News Annual Pass price increases June 2019

[Tony the Tigger]

Just to push back a smidge on AP’s freeloading:

We live in South Florida, so a trip is still a trip.

Before AP, we’d spend $200-$250 on tickets, go for three days, and eat sensibly, often offsite and often staying offsite.

With AP, our spending per trip did not change. We just put the money into staying onsite, signature dining, Tours, etc. So our spending per year increased dramatically over several trips.

IMO, they successfully grew our business, even with a lower entry price.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I feel like Disney should have just gotten rid of all AP's below Platinum. Leave only two options, AP and AP+.

Locals will argues that they would never by the AP after that change. Meanwhile everyone else in this thread (out-of-staters mainly) argue that they wont buy the Platinum AP at the newly announced rate.

I would guess that enough locals would buy an AP and enough out-of-state visitors would also buy it to make a two-tier pass profitable.

Disney is still holding an Ace when it comes to locals. Parking. What do you think happens if they ever decide to remove the parking perk from an AP?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I thought it was $1594 before the jump?

It went up when Disneyland raised their prices right around New Years. I had just renewed my Premier in California for the old price (because Florida totally messed my pass up the one year I bought it there). Most likely the last year I’ll buy the Premier pass, was already hard to justify.

 

[ppete1975]

Not really they’re goal. Disney’s strategy of late is to make us believe they have a premium experience that we should shell out thousands for. They don’t particularly need the guests who buy the $400 APs and show up with Subway for lunch. Instead, with premium events, upcharges at upcharge events, VIP Tours, 4 Club 33s, and tiers of APs, they are trying to bring in the upper echelon of guests who have money burning holes in their pockets. Select APs are not appealing to Disney but those who would shell out $1000 for an AP are. They likely have more money available. It’s not really about crowds for Disney. It’s about having as many rich people as possible. Even charging $7 for a pretzel is meant to give the illusion of luxury.

its removing the poorer and lower middle class aps. And lower crowds is a goal for them, because they are starting to hear the complaints.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Disney is still holding an Ace when it comes to locals. Parking. What do you think happens if they ever decide to remove the parking perk from an AP?

...

 

[deeevo]

its removing the poorer and lower middle class aps. And lower crowds is a goal for them, because they are starting to hear the complaints.

I tend to agree with this theory but they didn't drastically increase the Weekday ,Bronze and Silver. It was the higher tier AP's that went up significantly. Keeping Gold for the Photopass is no longer an option for me I can tell you that.

 

[kevlightyear]

Here is a plot of their data for the Platinum Pass. Things have definitely changed from the historical trend in the past couple years/

View attachment 382214

This graph says it all. Thanks for sharing it. That jump is crazy big. Hard to justify. What has Disney done to increase the value so much in so little time?

 

[Joeamc]

This graph says it all. Thanks for sharing it. That jump is crazy big. Hard to justify. What has Disney done to increase the value so much in so little time?

Its a business, and they are anticipating high demand with Star Wars GE so they are trying to capitalize on it. Thats what they do. It's not a non for profit organization

 

[dividedsky319]

Ugh - DVC member and planned on buying AP for our upcoming trip. 5 tickets. This bump means $450 more.

Rethinking buying AP now... $2500 for our trip vs $3700 for AP. Will have to rethink whether we'll go back enough to use it.

Wished I had known this was coming so I could have purchased already :-(

 

[jt04]

This graph says it all. Thanks for sharing it. That jump is crazy big. Hard to justify. What has Disney done to increase the value so much in so little time?

They have literally spent billions in the last few years on infrastructure, new lands and attractions. With no signs of them slowing down. There are still some APs that are very reasonable.

 

[Joeamc]

Ugh - DVC member and planned on buying AP for our upcoming trip. 5 tickets. This bump means $450 more.

Rethinking buying AP now... $2500 for our trip vs $3700 for AP. Will have to rethink whether we'll go back enough to use it.

Wished I had known this was coming so I could have purchased already :-(

Can you "squeeze" in one more trip in the calendar year?

 

[CJR]

Disney is still holding an Ace when it comes to locals. Parking. What do you think happens if they ever decide to remove the parking perk from an AP?

I buy a lot in Kissimmee, charge $5 a day and provide a shuttle, just like they do at the cruise ports. Can't say I haven't entertained the idea.

 

[jt04]

Ugh - DVC member and planned on buying AP for our upcoming trip. 5 tickets. This bump means $450 more.

Rethinking buying AP now... $2500 for our trip vs $3700 for AP. Will have to rethink whether we'll go back enough to use it.

Wished I had known this was coming so I could have purchased already :-(

DVC, APs and prebooked should get a limited window at the old prices. These surprise increases are bad form IMO.

 

[Jeff2140]

Lol...what did you think they were gonna say??

I was calling about a renewal. With the 90 day window there may have been a possibility of keeping the old rate. Its not unheard of Disney doing things like that, so it was worth the 5 minute phone call.

 

[Kamikaze]

I thought it was $1594 before the jump?

It was $1949 as of at least Jan.

 

[dividedsky319]

Can you "squeeze" in one more trip in the calendar year?

That was the plan - was going to purchase in hopes of going back one or two more times again in 2020.

The only reason that I hadn't purchased yet was because I was unsure if buying in advance, if the "first date" of the AP didn't start until it was used for the first time - in other words , if I use it November 2nd, if it's good for 11/2/19-11/1/20 ... basically I just hadn't done the research to purchase yet!

I agree that it's bad form to not allow anyone who is already booked to purchase at the old price.

 

[alphac2005]

Just a few thoughts and it's like this conversation has gone into complete overdrive in the Iger era, well, which it has. There reaches a tipping point where the pricing is insane even for the most well versed and well to do WDW visitors. As for some stating about this attempting to lower the AP crowds and such, several insiders have made it clear that they've decided to increase APs and want the fixed revenue stream akin to DL. They surprisingly do more for APs today than they did years ago. We had APs for many years and the little things from car magnets to lounges never existed. It not only brings a locked in revenue stream, but those guests to spend where margins are huge, which are food/beverage and merchandising.

Where does all of this pricing lead to let's say in another decade? It's already a difficult reach for many well to do middle and upper middle class families. There's zero way that I can justify 5-6k just for my family to get into the gates annually. Good grief. Their new(ish) business model is predicated upon a healthy economy and the company continues to benefit from a decade of continuous economic growth. What happens with an economic slowdown of substance? There is no way that Disney reverses pricing, so we're left with them reducing margins and having less revenue growth (highly unlikely) or having to substantially raise pricing to keep the parks and resorts segment growing at rates that keeps the market happy.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Man am I ever glad we didn't buy into DVC a few years ago. That would've been a money pit worse than a boat with these AP increases.

Sorry Disney, we're vacationing elsewhere.

"You think last year's increases were crazy? Hold my beer..." - Disney 2019

 

[COProgressFan]

There goes my plan to upgrade my ticket later this year.

Didn't I just see @lentesta post that he wasn't expecting any increases before RotR opens?

We were planning on doing the same thing later this summer. At this point, it looks like it won't be worth it. Was planning to getting the APs for a trip next spring or early summer, but not sure that is going to happen. We've been thinking about doing a couple days at Disney and the rest of the week doing Uni/Seaworld etc., and that may turn out to be our plan now.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Still old prices on Sams Club. Grab em while you can.

https://serviceshub.samsclub.com/packages.php?sub=packages&action=view&id=2538

 

[kevlightyear]

Its a business, and they are anticipating high demand with Star Wars GE so they are trying to capitalize on it. Thats what they do. It's not a non for profit organization

Demand does not directly relate to value.

They have literally spent billions in the last few years on infrastructure, new lands and attractions. With no signs of them slowing down.

Since the last increase in Oct 2018? They could have at least waited until the big projects are actually operational when those investments will actually be adding value. This increase was premature at best.