News Disneyland cancels Annual Pass program

[lazyboy97o]

When I was a CM, a guest DEMANDED that I tell them why Pinocchio had broken down because they were an annual passholder.

I’m happy CMs won’t have to deal with that kind of behavior anymore when the parks reopen.

Now it'll just be "I demand an answer because I'm a Disneyland Resort+ Magical Dreams Level Member with Parking Add-On!"

 

[Figments Friend]

The new 'Disneyland Membership' offerings will probably be something like this -

Tier 1 - Premium Deluxe+ Membership :
( year round access to the DLR Parks, 'free' parking, merch / meal discounts )

Tier 2 - Deluxe+ Membership :
( select scheduled access to the DLR Parks during the year, merch / meal discounts )

Tier 3 - Magical+ Membership :
( weekday scheduled access to the DLR Parks during the year, merch / meal discounts )

Pixar Tier - Mickey Mouse Membership :
( limited weekday scheduled access to DLR Parks during half of the year, no merch/ meal discounts )

-

 

[brb1006]

I'm waiting for the videos with tears. I guess you can pay for a ticket once a week but man, I can't picture they generate nearly that much revenue.

It's only a matter of time until the folks at "Clownfish TV" make a video about this.

 

[Mouse Trap]

Honestly this will probably end up the steal of the decade for DL.

Force all AP's out of their passes, introduce a new "membership" (pass) program at a higher price with less benefits, then reap in even more money from people who need their fix.

Isn't this what Disney has essentially been doing with all offerings lately?

 

[TP2000]

Twitter has indeed been a laugh riot tonight. Many are not suitable to post here due to language. But a few PG rated favorites...

This AP's sentiment boggles my mind. The cheapest AP in 2020 was $419, and the cheapest single day ticket was $104.

 

[Californian Elitist]

^^^ What she probably meant is her pass was the only way she could afford to go a bunch of times per year.

 

[Zorro]

One trend that I have observed over the past few years is that when Disney wants to implement a possibly unpopular policy, it will piggyback its announcement with something else to blunt the impact. For example, the stroller restrictions were accompanied by the general anticipation of Star Wars Land and the smoking ban. Without the pandemic, Disney would have faced a significant amount of hostility to news like this. However, the pandemic gives enough cover to actually allow a reformation of the AP program.

 

[MisterPenguin]

One trend that I have observed over the past few years is that when Disney wants to implement a possibly unpopular policy, it will piggyback its announcement with something else to blunt the impact. For example, the stroller restrictions were accompanied by the general anticipation of Star Wars Land and the smoking ban. Without the pandemic, Disney would have faced a significant amount of hostility to news like this. However, the pandemic gives enough cover to actually allow a reformation of the AP program.

Yeah, what are APers going to do in protest, boycott the park?

 

[MisterPenguin]

You guys, the videos are starting to be uploaded!

Here is Fresh Baked. I only watched the first 5 seconds, and of course he starts by explaining what the word "sunsetting" means to the audience at home. What a bunch of rubes that they don't know what that means!

I'm saving the rest. The sun is literally just setting now, it's gorgeous, and I need to pour some wine and pull together a little smorgasbord platter before I settle in to watch the shock and horror.

 

[MisterPenguin]

 

[MisterPenguin]

 

[MisterPenguin]

 

[SuddenStorm]

It's absolutely fascinating seeing how differently TDA has chosen to handle this when compared to Knott's or Six Flags or any other park operator. Didn't Knott's extend everyone's pass a year or something? This move makes me think Disney has zero faith in their Anaheim property for the next year or two.

I have to wonder why they didn't just extend the passes past the end of the reservation period for park attendance. If capacity is severely limited through December 2021, then just allow each pass holder to book x amount of reservations during that time, complimentary, and extend their pass the applicable amount of time after the park gets back to normal. I have to imagine this would have created a tremendous amount of goodwill from their loyal patrons. Park admission has never been their main source of revenue, but instead serves to target different consumer demographics and influence guest behavior in terms of spending/visits. The AP program was incredibly lucrative- it will be back in some form.

Only about half of the Disneyland AP's renew each year. And many, many people buy AP's and don't visit enough to get their money out of it. The idea that AP holders were over running the park visiting every week harassing CM's and acting entitled is a sterotype caused by a fringe few.

 

[Zorro]

Summarizing the twitter reaction:

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Disneyland will probably open sometime this summer and then be at limited capacity well into 2022 (if not 2023), the reality is there is simply no way to accommodate a million (rumored) AP holders with 25% occupancy. This is the only way to avoid years of frustrated and angry APs that paid for unlimited access but aren’t getting it. It may be a few years but I’ll be shocked if APs aren’t back by 2023/2024, they may require a reservation, but aside from a few holidays DL never hits capacity anyway so reservations shouldn’t be a problem.

PS... Why the hate for the vloggers? I live in Nevada and am lucky to make it to DL once a month and WDW once a year, it’s fun to get a bit of Disney news in between trips, isn’t that the exact reason we are all on these forums? I frequently watch fresh baked and Tim tracker, they are entertaining and provide lots of updates.

 

[Snoballego]

As a Disneyland Signature AP holder in Vegas for the past couple of years, I have mixed emotions.

I averaged going to the parks about ten days a year. It was just nice as a regional customer to have the AP be a "fall back" plan for an impromptu 250 mile weekend road trip.

However, I grew up going to Disney World and even did a couple of College Programs down there and the entitlement by the local APs when I did go to Disneyland was nauseating compared to anything that I ever experienced at Disney World.

Here's a prime example that will always stick with me and you all will have much better ones.

There was a day where a DCA Guest Relations Cast Member told us that the "three caballeros" were going to be coming out for a 20 minute set after a parade that they were into do a meet and greet. My significant other and I were excited to hear this and thought it would be so fun to take a super quick photo with them as we had never met them before in Florida or California. We got there about 25 minutes early and were the third group in a queue behind a well known YouTube v-logger and five people with Big Bad Wolf leather biker vests.

We timed it. The v-logger spent six minutes dancing while taking selfie videos with them (who is in his 30's looked absolutely ridiculous because we didn't know who he was at that time). Then the Big Bad Wolf leather biker vest group of five proceeded to take the next 14 minutes do a whole photo/video shoot with Donald, Jose, and Panchito in a wide array of pretty much gang poses. The Cast Member tells my girlfriend that we would have to wait to get a photo with some common character next (I think Goofy) because there would be no time for us. At this point, there was at least 20+ people behind us patiently waiting too.

Both those clowns (v-logger and the Big Bad Wolf leather biker vest gang) had zero courtesy for anyone else and the jaded Cast Member Character Host was clearly intimidated by their sense of entitlement or had a fear of having to deal with tension from them regularly in some way to let it happen.

I truly believe that entitlement will go away if it becomes very expensive for them to attend as frequently and maybe with only being able to afford fewer visits a year they get some appreciation for others try to maximize their experiences in limited single days as well.

 

[TikiDisney]

Hopefully they eliminate all the cheap passes and move forward with something that is only in the $1500+ range and requires full payment. Too many poors were allowed in and it gummed everything up for the rest of us. Disneyland should always feel more exclusive than it has recently, and I hope this is the first step in bringing that feeling back.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

You guys, the videos are starting to be uploaded!

Here is Fresh Baked. I only watched the first 5 seconds, and of course he starts by explaining what the word "sunsetting" means to the audience at home. What a bunch of rubes that they don't know what that means!

I'm saving the rest. The sun is literally just setting now, it's gorgeous, and I need to pour some wine and pull together a little smorgasbord platter before I settle in to watch the shock and horror.

Here is another one. This one is full of self entitlement

 

[Californian Elitist]

Hopefully they eliminate all the cheap passes and move forward with something that is only in the $1500+ range and requires full payment. Too many poors were allowed in and it gummed everything up for the rest of us. Disneyland should always feel more exclusive than it has recently, and I hope this is the first step in bringing that feeling back.

Too many “poors?” Who is “the rest of us?”

Disneyland was not created to be an exclusive experience for the wealthy and rich and it should never be like that. I guarantee you the commoners will still be making appearances in the park.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Hopefully they eliminate all the cheap passes and move forward with something that is only in the $1500+ range and requires full payment. Too many poors were allowed in and it gummed everything up for the rest of us. Disneyland should always feel more exclusive than it has recently, and I hope this is the first step in bringing that feeling back.

Ah yes, the poors do not deserve to be in the presence of an elevator ride movie with TV screens and a rollercoaster that chases a baby. I for one think dim projections of star destroyers in Space Mountain is worth the AP price.