Monthly Payment Annual Passes

[Susan Savia]

We are annual pass holders, but on the years we go that we need to renew, we set our Tax Refund aside for it and save up whatever remaining money we need.

I think the annual pass paying some each month might work for some folks that are unable to plunk down all that $. ....Like putting money into the savings each month, I make sure a portion is saved back for WDW. :animwink:
_______________________

Next Trip - January 2009

 

[Jarienn]

I think there is one point here that isn't being made - you don't have to go into debt to purchase the annual passes. We are actually going to this plan to purchase our annual passes so we don't have to put them on a credit card this year. We used our Visa debit card and have the monthly payment taken right out of our checking account. As far as I'm concerned, that works just as well for my family of 3 as trying to save up the big lump sum and I don't have to add to our credit card debt either.:sohappy:

 

[hardcard]

Well, the way I see it, there are 2 views here..

1. It's a great idea! This is what I want!

2. What the hell? Can't you irresponsible people SAVE the money ??



Now, there is something to be said for both camps, but let me say the following..

I believe this to be a good idea, because it expands the availability of AP's to more people. I belong in camp #1. I have a family of 5, and I make a very good living. So we're able to afford our passes annually without much trouble, BUT having said that, I would PREFER to use a monthly system in lieu of paying the lump sum. It makes it easier, and I don't have to 'plan' to spend 1800$ everything 12 months to satisfy my dis-urges ..


So, I am bias, but trying to keep an open mind... However, having said that.. I would agree.. I pay other bills in installments, this is no different.. It's not a question of being able to afford it.. If you can afford it in lump, you can monthly.. It's all the same money, all the same time period..

I, myself, prefer the monthly payments though.. Thats how my seaworld passes are, and when my youngest hit's 42 inches, thats how our universal passes will be..

Again, sorry for those of you 'savers'.. I understand your point, but your point is more valid for someone that might agrue that they can't 'afford' it... not someone who would prefer to spread out their payment of the bill..


I would imagine that some individuals that JUST purchased or renewed would see this in a different light and speak negatively on it because they didn't have the chance to do it this time around..


FYI, I renew in November for 4 out of 5 of my passes... I am planning on paying LUMP on all 4 unless they start using payments, then I'll probably switch..

Everyone have a nice conversation and play nice!

 

[SpongeScott]

What the heck is the difference? You can pay $40 a month and SAVE for an AP, or you can pay $40 a month to PAY OFF an AP. If you can't afford the $40 a month to save for an AP, then you also can't afford the $40 a month to pay it off after you buy it on credit.

And paying for utilities monthly is just the way it's done. If I knew at the end of the year I was gonna get a bill for a whole year's worth of water, you can be sure I'd be setting aside enough each month to cover that bill. Any of my expenses that are not billed monthly (my time share, Christmas, even school pictures) I put money into my savings account each month so that they are covered when the time comes to pay for them. NOT setting aside money for a large, upcoming expense is just plain dumb. And like I said before, if you don't have the money to set aside each month, then you don't have the money to get an annual pass so you should probably rethink your priorities.

The fact that I save up for Disney rather than charge it on a credit card doesn't make me rich. It makes me responsible. ALL I am trying to say is the fact that Disney is going to do a payment plan doesn't make annual passes more affordable for people - because ANYONE who gets an annual pass has always had the ability to set aside money each month for it - earning interest in the process.

For the record, I have a family of 4, and we're on the lower end of the income scale. :wave:

:sohappy: You go, girl! :wave:

 

[dr_teeth90210]

Not valid.. First off, it's a legally bound contract, just like a credit card.. you could also charge a credit card up 5,000$$ and then never pay it.. then you cycle through collections, legal paths, etc..

secondly, if you visit the park 30 times in 30 days you're likely to spend enough money in the park itself to offset THEIR expense of having you there..


It's a 'can't lose' for disney.. It just makes sense to do this... It makes them more accessible to those on a fixed budget.... it's easier to afford 30$ a month over 463$ at once.

Disney's not a financial institution so therefore it's not just like a "credit card". I have friends who work for Busch Garden guest relations with countless stories of guests ripping off the theme park by canceling
out their credit/debit cards .

If somebody doesn't have a good enough credit history to obtain a credit card with a $1000 limit then why would Disney take a chance and loan
them the money. Is the delinquint guest going to be sent to Disney
Collections? That's not very good PR.

 

[LenYJr]

As an employee of an organization that bills credit cards monthly for our memberships, I can tell you a good reason why they don't do it and that is expense.

We have one person whose entire job consists of entering, stopping, starting and dealing this all the headaches that come with monthly billing. And we have less than 2000 people doing this.

Disney would need a whole new department to do this and people dealing with the constant headaches of expired credit cards ("I thought the credit card company told you") to the ever popular "my wife/husband signed up and I didn't authorize it so now give me all my money back" to any excuse you can think of.

I understand the convenience side for the public, but it would be a huge headache for Disney.

 

[hardcard]

Disney's not a financial institution so therefore it's not just like a "credit card". I have friends who work for Busch Garden guest relations with countless stories of guests ripping off the theme park by canceling
out their credit/debit cards .

If somebody doesn't have a good enough credit history to obtain a credit card with a $1000 limit then why would Disney take a chance and loan
them the money. Is the delinquint guest going to be sent to Disney
Collections? That's not very good PR.

Umm... because it's not a loan? It's a payment schedule for a bill... There's a MAJOR difference..

technically, as stated earlier, You have the same arrangement with cell phone.. It's a contract, just like this..

Same difference... Most people don't NEED cell phones, regardless of what they believe... Need and want are two different things.. Just like a disney pass... I don't need it, I want it...

Give me a list of your monthly bills that you pay off annually... I guess you get upset because car insurance companies allow you to pay that BILL monthly too, instead of forcing you to pay a 6 or 12 month premium in lump? Guess what.. you don't pay the bill, you edon't have insurance... IS this a difficult concept to comprehend?

 

[sknydave]

Universal has a flex pay option which allows you to pay monthly. There is no interest and I don't see anywhere in this mouseplanet posting where it mentions interest

 

[hardcard]

As an employee of an organization that bills credit cards monthly for our memberships, I can tell you a good reason why they don't do it and that is expense.

We have one person whose entire job consists of entering, stopping, starting and dealing this all the headaches that come with monthly billing. And we have less than 2000 people doing this.

Disney would need a whole new department to do this and people dealing with the constant headaches of expired credit cards ("I thought the credit card company told you") to the ever popular "my wife/husband signed up and I didn't authorize it so now give me all my money back" to any excuse you can think of.

I understand the convenience side for the public, but it would be a huge headache for Disney.

I hear what you are saying... But I'm debating if it's right for the customer, not disney... If disney decides to offer the payment system, thats their 'problem' to deal with....

I have no say in whether they do it or not.. My point is that it hurts NO ONE else if they do it.

 

[Skyway]

What ticks me off are those who automatically associate MONTHLY PAYMENT with DEBT.

As someone else pointed out, an annual pass costs you $380 whether you pay a lump sum today or over the course of a year.

If I pay off my credit card every month (as I have for ten years with no service fee! And thousands of dollars in Discover CashBack!) it doesnt cost me a dime in debt either way.

And if I couldn't afford it, I could still put that $380 on my credit card either today or monthly. And the interest penalty would roughly be the same.

As for causing a headache for Disney, how is this any different than the tens of thousands of credit card transactions they handle each day?

Whether I buy a $30 stuffed Mickey Mouse or a $30 monthly AP fee, Disney is still processing a $30 credit card charge. If my credit card bounces, then Disney has to fight to recover my "stolen" Mickey Mouse toy. But with a few quick keystrokes, my $30 AP is deactivated.

The only risk to Disney (besides the added cost of processing even more credit card transactions) is that one moron who does cancel his credit card and gets a whole month of Disney for the first $78. But I'm sure that risk is outweighed by may more customers who--during these uneasy economic times-- feel more secure and comfortable keeping their $380 in cash in the bank (or under a mattress) and taking out $30 increments every month.

 

[Laura]

Well, the way I see it, there are 2 views here..

1. It's a great idea! This is what I want!

2. What the hell? Can't you irresponsible people SAVE the money ??

Well that's not exactly what I was saying. What I was saying is why is THIS so innovative and easier for people? There has ALWAYS been a monthly payment option - it's called a personal savings account.

I believe this to be a good idea, because it expands the availability of AP's to more people.

But why? Why does this make it more available to people? As I just said (and stated about 3 times in the thread) people could have done monthly payments into their own savings account anytime they wanted. The only thing different about this is that it FORCES the monthly payment...and I guess that's only necessary if you don't have the discipline to do it otherwise. :shrug:

Again, sorry for those of you 'savers'.. I understand your point, but your point is more valid for someone that might agrue that they can't 'afford' it...

That IS actually what I was arguing above. Someone was saying that only a RICH person could afford to save up for an annual pass. Another person said only someone who "has it together" could do that. When what I was saying is that saving up costs you the same amount per month as paying in monthly installments, so why not just save?

I would imagine that some individuals that JUST purchased or renewed would see this in a different light and speak negatively on it because they didn't have the chance to do it this time around..

Or those people could do what I've been saying and start putting their "installments" into their savings for the next time they need to renew.

Well I tried to put my arguments into more "kindergarten" language this time...maybe they'll be understood this time. *sigh*

 

[sknydave]

If you put the money away in 12 monthly installments then you have to wait a year to buy an annual pass. If you are able to pay Disney the 12 monthly installments then you can start enjoying your annual pass immediately.

 

[teebin]

I am sooooooooo tired of Laura's argument. It seems there are two ways to handle ones finances and they are both her ideas. Perhaps she has a future on Wallstreet.

Different people handle their money differently. Both are respectable if it works for your personal economic picture over time.

The new birthday celebration is going to work best for locals, both east west. The pay by the month is going to work best for locals. This is a Disney prep for a possible (duh) changing economy.

Universal has done this for some time now, and it was in response to Disney hurting their economy because they had no financial backing to fight back.

If you have the cash and can afford to spend it, do. If you have the cash but are unsure that you might need it for something else in case of an emergency, do the monthly.

Laura, go to Washington and tell them how to spend the 700 billion bailout of Wallstreet and leave us alone and unto our own private business.

 

[goofntink]

It is usually the case in my opinion that the ones who do the most complaining about something are usually guilty of the thing they are complaining about. Wonder what Laura would do if her mortgage company called her and said they changed their mind and wanted the note paid for in one lump sum? Laura, apparently you don't realze some people still live paycheck to paycheck these days.Lots of people can't afford health insurance,even through their employer it is to expensive.I will now step down off my soapbox.

The idea behind this is a great one.It would allow those who could not pay one lump sum for a Fl Annual pass for each family member to do so,Or allow current passholders to renew and keep their passes. It is a no brainer to me for WDW in this current economy.What would you rather get? A family visiting once a year.Or them paying you every month to come to WDW.They would be spending more money over the course of one year,then they would in one visit to the parks. Also that same family may visit more then once a month.

 

[hardcard]

First off Laura.. You seem to be the type that thrives on personal insults online.. I'm sure you wouldn't dare insult anyone personally face to face..

Having said that, I'll leave the personal insults to you and avoid it all together from my end..


Meanwhile, the only other thing I'll add is that a person could 'save' the 40 a month and get their ap in a year... OR they could spend 78, plus 40 or so a month, and get the ap NOW..... Why wait?

Again, I am not arguing about affordable, I am saying that the payments are easier.. And yes, regardless of my income, paying MONTHLY makes it easier for me...

It's a personal decision, but not a personal inconvience for anyone.. Thats why your stance and personal attacks make no sense what so ever.. The fact that you have 11,000+ intrigues me as to how you got that far...

I didn't read the entire thread after it went down hill, so I don't know who 'insulted' first... and as you can tell, I really don't care to know... I'd rather just have an adult conversation about it without the insults..

 

[MissM]

Monthly payments would be great for me too. Guess what? I don't have a credit card. NONE. So when I want to get an AP, I need to pinch and save to pay for it in a lump sum. Problem is that (a) saving up for a year is easier said then done. When something goes wrong, it's a lot easier to take that lump of money that's being saved for something "frivolous" and apply it to something more critical. And (b) as already noted, it means you have to wait for months or even a full year to get the pass.

Having a debit out of my checking account (via a debit card - you DON'T need to put it on credit, thank you very much) means it gets paid just like ANY other bill. I could pay my car insurance premium in one lump sum too if I wanted, but that's a whole hell of a lot harder then letting them auto debit monthly payments.

There's nothing wrong with paying for something in payments or installments. It doesn't make you a deadbeat and it doesn't make you financially irresponsible.

 

[Erika]

If we can continue this without any more personal attacks or insults, I'll leave it open.

Pay the way you want to pay, and let the next person do the same :shrug:

 

[hardcard]

If we can continue this without any more personal attacks or insults, I'll leave it open.

Pay the way you want to pay, and let the next person do the same :shrug:

thank you

 

[The Mom]

First off Laura.. You seem to be the type that thrives on personal insults online.. I'm sure you wouldn't dare insult anyone personally face to face..

Having said that, I'll leave the personal insults to you and avoid it all together from my end..


I didn't read the entire thread after it went down hill, so I don't know who 'insulted' first... and as you can tell, I really don't care to know... I'd rather just have an adult conversation about it without the insults..

Just a FWIW, Laura made a general statement, not aimed at anyone in particular, which was followed by personal attacks directed specifically at her.

And, as Erika stated, if you want this thread to continue, they will stop right now.

Thank you.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

If you put the money away in 12 monthly installments then you have to wait a year to buy an annual pass. If you are able to pay Disney the 12 monthly installments then you can start enjoying your annual pass immediately.

This is an example of an on-topic response based on logic and facts related to the discussion.

Laura, go to Washington and tell them how to spend the 700 billion bailout of Wallstreet and leave us alone and unto our own private business.

It is usually the case in my opinion that the ones who do the most complaining about something are usually guilty of the thing they are complaining about. Wonder what Laura would do if her mortgage company called her and said they changed their mind and wanted the note paid for in one lump sum? Laura, apparently you don't realze some people still live paycheck to paycheck these days.Lots of people can't afford health insurance,even through their employer it is to expensive.I will now step down off my soapbox.

These are examples of personal rhetoric with zero relation to the topic. I have yet to see a post from Laura calling out ANYONE on a personal level. Her posts have been fairly dry (dare I say boring! ) statements on the best way to pay for large expenses. How hard is it to stay on point and argue like grownups without sticking your tongue out at someone because you don't care for their opinion?