Florida AP question

[nickys]

We seem to be straying farther and farther from the definition of the term "resident"...

We really aren’t.

Plenty of people rent. Lots of kids live in a state but almost certainly aren’t on the deeds if their parents own a property.

It’s just that Disney recognise there are also people who own a vacation home and may be prime candidates for buying an AP.
Ditto college age adults whose parents still live there, even if they moved away.

 

[larryz]

We really aren’t.

Plenty of people rent. Lots of kids live in a state but almost certainly aren’t on the deeds if their parents own a property.

It’s just that Disney recognise there are also people who own a vacation home and may be prime candidates for buying an AP.
Ditto college age adults whose parents still live there, even if they moved away.

I get that it's a great loophole, I'm just surprised Disney's lawyers haven't eliminated it by now.

 

[nickys]

I get that it's a great loophole, I'm just surprised Disney's lawyers haven't eliminated it by now.

They don’t want to eliminate it!!!

 

[Bullseye1967]

Thanks for your input.

So it's not so much a Disney Florida Resident Annual Pass as it is a Disney Florida Property-Owner Annual Pass.

Check.

I wonder how many non-resident Florida property owners take advantage of this opportunity...

One of the houses is our residence. The other we rent out. (We previously lived in that one also, before we moved back to TN to care of my wife's parents.) The situation being what it is, I just haven't spent much time there lately. The mortgage, utilities and everything else is in my name.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

I get that it's a great loophole, I'm just surprised Disney's lawyers haven't eliminated it by now.

Why would they? It doesn’t make much financial sense to eliminate a bucket of potential buyers from their AP program.

Also, why do you care?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’ve actually never understood the resident discount for AP’s in Florida or California.

Shouldn’t the price of an AP be the value for the customer?

But if I qualified for it I’d definitely use it!

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

I’ve actually never understood the resident discount for AP’s in Florida or California.

Shouldn’t the price of an AP be the value for the customer?

But if I qualified for it I’d definitely use it!

Off the top of my head I can’t really think of a single theme park company that doesn’t offer a discount or separate pass for in state residents (I took advantage of the discounted pass for Dollywood!). They all also typically allow APs to pay monthly instead of all at once like out of state APs.

I think the general business idea they’re all following is that their APs give them a built in section of people who’re going to be there when out of towners are not. In the in between times of year when vacation bookings may be lighter, those APs come in handy in terms of money circulating in the parks.

They may be losing some money on the the ticket, but a discounted hotel room or no hotel room costs them basically nothing and I imagine it evens out by what they make in food and bev, merch, and even LL sometimes.

 

[larryz]

Why would they? It doesn’t make much financial sense to eliminate a bucket of potential buyers from their AP program.

Because they sell a higher priced version to people who AREN'T Florida residents.

Also, why do you care?

People claiming privileges they're not entitled to just generally torques my mada.

They may be losing some money on the the ticket, but a discounted hotel room or no hotel room costs them basically nothing and I imagine it evens out by what they make in food and bev, merch, and even LL sometimes.

Well, that's why so many local passholders carry in their own food and beverages, buy their merch at the discount store in the Outlet Mall, and use the repeatability of their annual pass to avoid having to pay for immediate access.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

In the in between times of year when vacation bookings may be lighter, those APs come in handy in terms of money circulating in the parks.

It seems deep discount, time-bound tickets for locals would be a better solution.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

It seems deep discount, time-bound tickets for locals would be a better solution.

I would argue they likely end up making more money off of AP holders by giving them more expansive access than that. The more they’re in the park, the more likely they are to spend money within.

We’ll of course never see the actual financials, but in my mind if all of these companies were not making a hell of a lot of money off of AP holders then they wouldn’t have an annual pass program.

 

[Master Yoda]

I would argue they likely end up making more money off of AP holders by giving them more expansive access than that. The more they’re in the park, the more likely they are to spend money within.

We’ll of course never see the actual financials, but in my mind if all of these companies were not making a hell of a lot of money off of AP holders then they wouldn’t have an annual pass program.

This^^^

While I am sure there is a non-zero number of AP holders that never spend a dime, I doubt that is the norm. I'll wager that quite a few were like my family, who never left the bubble and showed up for a full day at the parks with nothing more than our wallets.

 

[The Mom]

Because they sell a higher priced version to people who AREN'T Florida residents.

People claiming privileges they're not entitled to just generally torques my mada.

Well, that's why so many local passholders carry in their own food and beverages, buy their merch at the discount store in the Outlet Mall, and use the repeatability of their annual pass to avoid having to pay for immediate access.

My late BIL and SIL live(d) in suburban Orlando. They would often have dinner with out of town guests after work. That way they could still see them, without the guest having to stay with them (it was a drive that got longer over the years due to congestion) or my in-laws having to spend the whole day in the park.

My SIL did pack a cheese or peanut butter sandwich back in the 80s - before WDW started adding a range of vegetarian options. They would often pick up gifts/requests from other people - back when the merchandise options were better.

.

 

[nickys]

People claiming privileges they're not entitled to just generally torques my mada.

Fair enough.

But Disney set the rules so get to decide who is eligible and who isn’t.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

Because they sell a higher priced version to people who AREN'T Florida residents.

People claiming privileges they're not entitled to just generally torques my mada.

Well, that's why so many local passholders carry in their own food and beverages, buy their merch at the discount store in the Outlet Mall, and use the repeatability of their annual pass to avoid having to pay for immediate access.

Yea they do sell a higher priced version to non-residents. But guess what? Non-residents are going to go less. I would bet you every penny in my piggy bank that in the end, the resident pass holders end up giving Disney more money than out of state passholders.

I think you have a really, really poor understanding of the habits of the average AP holder and an even more poor understanding of why every theme park company on the planet offers cheaper resident passes with low requirement thressholds.

Also, nobody is taking privileges they’re not entitled to. If someone can prove Florida residency, then they are by very definition entitled to the Florida resident pass.

This is a deeply, deeply bizarre thing to get hung up on.

 

[Tuvalu]

Yea they do sell a higher priced version to non-residents. But guess what? Non-residents are going to go less. I would bet you every penny in my piggy bank that in the end, the resident pass holders end up giving Disney more money than out of state passholders.

While I agree with you on most points, I would take the bet that you are wrong on this one.

In this community alone, I have dozens of friends like myself who travel (with their families) multiple times per year - bimonthly, monthly and even a few times in the same month - who live out of state and must purchase the Incredipass. All stay at WDW resorts, eat in the parks or Disney Springs, purchase LLMP and tickets to MNSSHP, MVMCP and After Hours events.

That is a BIG CHUNK OF CHANGE for Disney.

Yet we Incredipass holders who stay ONSITE are still required to make park reservations, same as the local with the cheap FL AP.

Sheer stupidity.

 

[larryz]

Yea they do sell a higher priced version to non-residents. But guess what? Non-residents are going to go less. I would bet you every penny in my piggy bank that in the end, the resident pass holders end up giving Disney more money than out of state passholders.

So where's the financial incentive to let non-residents (and by "non-residents" I refer to people who DO NOT RESIDE IN FLORIDA) buy the lower priced Florida Resident Annual Pass?

I think you have a really, really poor understanding of the habits of the average AP holder and an even more poor understanding of why every theme park company on the planet offers cheaper resident passes with low requirement thressholds.

Having been an "average Florida Resident Annual Passholder" over several years, I believe I understand perfectly how the system works, and why theme parks offer discounted annual passes to LOCAL RESIDENTS (vice someone from Colorado who can scrounge up a utility bill with a Florida address on it).

While we're talking levels of "understanding," I think you have a really, really poor understanding of the word "resident."

Also, nobody is taking privileges they’re not entitled to. If someone can prove Florida residency, then they are by very definition entitled to the Florida resident pass.

If you don't live in Florida, you're not a Florida resident. Permanently residing in Colorado or some other state while owning or renting a small piece of Florida does NOT legally qualify you as a Florida state resident.

This is a deeply, deeply bizarre thing to get hung up on.

Yeah -- why do you care so much about what I think?

 

[Pizza Moon]

You need some form of Florida ID (driver licence, state ID card, military ID with a FL residence address).

Or photo ID plus a recent bank, utility or mortgage statement with a FL address.

The WDW website lists the requirements.

Photos of your legal name with utility bills/banking mail works too.