Disneyland "Sunsetting" annual passes, WDW next?

[icc2515]

DVC sure doesn’t guarantee annual passes.

You are correct on this. But I will say that Disney makes a lot of money off of selling DVC. It will be a hard sell to sell those DVC points if there is no DVC AP available. Now I will say that a great selling tool would be to only allow DVC members to buy AP's. Maybe they would let you buy 1 AP per 100 directly bought points. The great thing for Disney is that they can cancel that policy anytime they want as perks are not guaranteed.

As had been said countless times before: Disney is going to do whatever makes Disney the most money.

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

I think this is AWESOME news, if it comes to WDW.

At Disneyland... let's just say I'm surprised.

 

[ColdSarsaparilla]

Kind of like the ten day tickets we used to buy (non-expiring) and use for multiple trips.

Being able to feel like you're getting a value on the price of admission again for out-of-towners like me without having to take out a second mortgage for annual passes would go a long way toward regaining some goodwill.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Annual Passholders make up such a small portion of WDW guests, I'm not sure why some of you want them gone so much.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Annual Passholders make up such a small portion of WDW guests, I'm not sure why some of you want them gone so much.

For all the magnets i see the percentage on any given day has to be something.

 

[Tom Morrow]

For all the magnets i see the percentage on any given day has to be something.

It's still nothing. I'd be surprised if they made up even 20% of attendance.

I could maybe understand getting rid of the Florida Resident AP deals, I suppose.

 

[SoFloMagic]

It's still nothing. I'd be surprised if they made up even 20% of attendance.

I could maybe understand getting rid of the Florida Resident AP deals, I suppose.

My bet is (if any changes) silver dies, gold adds some summer blackout dates, and prices go up 10% like usual.

But really my guess is that this is exclusive to Disneyland and that, given their chance to hit reset, they want more tourist dollars there and less locals. WDW ain't got that issue.

 

[UNCgolf]

My bet is (if any changes) silver dies, gold adds some summer blackout dates, and prices go up 10% like usual.

But really my guess is that this is exclusive to Disneyland and that, given their chance to hit reset, they want more tourist dollars there and less locals. WDW ain't got that issue.

I think that may be wishful thinking on their part. Most people in the US that are going to travel for Disney are traveling to WDW, if only because it has more parks. The other issue is LA has numerous things to do for tourists. Orlando basically has theme parks (yes, I know there are some other things, but certainly nothing close to what LA offers). I was in LA for 5 days a few years ago, and although I'd like to visit Disneyland at some point, there were other things in LA that interested me more.

I guess the main hope is that people come to LA for various reasons and spend a couple of days at Disneyland while they're there as just one part of the trip, but it's hard to imagine there being any significant increase in the number of people visiting the park from other areas.

 

[matt9112]

Annual Passholders make up such a small portion of WDW guests, I'm not sure why some of you want them gone so much.

To. Be surounded by wealthy snobs like themselves with 17 kids all day? And south American tour groups....because thats it...in a nutshell. Im obviously joking a little here. Im not even a current AP holder and i dont think there that big of a problem....already resort guests get EMH...well used to and the best fast passes....oh yeah....

Im also Fairly certain alot of passholder might drop a few bills on food and merch.....every week. That has to count for something?

 

[zengoth]

Disney Parks(tm) is not a mall

World Showcase is a lovely mall.

 

[larryz]

DVC and Florida residents are the reason why it will NOT happen at WDW.

Wait -- California has DVC and residents as well... yet it's happening there!

 

[SamusAranX]

The thread in the DL is just downright nasty in some ways. I had no idea AP holders were hated so much in Cali.

I hope they don’t get rid of it in Florida as I planned on getting one in 2022. But nothing Disney has done lately has been “expected”.

 

[Jrb1979]

The thread in the DL is just downright nasty in some ways. I had no idea AP holders were hated so much in Cali.

I hope they don’t get rid of it in Florida as I planned on getting one in 2022. But nothing Disney has done lately has been “expected”.

I don't think APs will be gone. I do see them making it a membership type thing where depending on how much a month you pay the less blackouts you get.

 

[BrianLo]

Ones a luxury item that is rather niche...the other is a theme park...technically still a luxury item but to compare the two? I think you need to compare disney to other competitors in there same segment...

Now that they have conglomerated the two biggies (Epic and Ikon) have over 1 million annual passholders. There is nothing else in North America I can think of that has a million annual pass holders - so that's why I keep coming back to the comparison.

Local amusement parks are niche, Disney has exactly one competitor that is in its space (Universal). But Disney drives Universal and vice versa. Even if the rest of the smaller parks are in the same segment, they really aren't considered major competitors anymore.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Disneyland HAS to do this. When they reopen later this year, they will not be able to accommodate all of the APs. So they have to cancel the program. They only have a few hotels, so hotel guests will be guaranteed entry (unlike WDW) and they will sell passes to locals allowing a certain number of visits, but a reservation will be needed. Think “SoCal Flex 10-day ticket” or “Midweek Unlimited Pass.”

The DL AP program isn’t dead forever, anyway. Planned to return in a few years.

 

[Jrb1979]

Now that they have conglomerated the two biggies (Epic and Ikon) have over 1 million annual passholders. There is nothing else in North America I can think of that has a million annual pass holders - so that's why I keep coming back to the comparison.

Local amusement parks are niche, Disney has exactly one competitor that is in its space (Universal). But Disney drives Universal and vice versa. Even if the rest of the smaller parks are in the same segment, they really aren't considered major competitors anymore.

I beg to differ. I think Knott's is a competitor to DLR

 

[brb1006]

The thread in the DL is just downright nasty in some ways. I had no idea AP holders were hated so much in Cali.

I hope they don’t get rid of it in Florida as I planned on getting one in 2022. But nothing Disney has done lately has been “expected”.

The reason AP holders are hated by the Disneyland side is due to the resort becoming a popular location for vloggers.

 

[Jrb1979]

The reason AP holders are hated by the Disneyland side is due to the resort becoming a popular location for vloggers.

I see nothing wrong with that. At the same time I don't think you will have to worry about them much anymore. They will be priced out just like many others.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The reason AP holders are hated by the Disneyland side is due to the resort becoming a popular location for vloggers.

Issues with "passholes" long predate vlogging.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

The reason AP holders are hated by the Disneyland side is due to the resort becoming a popular location for vloggers.

There's also the AP gangs with custom motorcycle jackets who every time I've seen them a security guards is not far behind. But most just find them cringy.

There's also the entitled APs who act like Karens.