Big changes coming to Annual Passes

Sonconato

Well-Known Member
It's all about the fact most AP holders don't spend enough money in the parks. I'll admit I go to EPCOT with friends often and we just walk around, talk and enjoy the atmosphere. You think Disney is happy we don't have a $50 drink tab to go along with that? Probably not.

I'm going back to DL in January and after hotel, food, tickets I'll be paying much, much more in a week at DL then I do all year at WDW. THAT is what Disney likes to see. More money, less time is the target market here.

Oh, did I mention I'll be enjoying my week at DL much, much more than my year(s) at WDW? Such a better experience.

I would agree with you to some extent. However, we know many locals that do go and spend plenty of money (at least used to). Most businesses that I am aware of, thrive on loyal customers/guests and prefer the frequent repeat customer/guests over those that only come once or occasionally. Those types of guests are the ones that encourage family members, friends and coworkers from afar, to visit the parks and spend as much time there as they are able to afford. It doesn't require expensive marketing to increase your revenue, just the tried and true "word of mouth". My husband just recently encouraged a coworker from Kansas to do just that and now he regrets the suggestion. He comes from a huge family as well and he said he no longer can comfortably say it's a worthwhile vacation. The parks are simply NOT keeping up with the expense of a vacation.
 
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PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
I for once am impressed by the professionalism exhibited here by the CMs who knew. Info like this typically leaks and this time they kept it under wraps

Well things are kept under wraps... My people were like "sorry, couldn't tell you".... But the ensuing conversation has been pretty interesting.

All the antics we've seen on Disney Twinker and passholder antics showing off, hounding characters, etc., well this is an immediate response to try and quell all that. Too many cases of local passholders behaving badly it seems. Apparently Entertainment was all for this to happen.
 

wdisney9000

Truindenashendubapreser
Premium Member
As a long time AP holder I look at it this way; by purchasing an Annual Pass I am making a commitment to Disney to visit more than once a year and spend my money with them. And yes, it is a commitment. I am saying to them, "I will spend my money with you for my future vacations".

In return for my years of commitment, Disney has annually decreased my benefits, raised prices, added black out dates and made it much more difficult to get an AP discount on a resort room unless your constantly monitoring the website for release dates. Not to mention the walled off areas of parks and 5-7 year construction periods that come with it.

Not the end of world, but definitely the beginning of our commitment to another theme park for a few years which seems to actually value my business a bit more.
 

Touchdown

Well-Known Member
You are all looking at this wrong, I'm a big theme park nut and currently have 5 season passes to different chains, it should be strictly a business decision. Does this pass end up saving me money or not? If it does get it, if not don't.
 

Sped2424

Well-Known Member
so if I already renewed before this what does that mean? Do I get sent to whichever plan? or does this only affect me next year when I have to renew again?
 

note2001

Well-Known Member
Don't they just write it off as a business expense anyway?
I believe the youtube vloggers do write off their park passes - one, I can't remember which, was commenting on it. But what savings does it really have for them? They'll still need the top tier to get in for the holidays, and the tax savings could not be significant if they make decent money.
 

KeeKee

Well-Known Member
How about a tiered discount program for repeat pass holder renewals? Maybe if you've renewed 5 or fewer times you might get 10% off; 5-10 times, 20% off your renewal? If WDW doesn't want to appear too greedy and still believes in something like, say, customer loyalty, wouldn't that be a possible offer they could make?

Oh wait, nah, I must be forgetting who I'm talking about...
 

hopemax

Well-Known Member
Don't they just write it off as a business expense anyway?

Even if it's not a business expense, single people/or even couples should be able to come up with the funds, if they really value WDW. Everybody with a halfway decent job, pretty much has a yearly entertainment budget of a size to cover this. Whether its green fees/new clubs, new car parts, concert tickets, sports tickets or even just things like a top of the line cable package, alcohol, cigarettes. It's a matter of prioritizing (people may have to pick & choose).

So I don't quite see how this is going to disrupt a lifestyler. It's the families with kids, who have to multiply by 3, 4 or more that are more likely to be priced out. The ones doing the trick of, "I'll visit in November this year, and October next year, and so I get 2 trips for the price of 1-ish.
 

KeeKee

Well-Known Member
Even if it's not a business expense, single people/or even couples should be able to come up with the funds, if they really value WDW. Everybody with a halfway decent job, pretty much has a yearly entertainment budget of a size to cover this. Whether its green fees/new clubs, new car parts, concert tickets, sports tickets or even just things like a top of the line cable package, alcohol, cigarettes. It's a matter of prioritizing (people may have to pick & choose).

So I don't quite see how this is going to disrupt a lifestyler. It's the families with kids, who have to multiply by 3, 4 or more that are more likely to be priced out. The ones doing the trick of, "I'll visit in November this year, and October next year, and so I get 2 trips for the price of 1-ish.
Could be, at some point, its just a matter of principle. There is such a thing as rewarding customer loyalty.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
You are all looking at this wrong, I'm a big theme park nut and currently have 5 season passes to different chains, it should be strictly a business decision. Does this pass end up saving me money or not? If it does get it, if not don't.
I haven't paid to get into WDW since I bought my last AP in 2009. So I predict that the massive price hike while closing stuff right and left probably won't entice me back.
 

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