Annual Passholder/ Ticket Changes 2016

[mrprojectionist]

So...the added 13th month on annual passes....if I purchase during this window, does the 13th month period begin when I activate the pass? For example, if I buy the AP during this window and activate it in June 1st 2017, will it be good through July 1, 2018?

 

[HauntedPirate]

The law of large numbers if they have a million (WDW probably has more) merchandise transactions per day that adds $40,000 per day to WDW's coffers for doing absolutely NOTHING. $280,000 per week or a cool $14,560,000 per year for doing nothing more than updating a price.

This is Disney bean counters at their worst. Just another way to squeeze more money out of guests, except this way they don't really even notice it.

 

[ToTBellHop]

This is Disney bean counters at their worst. Just another way to squeeze more money out of guests, except this way they don't really even notice it.

What a load of rubbish.

This is a nice thing for Disney to do for APs that they didn't have to do.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

This is Disney bean counters at their worst. Just another way to squeeze more money out of guests, except this way they don't really even notice it.

Yes, as paying 4 cents more for a $30 t-shirt is really going to squeeze the old vacation budget. You guys can really make a mountain out of any mole hill, can't you.

 

[ford91exploder]

What a load of rubbish.

This is a nice thing for Disney to do for APs that they didn't have to do.

That was in reference to Disney increasing prices by .04 across the board. items went from $X.95 to $X.99 hence the bean counter comment.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yes, as paying 4 cents more for a $30 t-shirt is really going to squeeze the old vacation budget. You guys can really make a mountain out of any mole hill, can't you.

4¢ more for a t-shirt is not going to break anyone's budget. It's the idea that you now have tens of thousands of guests paying 4¢ more per t-shirt that's the problem. Read the quoted post - it's the law of large numbers at work. It's those that blindly accept it that are enabling this, and they are Disney's favorite guests - "It's only 4¢!" Next, "it's only 25¢". Then, "it's only 50¢", "it's only a dollar"...

 

[LuvtheGoof]

4¢ more for a t-shirt is not going to break anyone's budget. It's the idea that you now have tens of thousands of guests paying 4¢ more per t-shirt that's the problem. Read the quoted post - it's the law of large numbers at work. It's those that blindly accept it that are enabling this, and they are Disney's favorite guests - "It's only 4¢!" Next, "it's only 25¢". Then, "it's only 50¢", "it's only a dollar"...

No one is "blindly" accepting it, but there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Complaining on an internet forum isn't going to change Disney's mind. And since 99.9999% of the people that go there will never read this, or even care about a 4 cent increase, they are going to buy the shirt anyway.

Prices of everything go up every single year and not just at Disney. You either decide to pay the higher price or don't.

Oh, and do you know if it was only 4 cents - or was it $2.04?

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Just us....

We bought a nice new TIW card today - good through 11-30-2017. We'll be going to WDW 11-2016, 4-2017, again 11-2017.
We will renew our AP about 3-2017, as it is valid through 4-17. 13 months? Maybe - but really, no value to us .

20% Merch Discount.... very nice, our yearly ornament will be a little less. Pretty much all we buy, beyond a good $150 in Ghirardelli Chocolate . Not included. T Shirts? We live in MI.... don't need TShirts .

What I would have LIKED - fewer games, more outright price holds or reductions. What I SEE - limited 20% off Restaurants, many non participating Restaurants, tons of restrictions, no real benefit to an AP good for 13 months... really, WE personally see very little.

No problem - REAL situation is in hand. Perhaps we will see REAL deals for the 50th. Today? We see a non-event.

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[21stamps]

4¢ more for a t-shirt is not going to break anyone's budget. It's the idea that you now have tens of thousands of guests paying 4¢ more per t-shirt that's the problem. Read the quoted post - it's the law of large numbers at work. It's those that blindly accept it that are enabling this, and they are Disney's favorite guests - "It's only 4¢!" Next, "it's only 25¢". Then, "it's only 50¢", "it's only a dollar"...

Why would someone complain about a company making money? 4 cents to us isn't a lot. No impact at all really.

Huge profit for them.

"Profit" is not a dirty word.

I've never understood why people have such a problem with a business making money.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I didn't say the .4c was a big deal, I just meant that it didn't make sense for such a small increase. I think these perks are something nice that they chose to add on.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Why would someone complain about a company making money? 4 cents to us isn't a lot. No impact at all really.

Huge profit for them.

"Profit" is not a dirty word.

I've never understood why people have such a problem with a business making money.

I have no problem with Disney making a profit - without profit, a business ceases to exist. What I do have a problem with is Disney making a profit off the theme parks, to the tune of $5+ billion over the past couple of years, and then paying token attention to them. How much of that profit has been funneled back into the parks, WDW specifically? The Fantasyland expansion was/will ultimately be paid for with the increased ticket prices Disney instituted while it was still being built. At least that can generate some revenue - How much revenue has the much-maligned FP+ generated, compared with how much it ultimately cost?

What ticks me off the most is the mindset TDO and the bean counters have - "It's 4¢, they won't even notice it!". Or... "They're tourists, what do they know?"

 

[HauntedPirate]

I didn't say the .4c was a big deal, I just meant that it didn't make sense for such a small increase. I think these perks are something nice that they chose to add on.

They are an attempt to get AP money flowing into the parks again, after years of de-valuing AP holders along with exorbitant price increases, far in excess of even real/true inflation calculations.

 

[Kylo Ken]

I'm happy with the changes. I got to use my 20% off at a few locations this weekend which couldn't have made me happier. I also got my glass which was a nice perk as well. Hey I'm getting my money's worth

 

[ford91exploder]

No one is "blindly" accepting it, but there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Complaining on an internet forum isn't going to change Disney's mind. And since 99.9999% of the people that go there will never read this, or even care about a 4 cent increase, they are going to buy the shirt anyway.

Prices of everything go up every single year and not just at Disney. You either decide to pay the higher price or don't.

Oh, and do you know if it was only 4 cents - or was it $2.04?

We know that price tags all moved from .95 to .99, The larger point was not the price increase itself it was the amount of thought
and labor expended by Disney to literally pick up pennies. Yet expend NO effort to make the guest's experience better and encourage the guest to spend more on new products and experiences (yes it's been a LONG time since Disney has pioneered any thing radically new Under Eisner we had DCL, DVC and ABD under Iger upcharges and service cuts)

This move I think perfectly illustrates the 'Picking up Pennies while Dollars fly overhead' mindset of the current Disney management.

 

[21stamps]

I have no problem with Disney making a profit - without profit, a business ceases to exist. What I do have a problem with is Disney making a profit off the theme parks, to the tune of $5+ billion over the past couple of years, and then paying token attention to them. How much of that profit has been funneled back into the parks, WDW specifically? The Fantasyland expansion was/will ultimately be paid for with the increased ticket prices Disney instituted while it was still being built. At least that can generate some revenue - How much revenue has the much-maligned FP+ generated, compared with how much it ultimately cost?

What ticks me off the most is the mindset TDO and the bean counters have - "It's 4¢, they won't even notice it!". Or... "They're tourists, what do they know?"

I think the discussion would be more like "How can we gain more revenue, without losing any?"
4 cents won't prevent someone from purchasing an item, but 4 cents across the board is substantial gains. It's a good move.

I sell this stuff to you guys. I cringe at every price hike. Lotta cringing lately. Another thing I cringe at is management actually referring to the impulse-buy stuff we put right out there where your kid can't miss it by that very term, impulse-buy. My advice is to not allow your kids' impulses to determine what your family buys.

Same reason why there is Godiva chocolate when you check out at Barnes & Noble etc..that's for adult impulses.lol..and why so many stores have candy or small toys near the register...why rides at most parks make you walk through a gift shop before exiting.. and so on..
It works.
That isn't Disney being a big evil machine. It's just Disney being a normal business.

 

[underemployedCricket]

Well now, connect this with the rumor of all the buffets going up??? Parents of 4 at what magical $$$ increase does that magical 20% discount become a loss???? tasting a little like some milk that is on the way to going sour.

 

[Kylo Ken]

All this thread is proving to me, like most other threads, is that Disney will never please everyone. It doesn't matter if you're a Pixie Duster or a realist. Someone somewhere will always find something to complain about regardless of what the company does. But hey, you have every right to.

I can't blame Disney for trying to make a profit on anything though. They are a business. It's up to us as the consumer to be mindful of what we are spending our money. I don't eat much on property because the food is "meh" at best so giving me an extra discount on food really makes no difference to me. As far as merch goes, for the occasional shirt, toys, etc that I may buy, well, it's nice to have that little extra discount in hand. My point is, if you don't agree with their prices or the incessant need to increase profits, then don't spend your hard earned money there. Plain and simple.

 

[CJR]

My point is, if you don't agree with their prices or the incessant need to increase profits, then don't spend your hard earned money there. Plain and simple.

I doesn't hurt to draw attention to certain things through, because that's part of how change happens. A little bit of both (stop spending money and being vocal) can go a long way. Some people do get a bit too obsessive about it though.

I'm more shocked they didn't raise prices than I am about the discounts personally. It shows that a lot of people must have really done what you said and stopped spending their money at Disney.

 

[Disvillain63]

I wrote WDW and asked about the 13 months. You must purchase the AP voucher by Jan. 3rd, but you will get the 13th month based on when you activate your AP. In other words, if you use it for the first time in May of 2017, then it is good until June 2018.

 

[wdwmagic]

I hear from inside that the dining and merch discounts have been a huge success so far.