Passholder rant

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Update.

At the advice of some in this thread, I did go ahead and send an email to Jeff Vahle. And surprisingly, I received a call back from someone in his office the same day.

They apologized and agreed that I should have been able to purchase the pass given that my son never had previous tickets and due to the fact that we never let our passes lapse or expire. She also said that Jeff will be made aware of this and will be suggesting that the policy be updated.

They definitely did their homework though before calling me because she about the upcoming trip and also confirmed that our son never had a pass/ticket.

Kudos to Disney to getting back to me in the same day I sent the email and fixing this.

I’m glad they accommodated you…

But I loathe the “didn’t let ours lapse”…

It’s a park ticket…not auto insurance…it’s sick it’s being framed as if it’s an indefinite, recurring contract. That is not what it is.

 

[Touchdown]

I was honestly shocked I was able to renew this year. I thought for sure they would have either done a massive overhaul that would have been similar to DL MK by now or just stopped selling everything but Florida Pixie Passes. The status quo can not continue much longer.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was honestly shocked I was able to renew this year. I thought for sure they would have either done a massive overhaul that would have been similar to DL MK by now or just stopped selling everything but Florida Pixie Passes. The status quo can not continue much longer.

Yeah…it’s not gonna continue as is.

My suspicious is they haven’t killed them because they’ve been on recession watch for quite sometime and that’s explains the holding pattern.

They want annual passes gone…but don’t want to get caught without a response lever to pull

 

[Andrew25]

I'm shocked they haven't tried to create a Passholder event or something at DAK at night to move some people over there. DAK is a ghost town after 5pm, some sort of nighttime festival could do wonders for that park.

 

[Touchdown]

Yeah…it’s not gonna continue as is.

My suspicious is they haven’t killed them because they’ve been on recession watch for quite sometime and that’s explains the holding pattern.

They want annual passes gone…but don’t want to get caught without a response lever to pull

They may want APs gone, but I don’t think they can live without them. They need a way to smooth the boom/bust economic cycle. The recent return of discounts is yet more proof “unprecedented growth” is over. I still don’t understand how DVC sales are still happening as I don’t know why you would buy without an AP. I could see them restricting AP sales to DVC and Florida residents (the former would cause increase demand in DVC) but I just don’t see them being able to kick APs away.

Six Flags is now tanking because they shunned APs, Post Paramount Merger CF tanked when they severely restricted AP programs, DL tried and failed to go without AP. It’s not going to work.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They may want APs gone, but I don’t think they can live without them. They need a way to smooth the boom/bust economic cycle. The recent return of discounts is yet more proof “unprecedented growth” is over. I still don’t understand how DVC sales are still happening as I don’t know why you would buy without an AP. I could see them restricting AP sales to DVC and Florida residents (the former would cause increase demand in DVC) but I just don’t see them being able to kick APs away.

Six Flags is now tanking because they shunned APs, Post Paramount Merger CF tanked when they severely restricted AP programs, DL tried and failed to go without AP. It’s not going to work.

Well that’s just my point…they absolutely want them gone…so they can bag a set fee - full price - in their models for every head entering a park.

But it’s complicated:
1. They need California and Florida residents and have to have a “pass” for that. Especially in down times
2. The money people act like recessions are extinct but NONE of them believe. Mostly because it’s not possible. So they want to preserve that emergency plan.
3. You said “boom and bust”…but there hasn’t been a travel recession in 15 YEARS. That’s double the longest stretch in the past.
They don’t know what to do with it? It makes them naturally more greedy/risky…but they’re scared to death for when the bottom falls out.
4. The bobs have raised prices to such an aggressive extent that I don’t think they can adequately respond to a recession and not suffer massive losses. Especially in Orlando. 30% discounts cut in in 2009…but it may take 60% now and that can’t happen.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm shocked they haven't tried to create a Passholder event or something at DAK at night to move some people over there. DAK is a ghost town after 5pm, some sort of nighttime festival could do wonders for that park.

The park wasnt designed for after dark operation.

 

[Touchdown]

Well that’s just my point…they absolutely want them gone…so they can bag a set fee - full price - in their models for every head entering a park.

But it’s complicated:
1. They need California and Florida residents and have to have a “pass” for that. Especially in down times
2. The money people act like recessions are extinct but NONE of them believe. Mostly because it’s not possible. So they want to preserve that emergency plan.
3. You said “boom and bust”…but there hasn’t been a travel recession in 15 YEARS. That’s double the longest stretch in the past.
They don’t know what to do with it? It makes them naturally more greedy/risky…but they’re scared to death for when the bottom falls out.
4. The bobs have raised prices to such an aggressive extent that I don’t think they can adequately respond to a recession and not suffer massive losses. Especially in Orlando. 30% discounts cut in in 2009…but it may take 60% now and that can’t happen.

I would argue 2020-early 2021 were a travel recession. An artificial one but still a recession. Late 2021-2022 was the correction as it was artificial but now the economy isn’t looking good, inflation is killing budgets, and things are looking bad. It’s not just Disney, I saved over a thousand on my hotel stay at Marco Island last week because room rates dropped. I’ve already done the same on my June Rockies trip, and there’s still 2 months to go for that. I realize Im blessed that so far I haven’t had to cut back but I too have noticed how much more expensive the grocery store visits are now. People can’t keep discretionary spending going when food is getting close to 2x the cost it was in 2019.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would argue 2020-early 2021 were a travel recession. An artificial one but still a recession. Late 2021-2022 was the correction as it was artificial but now the economy isn’t looking good, inflation is killing budgets, and things are looking bad. It’s not just Disney, I saved over a thousand on my hotel stay at Marco Island last week because room rates dropped. I’ve already done the same on my June Rockies trip, and there’s still 2 months to go for that. I realize Im blessed that so far I haven’t had to cut back but I too have noticed how much more expensive the grocery store visits are now. People can’t keep discretionary spending going when food is getting close to 2x the cost it was in 2019.

There was no “Wall Street repercussions” from 20-21…

The US government injected $6 trillion of “fake Money” from 11/19-2021 and the bankers got rich off it…

So that’s not a travel recession.

The last year is more significant to Disney…it’s an “entertainment reckoning”…they’re has been called out

But travel recession hasn’t happened yet

 

[Andrew25]

The park wasnt designed for after dark operation.

oh please that park can they just don't want to invest in attractions to keep people there longer

 

[Po'Rich]

APs are not available to the general public right now. Just renewals.

Ultimately, this is the issue. Disney needs to decide what it wants to do with annual passes and do that. What we have right now is an inconsistent middle state. If Disney wants to get rid of annual passes, then do so without grandfathering. If Disney wants to change annual passes to something different, then get on with it. Yet, this middle state is hurting Disney's reputation for excellent customer service.

What the OP requested is not a big deal. If normal annual passes were still being offered, then there wouldn't even be a need for the request. However, the staff member, who is only following policy, risks the possibility of losing another family. Disney used to care about this, and it is what set Disney's customer service apart from other companies.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would argue 2020-early 2021 were a travel recession. An artificial one but still a recession. Late 2021-2022 was the correction as it was artificial but now the economy isn’t looking good, inflation is killing budgets, and things are looking bad. It’s not just Disney, I saved over a thousand on my hotel stay at Marco Island last week because room rates dropped. I’ve already done the same on my June Rockies trip, and there’s still 2 months to go for that. I realize Im blessed that so far I haven’t had to cut back but I too have noticed how much more expensive the grocery store visits are now. People can’t keep discretionary spending going when food is getting close to 2x the cost it was in 2019.

Travel outlook doesn’t look great…at least not according to people I trust. Grain of salt.

The main problem for that - and also everything else - is that a shockingly large amount of consumers are almost out of credit and are sinking into a hole.

Travel is always the FIRST thing to go

 

[Club Cooloholic]

So if I am reading this right some people have been able to renew a pass for Florida Residents, even when they were no longer FL residents?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

oh please that park can they just don't want to invest in attractions to keep people there longer

Oh I agree with you…no doubt.

But everything they have done for years is an “experiment” to get people to spend the most in the minimal amount of time in the minimum amount of places to maximize every cent of overhead


It’s not building repeat customers, drawing people to shows or movies or getting them to buy toys for Christmas

That’s petty “non-speculative stuff”

And bob is an international business tycoon stock dealer and wheeler

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So if I am reading this right some people have been able to renew a pass for Florida Residents, even when they were no longer FL residents?

They probably don’t ask questions in THAT scenario…I would imagine?

 

[Epcotfan21]

So if I am reading this right some people have been able to renew a pass for Florida Residents, even when they were no longer FL residents?

Technically once you show proof that you were or are a Florida resident at the time you bought your initial pass, Disney never asks you to continue to show proof of Florida residency. I’m sure there are people taking advantage of this.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Technically once you show proof that you were or are a Florida resident at the time you bought your initial pass, Disney never asks you to continue to show proof of Florida residency. I’m sure there are people taking advantage of this.

Correct…on renewals. Which is moot in this case anyway

 

[vikescaper]

Technically once you show proof that you were or are a Florida resident at the time you bought your initial pass, Disney never asks you to continue to show proof of Florida residency. I’m sure there are people taking advantage of this.

Earlier this month, my mom and sister renewed their passes in park and both cast members asked for their ID. I renewed mine online and obviously didn’t have to show my ID.

 

[Epcotfan21]

Earlier this month, my mom and sister renewed their passes in park and both cast members asked for their ID. I renewed mine online and obviously didn’t have to show my ID.

Interesting. I guess for those taking advantage of this loophole would have to continue to renew online, as opposed to the ticket gate.

 

[nickys]

So if I am reading this right some people have been able to renew a pass for Florida Residents, even when they were no longer FL residents?

Where did you get that from, unless there have been some posts deleted?

Once you have an AP you can renew at any level. So if you had a FL resident AP but moved out of state you could renew at the Incredi Pass level and then back to Pixie if you move back. I think that’s perhaps the source of your misunderstanding.