News Disneyland cancels Annual Pass program

[Californian Elitist]

LOL. Love you too, USH.

 

[Curious Constance]

Lol I love a good business to business burn.

 

[Brad Bishop]

LOL. Love you too, USH.

View attachment 524555

Not only is it a bit of a "burn", it's also true.

I think, fundamentally, you have two (maybe a few) different views of passholders:

- Dollywood view: They truly appreciate their passholders. They see them as loyal customers. Every time you try to buy something they will ask you, "Are you a Gold Passmember?," to make sure you get your discount (and to remind you that you'll get a discount if you become a passholder). You can show your pass to other Herschind (sp?) run parks and you'll get a 10% discount.
- Common view (think Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Universal): They appreciate their pass holders maybe one level down from Dollywood. They're not going to ask you every time you buy something if you have a pass to get the discount, but they're going give you discounts everywhere AND they see you as loyal customers and that means something to them.
- Disney: You're filler. The more I think about it, even in S. CA I bet you're seen as filler (even if you don't see yourself that way). Paying customers are the "meat" and you're the "extras". Sometimes they need more "extras" so they sweeten the deal with discounts at stores and on rooms. Sometimes they need less discounts so they back off of those. They're not too keen on giving discounts on products and you get into stupid situations where you're about to buy something in the parks and they'll tell you, "Oh, your AP discount only applies at the Disney Store at Disney Springs," or, "Sorry, your AP doesn't get you any discount on food or drink. You can go to this one coffee shop in Disney Springs and get 5% off." Disney APers are, essentially, "throttled" so that they can control the flow. The mentality is: "Spring looks like it's going to be a bit soft. Let's give some AP discounts somewhere (typically rooms as it's the easiest to give/take away) so we can bump the bottom line." You're not a loyal customer to them, you're a commodity. There's really no special love given. I don't think I've ever been thanked for being a Disney APer (You are at Dollywood. I have been at Six Flags and pretty sure I remember it at Universal)

If you think about this a little further: This is the polar opposite of what Disney used to be. They used to value their "guests".

 

[CaptinEO]

Not only is it a bit of a "burn", it's also true.

I think, fundamentally, you have two (maybe a few) different views of passholders:

- Dollywood view: They truly appreciate their passholders. They see them as loyal customers. Every time you try to buy something they will ask you, "Are you a Gold Passmember?," to make sure you get your discount (and to remind you that you'll get a discount if you become a passholder). You can show your pass to other Herschind (sp?) run parks and you'll get a 10% discount.
- Common view (think Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Universal): They appreciate their pass holders maybe one level down from Dollywood. They're not going to ask you every time you buy something if you have a pass to get the discount, but they're going give you discounts everywhere AND they see you as loyal customers and that means something to them.
- Disney: You're filler. The more I think about it, even in S. CA I bet you're seen as filler (even if you don't see yourself that way). Paying customers are the "meat" and you're the "extras". Sometimes they need more "extras" so they sweeten the deal with discounts at stores and on rooms. Sometimes they need less discounts so they back off of those. They're not too keen on giving discounts on products and you get into stupid situations where you're about to buy something in the parks and they'll tell you, "Oh, your AP discount only applies at the Disney Store at Disney Springs," or, "Sorry, your AP doesn't get you any discount on food or drink. You can go to this one coffee shop in Disney Springs and get 5% off." Disney APers are, essentially, "throttled" so that they can control the flow. The mentality is: "Spring looks like it's going to be a bit soft. Let's give some AP discounts somewhere (typically rooms as it's the easiest to give/take away) so we can bump the bottom line." You're not a loyal customer to them, you're a commodity. There's really no special love given. I don't think I've ever been thanked for being a Disney APer (You are at Dollywood. I have been at Six Flags and pretty sure I remember it at Universal)

If you think about this a little further: This is the polar opposite of what Disney used to be. They used to value their "guests".

It all went downhill when monthly payments were added. Disney got to increase their numbers dramatically, which also meant they had so may passholders that it didn't make economic sense to provide the same level of service and benefits as they did before.

2015 was the last time they did good events for passholders. Just did some research and 2011 is when monthly payment plans started for Disneyland.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

LOL. Love you too, USH.

View attachment 524555

If only Universal Studios Hollywood was like Universal Studios Florida... sadly it’s not.

We “bought” USH APs one year, I put bought in quotation marks because it was a “buy a day, get a year” promotion, and ended up going twice the whole year. I enjoy USH but can’t ever see myself going more than once or twice a year, there’s just not enough to do.

US Hollywood isn’t even in the same league as Disneyland, WDW, or US Florida.

 

[orlandogal22]

Not only is it a bit of a "burn", it's also true.

I think, fundamentally, you have two (maybe a few) different views of passholders:

- Dollywood view: They truly appreciate their passholders. They see them as loyal customers. Every time you try to buy something they will ask you, "Are you a Gold Passmember?," to make sure you get your discount (and to remind you that you'll get a discount if you become a passholder). You can show your pass to other Herschind (sp?) run parks and you'll get a 10% discount.
- Common view (think Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Universal): They appreciate their pass holders maybe one level down from Dollywood. They're not going to ask you every time you buy something if you have a pass to get the discount, but they're going give you discounts everywhere AND they see you as loyal customers and that means something to them.
- Disney: You're filler. The more I think about it, even in S. CA I bet you're seen as filler (even if you don't see yourself that way). Paying customers are the "meat" and you're the "extras". Sometimes they need more "extras" so they sweeten the deal with discounts at stores and on rooms. Sometimes they need less discounts so they back off of those. They're not too keen on giving discounts on products and you get into stupid situations where you're about to buy something in the parks and they'll tell you, "Oh, your AP discount only applies at the Disney Store at Disney Springs," or, "Sorry, your AP doesn't get you any discount on food or drink. You can go to this one coffee shop in Disney Springs and get 5% off." Disney APers are, essentially, "throttled" so that they can control the flow. The mentality is: "Spring looks like it's going to be a bit soft. Let's give some AP discounts somewhere (typically rooms as it's the easiest to give/take away) so we can bump the bottom line." You're not a loyal customer to them, you're a commodity. There's really no special love given. I don't think I've ever been thanked for being a Disney APer (You are at Dollywood. I have been at Six Flags and pretty sure I remember it at Universal)

If you think about this a little further: This is the polar opposite of what Disney used to be. They used to value their "guests".

I agree.

We've been long-time APs to Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Legoland. We're always asked about our AP discount at Universal, SW, and BG when buying something. Same with LL. Often the TM (or Model Citizen for LL) actually reminds us of the lanyard around our neck in order to get our discount on pretty much every single thing we buy (save for a teeny few kiosks at Universal or CityWalk).

Heck, SW and BG even give you AP discounts on the tasting sampler lanyards you can buy on top of usually giving you a handful of samples at the annual food festivals.

As a former CM of Disney, my fam is choosing not to renew our passes this upcoming April (which included the COVID-19 extension). In fact, since everything opened up, we've been to Universal and SW more than Disney (having gone to EPCOT and AK a number of times; never can get lucky to get into HS or MK as of yet). We've been thanked by TMs as APs at Universal for coming during the pandemic to help support them . If it weren't for loyal APs right now (or earlier when things first started opening up again), a lot of these parks would not be in a good place.

Just taking a year or two off of Disney's AP to see where the dust settles. It just doesn't feel the same. Doesn't feel like the same Disney I worked for 20+ years ago. And most definitely, being an AP doesn't seem to be valued as much as it did in the past.

 

[MisterPenguin]

In the 10 years between 2008 and 2018, DL saw an increase in 4 million guests per year.

DL doesn't need to entice more people with deals like APs.

Universal's brazen "we love our APs" is telling that they need to entice people to come to their park, otherwise, what they're offering isn't worth full price.

DL and MK have an overcrowding problem. The solution is to remove enticements and raise prices, OR... have a permanent reservation system to prevent the parks from being overcrowded. And if there were a reservation system, boy, wouldn't APers be enraged when they find they can't go to the park on a whim because all reservations are taken... for every day for the next six weeks. We saw that kind of anger at MK's reservation system when a lot of APers couldn't make a reservation.

 

[Californian Elitist]

If only Universal Studios Hollywood was like Universal Studios Florida... sadly it’s not.

We “bought” USH APs one year, I put bought in quotation marks because it was a “buy a day, get a year” promotion, and ended up going twice the whole year. I enjoy USH but can’t ever see myself going more than once or twice a year, there’s just not enough to do.

US Hollywood isn’t even in the same league as Disneyland, WDW, or US Florida.

I’m not concerned about any of the Florida parks.

I know a lot of people here don’t really like USH, but I do. I treat my USH pass like I treated my Disney one. I’d show up for maybe a few hours. Go and eat, see some friends that still work there, hop on a ride or two (maybe do the Studio Tour), get some of those doughnuts at Sparky’s in CityWalk, then take the short train ride back home.

I don’t think about Disneyland when I’m there. I like that USH knows it’s not Disneyland or any other theme park and doesn’t try to be. It’s a tiny theme park that is attached to a 100+ year-old ionic movie studio. USH fans take it as it is. I also like the guest demographics at USH. Lots of foreigners that are amazed by everything lol.

I’m glad that we all have options and choices.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Not only is it a bit of a "burn", it's also true.

I think, fundamentally, you have two (maybe a few) different views of passholders:

- Dollywood view: They truly appreciate their passholders. They see them as loyal customers. Every time you try to buy something they will ask you, "Are you a Gold Passmember?," to make sure you get your discount (and to remind you that you'll get a discount if you become a passholder). You can show your pass to other Herschind (sp?) run parks and you'll get a 10% discount.
- Common view (think Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Universal): They appreciate their pass holders maybe one level down from Dollywood. They're not going to ask you every time you buy something if you have a pass to get the discount, but they're going give you discounts everywhere AND they see you as loyal customers and that means something to them.
- Disney: You're filler. The more I think about it, even in S. CA I bet you're seen as filler (even if you don't see yourself that way). Paying customers are the "meat" and you're the "extras". Sometimes they need more "extras" so they sweeten the deal with discounts at stores and on rooms. Sometimes they need less discounts so they back off of those. They're not too keen on giving discounts on products and you get into stupid situations where you're about to buy something in the parks and they'll tell you, "Oh, your AP discount only applies at the Disney Store at Disney Springs," or, "Sorry, your AP doesn't get you any discount on food or drink. You can go to this one coffee shop in Disney Springs and get 5% off." Disney APers are, essentially, "throttled" so that they can control the flow. The mentality is: "Spring looks like it's going to be a bit soft. Let's give some AP discounts somewhere (typically rooms as it's the easiest to give/take away) so we can bump the bottom line." You're not a loyal customer to them, you're a commodity. There's really no special love given. I don't think I've ever been thanked for being a Disney APer (You are at Dollywood. I have been at Six Flags and pretty sure I remember it at Universal)

If you think about this a little further: This is the polar opposite of what Disney used to be. They used to value their "guests".

We’re not “fillers” over here in California in the way you’re describing it. Maybe you guys are in Florida, but not here. DLR guests are always asked if they’re passholders to get those discounts. Snacks aren’t included with that, but DLR passholders get discounts on pretty much all food locations. I also remember being thanked for being a passholder as well.

Yeah, that must be Florida.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Universal's brazen "we love our APs" is telling that they need to entice people to come to their park, otherwise, what they're offering isn't worth full price.

No. They don’t need to entice their fans, as they’ve already announced that they’re not getting rid of their pass program. That tweet has nothing to do with trying to get their guests to return.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I’m glad that we all have options and choices.

My response was towards USH, not their fans. Sorry if it came off as directed towards you.

I just found it ironic a park that’s basically giving away APs is trolling a park that had to cancel its AP program because it knows it won’t be able to accommodate them all when it reopens.

 

[Californian Elitist]

My response was towards USH, not their fans. Sorry if it came off as directed towards you.

No need to apologize!

My response was also towards USH. I like the park more than you do, obviously lol.

 

[MisterPenguin]

No. They don’t need to entice their fans, as they’ve already announced that they’re not getting rid of their pass program. That tweet has nothing to do with trying to get their guests to return.

All discount programs, of which AP is one, are enticement programs to get bodies into your store/park/website whether offered by Disney, Universal, or Amazon.

If you don't need to offer an enticement program because you're that popular, it doesn't make sense to do so unless you are sneakily making those people pay more in other ways to offset the discount you enticed them with.

And if your enticement programs becomes too popular and it causes operational difficulties... there's an easy solution: Stop the program. Then you can jump start a new enticement program with discounts that are less steep and has controls on it so that there are no more operational difficulties.

 

[flynnibus]

I don’t find it disturbing as much as I find it odd considering how much time we spend here talking about Disneyland and not making any money doing it. I can understand not enjoying the videos or personalities but don’t understand the vitriol for vlogging about Disney parks in general.

Well for starters... when i’m typing on my ipad in my house.... it doesn’t impact anyone else’s world. I’m not being annoying around someone, I’m not in anyone else’s field of view nor space.

Second... when I am posting, I’m not constantly begging you to like my posts or follow me.

Third...when I am posting I do so to add to an existing discussion unless i have something new to talk about. If its a new day, and nothing wdwmagic related is happening to me... I don’t post. You don’t see us creating new threads daily just to have fluff content.

Fourth... when there already is a discussion on a topic... you don’t see every forum user creating their own thread to duplicate and fight for eye balls to cover the same thing.

Five... you don’t see forum users scrambling to try to be possessive and trying to pump their clciks. Because... fundamentally we are here for different reasons then the vloggers.

Six... besides site admins, i think you’d have a hard time finding any posters who have gone full disney-lifestyle to enable their posting habits.

Seven... and lastly... pretty sure you won’t find any forum users sweating each other at the local hangout over who has the most posts or likes.


But we are really off topic here..l can the “we don’t understand why vloggers rub people wrong” crowd start their own thread?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

But we are really off topic here..can the “we don’t understand why vloggers rub people wrong” crowd start their own thread?

I originally asked it back on page 6 or 7 because half the comments prior to that were people making fun of vloggers.

Maybe the “we hate vloggers” crowd should start their own thread so we can talk about DL APs being cancelled rather than seeing post after post rejoicing that people are hurting.

 

[DLEXP]

Not only is it a bit of a "burn", it's also true.

I think, fundamentally, you have two (maybe a few) different views of passholders:

- Dollywood view: They truly appreciate their passholders. They see them as loyal customers. Every time you try to buy something they will ask you, "Are you a Gold Passmember?," to make sure you get your discount (and to remind you that you'll get a discount if you become a passholder). You can show your pass to other Herschind (sp?) run parks and you'll get a 10% discount.
- Common view (think Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Universal): They appreciate their pass holders maybe one level down from Dollywood. They're not going to ask you every time you buy something if you have a pass to get the discount, but they're going give you discounts everywhere AND they see you as loyal customers and that means something to them.
- Disney: You're filler. The more I think about it, even in S. CA I bet you're seen as filler (even if you don't see yourself that way). Paying customers are the "meat" and you're the "extras". Sometimes they need more "extras" so they sweeten the deal with discounts at stores and on rooms. Sometimes they need less discounts so they back off of those. They're not too keen on giving discounts on products and you get into stupid situations where you're about to buy something in the parks and they'll tell you, "Oh, your AP discount only applies at the Disney Store at Disney Springs," or, "Sorry, your AP doesn't get you any discount on food or drink. You can go to this one coffee shop in Disney Springs and get 5% off." Disney APers are, essentially, "throttled" so that they can control the flow. The mentality is: "Spring looks like it's going to be a bit soft. Let's give some AP discounts somewhere (typically rooms as it's the easiest to give/take away) so we can bump the bottom line." You're not a loyal customer to them, you're a commodity. There's really no special love given. I don't think I've ever been thanked for being a Disney APer (You are at Dollywood. I have been at Six Flags and pretty sure I remember it at Universal)

If you think about this a little further: This is the polar opposite of what Disney used to be. They used to value their "guests".

I’d argue that Disney is the only company that uses the program correctly. Disney is fortunate enough to have developed a fan base where they can likely get full gate instead of depending on a discount program like an AP.
AP programs have always been intended to get “filler” into the parks on less crowded days. Judging by the crowds at Disneyland they certainly don’t need any more filler. Flip to Six Flags and Sea World with memberships and season passes under $100 and yet they STILL have days where you can walk right on all the attractions. Hell even tiny Universal Hollywood has long stretches of the year where most attractions are under a 10 minute wait...and that’s with buy a day get a year free.
Disney doesn’t think they need AP filler for the time being and that’s a good thing for Disney.

 

[Californian Elitist]

All discount programs, of which AP is one, are enticement programs to get bodies into your store/park/website whether offered by Disney, Universal, or Amazon.

If you don't need to offer an enticement program because you're that popular, it doesn't make sense to do so unless you are sneakily making those people pay more in other ways to offset the discount you enticed them with.

And if your enticement programs becomes too popular and it causes operational difficulties... there's an easy solution: Stop the program. Then you can jump start a new enticement program with discounts that are less steep and has controls on it so that there are no more operational difficulties.

I’m specifically referring to the tweet. Yes, all companies entice their customers, but you’re taking a funny jab a bit out of context.

 

[mickEblu]

Well for starters... when i’m typing on my ipad in my house.... it doesn’t impact anyone else’s world. I’m not being annoying around someone, I’m not in anyone else’s field of view nor space.

Second... when I am posting, I’m not constantly begging you to like my posts or follow me.

Third...when I am posting I do so to add to an existing discussion unless i have something new to talk about. If its a new day, and nothing wdwmagic related is happening to me... I don’t post. You don’t see us creating new threads daily just to have fluff content.

Fourth... when there already is a discussion on a topic... you don’t see every forum user creating their own thread to duplicate and fight for eye balls to cover the same thing.

Five... you don’t see forum users scrambling to try to be possessive and trying to pump their clciks. Because... fundamentally we are here for different reasons then the vloggers.

Six... besides site admins, i think you’d have a hard time finding any posters who have gone full disney-lifestyle to enable their posting habits.

Seven... and lastly... pretty sure you won’t find any forum users sweating each other at the local hangout over who has the most posts or likes.


But we are really off topic here..l can the “we don’t understand why vloggers rub people wrong” crowd start their own thread?

1. I was an AP for the last 7 years and think I saw someone vlogging once. Not saying it doesn’t happen more but it didn’t impact me.


2. You don’t have to watch

3. Fair point but again you don’t have to watch

4. Another fair point but you don’t have to watch

5. You don’t have to watch

6. It doesn’t impact your life

7. It doesn’t impact your life


I’ll give you #1 because I could see how that could be annoying. Like I said though, how could it be that I literally saw a vlog taking place only once in 7 years as an AP? I saw vloggers at the parks maybe 3-4 times but they happened not to be filming at the time. Based off personal experience and just the size of the parks, amount of people in the parks at any given time in comparison to 10 vloggers that may or may not be there on any given day, it’s hard to believe they are ruining that many peoples experiences. Also then take into account that the average joe probably isn’t annoyed with the vlogging at all but is rather indifferent or finds it odd.

In short, If one isn’t following these people on YouTube or other social media platforms then it shouldn’t be affecting them. Why are people watching videos that bother them? There are certain vloggers that annoy me. I don’t watch them. Problem solved.

 

[mickEblu]

I originally asked it back on page 6 or 7 because half the comments prior to that were people making fun of vloggers.

Maybe the “we hate vloggers” crowd should start their own thread so we can talk about DL APs being cancelled rather than seeing post after post rejoicing that people are hurting.

Lol yeah I’m pretty sure the conversation usually starts with the hating and not people defending vloggers out of thin air. I honestly don’t have a dog in this fight. I just find the hate amusing and kind of hypocritical.

 

[Tamandua]

Well for starters... when i’m typing on my ipad in my house.... it doesn’t impact anyone else’s world. I’m not being annoying around someone, I’m not in anyone else’s field of view nor space.

Second... when I am posting, I’m not constantly begging you to like my posts or follow me.

Third...when I am posting I do so to add to an existing discussion unless i have something new to talk about. If its a new day, and nothing wdwmagic related is happening to me... I don’t post. You don’t see us creating new threads daily just to have fluff content.

Fourth... when there already is a discussion on a topic... you don’t see every forum user creating their own thread to duplicate and fight for eye balls to cover the same thing.

Five... you don’t see forum users scrambling to try to be possessive and trying to pump their clciks. Because... fundamentally we are here for different reasons then the vloggers.

Six... besides site admins, i think you’d have a hard time finding any posters who have gone full disney-lifestyle to enable their posting habits.

Seven... and lastly... pretty sure you won’t find any forum users sweating each other at the local hangout over who has the most posts or likes.


But we are really off topic here..l can the “we don’t understand why vloggers rub people wrong” crowd start their own thread?

Are you the same flynnibus from pinside?