Will we see the same AP increase at WDW someday?

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I HATE it when I'm right.

Just reading the Orlando paper online...keeping up with theme park news. WDW annual passes going up little over 10 percent this year perhaps more next year.

I remember before I was married 5 years ago I paid less than $400 with lots of annual pass bennies.

I guess I DID marry well (castmember with pass benefits).

But really-----how much is too much when you look at the total package of WDW costs?

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

7.7 percent for premium
10.9 for standard annual pass
11....something for seasonal

No more discount for children

Burbank said to expect more increases as more of Fantasyland comes online.

By contrast. US raised ticket prices but did not touch annual passes according to this article.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Thieves...

"thanks for your continued annual support...now do a handstand until all the bills and quarters fall out of your pockets"

 

[DCTooTall]

7.7 percent for premium
10.9 for standard annual pass
11....something for seasonal

No more discount for children

Burbank said to expect more increases as more of Fantasyland comes online.

By contrast. US raised ticket prices but did not touch annual passes according to this article.

Universal made some DRASTIC changes to their AP's last year, including I believe 2 pretty decent sized AP cost increases within a few months of each other..

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Universal made some DRASTIC changes to their AP's last year, including I believe 2 pretty decent sized AP cost increases within a few months of each other..

That's true...but I don't believe it relates to the issue.

 

[DCTooTall]

That's true...but I don't believe it relates to the issue.

Not directly, But my comment was more to the comment that Universal raised their ticket prices but not the AP rates. While Disney has not made any MAJOR changes to their AP rates in a few years beyond modest AP rate increases, this was the first Drastic change they have made in a few years.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Not directly, But my comment was more to the comment that Universal raised their ticket prices but not the AP rates. While Disney has not made any MAJOR changes to their AP rates in a few years beyond modest AP rate increases, this was the first Drastic change they have made in a few years.

They're over the line...both universal and disney are just using anything that can be described as "economic momentum"...such as what the last year and very loosely, heavily interpreted can be described as...to push the bar.

The disney annual is now priced at about $615 bucks with tax...or the equivalent of buying 15 days on multi day tickets.

That's absurd. it really is...3x or 4x the daily rate is one thing...this is 6.

It's just pure crap and greed...nothing more.

And even if you can accept a 10% bump...which i could in a certain light - even though wages are declining almost across the board for the public in this country - its the elimination of the children's ticket that is kinda stupid.

Parents are now penalized for the number of kids they have...instead of welcoming them by giving somewhat of a break.

That's is pure stock driven evil...and just another log to throw on the "friendly" disney fire.

My opinion.

I'm not even going to mention that universal and disney's same day price is identical...and universals annual rate is about 40% less.

But i'm sure that new dumbo will be "spectacular" and will be worth what will now be a $2500 bill for a family of four on APs to enjoy.

or the fact that part of the reason why they are raising the costs are to pay for cruiseships, chinese parks, and a redo of california adventure...which they caused.

There is also an assault on the florida resident passes...who has easier access but is a crutch that disney leans on in lean years when they need them. And who have lower incomes...that is a little offensive as well.

Whatever...they do what they want because nobody holds them accountable.

 

[DCTooTall]

They're over the line...both universal and disney are just using anything that can be described as "economic momentum"...such as what the last year and very loosely, heavily interpreted can be described as...to push the bar.

The disney annual is now priced at about $615 bucks with tax...or the equivalent of buying 15 days on multi day tickets.

That's absurd. it really is...3x or 4x the daily rate is one thing...this is 6.

It's just pure crap and greed...nothing more.

And even if you can accept a 10% bump...which i could in a certain light - even though wages are declining almost across the board for the public in this country - its the elimination of the children's ticket that is kinda stupid.

Parents are now penalized for the number of kids they have...instead of welcoming them by giving somewhat of a break.

That's is pure stock driven evil...and just another log to throw on the "friendly" disney fire.

My opinion.

I'm not even going to mention that universal and disney's same day price is identical...and universals annual rate is about 40% less.

But i'm sure that new dumbo will be "spectacular" and will be worth what will now be a $2500 bill for a family of four on APs to enjoy.

or the fact that part of the reason why they are raising the costs are to pay for cruiseships, chinese parks, and a redo of california adventure...which they caused.

There is also an assault on the florida resident passes...who has easier access but is a crutch that disney leans on in lean years when they need them. And who have lower incomes...that is a little offensive as well.

Whatever...they do what they want because nobody holds them accountable.

Looking at the AP prices, I can come up with a defense on some sections for both parks.

First... Universal. That's the easier one to defend the changes made last year. For YEARS universal's AP prices had pretty much been stagnant. Same as they non-AP Ticket Prices (Remember the $99 7-day parkhoppers?). After the WWOHP opened, the non-AP Tickets got a major overhaul in their pricing to reflect the change in demand, as well as the investments made in the park. At that time there was a slight bump in the AP pricing, but then they did some more drastic changes to their AP to bring them more in line with the changes made to the regular ticket prices. (And the fact that Universal is continuing to invest in their parks now with Despicable Me and the huge project going on at Jaws, it's obvious they aren't just taking the new money and sitting on it, but are reinvesting back into the parks).


For Disney, The one Defense I can make for their AP rates? Last year the price difference between a 10 day hopper + parking for all 10 days was only $33. For people not staying on Disney Property, it was almost a no-brainer to get at least 1 AP because the $33 would've been EXTREMELY easy to make up via discounts... and even possibly the TiW card. The extra bump that AP's got this year bumps that price difference to $59, which still isn't that big of a jump, but is a bit harder to make up via discounts on merch over 10 days.

Now the Child AP elimination?? While I believe the reason they did it was to keep people from getting a single child AP for much less than the adult for the perks (such as parking and merch discounts), There had to have been a much easier way to close up those loopholes without adversely impacting families who are trying to play by the rules. [IOW's.... This isn't as much greed, as simply laziness]

Hell... off the top of my head I can think of 1 very simple way to do it...... just have the CM's scan the damned AP to authorize the perks, with Child AP's not working. Hell, even to park at Universal I need to show my AP and my ID, which they then scan into the system to print out the comp parking receipt. And Bonus for Disney and their stockholders/Accountants? They'd not only be able to enforce the rules much easier, but they'd also be gaining a LOT more data they could use in seeing how the different AP perks are utilized.

 

[manning]

Just about every time big well run companies go into decline. It is called the weight of greed.