Big changes coming to Annual Passes

NearTheEars

NearTheEars

Well-Known Member
Is this accurate that you won't get a renewal discount when you downgrade???

We previously downgraded from the premium pass to the standard resident annual pass when we renewed in August prior to the price increases and we're still able to purchase it at the renewal rate.

Have they stripped that away?
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Sonconato said:
Agreed. If you remember, back around 2008/2009, they even had promotions such as, where they gave a gift card for your birthday, trading pins they were giving out to APs only and the extra 3 months for AP renewals as a "perk". All of that was great and it at least gave the sense of appreciation for the loyal guest. Now it seems like they are punishing you for being a loyal guest.

And as for the Photopass, it should be offered as an "add-on". What is the benefit of a family paying for it multiple times. The way I see it, since we're a family of 3 and I'm paying for it 3 times over, then I'm going to want individual photos plus couple photos and family photos too. My husband is from a family of 10 kids and I can't imagine how long photos would take with a group like that!

The bottom line is that this sucks! The more I have to spend up front, the less I spend in the parks. I used to spend tons in the parks and through the years, I continually spend less, partly due to the pass increases, partly due to the fact that the product you get in the parks you can pretty much get anywhere and, in many ways, the biggest reason is the quality of what is offered has diminished dramatically.

You also mentioned word of mouth. As I mentioned, my husband is from a large family and they are peppered all over the country and we also have friends all over the country too. It used to be that we always pushed for them to take a magical trip, but now, I think they would be disappointed and in many ways be angered by our recommendation. The way I see it, if they are discouraging APs from coming to the parks, then they are also discouraging the friends and families of those APs from getting excited to bring them to the parks. It's a snowball effect in a negative way for Disney.
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I describe myself as a 'reformed' pixie duster and up to about 2012 I was a hardcore pixie duster (Let's face it only a hardcore disney fan would buy 800 dvc points!), But in 2012 I got ensnared in the 'Mandatory MB test at Contemporary' the one where you got the tiered FP+ (and could not use normal FP), In the process they managed to hose my Disney account and was not able to create FP'es so that trip I was shut out of using FP entirely (yeah that was a MAGICal trip, If I wanna test software I don't even have to leave my office). Basically since 2012 till May of 2015 I have not been able to use FP+ (it started working again in may of 2015).

Just think about ONLY being able to use standby at the parks for a minute and then think why I write with an edge when critiquing Disney's latest ideas. The problem was not so much that Disney broke my account it was the fact that they could not or would not FIX IT. Many times many GR visits and hours on the phone 'nothing we can do Have a Magical Day' - they should have left that last bit off because that always seemed just a little bit on the insulting side.

In the meantime Disney has decreased the value of the AP while ratcheting up the prices until in August I simply said ENOUGH and let them expire without renewing.

We used to visit 3 times a year and let's face it that's new car money (or at least a substantial downpayment on one)

Disney is making the SAME mistake the Kodak did which is consider the customers most invested in their company and it's products (in this case professional photographers and industry) 'bad business' because they demanded that Kodak maintain their traditional standards and were willing to pay a premium to ensure that they did. Instead Kodak dumped the products the professionals used and concentrated on the consumer market where quality could be cut and customers would not notice. That worked for awhile and then consumers dumped film in favor of iPhone selfies. And without the relatively price insensitive professional and industrial market Kodak failed.

The perpetual also ran Fuji on the other hand decided that the consumer market while nice was way too fickle and decided they would support the customer base that Kodak dumped. Hmm who is still in business these days hint it's not Kodak. Yes Fuji has a consumer market but Fuji's priority is making sure those who are invested in their products STAY THAT WAY.

Disney became addicted to the South American market which was booming during the $100+/bbl oil boom so they offered huge room and ticket discounts so the 'S. American One and Done' crowd would buy huge amounts of merchandise and experiences.

But now with both the US, Mexico and Canada self sufficient in oil needs the world oil market has collapsed and so have most of the oil export based economies in the middle east and south america.

Now what is Disney gonna do???
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
NearTheEars said:
Is this accurate that you won't get a renewal discount when you downgrade???

We previously downgraded from the premium pass to the standard resident annual pass when we renewed in August prior to the price increases and we're still able to purchase it at the renewal rate.

Have they stripped that away?
Click to expand...

Yes
 
Sonconato

Sonconato

Well-Known Member
NearTheEars said:
Is this accurate that you won't get a renewal discount when you downgrade???

We previously downgraded from the premium pass to the standard resident annual pass when we renewed in August prior to the price increases and we're still able to purchase it at the renewal rate.

Have they stripped that away?
Click to expand...
Based on what the CM told us last night. As @ford91exploder said, YES! The CM said if we stay at our current level, which in this case is Platinum, the renewal cost is $584.69. If we downgrade to Gold, it will be $584.69. We were speechless. Anything below our current level will NOT get the renewal discount.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
So now that parking is included in the weekday pass I have, does that take affect when I renew (if I renew) or can I ask to be waved through now and hope I get a nice CM (I'm sure most would) that does it? Basically the question is, will they honor existing passes for parking or no and just hope for the best?
 
rucifee

rucifee

Well-Known Member
GymLeaderPhil said:
That Cast Member was incorrect.

You can renew to whichever pass you like (the same/equivalent or different) and still receive the 15% renewal savings off the current full pass price.
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Hmm, I think I'd believe multiple reports of people who have talked to cast members over a random internet person on this one.
 
rucifee

rucifee

Well-Known Member
GymLeaderPhil said:
I'd invite you to complete your renewal online at disneyworld.com/renew which allows you to select any pass, but have fun paying more for less! :D
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I'm not paying anything for anything since I'm not renewing. :D The site just ends up being a blank white page after you enter your pass info. I'll try again later if I remember, their sites are so awful.
 
Sonconato

Sonconato

Well-Known Member
GymLeaderPhil said:
I'd invite you to complete your renewal online at disneyworld.com/renew which allows you to select any pass, but have fun paying more for less! :D
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We aren't at that point to renew but we did look at the WDW website to see if this question has been asked. It was not part of the frequently asked questions so I called the WDW to speak to someone. This CM said you can downgrade and get the renewal discount. So now we are at 50/50. The CM at guest relations scanned my Magic Band and read off the computer as to what the costs would be. This guy on the phone said something entirely different. Lately, that's pretty typical at Disney, no one has any idea what's going on. This is exactly why we're looking into it early...so we're not blindsided.
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Sonconato said:
We aren't at that point to renew but we did look at the WDW website to see if this question has been asked. It was not part of the frequently asked questions so I called the WDW to speak to someone. This CM said you can downgrade and get the renewal discount. So now we are at 50/50. The CM at guest relations scanned my Magic Band and read off the computer as to what the costs would be. This guy on the phone said something entirely different. Lately, that's pretty typical at Disney, no one has any idea what's going on. This is exactly why we're looking into it early...so we're not blindsided.
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Of course this may be one of those cases where it's allowed by POLICY but the system will not allow it unless its done by a manager which would explain both cases of why a CM cannot execute this themselves and another saying this can be done Only a manager has the authority to downgrade and keep the discount. This is something I can see TWDC doing if they get caught they can blame 'training issues' as the root of the problem.
 
Zummi Gummi

Zummi Gummi

Pioneering the Universe Within!
It is not at all uncommon (sadly) for the CM's on the phone to offer up completely different information than the frontline CM's.

I've found that the default answer for CM's that don't know HOW to do something is to simply say it CAN'T be done, rather than say they'll find someone who can do it. And that line of thinking is problematic and something you wouldn't encounter even as recently as 5 years ago.
 
Cmdr_Crimson

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
One thing that would be nice is that renewal window...For some during times when we can't get to the renewal process with other finances and just as your about to renew it...BAM! Sorry it's expired..They honestly should extend it for 120 days rather than the 60 day renewal...
 
S

SamN'Dean

Active Member
I had just gotten my FL res Seasonal Pass to WDW in late August, and my next trip was just a few weeks back in October (we were in Epcot for Halloween, lots of fun seeing all the people dressed up). ANYWAY, I asked when we got to the Epcot parking gate if we got free parking now that the tickets had changed- the nice parking attendent still took my $20 (wha!?!) but said to bring the receipt with me and go to Guest relations to see about ungrading.

Going "up" to the Silver pass is exactly the same as the old Seasonal Pass (i.e. blackout dates) BUT included free parking, with renewal date remaining in August. The CM at Guest Relations said I could go from Seasonal to Silver for $60, minus $20 refund for today's parking- basically $40. Since anything more than 2 days parking past that day would be gravy I gladly took them up on it.

Seemed like a good deal to me, although I can definitely see why those at higher levels are getting squeezed. Personally I see no reason to ever go above Silver, as I have no need for all those photos. LOL. My iPhone works just fine thanks.
 
Alexanderleh

Alexanderleh

Member
I've actually heard from a couple sources that within the next couple months if not weeks, we should be hearing about brand new pricing on AP's. Apparently Disney has noticed the numbers declining of the amount of people who still plan on renewing their AP. Disney has also noticed that many plan on not renewing not just because of the current prices but because ever since the Paris attacks, many are currently afraid of going to the parks now. So in order to attract more people to purchase and renew their AP, Disney is looking into changing their current line of AP's.
 

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