Any Truth To This? 15 Month AP Renewal

[EPCOTPluto]

^ Definitively advantageous!

Now to confirm, it's best to just ask at any Guest relations at Disney, right...?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

I know, so does Sea World. Boggles the mind Disney doesn't.

Because SeaWorld and Universal are more desperate and need to try to always offer a better angle than Disney.

 

[Figment82]

If you would cancel the credit card, your AP would no longer be valid. At least, that's how I understand it to work at Uni and SW.

So if you would go for 30 days, then stop making payments, then you'd be out of luck or would have to start paying again to have your AP reactivated.

 

[Victoria]

Disney has been focusing on APs lately for whatever reason. We've been neglected for so long, I'm kinda getting giddy about it. Passholder previews of new shows/rides, a great AP event about Wishes (that I missed, grrrr), a BLT tour the other day and now this. I wonder if there's a concentrated effort to keep their repeat guests happy. I'm sure they's seen the response from D23 and have started to get the hint that we're a solid revenue stream.

To all of this I respond: It's about damn time they got the hint! :lol:

AP holders are nothing new to Disney. I am glad they are finally realizing how much money us AP holders are willing to spend in WDW. I just wish that I could take more advantage of the special events they keep holding. Since I am not exactly local it takes a bit of planning (or lucky timing!) for me to attend things. :lol: However, I use the AP room-only discounts for all they are worth. I haven't paid full price for a room in a long, long time.

Additionally, my pass expires in October and I was still trying to decide if I was going to renew. This announcement made up my mind for me. Their plan worked! (or at least it did on me...) :lol:

 

[Victoria]

I see we have confirmation of the 15 month AP renewal on this site

For the record? Disney's official AP site says NOTHING of this, as of today. I move we have Disney shut down the AP site & just redirect the APs here - the info is more relevant & current

They don't need to shut it down...just let me run it instead. I don't have much knowledge about running a website, but I am still confident I could do a much better job. :lol:

 

[Uponastar]

Starting Sunday August 2nd, Walt Disney World Theme Park Passholders will be able to renew their Annual Passes for 15 months (459 days!) for the price of a 12 month renewal. That is an extra 3 months of the Disney magic for free! To qualify you must renewal within 30 days (before or after) of your current expiration date.

Annual Passes that are included in this offer are:
Annual Pass (Regular and FL) * Premium Annual Pass (Regular and FL) * Florida Resident Seasonal Pass

Note, if you have already renewed and your original expiration date was after 8/2/09, you will automatically receive the 15 month renewal offer!

I'm confused.
Where did the confirmation come from if the information isn't on the WDW website?
This plan would work great for us (our APs expire in October) but is it for real?

 

[brkgnews]

I'm confused.
Where did the confirmation come from if the information isn't on the WDW website?
This plan would work great for us (our APs expire in October) but is it for real?

JPVonDrke says so. That's good-as-gold based on what was in the reservation agents' computer systems.

 

[Uponastar]

JPVonDrke says so. That's good-as-gold based on what was in the reservation agents' computer systems.

I knew there was something I wasn't getting. :lol:
Thank you! And thanks also to JPVonDrake.

So yay! 15 months instead of 12...We'll definitely be taking advantage of that!

 

[Lokheed]

Renewed my Florida Resident annual pass today, knew nothing about this, was pleasantly surprised when I was told the new pass was good for 15 months. So I can definitively confirm that this is true. The pass I renewed today does not expire until November of 2010. Yay!

 

[pax_65]

Personally, what I'd like to see is what WDW used to do for decades with renewals: they didn't start until you activated the pass. So if your 'anniversary date' was Jan. 1st, but you didn't return until July 31st with the voucher (you still had to renew within 30 days of expiration), your pass was good for a year from July 31st. They stopped this practice about 5-6 years ago to match DL and I don't see any good reason for it except forcing people to either waste time, plan more trips or pay more and not renew.

EXACTLY! When I read "someone will tell us why this is bad" I laughed and thought exactly this. We used to renew our passes every year using this method. Then we'd activate when we took our next trip (usually a few months later) so we could maximize the number of trips we could get on one pass (usually 2-3 trips over a 12 month period from one year to the next). We haven't renewed since they changed the policy since the timing never works out - as our renewed passes would expire before a trip we'd get if we had a new pass.

The only way this helps anyone is if you're a local and go all the time, or if you're planning 2 or more trips 15 months from your renewal date. But if you're like most of us who go once or twice a year, you could let your current pass expire, buy a new pass at the start of your next trip (which in my case would be almost a year later) and use that same pass for at least 2 trips - and likely save much more $$$ than the renewal discount provides, even with the additional 3 months thrown in.

 

[Phonedave]

EXACTLY! When I read "someone will tell us why this is bad" I laughed and thought exactly this. We used to renew our passes every year using this method. Then we'd activate when we took our next trip (usually a few months later) so we could maximize the number of trips we could get on one pass (usually 2-3 trips over a 12 month period from one year to the next). We haven't renewed since they changed the policy since the timing never works out - as our renewed passes would expire before a trip we'd get if we had a new pass.

The only way this helps anyone is if you're a local and go all the time, or if you're planning 2 or more trips 15 months from your renewal date. But if you're like most of us who go once or twice a year, you could let your current pass expire, buy a new pass at the start of your next trip (which in my case would be almost a year later) and use that same pass for at least 2 trips - and likely save much more $$$ than the renewal discount provides, even with the additional 3 months thrown in.

I have a take a good look at the numbers on this now

My two kids APs are up on Sep 1 - We will be in WDW Aug 20 - 30

I was not going to renew them (even with the DVC discount) but now I have to chek and see just exactly when we are going to be back to WDW.

The 15 monts deal is a nice bonus, but it still may not be enough of a bonus for me to renew them.

-dave

 

[ncstate7991]

Okay, first post and some Annual Pass questions, thank you in advance for your help.

Do annual passes start on set day for everyone (example Jan 1)? If not do they start on the day you buy them or on the day you first use them?

We are debating mid March or early December 2010 and we have close friends that now live near Tampa. I told my wife we should buy Annual Passes and do both ... haha.

BTW, trying to figure out all of the acronyms (sp?) on this site will give you a headache until you find the page that helps you with it. Is it really easier to type PotC than just Pirates? LOVE THE SITE and thanks again!

 

[Victoria]

Okay, first post and some Annual Pass questions, thank you in advance for your help.

Do annual passes start on set day for everyone (example Jan 1)? If not do they start on the day you buy them or on the day you first use them?

We are debating mid March or early December 2010 and we have close friends that now live near Tampa. I told my wife we should buy Annual Passes and do both ... haha.

BTW, trying to figure out all of the acronyms (sp?) on this site will give you a headache until you find the page that helps you with it. Is it really easier to type PotC than just Pirates? LOVE THE SITE and thanks again!

First off, welcome to the boards! :wave:

APs start the day you first use them. If you buy them months in advance you just get a voucher that is redeemed when you actually go to the parks the first time. Renewals are different though.

An AP is a good deal if you think you are going to spend more than 10 days or so in the parks over the course of 365 days.

 

[tecowdw]

I know, so does Sea World. Boggles the mind Disney doesn't.

And they do monthly plans at DL, so go figure.
:shrug:

 

[Tom]

Dvc....

So....I read the entire thread, and Steve's news posting...but nothing states whether or not DVC members will get this same offer when renewing using DVC discount.

Ours expire Jan 02, 2010 and we'll be checking in on January 03. We've been debating whether to renew our APs again (with our DVC discount) and this will be the deciding factor.

Anyone know? JPVonDrke?

 

[WDW1974]

EXACTLY! When I read "someone will tell us why this is bad" I laughed and thought exactly this. We used to renew our passes every year using this method. Then we'd activate when we took our next trip (usually a few months later) so we could maximize the number of trips we could get on one pass (usually 2-3 trips over a 12 month period from one year to the next). We haven't renewed since they changed the policy since the timing never works out - as our renewed passes would expire before a trip we'd get if we had a new pass.

Yep. I was told the policy was to make them consistent with DL, but I found that laughable. Who would know and who would care? Even different McDonald's have different prices, products and policies.

As a charter APer (and don't get me started about how Disney has allowed guests to bully their way into buying charter pasess for relatives, even grandchildren who weren't alive in 1982-83 ... very angry hot-button topic for me!), I'm always gonna renew. But this year I visited in February and then had mine expire in late March. Naturally, I renewed since we do get the lowest renewal rate for the amount of loyalty and $$$ we've spent over the decades, but didn't use it until July. Basically, I 'wasted' a quarter of the year because of this policy.

It's very guest-unfriendly, but I'm not sure how much Disney wants my/our business anymore anyway ... we do hold them to their own standards and we pay less than anyone for an AP. Still, I just look at it as a PITA and don't complain (except here) since at $298 plus tax, I know I am getting a great deal.

I haven't checked, though, to see: 1.) how much my AP went up today; and 2.) when the 15-month deal ends.

The only way this helps anyone is if you're a local and go all the time, or if you're planning 2 or more trips 15 months from your renewal date. But if you're like most of us who go once or twice a year, you could let your current pass expire, buy a new pass at the start of your next trip (which in my case would be almost a year later) and use that same pass for at least 2 trips - and likely save much more $$$ than the renewal discount provides, even with the additional 3 months thrown in.

Yep. If I wasn't a Charter APer, I might not be so quick to just automatically renew.

 

[pax_65]

I will add, though, that the DVC discount is SWEET. That was one of the best things they ever did, since DVC members often make more than 1 trip in a 12 month period, making the annual pass the best way to go. I haven't looked yet to see what the DVC discount is with the new pricing, though!

 

[cdunbar]

Isn't that what a credit card is for?

Um noooo, well I take that back. I guess if you like the idea of living in debt than yes, yes it is.

 

[EPCOTPluto]

Renewed my Florida Resident annual pass today, knew nothing about this, was pleasantly surprised when I was told the new pass was good for 15 months. So I can definitively confirm that this is true. The pass I renewed today does not expire until November of 2010. Yay!

:sohappy: Glad to hear that it's real!

Looks like I will have to begin a AP-conservation fund. :lol:

 

[brkgnews]

So....I read the entire thread, and Steve's news posting...but nothing states whether or not DVC members will get this same offer when renewing using DVC discount.

Ours expire Jan 02, 2010 and we'll be checking in on January 03. We've been debating whether to renew our APs again (with our DVC discount) and this will be the deciding factor.

Anyone know? JPVonDrke?

JP told me that there was nothing one way or another mentioned about DVC in the advisories to agents. I'm going to try calling Member Services today to find out... I'll post my findings here.