See ya real soon! Maybe 2016-ish?

[Lee]

My AP expired in September.
I got comped for Epcot's 30th so I had no reason/desire to renew.

Next time down...maybe a Halloween party at MK since its less expensive than a one day ticket.

Keeping my Uni AP. Better value and more enticing attractions.

The ball is in Disney's court...

 

[menamechris]

Keeping my Uni AP. Better value and more enticing attractions.

The ball is in Disney's court...

I am doing this too. I haven't had a Universal AP for ten years. But really - how can you NOT get a Universal AP with everything that is going on? They have tapped into a corporate culture that I used to love about Disney - Imagine, create, and deliver. This is clearly Universal's strategy now, not Disney's. Now Disney Imagines, Value Engineers, Overhypes, and Collects. It's indeed a sad time for WDW....

 

[5thGenTexan]

I strongly suggest looking at crusies. This April we are going on our 5th cruise (2nd Disney). My wife nixed the idea, but if I could do every vacation on a ship I would. I enjoy boarding and then forgetting everything for a week. They do it all for you... the only real decision is what to decide next.

 

[Texas84]

Good news for me. The parks are getting way too crowded.

 

[cbconglom]

Next year's trip will be our last Disney trip until something huge is added and Carsland won't cut it. And I've been going every two years my whole life (I'm 30) I like others am quite content in being entertained with universals constant additions.

 

[CP_alum08]

I understand. We moved from MI to FL almost 3 years ago and immediately got APs once we were here. We've enjoyed being able to go (almost) whenever we want and now we are moving back to MI in less than a month and will probably discontinue our APs when they expire in April. We are doing one last weekend trip this coming weekend and it will be sad to leave not knowing when we will be back.

I do really miss Disney "vacations" but being able to jump in the car and be at WDW in less than 2 hours is pretty nice

 

[menamechris]

Good news for me. The parks are getting way too crowded.

Don't worry - it will still suck for you. Disney will have to raise prices in other areas to make up for the loss.

 

[marni1971]

I strongly suggest looking at crusies. This April we are going on our 5th cruise (2nd Disney). My wife nixed the idea, but if I could do every vacation on a ship I would. I enjoy boarding and then forgetting everything for a week. They do it all for you... the only real decision is what to decide next.

Funny you mention the DCL....

 

[BigRedDad]

Its good to explore new and different things. You'll survive. You can go to many other places and see many other things. Very easy to deal with and you will appreciate Disney more when you do get back.

 

[Poofiesdream]

Some times you just need to make a change for awhile. Then you will decide if you miss Disney enough to come back and pay the prices or find other things you now love.

 

[marni1971]

^ YOU guys don't get it. Its not "Disney" thats the issue. Its Team Disney Orlando. Until they change their way of bleeding WDW dry for short term gain, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disney Cruise Line will still get our patronage. As will Busch, Comcast etc etc.

And there is less and less to appreciate in Epcot, the Studios and DAK nowadays.

 

[menamechris]

^ YOU guys don't get it. Its not "Disney" thats the issue. Its Team Disney Orlando. Until they change their way of bleeding WDW dry for short term gain, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disney Cruise Line will still get our patronage. As will Busch, Comcast etc etc.

And there is less and less to appreciate in Epcot, the Studios and DAK nowadays.

This is EXACTLY it. TDO is abusing and neglecting the resort and parks for the short-term profit. Anyway you slice it, that is bad business. And it is a bad way to treat guests who are paying top dollar for a premium experience. The way things have been left to become stale and literally fall apart - That will never be okay, no matter how long I stay away.

 

[dkaudio]

I have visited every year since I was 9 (I'm now 30) and I'm thinking it may be soon that me and the mouse didn't break up but did a Ross and Rachel and went "on a break".....

I am visiting in April but think that will be my last trip until at least HP 2.0 opens up and after that who knows.... The mrs wants kids I'm reluctant a large part of that is because I won't go to WDW until they're old enough to enjoy it.... But then I guess I have a great excuse to go every year again!

"We were onnn.... a break! "

 

[Phonedave]

This is the end of an era for me, my AP is expiring and for the first time since infancy I will not be a WDW regular. As a child my parents took me, as a teen my brother worked at HoB and got us into the parks, as an adult I've renewed a pass since 2008. Mostly due to less available personal time, I've decided the AP no longer holds its worth for me.
Which brings me to ask, who else has dealt with having to break up with the mouse? And how did the change work out for you? I'm already missing it, even though I was there two days ago for my last go. However, I'm putting together a lot of positives...
1. Obviously a big finanical savings.
2. Watch the FP+ fiasco work itself out from a safe distance.
3. Let time pass for new things to be built, and old ones to feel fresh again.
4. Spend saved $ next year to see the new Universal toys.
Thanks for the conversation all. See you at the DHS Pixar Place expansion hopefully!

I used to go multiple times a year (clearly an AP was in order)

A number of things have changed for me.

1) Remarried now means 5 plane tickets for the family to go - that is $$$$
2) Remarried also mean places like Sandals are now an option - I don't mind WDW alone or with my kids, tropical resorts not so much
3) My kids have gotten older and while they still love WDW, they also now like other things
4) I don't travel for business as much anymore (I used to be in Tampa a lot, and WDW was a long weekend away)
5) My wife is a teacher, meaning off peak getaways at the last minute are not really possible.
6) WDW has become stale. Same overpriced uninspired stuff every time.

I am a DVC owner, and our solution is, instead of multiple times a year, or even yearly trips, we will be going every 2 or 3 years. We will be banking and borrowing points so that when we do go, we will be going for longer periods and in larger rooms. Our last trip was in June of 2012. The plan is for our next trip to WDW to be in June/July of 2014- we will be getting a Treehouse villa for a week, and my in-laws will be comming along. I get along great with them, and it also allows my wife and I to sneak out by ourselves at times . After 2014, we are not sure when the next trip will be.


Ah, I forgot to mention, my wife and I will be at F&W in November of this year 2013 for a weekend, but that is just us, one park, mainly for Food and Wine. I get away for the two of us. So I guess WDW gets my cash there.

-dave

 

[MickeyKimmy]

^ YOU guys don't get it. Its not "Disney" thats the issue. Its Team Disney Orlando. Until they change their way of bleeding WDW dry for short term gain, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disney Cruise Line will still get our patronage. As will Busch, Comcast etc etc.

And there is less and less to appreciate in Epcot, the Studios and DAK nowadays.

I completely agree. As someone who usually visits multiple times a year, it has been really disheartening to see the changes over the last few years. I hate the direction they are taking the parks in and just can't stand it anymore. I still have about 6 months left on my AP but probably won't use it again before it expires as there were times on our week trip at the end of Jan. where we couldn't find anything in the parks we wanted to do. Everything has become so stale to me which I never thought would happen.

DH and I are contemplating another trip to Disneyland sometime in the near future though. It is just too bad that I am a FL resident/AP holder who lives 3 1/2 hours from WDW and I would have to go to California to find a decent Disney experience nowadays.

 

[PlaneCrazy1978]

My wife and I have been going for ten years, and we've been perpetual AP'ers for that time frame. We actually have lost track of how many times we've gone over the years. We've seen the decline over the past few years, and it is very upsetting to us. My first trip to WDW ever was on our honeymoon, and we have so many memories there. I remember being amazed that there was a ride in "the ball" (and I said those words exactly)! Our last trip, about two weeks ago, we both said that we aren't' going to renew our passes when they expire in a few months, and we wont' be a planning a trip (we've generally always have had at least two trips planned at once). We find ourselves not really enjoying the rides anymore and the overall experience. We often end up going on something boring we've been on 50 times and that hasn't been updated in 20 years because we have to fill time before our dinner ressie. Everything is just disappointing anymore.

I had high hopes for FLE, despite what was posted on these boards. I felt like that was the last great hope for me, that TDO was going to do it right. I was wrong. It looks great, wonderfully themed land, but it has no substance. I'd rather have had something smaller than a land that ended up blowing my mind (like SM or something). Overall, I felt like they let us down, especially after all the hype.

Now with NGE, I feel like we as AP'ers are getting the shaft. I feel like they are nickel and dime-ing me and don't really care about my experience. I don't want to book my FP 6 months out. If I feel like riding HM twice in a row, I should be able to. If I'm walking by IASW and I want to get a FP for PP for later in the day, I should be able to. I guess I'm just going to miss the spontaneity that Disney once had. It's like you'd be there and say "Ohhh, let's ride that!" and go over and ride it.

But the good news is that we will be going to Uni. We actually made our first trip there last May. Yeah, ten years we lived in FL and I had never been there. It blew my mind and it reminded me of what WDW was when I first went ten years ago. So we'll be going there more often.

 

[EOD K9]

I'm in a similar boat as most of you. When I was still using training wheels, I was there from 81-84. Then I've been there every year since 97. From 2005 on I became a DVC member and go twice a year since then. I've been to DLR twice and DLP once. It is so obvious that the west coast and its European counterpart have better upkeep. I'll be doing my first Disney Cruise very soon with one night on each end of the trip. If I don't spend any time in the park its not the end of the world. But it is sad that I don't need to be in there. This trip is more about the cruise and I have heard nothing but positive things. My AP expired a good ways back.

 

[wendysue]

I strongly suggest looking at crusies. This April we are going on our 5th cruise (2nd Disney). My wife nixed the idea, but if I could do every vacation on a ship I would. I enjoy boarding and then forgetting everything for a week. They do it all for you... the only real decision is what to decide next.

Hmmm....watching the news tonight and it's showing that cruise ship bobbing like a cork in the gulf with no power, water, food....toilets.....

 

[cbconglom]

Yikes pooing in bags and sleeping outside

 

[5thGenTexan]

It is my understanding that the Triumph already had engine issues and the fire just shut the whole thing down. While anything can certainly happen on any ship, I feel alot better being on a DCL ship than some of the other lines. When cruising I typically take alot of snacks, flashlights, etc for the just in case type things We are booked for an April 26 sailing on the Disney Magic and I am already having trouble sleeping due to the excitement.