Blackout dates for Gold Annual passes they fixed once posted?

[Janir]

Seems DVC members can get a Gold Annual pass similar to Florida residents, but there are some blackout dates with that pass.
My question to the community is does anyone know if those blackout dates are fixed? Does Disney add to them for any reason as the year progresses? Hate to buy one then find out 2 months later that they are suddenly no longer good in a time frame we're looking to make a return WDW trip with in my pass purchase window that I wasn't prepared for. Can those passes be upgraded in the case of suddenly wanting to go during a blackout period?

Anyone have experience with Annual Pass blackout dates that could advise? Thank!

 

[JohnD]

The blackout dates aren't necessarily "fixed" but are arranged around Easter and Christmas. More fluctuation around Easter every year because of when Easter falls. Easter falls on April 21 this year so the Spring blackout dates are much later, April 13 - 26 this year.

If you want to upgrade from Gold to Platinum, of course, they'll happily take your money.

 

[Janir]

The blackout dates aren't necessarily "fixed" but are arranged around Easter and Christmas. More fluctuation around Easter every year because of when Easter falls. Easter falls on April 21 this year so the Spring blackout dates are much later, April 13 - 26 this year.

If you want to upgrade from Gold to Platinum, of course, they'll happily take your money.

So they are generally planned around those two holidays, which we are avoiding this go around with an annual pass. A Christmas time/ NYE trip is a bucket list item for us, but not this time around.
Thanks for the info!

 

[JohnD]

So they are generally planned around those two holidays, which we are avoiding this go around with an annual pass. A Christmas time/ NYE trip is a bucket list item for us, but not this time around.
Thanks for the info!

Christmas / NYE is always blocked out with the Gold and Silver. You can go earlier in December if you want to experience holiday offerings, though.

 

[sxeensweet]

Christmas / NYE is always blocked out with the Gold and Silver. You can go earlier in December if you want to experience holiday offerings, though.

Yep and that is our fave time to go the few weeks after Thanksgiving! And 2nd fave time October/November so Gold works for us no problem. Usually we do 2 years in a row almost a year apart to get 28 days on one AP (we go 2-2 week trips). Then we let lapse until right before our next 2 trips. Saves us a ton on park admission eventhough we don’t keep renewing and always buy it New.

 

[Trackmaster]

It seems to me that you should always buy the most barebones AP's -- if the only matter of concern are the blackout dates, and you don't need a higher level pass for a different reason (waterpark access or something...?). If a date is blacked out, that's probably a pretty strong indication that they're trying to tell you something, and that's probably not the best time of the year to be going. You pay all this money, and you can't even do anything because you went on Christmas break, and even a Small World has an hour line.

 

[JohnD]

It seems to me that you should always buy the most barebones AP's -- if the only matter of concern are the blackout dates, and you don't need a higher level pass for a different reason (waterpark access or something...?). If a date is blacked out, that's probably a pretty strong indication that they're trying to tell you something, and that's probably not the best time of the year to be going. You pay all this money, and you can't even do anything because you went on Christmas break, and even a Small World has an hour line.

There's no "probably" about it. Easter, Summer, and Christmas/NYE are the busiest times of year. Silver blocks out all three periods. Gold blocks out Easter and Christmas/NYE.

 

[Trackmaster]

There's no "probably" about it. Easter, Summer, and Christmas/NYE are the busiest times of year. Silver blocks out all three periods. Gold blocks out Easter and Christmas/NYE.

But actually, I was thinking about it, and the Park Select AP might even be more valuable than the Week Day Select for a local. The Week Day is about 37% more expensive and doesn't have a hopper, but it gives you back you weekends, and June and July for EPCOT and HS. Getting Sundays back would help a lot, as you can cherry pick some very dead Sundays it seems.

 

[JohnD]

But actually, I was thinking about it, and the Park Select AP might even be more valuable than the Week Day Select for a local. The Week Day is about 37% more expensive and doesn't have a hopper, but it gives you back you weekends, and June and July for EPCOT and HS. Getting Sundays back would help a lot, as you can cherry pick some very dead Sundays it seems.

I think you have to be a local to even consider the Park Select Pass. You can freely show up to a park when it bests suits you and if available on the day you want to go on that pass. I live in Florida but four hours away and that requires a resort stay somewhere. Better for me to have Silver with just the general blackouts.

 

[Trackmaster]

I think you have to be a local to even consider the Park Select Pass. You can freely show up to a park when it bests suits you and if available on the day you want to go on that pass. I live in Florida but four hours away and that requires a resort stay somewhere. Better for me to have Silver with just the general blackouts.

But they tell you the black-outs ahead of time. And from a pragmatic stand point, if a date will ever be blacked out, Disney is probably telling you that it'll be so crowded that you shouldn't even bother.

I'm about a 75 minute drive, and longer with traffic. I travel a lot (friends, families, coasters across the country), so I never use PTO on Disney. Its been a strictly after work thing for me. Challenging, but its nice to go to Disney for free and not use any PTO.

 

[JohnD]

But they tell you the black-outs ahead of time. And from a pragmatic stand point, if a date will ever be blacked out, Disney is probably telling you that it'll be so crowded that you shouldn't even bother.

I'm about a 75 minute drive, and longer with traffic. I travel a lot (friends, families, coasters across the country), so I never use PTO on Disney. Its been a strictly after work thing for me. Challenging, but its nice to go to Disney for free and not use any PTO.

Just don't plan on that pass for the Fall. HS is blocked out entirely August - December with only Monday through Thursday in January (excepting MLK day). It's for that reason I would err on the side of the Silver since its just $40 more and does give access to HS in the Fall. Weekday Select is cheaper and has the same black outs as the Silver but also blacks out weekends.

 

[Trackmaster]

Just don't plan on that pass for the Fall. HS is blocked out entirely August - December with only Monday through Thursday in January (excepting MLK day). It's for that reason I would err on the side of the Silver since its just $40 more and does give access to HS in the Fall. Weekday Select is cheaper and has the same black outs as the Silver but also blacks out weekends.

Hence the name "Weekday Select" That's what I currently have.

I've just been thinking that based on the crowd predictions that I've seen, there's really not much of a difference between the weekends and weekdays, so it would be great to go able to on some Sundays to go full days instead of having to go directly after work.

 

[JohnD]

Hence the name "Weekday Select" That's what I currently have.

I've just been thinking that based on the crowd predictions that I've seen, there's really not much of a difference between the weekends and weekdays, so it would be great to go able to on some Sundays to go full days instead of having to go directly after work.

That was my original pass but not being a local I found it untenable with my work schedule. I have to schedule weekends as part of my trip to reduce time out of the office so I upgraded to what used to be called the "Florida Resident Seasonal" pass before it was renamed "Silver".

 

[Trackmaster]

That was my original pass but not being a local I found it untenable with my work schedule. I have to schedule weekends as part of my trip to reduce time out of the office so I upgraded to what used to be called the "Florida Resident Seasonal" pass before it was renamed "Silver".

Yeah, I'm starting to come around to that too. With my current pass, I have to hustle to the parks straight from work, and rush in, and I get the last few hours. It has its perks (can park pretty much anywhere, still guaranteed three pretty good FP+'s, can opt not to go if its looking like the lines are too long from the apps, don't have to buy food in park, etc.). But its still tough trying to get rides in when I'm only there a few hours. Plus, if I do find a day that's a total ghost town, its nice to have the whole day to really clean up and spam rides.

 

[winstongator]

Hence the name "Weekday Select" That's what I currently have.

I've just been thinking that based on the crowd predictions that I've seen, there's really not much of a difference between the weekends and weekdays, so it would be great to go able to on some Sundays to go full days instead of having to go directly after work.

I’ve read Sunday is one of the quieter days at wdw. No real explanation why, but I hypothesized people going to church. I saw a lot of magic bands the last time we were at mass in Orlando.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Seems DVC members can get a Gold Annual pass similar to Florida residents, but there are some blackout dates with that pass.
My question to the community is does anyone know if those blackout dates are fixed? Does Disney add to them for any reason as the year progresses? Hate to buy one then find out 2 months later that they are suddenly no longer good in a time frame we're looking to make a return WDW trip with in my pass purchase window that I wasn't prepared for. Can those passes be upgraded in the case of suddenly wanting to go during a blackout period?

Anyone have experience with Annual Pass blackout dates that could advise? Thank!

THIS is an excellent question. For reference? DVC owners.... we have been buying GOLD AP's for about 4 years.

To date? We have never had WDW CHANGE blockout dates on us. There is a caveat .

WDW has a BAD HABIT of not publishing blockout dates 1 full year in advance of your purchase, or renewal date. Hence? It is quite possible to buy a Gold Pass - without knowing exactly what you are getting .

I, too, would like to see that problem fixed .

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

THIS is an excellent question. For reference? DVC owners.... we have been buying GOLD AP's for about 4 years.

To date? We have never had WDW CHANGE blockout dates on us. There is a caveat .

WDW has a BAD HABIT of not publishing blockout dates 1 full year in advance of your purchase, or renewal date. Hence? It is quite possible to buy a Gold Pass - without knowing exactly what you are getting .

I, too, would like to see that problem fixed .

We are DVC members too and would actually PREFER a pass with blackout dates because with me being a UPS man Christmas is out of the question for us and we would never go in July either and I would be glad to have a pass with limited dates as long as we could always go at the times we wanted but we're always there in the offseason anyway (if there even is still such a thing as the "offseason". LOL!

 

[Trackmaster]

I’ve read Sunday is one of the quieter days at wdw. No real explanation why, but I hypothesized people going to church. I saw a lot of magic bands the last time we were at mass in Orlando.

From what I hear, its because Sunday is a popular "getaway day" for travelers. They'll take a week off of work. Fly out Friday night or Saturday morning. And then fly home the next Saturday or Sunday morning. So they're not really able to go to the park that 2nd Sunday. And Saturdays are busy from the locals. The reliance of travelers instead of locals is the main reason that there's not a huge difference from the week and the weekend compared to other parks.

 

[JohnD]

I’ve read Sunday is one of the quieter days at wdw. No real explanation why, but I hypothesized people going to church. I saw a lot of magic bands the last time we were at mass in Orlando.

LOL! My being an Anglican there isn't the mantra of not missing Mass as in the Roman Catholic church. Obviously, they're preparing for the day by wearing their MBs directly to church then heading directly to the parks afterward.

 

[winstongator]

LOL! My being an Anglican there isn't the mantra of not missing Mass as in the Roman Catholic church. Obviously, they're preparing for the day by wearing their MBs directly to church then heading directly to the parks afterward.

I put mine on before we head down. Take it off when I get home. It is my way of not forgetting them. I did that once.