News Walt Disney World to resume sales of Annual Passes (New sales resume April 20, 2023)

[mkt]

1000%…they did that to boost attendance when the parks were allegedly “slammed”…and now they’re overrun?

labor is an issue…but this is also an intentional tactic…to what end?

Obviously the numbers of monthly vs pay-in-full APs aren't made public, but there was a clear and sizeable increase of APholders once the monthly plans were offered. Using that logic, dumping new monthly APs, offering a no-penalty cancelation option to existing monthly APs, and dumping one AP tier would've been a more appropriate first step to curbing AP sales than the nuclear option that Disney took.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Obviously the numbers of monthly vs pay-in-full APs aren't made public, but there was a clear and sizeable increase of APholders once the monthly plans were offered. Using that logic, dumping new monthly APs, offering a no-penalty cancelation option to existing monthly APs, and dumping one AP tier would've been a more appropriate first step to curbing AP sales than the nuclear option that Disney took.

Tell penguin..:because Iger said “we’re trying to cut attendance for better experience” in 2017…and it’s been a contradictory horror show of different decisions since.

its “gospel”

only selling the weekday passes to locals shows they need more attendance…making the weekends “by the day only” is just to bump lagging revenues…not because they can’t staff the donut booth at blizzard beach

 

[Touchdown]

You know if they want to lower AP sales, boost revenue and increase profits heres what I would sell:

1. Keep the weekday select pass call it a silver pass, good only at one location park reservations still required-$400. FL, CA or French residents only (depending on location.) Next to no benefits, but has a monthly payment plan
2. Gold Pass- Blackout Thanksgiving and Christmas week, reservations not required for days silver passes can go, but require it for weekend and high season days. Benefits remain the same as current APs, but you can purchase hoppers at other locations (for yourself only) for a 30% discount-$800. Again geographically restricted, no monthly plan allowed.
3. Diamond Pass-Good for entry to all 3 wholly owned Disney Parks (WDW, DLR, DLP) with 20% off merchandise and dining, free parking, and 10% all resort stays, no reservations required. $2500 ($1500 DVC.)

 

[pdude81]

You know if they want to lower AP sales, boost revenue and increase profits heres what I would sell:

1. Keep the weekday select pass call it a silver pass, good only at one location park reservations still required-$400. FL, CA or French residents only (depending on location.) Next to no benefits, but has a monthly payment plan
2. Gold Pass- Blackout Thanksgiving and Christmas week, reservations not required for days silver passes can go, but require it for weekend and high season days. Benefits remain the same as current APs, but you can purchase hoppers at other locations (for yourself only) for a 30% discount-$800. Again geographically restricted, no monthly plan allowed.
3. Diamond Pass-Good for entry to all 3 wholly owned Disney Parks (WDW, DLR, DLP) with 20% off merchandise and dining, free parking, and 10% all resort stays, no reservations required. $2500 ($1500 DVC.)

I like your concept, but the top level DL passes are 1400 bucks by themselves. I think the prices would be much higher

 

[Touchdown]

I like your concept, but the top level DL passes are 1400 bucks by themselves. I think the prices would be much higher

Between no monthly plans, and the sticker shock of being more then a months salary for most people I think the level is fair.

 

[Jrb1979]

Between no monthly plans, and the sticker shock of being more then a months salary for most people I think the level is fair.

My answer would be to no longer offer out of state APs unless you own DVC. It's obvious they aren't big fans of AP holders.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They’re not dumping the reservations…ever

that ship has sailed. The Vid gave them what they always wanted: the ability to tie staff to customer count down to the penny.

it was the perfect excuse…and the longer people invite spread…the more set policy it becomes

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Between no monthly plans, and the sticker shock of being more then a months salary for most people I think the level is fair.

Most people make $30,000 that sniff a Disney park?

you might be in the wrong neighborhood, Cowboy

 

[flynnibus]

ORRR.... There's a labor shortage and you can't service the same capacity you did in the past. (Altho, keeping MK from becoming a holiday nightmare with packed crowds doesn't depend on labor shortages.)

Which has nothing to do with stopping AP sales - because you already have a separate control for that. So... BZZZT.. spin again.

 

[Touchdown]

My answer would be to no longer offer out of state APs unless you own DVC. It's obvious they aren't big fans of AP holders.

They are so long as they stay at resorts.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My answer would be to no longer offer out of state APs unless you own DVC. It's obvious they aren't big fans of AP holders.

That could be the “end game”

 

[Touchdown]

Most people make $30,000 that sniff a Disney park?

you might be in the wrong neighborhood, Cowboy

I was thinking net. So roughly 40,000/50,00 but fair.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Which has nothing to do with stopping AP sales - because you already have a separate control for that. So... BZZZT.. spin again.

Exactly…if you have to reserve anyway…and there’s a separate annual pass basket…it’s not about staffing.

if they can’t manage the baskets after 18 months of this…the management is even worse than they appear to be.

and again…shouldn’t have laid everyone off…and you’ll have to pay more now. The bed is made.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was thinking net. So roughly 40,000/50,00 but fair.

Disney flies five too few flags even for that. That is lower middle now…

disney is looking for that? All evidence to the contrary for 20 years

 

[Jrb1979]

They are so long as they stay at resorts.

Maybe they go to out of state AP can only be used if staying on property

 

[Demarke]

My answer would be to no longer offer out of state APs unless you own DVC. It's obvious they aren't big fans of AP holders.

I would think the opposite. Out of state pays the most by far per year, comes less, has a higher likelihood of staying on-site (assuming more Florida residents can do day trips or may have friends/family close by to stay with), and would seem to be suckers for upcharge events and upgrades comparatively because they can’t just come on a whim from so far away. Plus lots of out of staters participate in cash cows like runDisney races which both earn money and keep the racers out of the parks a large part of the day because of how early they have to get up to participate in the runs.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Exactly…if you have to reserve anyway…and there’s a separate annual pass basket…it’s not about staffing.

if they can’t manage the baskets after 18 months of this…the management is even worse than they appear to be.

and again…shouldn’t have laid everyone off…and you’ll have to pay more now. The bed is made.

If the reservation system isn't working out the way they want to because local Passholders aren't booking their reservations until the last minute, then maybe the solution isn't to halt the sale of APs (especially since the only 1 still available is only available to FL residents) but rather to go back to something closer to the old FP+ booking window with G+. Say, 30 days out, you could purchase G+ and book a set number of rides (resort guests can do this for their length of stay, local APs and off-property guests do it one day at a time like before - but everyone gets 30 days in some fashion) and then additional LL selections are made once in the park using the same criteria in place now (must use 1 to book another) or the FP+ rules (use up you're pre-selected LLs before getting a new one). Since they won't get rid of the ILL option because of $$$, keep the current rules in place for those if they want since they'll already know which park guests will be in within a certain margin of error. Or maybe even give the Passholders without a resort stay the chance to book 2 consecutive days with their 30-day window to encourage them to both use G+ AND book their park reservations in advance. I bet a change along those lines would resolve at least some of the complaints about G+ while also helping management predict crowd levels a little better than they can now. The reservation system might be good for limiting attendance, but I don't see how it's more useful for actually predicting attendance than the FP+ system was. It seems like perhaps the desire to monetize FP+ had the unintended (but not unforeseeable) consequence of changing how people are letting the company know where they plan to be and when they plan to be there. If anyone had the guts to point it out, I'm sure it was ignored - and now they're trying to "fix" it by chasing more dollars that may or may not actually materialize instead of taking a simpler approach.

 

[mkt]

My answer would be to no longer offer out of state APs unless you own DVC. It's obvious they aren't big fans of AP holders.

If Florida's geography weren't so strange, I'd agree. For example, there are parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama that are closer to WDW than parts of Florida.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If Florida's geography weren't so strange, I'd agree. For example, there are parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama that are closer to WDW than parts of Florida.

Who says they’re actually catering to traditional Florida residents by doing this? I’d argue they’re who they want to eliminate the most…not that I agree with it

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

Why do they have Florida resident APs? Why not make two APs one that has Christmas and Thanksgiving and one that doesn't? They want to make the parks for the elites so why give a deal at all?