APs getting screwed?

[donsullivan]

This whole topic of Passholders and FP+ reservation is starting to heat up on Disney's official Passholder Facebook page as well. Reports that CM's are telling guests everything from Passholders will never get them, to not until the end of 2014, to as soon as 'testing' is completed. If Disney continues to not respond to this topic it's going to boil over on them soon. Folks aren't going to continue to be stiff-armed without a response or commitment much longer.

 

[CohibaMan]

This whole topic of Passholders and FP+ reservation is starting to heat up on Disney's official Passholder Facebook page as well.

That makes me very happy! I started this thread mainly to vent about my personal frustration with this whole lack of appreciation issue. I'm glad to see that there are so many of us on the same page about this. Getting a large number of people ed off is unfortunately the only way to get things done these days. Whether it's trying to get signatures for a petition to get something on the ballot or pressuring Disney to listen. Maybe if we keep at it we can generate enough buzz to make them notice us.

 

[BigTxEars]

I am not a AP holder, but it seems to me that Disney should fine a way to take care of them in this regard as it only seems right. If I were a AP holder I would be upset by it as well.

 

[luv]

Disney has a history of not appreciating repeat business.

I find it odd that they were offering the information that Passholders would get the bands if they weren't really going to do that. It seems an odd thing - volunteering lies for no good reason - why bother?! But it wouldn't surprise me if they left their repeat customers out of this.

Disney may be the only company I've ever heard of that actively discourages repeat business.

 

[donsullivan]

That makes me very happy! I started this thread mainly to vent about my personal frustration with this whole lack of appreciation issue. I'm glad to see that there are so many of us on the same page about this. Getting a large number of people ed off is unfortunately the only way to get things done these days. Whether it's trying to get signatures for a petition to get something on the ballot or pressuring Disney to listen. Maybe if we keep at it we can generate enough buzz to make them notice us.

What all of us frustrated by this need to be doing is communicating that displeasure directly to disney at wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

While we can commiserate a little here it doesn't actually do much but just a little venting. We have to push Disney to provide an official response about plans (if any) that we can work with. Right now we have nothing but random internet speculation and 'spin the wheel of cast member responses' to go on which are all totally useless. We need to be pushing Disney to directly and formally respond. With that formal response everyone can at least decide how they want to react going forward either in the form of not renewing AP's, reducing visits etc..

All we have now is a mountain of random speculation trying to fill the vacuum left by Disney's lack of communication on the topic.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

I wonder if they are regretting the info they put in the Winter Mickey Monitor ?

 

[donsullivan]

For those curious, here are some of the comments being posted on the Passholder Facebook page. We're not the only ones frustrated by this:

- Very disappointed with this whole Fastpass+ and Annual Passholders not getting to use it. At Magic Kingdom last night my husband inquired about Fastpass for Speedway. Cast member rudely replied "you're an Annual Passholder you get enough". Not really fair to those of us who buy the passes and visit the parks multiple times a year purchasing food and souvenirs each time!!

- We were told that the reason we can't have magic bands is because 'we can come back anytime' but people who stay in the resorts cannot. So I guess it doesn't matter if we enjoy our time there because we can do it again? I thought that was a very rude answer.

- I just spoke with Disney....passholders MAYBE sometime at the end of this year....only resort guests for the foreseeable future

- I honestly don't think passholders will ever get them. My aunt was told by a CM that resort guest get them because it's their first time and we can "come back anytime." Didn't sound as though they were going to be something that was given to passholders, more of a perk for resort guests. It's all about money.

- Just by speaking with the CM's it sounds as though they don't even plan on giving theme to annual passholders. It sounds as though it's more of a perk for resort guests.

All of these posts were added after 1/1/14. The complete randomness of responses coming out of all different places with Disney is making it even harder to trust anything you hear.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

For those curious, here are some of the comments being posted on the Passholder Facebook page. We're not the only ones frustrated by this:

- Very disappointed with this whole Fastpass+ and Annual Passholders not getting to use it. At Magic Kingdom last night my husband inquired about Fastpass for Speedway. Cast member rudely replied "you're an Annual Passholder you get enough". Not really fair to those of us who buy the passes and visit the parks multiple times a year purchasing food and souvenirs each time!!

- We were told that the reason we can't have magic bands is because 'we can come back anytime' but people who stay in the resorts cannot. So I guess it doesn't matter if we enjoy our time there because we can do it again? I thought that was a very rude answer.

- I just spoke with Disney....passholders MAYBE sometime at the end of this year....only resort guests for the foreseeable future

- I honestly don't think passholders will ever get them. My aunt was told by a CM that resort guest get them because it's their first time and we can "come back anytime." Didn't sound as though they were going to be something that was given to passholders, more of a perk for resort guests. It's all about money.

- Just by speaking with the CM's it sounds as though they don't even plan on giving theme to annual passholders. It sounds as though it's more of a perk for resort guests.

All of these posts were added after 1/1/14. The complete randomness of responses coming out of all different places with Disney is making it even harder to trust anything you hear.

Kind of surprised Disney social media hasn't squashed that conversation yet.

 

[James122]

Wow, it's saddening to hear that Disney doesn't seem to appreciate or value their passholders at WDW as much as they do at DLR. Many of the special annual passholder events that Disneyland holds are very cool and quite fun. Do WDW annual passholders get food and merchandise discounts?

I know that when it comes to WDW, Disney and TDO don't have high regard for repeat guests, but surely they must realize that over the course of let's say, 3 - 5 visits per year, annual passholders probably spend more at the parks than many "once in a lifetime" guests do.

Let's hope that Disney wises up when it comes to extending the MyMagic + 'perks' to their WDW annual passholders.

 

[Florida_is_hot]

You have an Annual Pass, somebody outside of Florida can only go once in their life.
They have to fight with people that can see the same attraction several times a year for a FP+

Nobody has a problem with that?

 

[CohibaMan]

I know that when it comes to WDW, Disney and TDO don't have high regard for repeat guests, but surely they must realize that over the course of let's say, 3 - 5 visits per year, annual passholders probably spend more at the parks than many "once in a lifetime" guests do.

Considering that Annual Passes are now $494.16 for WDW for everyone 3 years and older, I'd say they are getting plenty of money from the average family with passes. Let's just consider this for a second. They are getting roughly $1500 a year just for the passes for my family. We typically eat at least one meal every time we go to a park. Most of the time we make an ADR, as we love the buffets (Crystal Palace, Biergarten, Hollywood and Vine, and Tusker House to name a few.) Those are not cheap, usually around $30 per person. With a little one, you inevitably always leave with a new toy. There's another $15 or more.

Every time we step foot in that place we spend at least $100 as a family. It can be way more for Food and Wine or if we decide to stay a night or two at a resort. In 2013 we went a total of 25 days to WDW. I'm not going to go through my bank register, but suffice it to say we have spent several thousand dollars at WDW this year. Now that my kid is addicted to everything Disney, we buy Disney clothes, movies, toys at the mall and other retail outlets that aren't owned by Disney as well.

If our money isn't good enough or appreciated, then we would be sad to do it, but we will switch over to Universal. There the top level AP is $419 and gets you valet parking, free tickets to Halloween Horror Nights, free ExpressPass, free admission to special events, heck even 4 free bottle of water!

 

[lazyboy97o]

You have an Annual Pass, somebody outside of Florida can only go once in their life.
They have to fight with people that can see the same attraction several times a year for a FP+

Nobody has a problem with that?

Except that is not at all an accurate representation of the situation.

 

[Spikerdink]

You have an Annual Pass, somebody outside of Florida can only go once in their life.
They have to fight with people that can see the same attraction several times a year for a FP+

Nobody has a problem with that?

Actually, no, I do not.

I have an AP and have had for close to ten years now. The past three years while I have hoped to go to WDW multiple times, I have had financial problems that precluded me from going more than once every 18 months. Not to sound selfish, but I paid for my ticket, and I want to be able to use it to its maximum effect. If that means I want to go on Soarin' three times a day and I want to use my FP or FP+ or whatever means to do so, I will do so. The person who 'can only go once in their life' has the same opportunity I have to enjoy the ride on that same day.

Right now, I don't know if I will be back at WDW this year, or even next, or possibly the one after that. So, who is to say that I should not enjoy whatever time I have in the parks to the fullest?

 

[G8rchamps]

Have any AP's tried booking a room, comfiguring your MB's, and then just cancelling the room. I forget how far they mail the band out from the reservation date.

We live just far enough away that we stayed at POP the weekend we got our passes, so thus have bands and have been using them just fine for the last few months. It is ashame that they are, for lack of a better term, screwing the locals.

 

[donsullivan]

Have any AP's tried booking a room, comfiguring your MB's, and then just cancelling the room. I forget how far they mail the band out from the reservation date.

We live just far enough away that we stayed at POP the weekend we got our passes, so thus have bands and have been using them just fine for the last few months. It is ashame that they are, for lack of a better term, screwing the locals.

All of the reports indicate that you have to actually complete the stay and then you have full access to FP+ advance reservations. If you cancel the reservation everything gets de-activated and you can't use FP+ reservation. I've talked with a number of Passholders who have confirmed this is the case. It seem the only way to get access is to give Disney more money by spending a night at a resort hotel.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

if they are ill buy one

 

[seafoodbuffet]

All of the reports indicate that you have to actually complete the stay and then you have full access to FP+ advance reservations. If you cancel the reservation everything gets de-activated and you can't use FP+ reservation. I've talked with a number of Passholders who have confirmed this is the case. It seem the only way to get access is to give Disney more money by spending a night at a resort hotel.

Meaning that if an AP completes a single stay at a disney resort, they then have MBs and access to advanced FP+ reservations for the rest of the year? While I realize that that's pretty awful for APs who are local, that might actually be fairly attractive for those who have to find accommodations anyway.

 

[donsullivan]

Meaning that if an AP completes a single stay at a disney resort, they then have MBs and access to advanced FP+ reservations for the rest of the year? While I realize that that's pretty awful for APs who are local, that might actually be fairly attractive for those who have to find accommodations anyway.

That is correct. Every Passholder I've talked to who has had a resort stay since this all started says that is the case. Long after their stay they still have access to Faspass+ reservations.

The thing we don't know, because Disney refuses to discuss this topic at all is whether that is just a software bug/loophole that they haven't closed yet, or if it is the experience that Passholders will get at some unknown time in the future.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

You have an Annual Pass, somebody outside of Florida can only go once in their life.
They have to fight with people that can see the same attraction several times a year for a FP+

Nobody has a problem with that?

I know several folks from the UK that have Annual Passes. Sometimes they will buy one AP for the Dad and get the rest of the family regular 14 day passes and stay off site. They do this for the free parking and merch discounts.

If I were in that situation and got a rude snippy answer about how I can just pop into the parks anytime I want, it would be the last time that particular CM gave that answer. And GR would receive an earful as well along with the aforementioned CMs name.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Have any AP's tried booking a room, comfiguring your MB's, and then just cancelling the room. I forget how far they mail the band out from the reservation date.

We live just far enough away that we stayed at POP the weekend we got our passes, so thus have bands and have been using them just fine for the last few months. It is ashame that they are, for lack of a better term, screwing the locals.

At least we don't have to go to South O.B.T. for that anymore.