News Walt Disney World to resume sales of Annual Passes (New sales resume April 20, 2023)

[Chip Chipperson]

Why is December 6 sold out at MK? This is traditionally a slow (not slow, but slower) time of year, and TP anticipates a 3 crowd level. What accounts for this seemingly wildly irregular crowd?

I'm wondering the same thing. It seems that resort guests still have availability, so it's just the local and offsite guests who are shut out. Maybe they're leaving the remaining space for resort guests who haven't picked a park yet, which would just cement how bad the reservation system is at replacing FP+ advanced bookings for helping gauge crowd levels if they can't even count on resort guests telling them where they'll be each day - and they can't because I just booked mine 2 days ago and I've had this trip planned for months.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think the only thing they can do in lieu of pausing the sale of APs it make it crystal clear to people when they purchase their pass that park reservations are required and that they can and do sometimes sell out. Passes are good for a full year but nobody is guaranteed to get into a specific park on a specific day. If someone buys an AP in November and is mad that they can't get in on a specific day in December, then they haven't paid much attention and need to realize that there are still plenty of days left in their 1-year window that ARE available.

Also, what's so special about December 6??? Is there a cheer competition that week or something? I would have thought a random Monday in early December would be a low-demand day.

This is an impossible concept

you’re asking “Disney adults” to not act like buffoons and raise hell…
…what in your experience would imply they can handle that responsibility?

 

[castlecake2.0]

Unfortunately guest satisfaction isn't as high a concern.

Guest satisfaction of guests in the actual park or guests that could not get in?

 

[drizgirl]

Guest satisfaction of guests in the actual park or guests that could not get in?

The ones in the park. If I can't get tickets to a show I want to see, I plan earlier next time.

 

[networkpro]

Why is December 6 sold out at MK? This is traditionally a slow (not slow, but slower) time of year, and TP anticipates a 3 crowd level. What accounts for this seemingly wildly irregular crowd?

National Diagnostic Imaging Symposium at the Yacht Club?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Guest satisfaction of guests in the actual park or guests that could not get in?

Neither…Disney has sold “familiarity” and “expectations” since day one…

If “it sucks now” becomes something frequently attached to the operation on the normal streets - across all demographic lines- then you’ll never be able to wash that stench away.

when you have an unqualified hack looking to bleed it dry at the top…you’re at defcon 2

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

National Diagnostic Imaging Symposium at the Yacht Club?

Yeah…they party hard

 

[networkpro]

Yeah…they party hard

Wouldnt you want to let loose after a year of looking at images of things gone horribly wrong inside human bodies?

 

[JoeCamel]

Why is December 6 sold out at MK? This is traditionally a slow (not slow, but slower) time of year, and TP anticipates a 3 crowd level. What accounts for this seemingly wildly irregular crowd?

I'm wondering the same thing. It seems that resort guests still have availability, so it's just the local and offsite guests who are shut out. Maybe they're leaving the remaining space for resort guests who haven't picked a park yet, which would just cement how bad the reservation system is at replacing FP+ advanced bookings for helping gauge crowd levels if they can't even count on resort guests telling them where they'll be each day - and they can't because I just booked mine 2 days ago and I've had this trip planned for months.

They hit a nasty feedback loop with the reservation system where it saw low demand and only scheduled Jenny and Hank to work so now it couldn't increase open spots and had to keep them closed. Just a glitch but the onsite guests should enjoy their day in the park with Jenny and Hank.
\s
All better now

 

[networkpro]

They hit a nasty feedback loop with the reservation system where it saw low demand and only scheduled Jenny and Hank to work so now it couldn't increase open spots and had to keep them closed. Just a glitch but the onsite guests should enjoy their day in the park with Jenny and Hank.
\s
All better now

I'll see in person if the sea of humanity between Peter Pan and IASW develops. Just got my booster last week, had my flu shot in October but it'll still be a covid crap shoot.

 

[JoeCamel]

I'll see in person if the sea of humanity between Peter Pan and IASW develops. Just got my booster last week, had my flu shot in October but it'll still be a covid crap shoot.

Say hi to Jenny for me.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Wouldnt you want to let loose after a year of looking at images of things gone horribly wrong inside human bodies?

Yep. Nothing says, “let loose” like Haunted Mansion followed by It’s a Small World.

I’m genuinely curious to know why this particular date is sold out. Please let us know if you find out.

 

[TransportationGuy]

Why is December 6 sold out at MK? This is traditionally a slow (not slow, but slower) time of year, and TP anticipates a 3 crowd level. What accounts for this seemingly wildly irregular crowd?

Pop Warner is in town, international travel is back with pent up demand, and capacity controls are still in place.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Pop Warner is in town, international travel is back with pent up demand, and capacity controls are still in place.

…that’s not a lot of lead time for international travel…pop is limited to a few hotels as well

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Say hi to Jenny for me.

You sure that isn’t “Julio”?

 

[matt9112]

Again...

Even before the pandemic, WDW had a problem with overcrowding at MK. There were carrots and sticks to drive away people from 'the peak times.'

And now, there is a labor shortage. WDW can't handle now the holiday crowds that they had in the before times. So, they clamped down on attendance with the Park Pass reservations system.

People right now cannot buy a ticket on some upcoming holiday dates because WDW is sold out. (MK itself has even more sold out dates, but you can still buy a ticket to get into the other parks.)

Let me repeat this, because it's going to be important for understanding the AP 'pause' -- you cannot buy day tickets because the parks (mostly MK at this point) are SOLD OUT.

Now, for APs: If the parks are sold out, what good does it do anyone to buy an AP when they can't use it because the parks are SOLD OUT? Why would WDW sell an AP to someone and then listen to them complain and demand their money back because they can't use their AP because the parks are SOLD OUT?

There is no conspiracy here. WDW isn't "creating demand to raise prices." That's conspiracy theory time base on nerdrage. Especially when all the *evidence* (and not blind guesswork) points to WDW just simply clamping down on the attendance level of the parks due to their labor shortage.

You all heard of the labor shortage which is happening nearly everywhere and is constantly in the news, right? It's real. It's affecting WDW.

APs aren't magic. They can't get you into a park that's closed because it's full. And APs aren't being singled out. People who buy the day-tickets are finding they can't get into the parks on certain days, because those days are SOLD OUT.

Soooo how does any of this effect the fact they have barely built anything to meaningfully increase capacity in the last decade? Your points are valid but it does make it seem like WDW has no blame for why its in this situation. That is a false narrative. They have underbuilt all 4 parks despite soaring attendance. At one point (not sure if still true) didn't disneyland have more rides than all 4 parks in florida? Yet the MK is the most visited park in the world.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Pop Warner is in town, international travel is back with pent up demand, and capacity controls are still in place.

Why are such dramatic capacity controls in place? Chapek told investors he expected full capacity by Fall, and WDW is making no efforts to impose social distancing in the parks.

 

[pdude81]

Soooo how does any of this effect the fact they have barely built anything to meaningfully increase capacity in the last decade? Your points are valid but it does make it seem like WDW has no blame for why its in this situation. That is a false narrative. They have underbuilt all 4 parks despite soaring attendance. At one point (not sure if still true) didn't disneyland have more rides than all 4 parks in florida? Yet the MK is the most visited park in the world.

I don't think he's saying that they are blameless. Honestly I don't think anybody would say that. I think the false narrative is that the current issues are driven by ride capacity, as they still don't have the staff to open everything yet. Of course ride capacity is a huge issue when the caps are lifted, but we're not quite there yet.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I don't think he's saying that they are blameless. Honestly I don't think anybody would say that. I think the false narrative is that the current issues are driven by ride capacity, as they still don't have the staff to open everything yet. Of course ride capacity is a huge issue when the caps are lifted, but we're not quite there yet.

But if they are limiting park attendance, and lines are still long with nearly every ride at MK open, for example, wouldn’t that mean ride capacity is inadequate for even the “limited” crowds being allowed into the park? I may be thinking about this backwards, though, I’ve been up for several hours and am multitasking while attending technical training.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Soooo how does any of this effect the fact they have barely built anything to meaningfully increase capacity in the last decade? Your points are valid but it does make it seem like WDW has no blame for why its in this situation. That is a false narrative. They have underbuilt all 4 parks despite soaring attendance. At one point (not sure if still true) didn't disneyland have more rides than all 4 parks in florida? Yet the MK is the most visited park in the world.

It doesn’t…Iger mismanaged it and none of the Praets will hear it. They intentionally reduced their operational capacity to raise prices across the board…then blame the customers for it. And yet…they have holes burned through their credit cards for it. I don’t blame Disney…they have a job to do and it’s not a fair fight with no resistance from the customers.

Why are such dramatic capacity controls in place? Chapek told investors he expected full capacity by Fall, and WDW is making no efforts to impose social distancing in the parks.

What is: “because they can’t fill for the “50th” because of the pricing and need cover, Alex?”