Whoa..Annual Pass Increase - Effective 10/4/15

[JeriLee]

I’m surprised too because of the new Harry Potter World opening next spring. We are locals who were probably going to buy Universal AP’s next near instead of Disney. We only have so many days to enjoy a park that we really could not do both. I have been wondering if there were others like us…

 

[nicolispicoli]

Well that was the final nail in my current AP coffin. My deluxe pass expires in February (my dd's expires in November), I think we'll take next year off to possibly go to WDW in the fall. Maybe we'll come back after all the construction is done if the passes aren't even higher. I'm definitely not paying more to secure them for an entire year where part of one park will be down. I'm pretty sure this was their goal for a pass holder like me that lives a little too far (sacramento) to visit often but takes advantage of the CA resident payment plan and still visits 2-3 a year. Bummer...

 

[Sherry E]

Well that was the final nail in my current AP coffin. My deluxe pass expires in February (my dd's expires in November), I think we'll take next year off to possibly go to WDW in the fall. Maybe we'll come back after all the construction is done if the passes aren't even higher. I'm definitely not paying more to secure them for an entire year where part of one park will be down. I'm pretty sure this was their goal for a pass holder like me that lives a little too far (sacramento) to visit often but takes advantage of the CA resident payment plan and still visits 2-3 a year. Bummer...

I don't even want to contemplate how much the APs and Hoppers will cost once the next phase of construction is done and Star Wars Land opens up. I'm sure there will be several more increases before that time.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Thank you for mentioning the Disney store. I incorrectly assumed that the Disney store would automatically increase theirs but they didn't. Just ran out and bought 4. I called every safeway in my area hoping for some but apparently they only sell up to two day hoppers.

 

[Bud Ice]

Just renewed my AP a month ago *thank you Jesus*

 

[taniahappy]

Oh yeah, more increases will come for sure after SWL is completed, hope its not THAT much!

 

[ArchOwl]

I really think there were too many Premium passholders and Disney felt they had to do something about crowding especially over the holidays. Obviously this doesn't help for this holiday season, but perhaps next year it will be much better.

Remember when the Deluxe pass plus parking was pretty darn close to the Premium price? I always thought that was kinda dumb and wondered how many people just went with Premium. I think a lot of folks did. Now it is time to trim the pack.

This is actually a great time to thin down the AP group. Drastic price increase along with construction means lots of people won't renew their passes. Disney can clear those people out, balance out the AP program, and enroll lots of new people just in time for Star Wars.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I really think there were too many Premium passholders and Disney felt they had to do something about crowding especially over the holidays. Obviously this doesn't help for this holiday season, but perhaps next year it will be much better.

Remember when the Deluxe pass plus parking was pretty darn close to the Premium price? I always thought that was kinda dumb and wondered how many people just went with Premium. I think a lot of folks did. Now it is time to trim the pack.

This is actually a great time to thin down the AP group. Drastic price increase along with construction means lots of people won't renew their passes. Disney can clear those people out, balance out the AP program, and enroll lots of new people just in time for Star Wars.

My thinking meshes with yours. I do think this price increase now will help a little with this holiday season though actually by not making it even worse for Disney in terms of crowding. This sudden change can have two immediate effects. We are in holiday gift shopping season. Someone planning to buy a premium pass for themselves or another for the holidays to start using immediately during the busy holiday season just had that price jump significantly, so they may rethink that decision. Someone already in possession of a lower level pass who may have been thinking of visiting the parks during the busy holiday season either just because it's the holidays or to fit in a visit before the big closures that start after January 10 might have been considering upgrading their pass to do so. Again, the cost on that just went up significantly. I agree it won't help a ton for this holiday season, but it may indeed have an effect.

 

[Priory]

I was already going to take a couple of years off. 2016 I think I will go places that aren't Disney (I've heard a rumor there are actually vacation destinations in America that aren't Anaheim and Orlando). Then 2017, I'll go to wdw for all of their new goodies. In the meantime, I can save up the $5000 an annual past will cost once Star Wars opens in 2018/19 or so.

 

[dtnrhi]

It seems to me that Disney is pricing out those who get annual passes but don't live very near the parks.

This was my thought as well. We currently have AP's in AZ, and will likely let them lapse come February. For the price of the current Deluxe, we can get both a four and five day vacation for the price of the pass. We wouldn't have the food and merch discounts, obviously, but we also wouldn't be limited by blockouts. This would change our current touring style of going for a long weekend here and there, but it's probably that time. Other people in my family are getting tired of it anyways... Now, with no renewal discount on the Deluxe, in addition to the increase, it's a tough proposition!

Time to take a year away, like we did in 2014, I guess. We'll probably go to a Halloween Party next year to get our (my) fix - I hope they don't move it to DCA.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Wow I can see how it will hurt a lot of ppl too. However if they really are phasing out Socal pass + the increases. I wonder if this will be a start of the over crowding issue we were hearing about.
I read a poll a few days ago about over crowding on here. Its sorta funny some of those thing happened now.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

WOW - This is just too much! If we are able to ($), we would still renew next year, I think... but it looks like I just renewd our Premium AP on time (last week) ... so our we, the last "Premium AP holders"? or do we become Signature Plus?

Premium AP holders I expect. Premium AP vouchers that have already been purchased will continue to be activated through their 12/31/15 expiration dates, so the last Premium AP won't pass out of the system until 12/31/16, or I suppose 1/1/17 since a pass activated on 12/31/15 will be active through closing for the 12/31/16 operating day which will likely be around 2 AM 1/1/17.

 

[ArchOwl]

My thinking meshes with yours. I do think this price increase now will help a little with this holiday season though actually by not making it even worse for Disney in terms of crowding. This sudden change can have two immediate effects. We are in holiday gift shopping season. Someone planning to buy a premium pass for themselves or another for the holidays to start using immediately during the busy holiday season just had that price jump significantly, so they may rethink that decision. Someone already in possession of a lower level pass who may have been thinking of visiting the parks during the busy holiday season either just because it's the holidays or to fit in a visit before the big closures that start after January 10 might have been considering upgrading their pass to do so. Again, the cost on that just went up significantly. I agree it won't help a ton for this holiday season, but it may indeed have an effect.

Very true! But you might also get a lot of Premiums deciding to go for their last holiday if they are not going to renew for the Signature Plus. Should be interesting at any rate. I will be interested to see how busy things are for NYE.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Wow So the Deluxe has gone up $50. I am up for renewal of my current Deluxe AP in early December. I was planning to renew in November. With the renewal discount I thought it would be $509 instead of $549. So will it now be $559 instead of $599?

I thought I read that they are no longer offering a renewal discount for a deluxe pass meaning whether you renew or buy it new it will cost $599.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Very true! But you might also get a lot of Premiums deciding to go for their last holiday if they are not going to renew for the Signature Plus. Should be interesting at any rate. I will be interested to see how busy things are for NYE.

Agreed. I already figured based on reports of crowd patterns and the popularity of the new offerings and the expected closures hitting on January 10 it could easily end up being the most crowded holiday season on record with or without another price increase (a second price increase for the year had indeed been rumored back when the first one occurred).

 

[ArchOwl]

I’m surprised too because of the new Harry Potter World opening next spring. We are locals who were probably going to buy Universal AP’s next near instead of Disney. We only have so many days to enjoy a park that we really could not do both. I have been wondering if there were others like us…

Sad to say, but Disney just gave Universal carte blanche to raise their annual pass. Any increase they announce will look like peanuts compared to Disney. They must be very happy right now.

 

[mgd]

My trip is running $150 more this morning... thanks Disney... I'm going to milk them for everything I can while there as a result...

I recommend grabbing all the free taco sauce from rancho del zocalo (3 types!) and ketchups and straws from other restaurants.

 

[Sherry E]

I thought I read that they are no longer offering a renewal discount for a deluxe pass meaning whether you renew or buy it new it will cost $599.

That's what I read as well -- the new and renewal price is supposedly $599.

 

[Plaid Princess]

I'll still pay for my Premium because in the end it's worth it! If I would buy tickets for how many days this year I've been to the park (over 60 trips so far) I'd have spent almost ten grand haha.

This is why Disney keeps raising the price. For most AP holders, they don't spend anywhere near what they would spend on daily tickets. So Disney is basically losing money on the AP program.

What is so strange is Disneyland is more expensive than Disney world now.

DLR APs have been more expensive than comparable WDW APs for a few years already but the difference used to not very big. Now it's huge. But the funny thing is that one day tickets are still cheaper at DL than they are for the MK.

DLR has a much higher percentage of AP's than WDW does. At any given time, as many as 80% of the guests in Disneyland are AP's. It adds up to a lot of bodies for a lot less money.

I'm going to milk them for everything I can while there as a result...

A lot of AP holders do this already; it's nothing new, and part of the reason for the hike.

Does anyone know of legit sites that offer AP's? Maybe I can find one at the old price?

AAA and Disney Store until they run out. (You would have to physically go to the location though)

Creating a whole level of pass to block out 1 week is a pretty interesting move. Isn't that the week that Christmas entertainment becomes free at WDW? (Meaning not part of the hard ticket parties). I wonder if they're adding a Christmas party at Disneyland?

WDW doesn't offer parties the two weeks before and after Christmas. It's simply the most crowded time for the parks every year, and the most likely to have capacity issues.

I really think there were too many Premium passholders and Disney felt they had to do something about crowding especially over the holidays. Obviously this doesn't help for this holiday season, but perhaps next year it will be much better.

This is actually a great time to thin down the AP group. Drastic price increase along with construction means lots of people won't renew their passes. Disney can clear those people out, balance out the AP program, and enroll lots of new people just in time for Star Wars.

Exactly. It's genius, and I hope it helps with the overall park crowds, because they've been pretty outrageous lately.

 

[jani3]

Just renewed my AP a month ago *thank you Jesus*

Amen! We just renewed about 6 weeks ago and almost didn't. I was going to wait until mid-Oct to buy them to wait for the crowds to die down. Glad I didn't wait. Now I feel like we have to go as often as possible to get as much disney time since I don't know if I want to renew next year or wait until the construction is all done.

If AP holders feel the same way I do, this just means the park will be even more crowded to get all the time they can at DLR.