WDW to prevent AP holders from visiting parks many mornings

[Marionnette]

Since Disney doesn't publish the size of any of these buckets, we won't necessarily know if and when they do this.

True. But if passholders find it to be increasingly difficult to book mornings, I think that pretty much points to further throttling of AP reservations.

 

[CarolMN]

Since AP park reservations don't come from the same bucket as ticketed guests' reservations, the only way that this would benefit an on-site guest would be if Disney shrunk the all-day pool of AP reservations and gave them to the resort guest bucket.

Since Disney doesn't publish the size of any of these buckets, we won't necessarily know if and when they do this.

We do if on-site or MYW off-site guests can get a park reservation, but AP guests can't. That has happened at both Disneyland and WDW. It's the basis for the lawsuit.

 

[whiteness]

We do if on-site or MYW off-site guests can get a park reservation, but AP guests can't. That has happened at both Disneyland and WDW. It's the basis for the lawsuit.

Well, yes and no. If it is a separate bucket of availability, then passholders might have just used theirs up sooner. Even if Disney allocated 50% of slots to passholders, passholders could still "use up" all of their slots, while resort guests and other ticket holders might still be able to make new reservations.

I'm not saying that's "fair." I, personally, don't think Disney should separate buckets for different types of guests. But I am a passholder. If I was a resort guest, I would assume and demand that Disney let me into the park every day of my stay. And if that meant keeping Passholders from getting reservations, then I'd be fine with that. My justification would be "they can always come some other day, but I can only go during my trip."

As a Passholder, I wonder why Disney doesn't offer a bundle of tickets with reservations with resort stays, and/or require people buying tickets to specify what dates they would be using them. If the day isn't available, you cannot purchase the ticket.

Then, you don't really need separate buckets, but you can hold back some availability until the last minute to accomodate people whose plans change or who decide to go at a spur of the moment.

There's a lot of ways Disney could do this better than they currently do. Hopefully, they will continue to improve this system for the benefit of all guests. It will be hard to make everyone happy, but publicly stated commitment to fairness, openness and transparency, with clearly stated rules and limitations, would be a great start. Then, honest and sincere follow-through on those commitments.

 

[Sandisw]

Well, yes and no. If it is a separate bucket of availability, then passholders might have just used theirs up sooner. Even if Disney allocated 50% of slots to passholders, passholders could still "use up" all of their slots, while resort guests and other ticket holders might still be able to make new reservations.

I'm not saying that's "fair." I, personally, don't think Disney should separate buckets for different types of guests. But I am a passholder. If I was a resort guest, I would assume and demand that Disney let me into the park every day of my stay. And if that meant keeping Passholders from getting reservations, then I'd be fine with that. My justification would be "they can always come some other day, but I can only go during my trip."

As a Passholder, I wonder why Disney doesn't offer a bundle of tickets with reservations with resort stays, and/or require people buying tickets to specify what dates they would be using them. If the day isn't available, you cannot purchase the ticket.

Then, you don't really need separate buckets, but you can hold back some availability until the last minute to accomodate people whose plans change or who decide to go at a spur of the moment.

There's a lot of ways Disney could do this better than they currently do. Hopefully, they will continue to improve this system for the benefit of all guests. It will be hard to make everyone happy, but publicly stated commitment to fairness, openness and transparency, with clearly stated rules and limitations, would be a great start. Then, honest and sincere follow-through on those commitments.

The tickets do that. You can’t purchase one if the day is full.

I also understand why they have buckets to ensure guests can get in as much as possible.

At WDW, there are 4 parks that our ticket is good for so as long as one park is open for AP holders, if would be hard to be shut out from visiting.

As I have mentioned, it is very easy for them to update language of the pass to be clear that a non blockout day doesn’t mean same access as other tickets. It could mean limited access. People might not buy it but for the right price? Plenty would

But then again, Disney believes saying subject to reservations covered the different buckets…hence the lawsuit.

 

[whiteness]

As I have mentioned, it is very easy for them to update language of the pass to be clear that a non blockout day doesn’t mean same access as other tickets. It could mean limited access. People might not buy it but for the right price? Plenty would

But then again, Disney believes saying subject to reservations covered the different buckets…hence the lawsuit.

Sounds like Disney feels it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. My kid feels the same way. She's 13. I hope she eventually grows out of it. In Disney's case, it looks like a lawsuit is the only way to get them to change at this point.

 

[New Mouse]

Sounds like Disney feels it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. My kid feels the same way. She's 13. I hope she eventually grows out of it. In Disney's case, it looks like a lawsuit is the only way to get them to change at this point.

I think the ultimate resolution here is to have blackout dates or reservations but not both.

The purpose of blackout dates is to prevent people from coming during specified peak times.

The purpose of reservations is to prevent people from coming during peak times. But that is more arbitrary and vague.

Something as simple as a "availability" counter would also be very helpful. There's a reason why Disney doesn't want to be transparent about this process. It's not because they care.

 

[Marionnette]

The tickets do that. You can’t purchase one if the day is full.

Well, yes and no. I cannot purchase a ticket for a day where every park is already full. But purchasing a ticket does not reserve you space in a park. You still need to make a park reservation. Time and time again we have seen posts from guests complaining that they bought tickets (either separately or part of a package) and they delayed making their park reservations to the point where they could not get a reservation at any park on one or more days during their trip.

 

[Sandisw]

Well, yes and no. I cannot purchase a ticket for a day where every park is already full. But purchasing a ticket does not reserve you space in a park. You still need to make a park reservation. Time and time again we have seen posts from guests complaining that they bought tickets (either separately or part of a package) and they delayed making their park reservations to the point where they could not get a reservation at any park on one or more days during their trip.

True but that is on them for waiting. Can’t fault Disney for that if someone doesn’t book something when they buy and see it’s available

I was just referring to the fact when I go to buy tickets for my guests in December I can see if anything is already sold out.

Once we do buy, in early August, we will know what is available and book immediately and then plan based on that.

 

[Matty B13]

True but that is on them for waiting. Can’t fault Disney for that if someone doesn’t book something when they buy and see it’s available

But since Disney has date specific tickets now, shouldn't those people automatically get a park reservation for the ticket window of days?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My justification would be "they can always come some other day, but I can only go during my trip."

Passholders include a variety of types of people. Your reasoning in your mind purely works only in your mind. I'd say a decent number of Orlando residents and those right around the area have more "I'll go when I can" mentality however they do go with friends and family who don't necessarily live right in the immediate area. And not all AP holders have the most flexibility with vacation time.

There's also FL residents that live outside of Orlando (although I know often that is forgotten). Then there are out of state AP holders who may also be DVC members. With DVC they are also constrained to going during their trip if they are staying on their points that they booked 11 months ago or 7 months ago and the use year adds a layer, etc.

To give an example a DISer couple living close to the parks generally finds they are okay with their park reservations (we just spoke about this too on Friday) however when her family was in town for their wedding they did run into issues and it was overall harder to try and coordinate things. That whole mentality of thinking they can always come some other day..okay yeah but not with their out of town family and to celebrate their wedding.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But since Disney has date specific tickets now, shouldn't those people automatically get a park reservation for the ticket window of days?

No. People forget how these tickets work. You don't have to use your tickets consecutively and you have more days to use your ticket than it is good for (with exception to a 1 day ticket).

The date specific part only applies to the date you are doing your first theme park day. Otherwise it doesn't matter (well cost it does but not for entry entitlements) when you go after that.

 

[whiteness]

Well, yes and no. I cannot purchase a ticket for a day where every park is already full. But purchasing a ticket does not reserve you space in a park. You still need to make a park reservation. Time and time again we have seen posts from guests complaining that they bought tickets (either separately or part of a package) and they delayed making their park reservations to the point where they could not get a reservation at any park on one or more days during their trip.

Exactly. Disney should require someone to specify a day and a park when they purchase a ticket. Of course, they should be allowed to change the day and park as long as there is availability (and pay any difference in daily rate or receive a refund if applicable.)

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The date specific thing also works for theme parks in general in how many formulate their date-based tickets.

We just got back from Silver Dollar City last night. We had a date specific 2-day ticket starting 7/16. We had 5 days to use those 2 days

 

[whiteness]

Passholders include a variety of types of people. Your reasoning in your mind purely works only in your mind.

Well, I said that if I were a Resort Guest, which I'm not and never have been at either park, that's the reasoning I would give to justify having first dibs on any reservations.

Of course, as a passholder, that's not how I, personally, feel.

 

[New Mouse]

True but that is on them for waiting. Can’t fault Disney for that if someone doesn’t book something when they buy and see it’s available

They were literally sold a ticket at a specific price based on the date they are going to the park. How is that on them?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, I said that if I were a Resort Guest, which I'm not and never have been at either park, that's the reasoning I would give to justify having first dibs on any reservations.

Of course, as a passholder, that's not how I, personally, feel.

Except passholders can be resort guests too and DVC guests.

What you're talking about is a very specific type of guest..you know the entitled one

 

[Marionnette]

True but that is on them for waiting. Can’t fault Disney for that if someone doesn’t book something when they buy and see it’s available

Actually, I do fault Disney for selling a ticket that has a start day of mm/dd/yyyy and then not ensuring that the guest can get into a park on that day, regardless of when they decide to secure their park reservations. Why should the onus be on the guest?

 

[Sandisw]

But since Disney has date specific tickets now, shouldn't those people automatically get a park reservation for the ticket window of days?

Yes but not park specific. The point is when they sell them to you they tell you upfront if the park you want is available.

So if you wait to book, then what you want is sold out, you can be stuck.

Sorry, if I buy and it says subject to availability and that you need to make a reservation you can’t fault Disney if you wait to book

 

[Sandisw]

Actually, I do fault Disney for selling a ticket that has a start day of mm/dd/yyyy and then not ensuring that the guest can get into a park on that day, regardless of when they decide to secure their park reservations. Why should the onus be on the guest?

Because the rules of tickets are clear? Now I would agree if you bought for each park and then they sell out.

But isn’t the argument should be no buckets and APs should get spots.

Just don’t agree a guest doesn’t have some responsibility to read and understand rules. And not wait until the last minute to book a park expecting to get in when you are the one who waited.

And I have not read many reports expect for people who tried week of visit or shortly before.

 

[lowlight]

So much energy being put into limiting attendance, but here’s my guess- the economy is going to sort this one out for Disney very quickly.