Disneyland admits they are planning changes to the Annual Pass Program - 2/11/2018

[Darkbeer1]

Disney should be nice to their guests and offer directs links to all the SoCal competitors, such as Universal, Knott's, Six Flags, SeaWorld and LEGOLAND after the guests see the new AP pricing (or whatever replaces an AP, such as a multi day flexible ticket).

Matt Ouimet loves it every time Disney raises the prices

 

[dweezil78]

The pass comparison grid on the Disneyland website now separately lists admission to Disneyland, admission to Disney California Adventure, and the ability to visit both parks on the same day. While all of the passes offered currently include all three benefits, the way this is presented implies that there may be a time when a certain pass type does not include admission to one park or the other, or does not include park hopper benefits.

This is not unlike the CM Main Entrance pass which allows you to entrance to different parks on certain days -- or some days no parks at all. That part is nothing new, but what is new is that they've heavied up on block out dates significantly in the past 6 months, with no availability to Disneyland park at all on weekends anymore and only access to DCA on some. It used to be that these types of blockouts only happened during the busiest times of the year, but now it appears to be year-round.

Makes me wonder if they are intentionally playing around with the Main Entrance pass as a way of studying the impact of park-specific blockouts in preparation for doing the same with the APs.

I've posted this here before, but here it is again in anyone is interested! Gives some insight into what they're doing: https://blockoutdates.disney.com/app/#/

 

[mickEblu]

This is not unlike the CM Main Entrance pass which allows you to entrance to different parks on certain days -- or some days no parks at all. That part is nothing new, but what is new is that they've heavied up on block out dates significantly in the past 6 months, with no availability to Disneyland park at all on weekends anymore and only access to DCA on some. It used to be that these types of blockouts only happened during the busiest times of the year, but now it appears to be year-round.

Makes me wonder if they are intentionally playing around with the Main Entrance pass as a way of studying the impact of park-specific blockouts in preparation for doing the same with the APs.

I've posted this here before, but here it is again in anyone is interested! Gives some insight into what they're doing: https://blockoutdates.disney.com/app/#/

Great so now we re going to have to learn AP patterns all over again. I’m guessing weekends will be a bad time to go to DCA but DL might not be terrible.

 

[dweezil78]

Great so now we re going to have to learn AP patterns all over again. I’m guessing weekends will be a bad time to go to DCA but DL might not be terrible.

It's been DCA weekends since end of 2017 already I believe, so any difference should be noticeable by now! Also note that CMs going in solo can still get into any park they want -- it's just the Main Entrance pass which allows them to bring in guests.

 

[mickEblu]

It's been DCA weekends since end of 2017 already I believe, so any difference should be noticeable by now! Also note that CMs going in solo can still get into any park they want -- it's just the Main Entrance pass which allows them to bring in guests.

Hahah no I meant when they inevitably make similar changes to the AP program.

 

[Darkbeer1]

They did it in 2001, but with the major fail of DCA 1.0, they had to go back to the original basic rules in less than a year.

But after doing some serious upgrading of DCA, and know Star Wars opening up, you will see DCA only AP's and other changes designed to keep the crowd counts manageable, and to allow the high priced daily tickets.

The question isn't that they will do it, it is when they will change, and the changes that will be made. Everyone including Disney, who loves the AP income, has admitted the current system isn't working, and creating too many packed days.

 

[Old Mouseketeer]

It's been DCA weekends since end of 2017 already I believe, so any difference should be noticeable by now! Also note that CMs going in solo can still get into any park they want -- it's just the Main Entrance pass which allows them to bring in guests.

Actually, that's not exactly true. I was trying to arrange a day in the park with a CM I know and there were days during Holiday that self-sign-in was blocked. Even the Comp Tickets they get twice a year have some blocked dates now. Everything is being squeezed.

 

[DanielBB8]

Universal Studios Hollywood has a confusing annual pass calendar. All the dates are different depending on which one you buy based on whatever they are offering at the moment. Maybe Disney should just discontinue their current APs and substitute something else and do it for several cycles. Disney needs to decide soon so Stars Wars Land won’t be crushed in 1 year and 2 months. It’s coming up quick.

 

[Phroobar]

What if everyone stay away from Disneyland when SWL opened because of the hype of overcrowding? If the internet says the place will be a mad house for the first year will it fail because no one will show up? If enough people believe something will happen does it really happen?

 

[DanielBB8]

What if everyone stay away from Disneyland when SWL opened because of the hype of overcrowding? If the internet says the place will be a mad house for the first year will it fail because no one will show up? If enough people believe something will happen does it really happen?

Saying people don’t go because Disneyland is too crowded will only encourage people to go because some aren’t going. It’s self defeating.

 

[Professortango1]

What if everyone stay away from Disneyland when SWL opened because of the hype of overcrowding? If the internet says the place will be a mad house for the first year will it fail because no one will show up? If enough people believe something will happen does it really happen?

There's always people who don't mind crowds. I know every Pi Day, Blaze Pizza in the outdoor mall offers pizzas for $3.14 each. Every year there is a line of people around the block. Even at 9:00 at night. Me, I wouldn't wait more than 5 minutes to save less than $10. However, I did go to Disneyland on Indiana Jones Adventure's opening day and waited 4 hours in line. We rode it about 3 times that first day.

When you're excited about something, you're going to tough it out. And with Disney, you kind of have to as many opening day effects or ideas will be gone after the first month or so. Its a sad reality, but things that seem great on paper and in tests have unforeseen issues that often result in the relatively minor effect dying away (see falling in IJA for reference).

 

[choco choco]

I wonder if Disney shouldn't take a page out of the NFL and start offering something equivalent to a Personal Seat License (PSL's) instead of an Annual Pass.

In case anyone was wondering, it would basically work where you would have to buy a license for a right to buy (discounted) tickets to Disneyland. I know this sounds atrociously stupid but, believe it or not, this is how the NFL season ticket program works nowadays. So for Disney, the AP program would require you to pay an upfront fee - be it a couple hundred to a couple thousand - and in return buyer would get 40% (or some other calculated percentage number) off the buyer's own ticket purchase into Disneyland (biometric scanners at the door) for the period of time agreed upon; plus whatever other discounts AP's get.

This way, AP's are still paying a fee every time they get in (Disney isn't giving away free visits) and Disney still gets the guaranteed upfront money; which is the real reason corporates love the AP program. Passholders are basically paying for the right to pay a discount (like people with Costco memberships).

 

[Disney Irish]

I wonder if Disney shouldn't take a page out of the NFL and start offering something equivalent to a Personal Seat License (PSL's) instead of an Annual Pass.

In case anyone was wondering, it would basically work where you would have to buy a license for a right to buy (discounted) tickets to Disneyland. I know this sounds atrociously stupid but, believe it or not, this is how the NFL season ticket program works nowadays. So for Disney, the AP program would require you to pay an upfront fee - be it a couple hundred to a couple thousand - and in return buyer would get 40% (or some other calculated percentage number) off the buyer's own ticket purchase into Disneyland (biometric scanners at the door) for the period of time agreed upon; plus whatever other discounts AP's get.

This way, AP's are still paying a fee every time they get in (Disney isn't giving away free visits) and Disney still gets the guaranteed upfront money; which is the real reason corporates love the AP program. Passholders are basically paying for the right to pay a discount (like people with Costco memberships).

While I don't know if I think this is a good idea or not, but lets make sure we get the reference correct. As a Season Ticket holder for one of the NFL teams that uses the PSL/SBL program I know something about it.

The NFL PSL/SBLs are not used by all 32 teams, and typically used by teams that built or are building a new stadium to offset the cost of the construction of the stadium. It typically is also a limited time situation, where you only have to pay for the PSL/SBL for x number of years. Then after x number of years the PSL/SBL drops off. This means they are not paying for the PSL/SBL in perpetuity meaning not paying for it forever. I personally don't know of any team that has a PSL/SBL longer than 10 years. Also the PSL/SBL does not guarantee you a discounted season ticket, you still have to pay full price for the season ticket. Now the NFL team may lock in the price for a fixed period of time, say the first 3-5 years of the PSL/SBL. But that just means the price of the season ticket won't increase for that fixed period of time.

So I don't know if this would work with the AP program. Interesting idea though.

 

[DanielBB8]

PSLs will make the APs an exclusive which will make the program less flexible and force most everyone else to buy day or multiple day passes. Why should Disney make some guests better than others?

It is time to stop selling Annual Passes in the lowest and highest categories. The blockout date categories must change. The attendance must be spread out. No more SoCal or Signature passes. Only offer Deluxe AP with blockout calendars A, B, C, D, etc with specific weekend dates blocked out, limited park hopping, and days where you can go to one specific park. Offer a separate DCA only AP.

 

[Phroobar]

PSLs will make the APs an exclusive which will make the program less flexible and force most everyone else to buy day or multiple day passes. Why should Disney make some guests better than others?

It is time to stop selling Annual Passes in the lowest and highest categories. The blockout date categories must change. The attendance must be spread out. No more SoCal or Signature passes. Only offer Deluxe AP with blockout calendars A, B, C, D, etc with specific weekend dates blocked out, limited park hopping, and days where you can go to one specific park. Offer a separate DCA only AP.

I'd say get rid of monthly payments. Failing that, maybe they should be charging interest on those monthly payments say in the neighborhood of 35%.

 

[choco choco]

PSLs will make the APs an exclusive which will make the program less flexible and force most everyone else to buy day or multiple day passes. Why should Disney make some guests better than others?

I'm not sure I understand this statement. The AP's are by definition an exclusive, so l'm not sure how this changes anything.

And this program is more flexible because there are no more blackout dates. Any AP can enter into the park on any day, they simply get a discount for that days ticket; and Disney already controls for crowding through dynamic pricing.

If you are arguing that this would force more people to buy individual or muti-day tickets and not join the membership program, well, that is what Disney wants.

 

[DanielBB8]

I'm not sure I understand this statement. The AP's are by definition an exclusive, so l'm not sure how this changes anything.

And this program is more flexible because there are no more blackout dates. Any AP can enter into the park on any day, they simply get a discount for that days ticket; and Disney already controls for crowding through dynamic pricing.

If you are arguing that this would force more people to buy individual or muti-day tickets and not join the membership program, well, that is what Disney wants.

PSL are not offered to the general public on a daily basis. It’s an one time license to have a chance to purchase a season pass for one year, which then can be renewed. If you don’t do both, you can’t have it. And once the PSL is no longer offered, no more season passes are available anymore. That’s how PSLs work for the NFL.

APs are not exclusives. You can buy it anytime at the Disney ticket office. Only the SoCal AP is not offered now. APs are not a discounted day pass. Your pass is already paid for.

If Disney offered PSLs, the APs will be an exclusive that no one will ever give up. They will only offer a limited number of PSLs at the highest prices almost like a Club 33.