Predictions for returns of Annual Passholders

[lumberguy5]

They should never return to Annual Passes. Disney does not need them. Disney World has operated without them just fine for nearly a year.

Disney World does still have an AP program. In fact the APs have better reservation availability than day tickets and resort guests.

You don't get to 50% AP attendance on accident. I never understand why people think the AP program was something that got out of hand and Disney somehow lost control... Like the inmates were running the prison. Disney created that situation because that was what they thought was the most profitable scenario at the time. Of course right now while they're limited in capacity they're going to be talking about higher spending non-AP guests, but once things even out they will come back to APs and tell them how much they love them and how much they've missed them and promise that their affair with dirty vacation tourists was meaningless. They've changed, really, and want us to forgive them and take them back.
Of course, legacy passholders will continue to get screwed, but they're used to being in an abusive relationship.

Disney is on the lower end with that AP mix. Cedar Fair was at 50% in 2019, and sold 40% more APs in 2020. Six Flags is up around 70%.

 

[CaptinEO]

Disney World does still have an AP program. In fact the APs have better reservation availability than day tickets and resort guests.

They havent sold new APs since the pandemic. Renewals only.

 

[HauntedPirate]

They havent sold new APs since the pandemic. Renewals only.

But that’s not what you said. “Disney World has operated fine without them” is the exact quote.

If TDA thinks 3/4 or even half empty parks for several months is acceptable, then they’ll do away with AP’s for the foreseeable future. What does/did the AP program generate each year, half a billion? That’s a lot of revenue to walk away from on the premise and promise of “pent up demand” on top of California needing to open the parks up to out of state visitors.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

“Passholders don’t spend money”

Who are all those people lined up to pay $25 for a “limited edition” popcorn bucket?

“Those are passholders. They’ll buy anything!”

Hmm......

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

They'll come back as all Flex Pass options. Probably sooner rather than later given how sales for this "historic moment" are actually going now that the dust has settled.

Skip Bayless is that you?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I think we’ll see some sort of AP program in early 2022.

They’ve been trying to decrease AP membership through price increases for a few years though so I won’t be surprised to see the new APs limited to a flex style (reservation based) pass for $750 and an unlimited signature pass for $1500.

I think the days of $300 passes are probably gone.

 

[socaljoeyb]

I think August to December. The tickets are selling slower than I expected. I wonder if we will see a capacity increase for the end of June going forward.....

 

[CaptinEO]

“Passholders don’t spend money”

Who are all those people lined up to pay $25 for a “limited edition” popcorn bucket?

“Those are passholders. They’ll buy anything!”

Hmm......

Those same people can be ticket holders. If anything it makes more sense if they have such a large fanbase to stop selling them discounted admission.

 

[CaptinEO]

But that’s not what you said. “Disney World has operated fine without them” is the exact quote.

If TDA thinks 3/4 or even half empty parks for several months is acceptable, then they’ll do away with AP’s for the foreseeable future. What does/did the AP program generate each year, half a billion? That’s a lot of revenue to walk away from on the premise and promise of “pent up demand” on top of California needing to open the parks up to out of state visitors.

Are the "AP" purchasers Disneyland fans or not? Theoretically chances are they want to visit Disneyland, even if the admission options have changed.

Someone spending 400 bucks on SoCal Select
passes for their family can get a 4 day parkhopper for the same price and turn it into a vacation.

The promise of low crowds is a huge plus, coworkers common complaints to me are that Disneyland is too crowded.

 

[CaptinEO]

Common Disney Complaints:
1) It's Too Crowded
2) I paid x and only got to go on 3 rides, it was miserable
3) For a premium price it was not a premium experience

This can remedy all of that.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Common Disney Complaints:
1) It's Too Crowded
2) I paid x and only got to go on 3 rides, it was miserable
3) For a premium price it was not a premium experience

This can remedy all of that.

Knotts will gladly take the crowds off of Disney’s hands if Disney no longer wants them.

 

[Curious Constance]

Knotts will gladly take the crowds off of Disney’s hands if Disney no longer wants them.

Knotts is so adorable. Good for them aiming high! You CAN do anything you put your mind to, never forget that!

 

[CaptinEO]

Knotts will gladly take the crowds off of Disney’s hands if Disney no longer wants them.

Your Knotts customers aren't ex Disney fans.

Yes Knotts is a themepark in Anaheim, it has a log ride, and it's creator was named Walt. Outside of that, it shares no similarities to Disneyland.

Disneyland is a family park full of dark rides. Knotts has a small selection of kids rides, 2 family dark rides from the 60s, and a dozen off the shelf roller coasters.

It'd be like someone saying they're fed up with Six Flags and will be bringing their business to Disneyland.

They are different products. I worked at SFMM, the clientele we got were vastly different than Disneyland.

It's just not the same thing and doesn't fill the same void.

That's no knock against Knotts at all. I'm glad there's parks with different options and was very impressed at their food event I attended. Their customer service also seems to be top notch from what I've read.

 

[Tamandua]

Are the "AP" purchasers Disneyland fans or not? Theoretically chances are they want to visit Disneyland, even if the admission options have changed.

Someone spending 400 bucks on SoCal Select
passes for their family can get a 4 day parkhopper for the same price and turn it into a vacation.

The promise of low crowds is a huge plus, coworkers common complaints to me are that Disneyland is too crowded.

When are people going to start saying "Disneyland isn't crowded anymore. I'm willing to pay more to go now."? Anyone who's stayed away from Disneyland because of crowds already has the impression that Disneyland is ALWAYS crowded, and they've likely been burned several times by going in the "off season" only to meet 70,000 other people there. In order for Disneyland to gain a reputation of being not crowded, Disney would need to let the parks operate well under capacity for some time until the word gets out that that's the new norm. That will never happen.

Come on guys. Half the time it's "smaller crowds will make people spend more" and the other half it's "Disney can adjust the ticket price tiers to make sure it's always busy without APs." Disney is absolutely not going to keep attendance low. I know that's a dream scenario for some people who wish they could buy their way to smaller crowds, but it's just not going to happen beyond the covid limits, and those days are supposedly numbered.

Annual Passes, or Memberships, or whatever it's called will be back. Soon. If you want me to start a video blog and condescendingly explain it in a clickbait titled video, I'll gladly do it if that's what will convince you guys. (not)

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I tend to agree that Disney will only keep attendance lower only for as long as they have to. The elimination of the AP was baffling to me and I don't know where that's going to lead, but more than likely just an overhaul and eventually a rollout of new APs with legacy enrollment discounts or something so as not to alienate their big audience.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Some sort of program/option will return. I’m thinking sometime next year.

 

[cmwade77]

Honestly, the more I think about it, I would just be happy to be able to buy say a 10 visit ticket that can be used for a year from first date of use with maybe being able to include parking and some discounts.

 

[cmwade77]

I think we’ll see some sort of AP program in early 2022.

They’ve been trying to decrease AP membership through price increases for a few years though so I won’t be surprised to see the new APs limited to a flex style (reservation based) pass for $750 and an unlimited signature pass for $1500.

I think the days of $300 passes are probably gone.

Honestly if they had wanted to decrease the number of passholders all they had to do was eliminate monthly payments. There is more to it than that.

 

[cmwade77]

Overall, I think some form of program will return by the end of June considering how lackluster ticket sales and reservations have been going.

As of my writing this, the only day completely sold out is June 5th. Everything else has some availability at one park or the other. I am not sure about the bucket for resort guests though, I hear that is a separate one, but not sure as I can't see that online anywhere, so it is possible that has some availability for June 5.

The point is everything should be completely sold out for at least the first couple of weeks right now, but it isn't.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Overall, I think some form of program will return by the end of June considering how lackluster ticket sales and reservations have been going.

As of my writing this, the only day completely sold out is June 5th. Everything else has some availability at one park or the other. I am not sure about the bucket for resort guests though, I hear that is a separate one, but not sure as I can't see that online anywhere, so it is possible that has some availability for June 5.

The point is everything should be completely sold out for at least the first couple of weeks right now, but it isn't.

Kinda like when Galaxies Edge opened?