NO MORE AP PAYMENT PLAN?

[Travel Junkie]

I think it makes sense for them to abandon monthly payments for the first year. If anything I could see it as a way to prevent fraud. The system is ripe for abuse. After the first year AP's can go on a monthly plan like a gym membership.

Personally I feel if you can't afford the whole payment up front you can't afford it. I have never used the monthly plan for multiple reasons, but that is one of them.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Out of idle curiosity, can an AP holder make a bigger down payment to get the monthly payment lower? I think the top pass is advertised at $79.50 per month after a $95 down payment, but can you put $500 down in order to pay $45.75 per month?

Yes, one can pay more than the minimum and pay less per month. Disney cares about getting every dime, and they don't care. As long as it's equaling to the same amount.

 

[Phroobar]

Out of idle curiosity, can an AP holder make a bigger down payment to get the monthly payment lower? I think the top pass is advertised at $79.50 per month after a $95 down payment, but can you put $500 down in order to pay $45.75 per month?

It's an interesting idea but that isn't how it works. You can't even get out of paying monthly half way through your contract. You have to a pay it off or Disney sends the debt collectors. They don't allow you to pay more unless you pay it all off.

The reason I got rid of our AP is because we were tired of going to the park. If I can't get at least twice a month in it wasn't worth it. When I paid for them in full last year, I had a stock pile of Disney gift cards from the Disney Visa Rewards program.

 

[mickEblu]

Is this perhaps a reason why Disney feels they can add Max Pass to new rides ( and apparently some rides that don't need Fast Pass) and not clog up the walkways? Are they anticipating less pass holders?

I'm guessing no.

 

[Curious Constance]

Yes, one can pay more than the minimum and pay less per month. Disney cares about getting every dime, and they don't care. As long as it's equaling to the same amount.

As opposed to most businesses in this world that only care about getting some of their money?

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Is this perhaps a reason why Disney feels they can add Max Pass to new rides ( and apparently some rides that don't need Fast Pass) and not clog up the walkways? Are they anticipating less pass holders?


I'm guessing no.

The regular incremental price increases and reshaping of the AP program over the past decade is likely a long term strategy. To me it appears that Disneyland Resort is slowly moving its admissions revenue strategy from one that relies on millions of visitors who aren’t big spenders to one that focuses on a smaller number of regular customers who are willing to spend top dollar for a premium experience.

Disney is being flexible as external forces ebb and flow, but if the payment plans go away soon, and if they continue adding things like $15,000 private dinners, then it'll pretty much confirm my suspicions. Even if Disney doesn’t immediately do away with monthly installments, and assuming external forces remain stable, there's little doubt in my mind that the monthly payment option will gone by the time SW Land opens.

 

[Practical Pig]

The regular incremental price increases and reshaping of the AP program over the past decade is likely a long term strategy. To me it appears that Disneyland Resort is slowly moving its admissions revenue strategy from one that relies on millions of visitors who aren’t big spenders to one that focuses on a smaller number of regular customers who are willing to spend top dollar for a premium experience.

I totally agree with this. We've seen possible indicators of this for awhile now. If they feel they're at a point where they can lose their customers with the least disposable income and replace them with fewer, deeper-pocketed people, while maintaining or improving the bottom line, why the heck wouldn't they?

And IMO, they need to do something. I didn't actually want to go on my most recent trip because my last several trips were crowd endurance tests and I didn't score very high. I went for family reasons, but often found myself thinking that my enjoyment/frustration balance was tipped in the wrong direction.

 

[mickEblu]

The regular incremental price increases and reshaping of the AP program over the past decade is likely a long term strategy. To me it appears that Disneyland Resort is slowly moving its admissions revenue strategy from one that relies on millions of visitors who aren’t big spenders to one that focuses on a smaller number of regular customers who are willing to spend top dollar for a premium experience.

Disney is being flexible as external forces ebb and flow, but if the payment plans go away soon, and if they continue adding things like $15,000 private dinners, then it'll pretty much confirm my suspicions. Even if Disney doesn’t immediately do away with monthly installments, and assuming external forces remain stable, there's little doubt in my mind that the monthly payment option will gone by the time SW Land opens.

Getting rid of the monthly payment plans seems kind of contradictory to the Southern California pass being reintroduced and the 13 months for the price of 12 deal that was offered recently. I think you re right in that they re gearing up for SWL. That's the only thing that makes sense. They kept the short term revenue flowing but now they have to start thinking ahead. I'm thinking they ll keep the monthly payment plan renewals at first and then probably get rid of them when SWL opens when tourists and casual guests will make up for the loss of APs. With that said, I have seen how fluid the AP strategy is and wouldn't be surprised if monthly payment plans come back a few years after the SWL Buzz does down or some new system is introduced.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

With that said, I have seen how fluid the AP strategy is and wouldn't be surprised if monthly payment plans come back a few years after the SWL Buzz does down or some new system is introduced.

Yeah, all we need for the discounting to kick in is for some economic shift to happen that negatively impacts tourism and/or general traffic to DLR. We saw it following 9/11 and during the 2008 recession.

 

[Practical Pig]

One thing I've been concerned about is what's going to happen at park closing with all those extra bodies back in SWL being funneled into the old narrow walkways on their way to the exit. Things are crazy enough without that. Early on, I hoped they would include an exit-only postern gate to DL with a crossing or bridge to Mickey and Friends. They could have funneled this though a SW shopping district for that last cash grab, but that didn't happen.

It's possible that dealing with future exit crowd issues is also a part of the (rumored) change.

 

[Practical Pig]

Getting rid of the monthly payment plans seems kind of contradictory to the Southern California pass being reintroduced and the 13 months for the price of 12 deal that was offered recently.

True, but it's possible (if the rumor is true) that they were throwing a kiss to pass-holders before getting busy on them.

I think you re right in that they re gearing up for SWL. That's the only thing that makes sense.

Agreed that this (if true) is preparing for that.

I have seen how fluid the AP strategy is and wouldn't be surprised if monthly payment plans come back a few years after the SWL Buzz does down or some new system is introduced.

Yep.

 

[BrianLo]

One thing I've been concerned about is what's going to happen at park closing with all those extra bodies back in SWL being funneled into the old narrow walkways on their way to the exit.

Simple, don't end the fireworks and close the park (SWL) at the same time. Do one before the other.

Given such a huge swath of the park acreage closes for the fireworks, Fantasmic and parade route - SWL in reality is going to be a massive reprieve. It will be the one place with unobstructed walkways. Tomorrowland is sort of the other, but just turns into a bottleneck of humanity during the night events.

 

[Practical Pig]

Simple, don't end the fireworks and close the park (SWL) at the same time. Do one before the other.

Given such a huge swath of the park acreage closes for the fireworks, Fantasmic and parade route - SWL in reality is going to be a massive reprieve. It will be the one place with unobstructed walkways. Tomorrowland is sort of the other, but just turns into a bottleneck of humanity during the night events.

I do see your point, I think it's completely valid, and it is encouraging. Managing the phased exit crowd issues could become more complicated than it is now, but Disney has a long history with coping with that. I still think this rumored change is part of addressing the additional SWL crowds issue.

 

[Curious Constance]

Guess I'd better buy our tickets before Sunday in case multiday tickets increase too.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Here's the thing about the overcrowding. The parks are always a disaster at Christmastime. Everyone knows this. If you go at that time, you know what to expect. Sorry, but that's the way it will always be. In regards to the complaints about recent weeks. I was there over the last couple weekends and while it was crowded, it was normal. It was not unpleasant. The lines weren't bad. It was manageable. Maybe if you got stuck in parade/fireworks crowds it might have sucked, but I had no issue.

I'm going to say it. The solution is not to eliminate monthly payments or increase prices. The solution is to increase capacity and draw people out of Disneyland! At Disneyland, there is obviously a major expansion occurring. But they're simply making the park more desirable for people. DCA is an entirely different story. Over there, they're simply swapping out a few attractions for newer versions. In some cases, this isn't bad, but we all know Soarin' Over CGI, the Frozen musical and...well, that's about it, are not drawing in the crowds that are at Disneyland. That park still needs a ton of work. I mean, really, there's nothing there but beer stands and carnival rides, and Cars Land. They have the space, they have the money, they have the justification. Go to town on the park. It's still a half-day park, if that. People want to go to Disneyland because it has all the best stuff.

 

[Practical Pig]

They are increasing capacity with a 14 acre Star Wars Land, but I'll agree they need to do more to draw guests to DCA.

Those of us who aren't local have many more restrictions and expenses connected to when we can visit. All of my visits over the past 20 years have been during the Christmas season, or during an ensuing race weekend, but not by my personal choice. Family schedules are complicated. I haven't been able to experience the Haunted Mansion in it's pure form for decades, and I very much wish I could.

My last trip followed the Christmas rush, but it was a Star Wars race weekend. That visit was because of my relationship to a runner, and the crowds were high and frustrating.

The APs are a high volume usage for a relatively low profit return in this increasing busy Disney Parks model. If Disney is ready to disrupt the status quo of the APs, I think it is a sea change.

 

[Curious Constance]

I don't necessarily think adding more stuff to the parks is ever going to help with crowds. Sure you get an extra ride here or there to subtract some people, but that seems to end up being a wash due to the sheer number of extra people who want to come to experience the attractions.
Adding stuff to DCA would help some, but anyone drawn to the resort due to a new DCA addition is sure to make time for Disneyland too, so we're still back to drawing more people with new things.

 

[Ismael Flores]

If they are so worried about crowding why would they have brought back the low tiered passes back.

Last quarter they said attendance was low according to what they said. Did parks ever reach capacity this past Holiday?
Seems like WDW didn't hit capacity till after the holidays and I dont remember hearing capacity issues with Anaheim this year not even for New Year's Eve. Or did I not hear about it

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Last quarter they said attendance was low according to what they said. Did parks ever reach capacity this past Holiday?

According to MiceChat the resort had "record crowds" this past holiday season. Here are some crowd shots from their January 2nd update.

 

[SSG]

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if eliminating monthly payments is a way of targeting less affluent visitors who may not be spending very much in the park. Disney may be thinking that if someone can’t afford to pay $329 up front for a So. Cal. Pass, how many churros and t-shirts are they buying?