News Nightmare Scenario Unfolds for Disneyland Passholders as Reservations Disappear

[SoCalDisneyLover]

With all the unavailable dates, I'm not even going to consider the Dream Key. Originally I had pretty much decided on the Believe Key, but now I'm beginning to think even that might not be worth the extra cost.

I had been expecting some dates to fill up, but this is ridiculous, and is really defeating the reasons someone would even have a higher level key.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

The parks are still packed

We went Tue to Thur a few weeks ago expecting small crowds and it felt just like our normal weekend crowds, IF the keys are lowering weekend crowds they are doing it at the expense of larger midweek crowds (on days that used to be slow) because those are the only reservations available.

Now it’s always busy no matter when you go.

Disneys achieved their goal, they’ve spread out the crowds, rather than busy days that were 10s and slow days that were 5s now everyday is a 7 or 8. Slammed.

 

[mickEblu]

We went Tue to Thur a few weeks ago expecting small crowds and it felt just like our normal weekend crowds, IF the keys are lowering weekend crowds they are doing it at the expense of larger midweek crowds (on days that used to be slow) because those are the only reservations available.

Now it’s always busy no matter when you go.

Disneys achieved their goal, they’ve spread out the crowds, rather than busy days that were 10s and slow days that were 5s now everyday is a 7 or 8. Slammed.

You could be right. This Saturday however felt more like a 9 but maybe I’m not remembering how bad it used to be. The fact that I spent most of my evening located around Main Street, Fantasyland and TL during and around firework time didn’t help

 

[LovePop]

Disney is selling the Magic Keys based on customer trust. People who bought the keys trusted Disney to allow them to get in whenever they are not blocked out, as long as they make reservations. In reality, the Magic Key means Disney can theoretically block out every single day of the year from all Key purchasers -- they are completely at Disney's mercy.
Now that Disney is blocking out dates, it's a breach of implicit contract. Essentially, the keyholders got less than what they thought they paid for, and there's nothing they can do about it besides refusing to buy more keys in the future. Disney is betting on people getting used to the new system and not wanting to live life without Disneyland. That way, even though they might complain now, they will continue to purchase in the future, and current complaints will eventually fade out and be forgotten.
The current situation is only the beginning, being that Disneyland just started selling Magic Keys. As time goes on, more people will buy, and reservations shortage will only get worse. Because Disney will certain never stop selling Magic Keys. If the customer doesn't read the fine print, it's their problem. The reservation difficulties about Magic Keys will come out so that the fine print will eventually become common knowledge. By then, people who buy Keys will no longer complain, knowing what they are getting into.

 

[Dear Prudence]

The "magic" of the Magic Key Magic 🗝 , uwu

 

[truecoat]

Let's see if there's a change in the crowds now that the 3 day cali resident tickets are done.

 

[mickEblu]

The more I think about it, if the amount of reservations stay available at the current level or (perhaps they increase them) guest experience will only be worse than what it was pre reservations. All they re going to do is try to save money on staffing for “lower” attendance days. So that quick experience at security that would have taken 1 minute on a Wednesday at 3pm will probably take 10 minutes now. I see no visible proof of them trying to limit attendance to better guest experience and haven’t since they opened.

Perhaps Disney didn’t consider the pent up demand for the holidays? Doubtful. All we had last year was drive through Halloween mazes. Anyway, I’m really curious to see what they do. My wife said she saw something about the DLR reservations being booked so far advance on the news today so they re starting to draw some negative attention.

 

[shambolicdefending]

Can we all appreciate the dramatic use of the word "nightmare" on this issue? Because we know that for some especially psychotic APs, it actually is just that.

Count me in the group that is mostly just laughing at all this.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Can we all appreciate the dramatic use of the word "nightmare" on this issue? Because we know that for some especially psychotic APs, it actually is just that.

Count me in the group that is mostly just laughing at all this.

“Psychotic APs?” People who’ve paid hundreds of dollars for these passes have every right to be upset about the fact that the dates in which they’d like to visit the parks, weeks and maybe months from now, are unavailable. It’s absurd.

 

[Disstevefan1]

‘Nightmare’ scenario unfolds for Disneyland passholders as reservations are snapped up

The widespread lack of reservations for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure has left annual passholders wondering if the new Magic Key is still a good value if they can’t get into the parks.…

www.ocregister.com

We knew this was going to happen a DLR.
We all know they about 75 percent of the attendance at DLR were APs.
It looks like most of those folks went ahead and purchased the new key.

Disney says, "What are they going to do? We already have their money."

 

[shambolicdefending]

“Psychotic APs?” People who’ve paid hundreds of dollars for these passes have every right to be upset about the fact that the dates in which they’d like to visit the parks, weeks and maybe months from now, are unavailable. It’s absurd.

It's not just absurd. It's a NIGHTMARE!

 

[shambolicdefending]

We all know they about 75 percent of the attendance at DLR were APs.

Last I remember from the smart people doing the math estimates, pre-pandemic AP attendance was about 35% of the resort total.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It's not just absurd. It's a NIGHTMARE!

I had a feeling you’d have nothing to say after that.

 

[Californian Elitist]

We knew this was going to happen a DLR.
We all know they about 75 percent of the attendance at DLR were APs.
It looks like most of those folks went ahead and purchased the new key.

Disney says, "What are they going to do? We already have their money."

Pretty sure APs did not make up that much of attendance.

 

[shambolicdefending]

I had a feeling you’d have nothing to say after that.

Come on, have a sense of humor.

The fact is, even a surface glance at the economics made it pretty clear that the old status quo of the AP program was never going to be permanent. At some point Disney would rip the band aid off. The 2020-21 cycle just happened to provide the cover they needed sooner than expected.

So, sit back, relax, remember that nothing about Disneyland is real life, and enjoy the irony.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

My AP friends and I were holding off to see what happens... Pretty sure this will seal the deal.

I'ma take my money to WDW... Where at least they call me a gentleman while they spit in my face.

 

[Ryan120420]

Get people to pay $1,399 for a product and then use the reservation system as an excuse to not deliver what a person paid for.

This is truly is Disneys Dream come true.


If things don't change soon, someone is going to file a lawsuit. This has the potential of getting really ugly.

 

[SoCalDisneyLover]

25 Straight Days of NO availability? People were worried about Reservations when the Keys were announced, but this is just downright pathetic.

I realize Disney wants some ability to control attendance, but to go from a $1,450 pass that had NO RESTRICTIONS on when it could be used, to a $1,400 pass which is literally is blocked out for 25 consecutive days, is complete BS.

It's one thing to take away spontaneous visit capability, which is bad enough. But to take away the ability to visit on a random weekday 3 weeks from now, is another situation entirely.

It's too bad people don't have some backbone to resist. So long as people continue to purchase the upper Keys, Disney has no reason to change a thing.

 

[Professortango1]

Buying a Dream Key and not being able to get a reservation is just like buying a day ticket and not having an opportunity to wait in line for Rise of the Resistance. Funny how all the AP's mocked non passholders and sucked up virtual queue reservations several times over. Well, now is my turn to smile.

As for this "nightmare," I think it will depend on how things are post Christmas. Right now, everyone is wanting to do things and experience life again. Couple that with the already increased demand of Halloween/Christmas at the parks and of course the reservations are sold out.

Buying a Dream Key doesn't ensure you access to the park, it gets you a free reservation. If reservations are all sold out, that's on other dream key holders snatching them up before you did. Me? I'll keep getting my day ticket whenever I want to go. Beats having to worry about blackout dates and reservations. 3-4 visits per year without restrictions is much cheaper and easier than a $1500 dream key.

 

[mickEblu]

I wonder if and when they start adding reservations back for key holders of that comes from the day ticket pool of available reservations. Something’s gotta give.