a thought the reasoning is slightly flawed. I'm betting there are a large number of out of state people who are close enough to drive so don't get on that plane. Not just Georgia but alabama, Miss. La. Add to that the fan who goes to WDW for parks other than MK, there is nothing like Epcot or AK at DL. So, while yes the rest can do that, it's added another expense over the cost of tickets and less of an experience, which might be why some go to WDW.

Having said that, as an out of state Previous Incredi pass holder, I'm not holding out much hope of us out of state disney fans getting annual passes again any time soon. I had to let mine expire due to financial reasons causing me to know I would not take more than one trip in the upcoming year. It just didn't make financial sense to renew. I had always planned on getting a new one the next year, even knowing I'd pay more for it instead of renewing. One of those would have should have could have situations. Should have renewed anyway but nothing can change that now. Time will tell if I go more than once a year after my upcoming year has passed. And yes, I still stay on property and buy all my food at WDW so am throwing money at them.

Ditto. I’m in SC and it’s about an 8 hour drive give or take. With an AP, I’d go a few times a year and stay on property. Without it tho, no so much.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.

 

[AmishGuy91]

@Ms Bibbidi I did follow your recommendation and bought a DLR Magic Key. If WDW AP sales had returned before the Magic Keys, I would have bought those and not gotten the Magic Keys.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

.