Big changes coming to Annual Passes

[Sonconato]

Certainly could happen. But I don't believe they're really trying to decrease the number of AP holders or even the amount of times they visit.

Someone has just decided that AP were just too good a deal, and that there was more money that could be leveraged from them.

I think you're probably right on this and here's why:

Chapek's quote in the WSJ was this:

"We have to look at ways to spread out our attendance throughout the year so we can accommodate demand and avoid bursting at the seams," said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek.

So creating a tiered ticketing for APs is supposedly to reduce the crowds that are excessive on peak times of the year such as Easter and Christmas. It just so happens that friends of ours had asked us if we could somehow show them the difference between those times of years and "off peak" times. To do that, we created a couple of quick clips, the day before Easter April 4th, 2015 and the day of Easter April 5th, 2015, to show the jam packed crowds Bob Chapek is talking about. We never made the off peak clips but that is irrelevant regarding this. My husband took these clips around mid afternoon and we didn't think the crowds were bad at all. What do you folks think?

 

[angelahoward]

I just about cried when I saw the price increases the other day. I was very excited about buying APs for the first time and just about had all the money set aside to purchase them next month then...ouch! A $300 increase in total amount for my little 3 person family might not seem like much to some people but that was enough to make me feel a bit faint for a minute. All I know is, I'm going to use the heck out of PhotoPass and document every second of every day we spend in the parks...

 

[PhotoDave219]

I guess I never realized they were capped. I thought they just handed those out like crazy to get people to stay on property.

Yeah, I talked to some people who worked on that promotion. They're limited much in the same that the room specials are limited.

 

[JoeCamel]

I just about cried when I saw the price increases the other day. I was very excited about buying APs for the first time and just about had all the money set aside to purchase them next month then...ouch! A $300 increase in total amount for my little 3 person family might not seem like much to some people but that was enough to make me feel a bit faint for a minute. All I know is, I'm going to use the heck out of PhotoPass and document every second of every day we spend in the parks...

You should take three cars to park as well so you get the full benefit of that "perk" to boot.

 

[halltd]

I was thinking about this thread today while driving around and remembering visiting the parks as a kid every year visiting from Ohio. I honestly don't think the prices today are that outrageous. Disney has always been expensive. A premium Annual Pass back in 1998 (I picked that year since it was the first year WDW had the same number of parks it has today) was basically $400. With inflation, that's almost $600 today ($580-ish). I don't believe there were FL resident discounts back then and I honestly don't remember if parking was included or not. But, one could argue that the PhotoPass benefit and all the growth in the resort since 1998 is worth a 20% increase in price (which is basically what it is - comparing it to a Platinum Pass).

I still think having an Annual Pass is a money saver for the convenience of being able to hop into the parks whenever you want. If it's too much, just get a 3-4 day pass and go once a year. The AP is a luxury item. Trust me, if you only go once a year, the experience will feel more like you got your money's worth anyways. If you go whenever you want, it loses a bit of the magic...which is what I think we see on here a lot of the time.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I was thinking about this thread today while driving around and remembering visiting the parks as a kid every year visiting from Ohio. I honestly don't think the prices today are that outrageous. Disney has always been expensive. A premium Annual Pass back in 1998 (I picked that year since it was the first year WDW had the same number of parks it has today) was basically $400. With inflation, that's almost $600 today ($580-ish). I don't believe there were FL resident discounts back then and I honestly don't remember if parking was included or not. But, one could argue that the PhotoPass benefit and all the growth in the resort since 1998 is worth a 20% increase in price (which is basically what it is - comparing it to a Platinum Pass).

A better measure is to consider how much people made in 1998 to take into account what percentage of their paycheck went into a ticket. So, let's look at this two different ways.

Using minimum wage, a Premium Annual Passport ticket in 1998 would cost $548 today.

Using Median Household Income, a ticket would cost $546 today.

Whether it's "$580-ish", $548, or $546, it's considerably less than today's price of $829.

And what growth are you talking about? Arguably, WDW has less to offer today than it did back in 1998, while only pixie dusters would argue that today's quality matches what it was in the 1990s. Over the last 20 years, the famous "Disney difference" has almost been 'leaned' out of existence. Certainly, I'd take the 1998 WDW for "$580-ish" over today's WDW for $829.

 

[halltd]

I was comparing it to a Platinum Pass at $749 since it's the lowest option with no blackout dates (trying to compare apples to apples as much as possible).

I won't bother listing what I consider to be growth because inevitably people will pick apart every item added since 1998 and say it wasn't really an addition. But, to me, WDW has definitely grown since 1998.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I was comparing it to a Platinum Pass at $749 since it's the lowest option with no blackout dates (trying to compare apples to apples as much as possible).

Yes, let's compare apples-to-apples.

A Platinum Pass does not include the water parks & more option, yet the "basically $400" ticket you mentioned in your earlier email does. Comparing apples-to-apples, an Annual Passport ticket was $299 in 1998, considerably less than "basically $400".

Using minimum wage as a measure, that $299 ticket in 1998 would cost $421 today.

Using Median Household Income as a measure, that $299 ticket would cost $420 today.

Yet WDW's current Platinum Pass price is $749!

I cannot remotely fathom how you can write "all the growth in the resort since 1998 is worth a 20% increase in price" when the actual price difference is 78%!

No matter how you slice-n-dice it, WDW tickets are way more expensive than they were in 1998.

 

[halltd]

It's still not really apples to apples since Photopass wasn't an option back in 1998, but I see your point.

My family used to buy two Memory Makers every year, so this new price structure actually helps them out.

Also, was parking included in the AP of 1998? I don't actually remember.

 

[rucifee]

Who remembers things that added value to your tickets and passes like the junior chef program at Epcot? Sure would be nice to have good family oriented child focused entertainment at Epcot rather than the pleasure island 2.0 that it has become. Thanks Bob.

 

[Hulacat]

My impression of this- I have yet to see anything stating a massive price hike for the rowdy (largely unsupervised) international tour groups who clog the parks & make staying near them at a resort a hellfest.
Clearly, we Americans/locals are not worth as much to WDW.

 

[**Stacy**]

It's still not really apples to apples since Photopass wasn't an option back in 1998, but I see your point.

My family used to buy two Memory Makers every year, so this new price structure actually helps them out."

I am pretty certain parking was included with AP's in 1998. In 1998 I would have lived in New England, traveling down for vacations and long weekends 5-6 times per year, I definitely had a 4 park AP and a Pleasure Island AP around that time. I stayed at my mom's house in Winter Haven so if parking $$$$ was a factor I would remember...along with my $200 r/t flights on Southwest(which I can still find today) and renting cars for about $20 per day. Other interesting $$$$ facts around that time..I was 25-26 y/o..pulling 50k(salary & bonuses) a year as a glorified bank teller with the ability to open loans and checking accounts with just a HS diploma(no student loan debt). My rent was $495 per month(utilities included), my 1994 Toyota Corolla was paid off, but had cost 16k when I purchased it new, my car insurance was $400 for the year, my cell phone was $12 a month through the bank, my house phone was about $100 per month(we still paid for long distance calls by the minute back then and I think this was before DSL for internet in my area) and cable was $50 per month, so I had A LOT of disposable income. Today I am finishing up nursing school and I will be lucky to pull 50k a year in my area as an RN.

The mid to late 90's were crazy nuts...people were pulling equity out of their homes hand over fist to buy the biggest SUV they could find I was watching people rolling 100k with of credit card debt into their homes,their 401k values doubled in value, homes were selling an hour after going on the market. There was A LOT of stupid money flying around obtained from stupid choices. Today we are still in recovery from the damage done by those stupid choices. And while there are pockets of money here and there, it is nothing like the mid to late 90's. Some are doing really well, most are not doing that well. If Disney was going to pull crazy pricing stunts... the 90's were the time to do it.

Disney is grabbing money while people are willing to spend it.. I just haven't figured out where all of the money is coming from today.

 

[NearTheEars]

I am pretty certain parking was included with AP's in 1998. In 1998 I would have lived in New England, traveling down for vacations and long weekends 5-6 times per year, I definitely had a 4 park AP and a Pleasure Island AP around that time. I stayed at my mom's house in Winter Haven so if parking $$$$ was a factor I would remember...along with my $200 r/t flights on Southwest(which I can still find today) and renting cars for about $20 per day. Other interesting $$$$ facts around that time..I was 25-26 y/o..pulling 50k(salary & bonuses) a year as a glorified bank teller with the ability to open loans and checking accounts with just a HS diploma(no student loan debt). My rent was $495 per month(utilities included), my 1994 Toyota Corolla was paid off, but had cost 16k when I purchased it new, my car insurance was $400 for the year, my cell phone was $12 a month through the bank, my house phone was about $100 per month(we still paid for long distance calls by the minute back then and I think this was before DSL for internet in my area) and cable was $50 per month, so I had A LOT of disposable income. Today I am finishing up nursing school and I will be lucky to pull 50k a year in my area as an RN.

The mid to late 90's were crazy nuts...people were pulling equity out of their homes hand over fist to buy the biggest SUV they could find I was watching people rolling 100k with of credit card debt into their homes,their 401k values doubled in value, homes were selling an hour after going on the market. There was A LOT of stupid money flying around obtained from stupid choices. Today we are still in recovery from the damage done by those stupid choices. And while there are pockets of money here and there, it is nothing like the mid to late 90's. Some are doing really well, most are not doing that well. If Disney was going to pull crazy pricing stunts... the 90's were the time to do it.

Disney is grabbing money while people are willing to spend it.. I just haven't figured out where all of the money is coming from today.

Obviously nursing is a very rewarding career, but why did you go to school to make less than when you worked at the bank?

Anyway, there's really little way to justify them raising the prices this high in such a short period of time.

It's unfortunate that I have to sit here and try to decide if we want to downgrade next August to essentially the new seasonal pass, or stay with the no blackout pass and pay significantly more.

To me, it seems dumb to go with gold. If we're going to get blocked out, might as well throw the summer months in there too and save more.

But certainly by next August there will have been yet another hike.

 

[rucifee]

Obviously nursing is a very rewarding career, but why did you go to school to make less than when you worked at the bank?

Anyway, there's really little way to justify them raising the prices this high in such a short period of time.

It's unfortunate that I have to sit here and try to decide if we want to downgrade next August to essentially the new seasonal pass, or stay with the no blackout pass and pay significantly more.

To me, it seems dumb to go with gold. If we're going to get blocked out, might as well throw the summer months in there too and save more.

But certainly by next August there will have been yet another hike.

Next year my money will go to Universal. I can still afford Disney, but it's just not a smart decision anymore. Hopefully I'm not alone and they come to their senses. Until then, I'll be there multiple times a week spending money.

Even though annual passholders don't do that.

 

[**Stacy**]

Obviously nursing is a very rewarding career, but why did you go to school to make less than when you worked at the bank?

Anyway, there's really little way to justify them raising the prices this high in such a short period of time.

It's unfortunate that I have to sit here and try to decide if we want to downgrade next August to essentially the new seasonal pass, or stay with the no blackout pass and pay significantly more.

To me, it seems dumb to go with gold. If we're going to get blocked out, might as well throw the summer months in there too and save more.

But certainly by next August there will have been yet another hike.

I was a stay at home mom for 10 years starting in 2002, and the economy tanked while I was home with the kids, nasty divorce, deadbeat-ish ex who found a way to lose 90% of his income between separation and the final divorce hearing(by taking a job at Disney by the way)... It's a different job market out there today and corporate America is not as generous as it once was, even as I was gearing up to stay at home in 2002, I was being replaced by someone willing to work for $9 an hour(post 9/11). It would take me years to get back to where I was salary wise after a 10 year break. I went into nursing with a plan to travel nurse via RV when the kids are out on their own, see the country as I work short contracts, getting my RN is a future lifestyle choice and hopefully I will be able to earn enough to keep the kids and I above water with a little breathing room.

If I were to buy another AP, I would go silver, but I am not seeing the value right now...The crowd levels make me anxious, the need to plan fastpasses so far in advance makes me crazy and ruins the way I like to "do the parks" (last minute, pick a park after I take the Disney exit). Disney and I have been on a break since June, hopefully absence will make one of our hearts grow fonder.

 

[misterID]

It's still not really apples to apples since Photopass wasn't an option back in 1998, but I see your point.

My family used to buy two Memory Makers every year, so this new price structure actually helps them out.

Also, was parking included in the AP of 1998? I don't actually remember.

Yes, parking was included.

I'm actually spending less now than what my parents did inside the resort. We would stay on property twice a year. Boardwalk, Dixie Landings and Port Orleans were favorites, when they started upping the rates for contemporary, and not having babies anymore kind of negated the allure of having the monorail at your convenience. We were APers, went several times a year and always ate on property.

I rent a condo off property once a year (looking to purchase now!) and spend two days at WDW, MK and EPCOT and one at UNI. I used to have four day park hoppers every trip, but they were ripping us off, IMO, with the half day parks. Prices went up but nothing substantial came to the parks to justify it. The parking hike cemented this. Outside snacking, we eat outside the park also. My vacation has been shaped by Disney's greed, and refusal to even moderately add to the parks to make me feel that I'm getting more for the added cost.

 

[NearTheEars]

I was a stay at home mom for 10 years starting in 2002, and the economy tanked while I was home with the kids, nasty divorce, deadbeat-ish ex who found a way to lose 90% of his income between separation and the final divorce hearing(by taking a job at Disney by the way)... It's a different job market out there today and corporate America is not as generous as it once was, even as I was gearing up to stay at home in 2002, I was being replaced by someone willing to work for $9 an hour(post 9/11). It would take me years to get back to where I was salary wise after a 10 year break. I went into nursing with a plan to travel nurse via RV when the kids are out on their own, see the country as I work short contracts, getting my RN is a future lifestyle choice and hopefully I will be able to earn enough to keep the kids and I above water with a little breathing room.

If I were to buy another AP, I would go silver, but I am not seeing the value right now...The crowd levels make me anxious, the need to plan fastpasses so far in advance makes me crazy and ruins the way I like to "do the parks" (last minute, pick a park after I take the Disney exit). Disney and I have been on a break since June, hopefully absence will make one of our hearts grow fonder.

Gotcha. Good luck with everything!

 

[Big Mac]

The bottom line for our family is we love Disney and will be renewing our AP's, sorry but it's a no brainer if you want to enjoy WDW on a regular basis

 

[prberk]

It's still not really apples to apples since Photopass wasn't an option back in 1998, but I see your point.

My family used to buy two Memory Makers every year, so this new price structure actually helps them out.

Also, was parking included in the AP of 1998? I don't actually remember.

Yes, it was, as was a nearly guaranteed 40% discount on hotels at that time (except for the busiest of holidays), including the moderates. I know because I used to bank on that as a way to justify an AP even if I could only go once in a year. Now the hotel discounts for APs are hardly ever over 25% and are usually around 15 or 20% for the moderates or value resorts. Not to mention that the resort prices have skyrocketed, making the discount change even more real.

I remember paying $111 per night with my AP discount for the Wilderness Lodge, and about $150 per night for the Wilderness Cabins with the discount. I only started buying APs around that time, when I discovered all the discounts and perks, which since have been scaled back some. The 40% discount on the hotels was fairly predictable at the time, but even when it was less, it was still over 30%.

And I personally don't really understand PhotoPass to be a great incentive, compared to these price incentives. People taking pictures of us. It seemed like an easy perk to me, and another chance for them to talk you into buying more pictures.

There was also no upcharge for APs themselves that included Christmas, and there were no upcharges for table service restaurants at Christmastime, as there is today. And no credit-card guarantee required for TS restaurants -- meaning no penalty for getting stuck in Disney transport or for changing your mind because your discovered something awesome on your trip that you did not know about 60 days in advance when you made the reservations.

And, of course, back then Christmas decorations were very elaborate and much more extensive than they are today in the resorts and especially at EPCOT, and we had the Christmas CBJ special, and a LIVE Christmas Day parade.

 

[dreamfinder]

And I personally don't really understand PhotoPass to be a great incentive, compared to these price incentives. People taking pictures of us. It seemed like an easy perk to me, and another chance for them to talk you into buying more pictures.

It's something that apparently AP holders asked for. Repeatedly. I recall seeing alot of AP holders muttering about how PP+ and the MM didn't really work well for AP holders who went frequently when those products were launched. I am shocked it took them this long to implement, and a bit disappointed at the huge increase in price that went along with it.