Park Hopper Passes going away!!!

[speck76]

One thing to remeber is that WDW next year, or over the next two years, will be seeing demand like they have not seen since 1997.

In 1997 (WDW 25th) the MK had over 17 million guests......that would be about 3 million more than they see now....or over 8,000 more people PER DAY than they see now.

Now, if you are WDW, do you really want 8,000 more people in your park everyday.....well, yes and no.

Yes, you will take in more revenue.

No, you will have to provide more staffing and services, costs will go up.

If they have they ability to limit the extra guests through a price-disincentive ploy, this would mean they would make the most money they could by giving those who spend the least a reason not to come.

 

[jordanyosh]

I guess for our extended family this will save us some money. If the base for 10 days is 199 and you add 80 dollars for the premium pkg. That would be around 300 hundred with tax. Right now we pay over 400 each for our UPH. I don't know about never expire add on. But if that is available to resort guests. This would also be a bonus as it was never available to us before.

 

[wannabeBelle]

From what I am reading, there will be no more Ultimate Park Hopper (a.k.a. Length of Stay passes) when this new program hits.

AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!! Belle

 

[phlydude]

Jordan - I see your point!!

 

[figmentfan]

All these changes to the ticket structure does not hurt me. I am a Annual Passholder. This is probably the cheapest way to go.

For Floridians: $200+ for a Seasonal Pass, which allows you to get into Disney 365 days except for Christmas Week, Easter Week, and Mid June to Mid August. The Annual Pass is about $300+, which allows 365 day access.

For non-Floridians: Annuals are around $390+, so I don't know if it is cheaper for non-Floridians to get Annuals or the new type of tickets.

But for Floridians: Enjoy the Annual Passes, and the occasional Play 4 day pass, which also a great deal!

 

[bryon1]

That pricing chart helps out so much.

So, if one buys the 7 day pass =$199
Add $35 park hop(5 perday)= $35
Total =$234 (with out tax)

From Allears...
'Magic your Way' Fact Sheet
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- With the new "Magic Your Way" ticket plan, guests create their own ticket for their perfect Walt Disney World vacation -- whether that includes seven days of theme park fun, or water park action, or a night on the town at Downtown Disney.

Creating a custom ticket is easy. First, guests choose the number of days they want on a base ticket that allows them to visit one theme park each day. Then they can select from a menu of ticket options that includes:

Park Hopper Option: Adding the Park Hopper option lets guests come and go as they please through all four Walt Disney World theme parks each day for the length of their ticket. Extra cost to the base-price ticket: $35 -- or just $5 per day on a seven-day ticket.

Magic Plus Pack Option: For Disney fun beyond the four theme parks, this option provides the choice of admission to Disney's Blizzard Beach water park, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park, DisneyQuest, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island or Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Extra cost to the base-price ticket: $45 (includes 2-5 visits to these other attractions, depending on the number of base ticket days purchased).

No Expiration Option: "Magic Your Way" tickets expire 14 days after their first use. Electing the "no expiration" option means the guest is free to come back and take advantage of unused ticket entitlements at any time. Extra cost to the base-price ticket: $10 if 2-day ticket purchased, up to $55 if 7-day ticket purchased.

"Magic Your Way" Premium Pass: To capture all that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer, this ticket combines the benefits of Park Hopper and Magic Plus Pack options.

Advance Purchase Savings: The savings gets even sweeter when guests purchase 5-, 6- or 7-day "Magic Your Way" tickets with the Park Hopper or Magic Plus Pack options -- or both -- before leaving home.

("no expiration" option means the guest is free to come back and take advantage of unused ticket entitlements at any time. ) I guess that means that you'll pay for all add ons again once you run out of tickets.

 

[jordanyosh]

According to the chart on allears, the 7 day with the plus option would also add a plus option. You would get 5 instead of 4 currently on the 7 day PHP. Now I don't know if you could actually use 5 options in a 7 day period, but it would be fun trying.

 

[mattb]

One thing to remeber is that WDW next year, or over the next two years, will be seeing demand like they have not seen since 1997.

In 1997 (WDW 25th) the MK had over 17 million guests......that would be about 3 million more than they see now....or over 8,000 more people PER DAY than they see now.

Now, if you are WDW, do you really want 8,000 more people in your park everyday.....well, yes and no.

Yes, you will take in more revenue.

No, you will have to provide more staffing and services, costs will go up.

If they have they ability to limit the extra guests through a price-disincentive ploy, this would mean they would make the most money they could by giving those who spend the least a reason not to come.

You and your revenue-mindedness, Speck.

I agree, this plan makes more sense than the old plan--with the few exceptions mentioned. For the average Joe who doesn't obsess about Disney, this will probably save them some money for their vacation, unless they really really want -every- single option.

 

[AEfx]

You and your revenue-mindedness, Speck.

I agree, this plan makes more sense than the old plan--with the few exceptions mentioned. For the average Joe who doesn't obsess about Disney, this will probably save them some money for their vacation, unless they really really want -every- single option.

Exactly. The pricing structure was very slanted before, where if you stayed for a certain length of time you were penalized into buying one of the "plus" tickets because they didn't offer any choice.

The people that will loose out here are definately the "I buy a four day pass and use two days this year two days next year", but other people are going to save a bundle. A 7-day PHP is about $335 right now (advance purchase). It's the only option you have for more than five days, even though you may not want the plus options (forget the lenth of stay passes, they are even worse for people who don't want anything past the 4 parks). Now you can get a 7-day ticket for $100 less. If you want the Plus features, you still get them at a bargain on a longer stay.

It's not going to be for everyone, but I do believe that most people are going to come out better in the long run. The dining option is very interesting - I'd love to see a list of the eateries included to see what kind of a value it could really be.

AEfx

 

[longfamily]

I wonder if this will create a loss in profits for Disney. Currently people purchase gold and platinum add-ons to their package to aquire the use of the all-inclusive food option. Granted, in it's current state, both add-ons allow for three meals a day whereas this new system only allows for 2 meals plus snack. But anyone who has experienced the inclusive meal plan with the add-ons knows that this is way to much food to begin with. Isn't Disney shooting themselves in the foot by offering the guest a custom tailored deal. It would be easier for the guest to not look into the add-ons, resulting in disney losing profit. Yes?

 

[Hakunamatata]

I see a new opportunity for an eager entreprenure (sp ) :

"Hi, Im a certified Disney Magic Your Way Consultant".

 

[BeachClubVillas]

Exactly. The pricing structure was very slanted before, where if you stayed for a certain length of time you were penalized into buying one of the "plus" tickets because they didn't offer any choice.


AEfx

You're so right. We have four or five years worth of passes with nothing on them but waterpark "plus" options because we had to buy into the "plus' even though we knew we knew we would never use them. We only to the parks at WDW, but because we needed the 7 day PH we were forced to buy the "plus" option. I don't really understand the new structure yet, but it sounds helpful in that way.

Is this going to affect Annual Passes in any way?

 

[CoffeeJedi]

hi there, i just registered a few days ago

I think this will actually save me money, see, we're going on our honeymoon to WDW next October. The plan is to stay for 6 days / 7 nights. We were going to get 5 day park hoppers, but have no interest in the water parks. (3 park days, a day of rest, then 2 more park days). Now it will only cost us 228 for a five-day, and at a measly 3 bucks, i can add a sixth day "just in case" we want to go into a park for dinner or another activity. So 231 dollars for six days is a great deal! (we MIGHT go to Pleasure Island, but would just pay seperately, my last trip i felt compelled to go because i didn't want to "waste it")

at these prices, i might just spring for the 10 day "never expire" pass and save the remaining days for next time

 

[Kwit35]

Well,
We are already set to go in December for Christmas and in January for the Marathon. But, after that, I think I am going to stay away from Disney for a while. I am very angry about the price increase. We can only go for a day at a time, there is no way I am paying $95 bucks for the single day park hopper. I usually buy a multi-day pass and use it for a coulple visists, but now that you have to pay extra so that they don't expire, it isn't worth it. Sorry Disney, you are loosing a good customer. We usually hit the parks around 4 times a year. Not any more! Ane when I say 'we', I mean the whole family (around 11 people).

 

[peter11435]

Well,
We are already set to go in December for Christmas and in January for the Marathon. But, after that, I think I am going to stay away from Disney for a while. I am very angry about the price increase. We can only go for a day at a time, there is no way I am paying $95 bucks for the single day park hopper. I usually buy a multi-day pass and use it for a coulple visists, but now that you have to pay extra so that they don't expire, it isn't worth it. Sorry Disney, you are loosing a good customer. We usually hit the parks around 4 times a year. Not any more! Ane when I say 'we', I mean the whole family (around 11 people).

You have obviously not examined the new system. A one day ticket is only $59.75. The $35 increase is only a new offer. You don't have to pay for it. Also the tickets with plus features and park hopping are less then they used to be. When you add the no expiration option it is only a little higher than it used to be. Yes they are slightly raising the ticket prices. However, mostly what the new system does is allow you to only pay for what you want. Price increases are inevitable, and while this is one, it also enables you to save money.

 

[Gail Hayden]

They did say that single day park ticket would not be honored after a certain date, but nothing was mentioned about park hoppers either bought now or previously!!! Belle

No, it said that one day tickets purchased on or after 12/2/2004 would expire on 1/18/05. Ticket purchased before that will not expire.

 

[amejr999]

All right: I did some number-crunching, and the "increase" is not nearly as bad as many people think it is.

If you are going for 1-2 days, the price is going up slightly.
3 days- down slightly.
4 days- up slightly
5 and up days- down.

That includes the park-hopper option and no expiration for 4+ day tickets, and the plus pack for 5+ day park hopper tickets.

If you used to get 6-7 day PHP tickets, but did not use the plus options, your savings is quite dramatic.

Disney is NOT doing this to get more money on park tickets- but by making the cost much less to stay longer, they're hoping to get more $$ on hotels and food. It's going to confuse a lot of people like crazy, though. It's way too confusing.

Also- the 5, 6, and 7 day tickets will have advance purchase discounts like they now have!!!!!! My comparisons were all using the gate purchase price.

 

[Gail Hayden]

All these changes to the ticket structure does not hurt me. I am a Annual Passholder. This is probably the cheapest way to go.

For Floridians: $200+ for a Seasonal Pass, which allows you to get into Disney 365 days except for Christmas Week, Easter Week, and Mid June to Mid August. The Annual Pass is about $300+, which allows 365 day access.

For non-Floridians: Annuals are around $390+, so I don't know if it is cheaper for non-Floridians to get Annuals or the new type of tickets.

But for Floridians: Enjoy the Annual Passes, and the occasional Play 4 day pass, which also a great deal!

For Floridians: $200+ for a Seasonal Pass, which allows you to get into Disney 365 days except for Christmas Week, Easter Week, and Mid June to Mid August.

If it has black out dates, then it is NOT good for 365 days.

 

[crazygirley]

OH GOD! I am so glad I read this!!! I am RUNNING out and purchasing my BF's 4-DAy Hopper TODAY!!! This seems like a rip-off to me!

 

[jordanyosh]

Well,
We are already set to go in December for Christmas and in January for the Marathon. But, after that, I think I am going to stay away from Disney for a while. I am very angry about the price increase. We can only go for a day at a time, there is no way I am paying $95 bucks for the single day park hopper. I usually buy a multi-day pass and use it for a coulple visists, but now that you have to pay extra so that they don't expire, it isn't worth it. Sorry Disney, you are loosing a good customer. We usually hit the parks around 4 times a year. Not any more! Ane when I say 'we', I mean the whole family (around 11 people).

You need to do the math and realize that if you buy multi-day passes as you said you did with the no expire add on, it would be only the cost of tax difference......BUT you get an extra plus option with the new 7 day plan. Therefore, I would say it's a wash.

I also agree with a previous poster that said that all these prices are gate purchase prices. There may be advance purchase discounts which would mean the tickets would basically cost the same. You would only have more options when you purchase.