Cost of WDW Platinum Plus Pass vs Disney Signature Plus Pass

[DisneyEdie]

So, the cost for a WDW Platinum Plus Pass (which enables admission to all four parks, complimentary parking, both water parks, entrance to a golf course, a several other benefits) costs $829 for an adult; whereas if you purchase a Disney Signature Plus Passport for use in California, you get access to two Parks, complementary parking, some discounts, and have the privilege of paying $1,049.00. Could explain why, even though I only live 4 hours away by car, and have purchased Premium Annual Passports since the first year they started selling them (1984 or '87, can't remember exactly when) I won't be purchasing one again. The price may be "what the Market will bear" but it's not what I can bear - so long Disneyland, it's been nice knowin' ya...

 

[Erich]

Yeah, I agree it's a lot for entrance into 2 parks and parking, the problem here is that there are over 1,000,000 annual pass holders at the Disneyland resort and they are trying to limit annual pass holders coming into the parks.

In my opinion:
They made the price for the signature+ pass higher so that they can predict when the huge waves of annual pass holders will come into the park.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

So, the cost for a WDW Platinum Plus Pass (which enables admission to all four parks, complimentary parking, both water parks, entrance to a golf course, a several other benefits) costs $829 for an adult; whereas if you purchase a Disney Signature Plus Passport for use in California, you get access to two Parks, complementary parking, some discounts, and have the privilege of paying $1,049.00. Could explain why, even though I only live 4 hours away by car, and have purchased Premium Annual Passports since the first year they started selling them (1984 or '87, can't remember exactly when) I won't be purchasing one again. The price may be "what the Market will bear" but it's not what I can bear - so long Disneyland, it's been nice knowin' ya...

The Signature Plus pass is only valuable to those who HAVE to visit over Christmas. The Signature pass, $849, is a superior value and is just missing those last two weeks of December, one week of which is always hellish anyway.

And while there are 4 parks and 2 water parks at WDW, their 4 theme parks combined have less attractions than DLR's 2 parks. On top of that, WDW has been declining in maintenance for years and buildouts of any new attractions or shows are extremely slow, if they come at all. Four parks, one parade!

While I'd prefer the Signature pass be say, $749 instead of $849, it's hard to argue that it doesn't get a repeat visitor good value as long as they average 1 visit or more per month.

 

[drizgirl]

The Signature Plus pass is only valuable to those who HAVE to visit over Christmas. The Signature pass, $849, is a superior value and is just missing those last two weeks of December, one week of which is always hellish anyway.

And while there are 4 parks and 2 water parks at WDW, their 4 theme parks combined have less attractions than DLR's 2 parks. On top of that, WDW has been declining in maintenance for years and buildouts of any new attractions or shows are extremely slow, if they come at all. Four parks, one parade!

While I'd prefer the Signature pass be say, $749 instead of $849, it's hard to argue that it doesn't get a repeat visitor good value as long as they average 1 visit or more per month.

While I'm in agreement with most of what you had to say, doesn't DLR only have 1 parade right now as well?

 

[Deleted member 107043]

And while there are 4 parks and 2 water parks at WDW, their 4 theme parks combined have less attractions than DLR's 2 parks. On top of that, WDW has been declining in maintenance for years and buildouts of any new attractions or shows are extremely slow, if they come at all. Four parks, one parade!

Personally I don't think those are strong arguments for the significant price difference. I know it's cool to disparage WDW around here, but I would wager that public at large would perceive the WDW pass as a better value. Discrepancies in pricing like this only add to the uneasy feeling I get when thinking about how expensive DLR is and keep me from visiting more than once every few years.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We can argue about the quality of DL vs. WDW all that we want, but ultimately, it comes down to supply and demand. The simple fact is that four theme parks have more capacity than two. When you've got more capacity, you can sell more APs, and therefore the prices decrease. When you've got less supply, your prices increase.

Combine that with the fact that there's a lot of construction going on at WDW lately, added to the fact that WDW is just not that popular among locals like DL is, and the prices drop. I would kind of expect the pass prices will increase when all of the construction at DHS is over.

So, the cost for a WDW Platinum Plus Pass (which enables admission to all four parks, complimentary parking, both water parks, entrance to a golf course, a several other benefits) costs $829 for an adult; whereas if you purchase a Disney Signature Plus Passport for use in California, you get access to two Parks, complementary parking, some discounts, and have the privilege of paying $1,049.00. Could explain why, even though I only live 4 hours away by car, and have purchased Premium Annual Passports since the first year they started selling them (1984 or '87, can't remember exactly when) I won't be purchasing one again. The price may be "what the Market will bear" but it's not what I can bear - so long Disneyland, it's been nice knowin' ya...

I echo the statements of other members: why not just get one of the other passes? Not like you have to give up going to Disneyland completely, just buy the pass more within your budget.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

While I'm in agreement with most of what you had to say, doesn't DLR only have 1 parade right now as well?

Yes, but that situation is temporary. Soundsational comes back next month, PTN comes back in June, and something is in the works to replace PPP at DCA. WDW has no end in sight to replace its four parks one parade model.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Personally I don't think those are strong arguments for the significant price difference. I know it's cool to disparage WDW around here, but I would wager that public at large would perceive the WDW pass as a better value. Discrepancies in pricing like this only add to the uneasy feeling I get when thinking about how expensive DLR is and keep me from visiting more than once every few years.

I would then maintain the public at large would be wrong. WDW is a resort full of dead space with three criminally underbuilt parks (one of which barely qualifies as a park in its sorry construction state) and one overcrowded park whose capacity levels haven't changed in 22 years. Combine that with continual cuts, stale entertainment (what's left of it) and precious few actual additions, WDW is a very poor value compared to DLR.

I don't know how long it's been since you last visited WDW. I was just there a couple months ago and it's not in good shape. In fact, some of it is downright depressing (Epcot). If they can stop dragging their feet and get some real rebuilding and expanding going on, WDW has the potential to be a crown jewel the other resorts just can't compete with.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I would then maintain the public at large would be wrong. WDW is a resort full of dead space with three criminally underbuilt parks (one of which barely qualifies as a park in its sorry construction state) and one overcrowded park whose capacity levels haven't changed in 22 years. Combine that with continual cuts, stale entertainment (what's left of it) and precious few actual additions, WDW is a very poor value compared to DLR.

All that may be true, but when you say "Disney Resort" to the average person they aren't going to go through the minutiae of operational shortfalls when comparing the two US properties. All most vacationers who aren't Disney fanatics know and care about is that Walt Disney World is much bigger than Disneyland Resort and that apples to apples Disneyland costs more.

 

[drizgirl]

All that may be true, but when you say "Disney Resort" to the average person they aren't going to go through the minutiae of operational shortfalls when comparing the two US properties. All most vacationers who aren't Disney fanatics know and care about is that Walt Disney World is much bigger than Disneyland Resort and that apples to apples Disneyland costs more.

But aren't most of the people who would be shopping for these passes pretty big Disney fanatics?

 

[Deleted member 107043]

But aren't most of the people who would be shopping for these passes pretty big Disney fanatics?

Passes aren't the only value proposition I'm talking about. For example, I can go to WDW and stay in a "value" property onsite for a relatively low cost compared to anything DLR has to offer. A quick comparison of multi-day tickets shows that an adult 4-day 4 park ticket at WDW costs $279 while a 4-day 2 park ticket at DLR costs $320, a considerable difference if you have a sizable family and you're traveling from the east of the Rockies.

 

[BrianLo]

The Signature Plus pass is only valuable to those who HAVE to visit over Christmas.

So, I had a general interesting "thought".

I noticed you can upgrade your regular park tickets during a stay into an Annual Pass. Is there any measure of preventing a person from 'upgrading' their ticket, which they used during a blackout period, to a lower level pass?

 

[Little Green Men]

I would then maintain the public at large would be wrong. WDW is a resort full of dead space with three criminally underbuilt parks (one of which barely qualifies as a park in its sorry construction state) and one overcrowded park whose capacity levels haven't changed in 22 years. Combine that with continual cuts, stale entertainment (what's left of it) and precious few actual additions, WDW is a very poor value compared to DLR.

I don't know how long it's been since you last visited WDW. I was just there a couple months ago and it's not in good shape. In fact, some of it is downright depressing (Epcot). If they can stop dragging their feet and get some real rebuilding and expanding going on, WDW has the potential to be a crown jewel the other resorts just can't compete with.

Actually they have two parades, ones just not up to par. Each park does have a nighttime show finally with 3 firework shows and 2 night shows (ROL starts this week) and the renovations going on will improve DAK's and DHS's ride count. Plus Epcot is supposed to get an overhaul soon. I'm excited about WDW's future. They've also been adding new entertainment to three of the parks with Epcot receiving rotating acts in WS.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Yes, but that situation is temporary. Soundsational comes back next month, PTN comes back in June, and something is in the works to replace PPP at DCA. WDW has no end in sight to replace its four parks one parade model.

Well, in slight defense of WDW, Epcot isn't really set up for a parade (CMs hated it when they had them), and DHS and AK's parades went away since they've had such heavy construction lately. Hopefully MK will get a replacement nighttime parade at some point, and now that AK is set to no longer be a construction zone, maybe it'll get a parade back as well.