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

[Jrb1979]

It could have been a lot worse…from the looks of it.

the other thing is that covid is a severe disruption to travel planning…particularly wdw. People on boards tend to believe that trips are planned 1-3 months out…but they are not. It’s a very long lead window. So that’s part of the annual pass equation.

I bet we start seeing “it’s gonna mobbed for rhe 50th!!” popped up more and more over the next months…

I hear some whispers that is not the case at all. 10/1 will be…but it’s gonna be a shockingly low number after. Which is probably why they aren’t really advertising/pushing it. Not really beneficially at this point given the impact to the lead in period.

What about all the UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND?

So how are they going to handle all of the people that have current level APs? You can't tell someone with a Gold Pass that only had blackout dates, but no park reservation restrictions, that now they all of a sudden have them. They aren't that stupid.

They already have given AP holders limited availability and 3 reservations. What they can do is make the changes for all new pass holders. Those that have passes already when they renew the changes take affect.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So how are they going to handle all of the people that have current level APs? You can't tell someone with a Gold Pass that only had blackout dates, but no park reservation restrictions, that now they all of a sudden have them. They aren't that stupid.

My suspicious is there aren’t that many…at least not compared to theme overall volume of visitors. Which is probably why they didn’t discontinue them last year.

there are 3 groups whose size are wildly overestimated in wdw:
1. Internationals
2. Florida residents
3. APs

what’s wildly underestimated is semi-frequent American visitor from all over - but predominantly the eastern seaboard and the upper Midwest. The management spent 1965-2005 building that specifically…it took up 90% of the effort.

that’s where the bread is buttered. But not everyone gets an annual pass. Very few actually. If you’re not on this board…the tendency is to look at a 365 day purchase and say “why am I paying for this for 11 days?” Even if the money works out.

vacation club does change the Dynamic a lot…more APs with that. But more “workarounds” instead of auto renewals as well.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What about all the UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND?

I’m not sure it’s there…but my hunches overran my common sense on the new AP discussion…so I’m not expecting to be right.

there was definite a “stir crazy” rush this summer. But that was also based on the assumption “it’s over”….well mama nature said hold my beer. Even if not as severe in real life terms…travel disruption is still gonna be huge.

They already have given AP holders limited availability and 3 reservations. What they can do is make the changes for all new pass holders. Those that have passes already when they renew the changes take affect.

This is what I was saying…the “legacies” can last a maximum of 12 months…and that clock will start possible this month. But how many people actually held into them or applied to get them back since the vaccine rollout? One would assume a significant amount are in the “I’ll get them when they come back/when we’re actually going” camp

it’s not a huge number in a huge operation…they’ll work them in.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It could have been a lot worse…from the looks of it.

the other thing is that covid is a severe disruption to travel planning…particularly wdw. People on boards tend to believe that trips are planned 1-3 months out…but they are not. It’s a very long lead window. So that’s part of the annual pass equation.

I bet we start seeing “it’s gonna mobbed for rhe 50th!!” popped up more and more over the next months…

I hear some whispers that is not the case at all. 10/1 will be…but it’s gonna be a shockingly low number after. Which is probably why they aren’t really advertising/pushing it. Not really beneficially at this point given the impact to the lead in period.

Low attendance to Disney and low attendance to everyone else are two different things. We will see what happens.
I will be the first - WDW is gonna be MOBBED for the 50th

 

[Trauma]

Any idea when this starts ?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Low attendance to Disney and low attendance to everyone else are two different things. We will see what happens.
I will be the first - WDW is gonna be MOBBED for the 50th

Everything I’ve ever typed here has been “relatively speaking”….standard operating procedure.

the oppo of this particular one is when people (often) complain that “the parks are packed!!”

no…and they aren’t close. They can fit alot more sardines in their cans.

what’s happened is that attendance has naturally risen (as it always has) and Iger didn’t add any attractions to gobble them up. There’s not enough…that’s not the same thing as “packed”

so it’s all “relatively speaking”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Any idea when this starts ?

Well…some of our watcher friends (who are good and reading the trends) tied the 8/16 discontinuation of AP magic bands as the target date months ago.

that appears likely. They wouldn’t renew pass to one date and then not sell anything the next…there’s no “lag” at the ticket booth. No need.

 

[dreamfinder]

Any idea when this starts ?

The article simply says prior to Oct 1st. Any guesses as to if it will be APs like they were before, or if they will change it to a Magic Key-ish program at this points are just that. Guesses.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I just renewed my FL resident Gold AP and my monthly payment went from $50 to $54

 

[Trauma]

The article simply says prior to Oct 1st. Any guesses as to if it will be APs like they were before, or if they will change it to a Magic Key-ish program at this points are just that. Guesses.

My trip ends sept 14 hoping to roll those tickets into an AP.

I guess we will see how it plays out.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My trip ends sept 14 hoping to roll those tickets into an AP.

I guess we will see how it plays out.

Fun fact: so you can already kinda negotiate that. I got that directive from guest comm about a month ago. You should be able to get what you want.

the other thing not everyone knows is that you can apply full value of your ticket up until the last minute you use it. It’s always been that way.

so if you’re there say 9/1-9/8…you have a regular ticket/LOS…you can March to the ticket booth on 9/8 and apply the value toward a pass. It would just end one day before the first day you used it (8/31/22)

 

[Trauma]

Fun fact: so you can already kinda negotiate that. I got that directive from guest comm about a month ago. You should be able to get what you want.

the other thing not everyone knows is that you can apply full value of your ticket up until the last minute you use it. It’s always been that way.

so if you’re there say 9/1-9/8…you have a regular ticket/LOS…you can March to the ticket booth on 9/8 and apply the value toward a pass. It would just end one day before the first day you used it (8/31/22)

Can your message me in private about what you mean Walter?

I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The article simply says prior to Oct 1st. Any guesses as to if it will be APs like they were before, or if they will change it to a Magic Key-ish program at this points are just that. Guesses.

correct…but my ops brain tells me that it will be the first day possible - whenever that day is - without a gap. Could be 8/10, 8/15, 9/1 or 9/30…

the hint is “prior to October 1”…that’s the give. If they strategically didn’t want people “mobbing” the place on 10/1…they wouldn’t have blipped this. So from a sales perspective…the sooner the better. Which also feeds my assumption they are not gonna be swamped (relatively speaking) for the next 9 months. Plenty of real life situations/factors point to that.

 

[EnjoyingLife]

the other thing not everyone knows is that you can apply full value of your ticket up until the last minute you use it. It’s always been that way.

I was wondering about this. Would the park hopper add-on count towards it as well? (If they keep the same process)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was wondering about this. Would the park hopper add-on count towards it as well? (If they keep the same process)

Full 1:1 dollar value

so if you paid $500…the upgrade would be the AP price -$500…

make sense?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I just renewed my FL resident Gold AP and my monthly payment went from $50 to $54

Whatever “key” they sell to equate to the gold would be $648 by that inference.

the issue is until they say what the conditions are…you don’t know if it will work for you.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Whatever “key” they sell to equate to the gold would be $648 by that inference.

the issue is until they say what the conditions are…you don’t know if it will work for you.

I think we can presume all WDW APs will require park pass reservations and you can only hold a number of them like they did for the DLR Keys.

I am guessing, that the new Platinum equivalent that is coming will of course require park pass reservations and will have no blackouts and free parking, basically like we had before the pandemic but now requiring park pass reservations.

As for the price, (I am being optimistic here) the new platinum equivalent will remain the same, like they did for the top DLR Key
They will probably drop Photopass from the platinum, like they did for the top DLR Key
FastPass? We WILL be paying for FastPasses in WDW when they reintroduce FastPass in WDW

I think park pass reservations is here to stay. There is no more going to WDW at a drop of a hat.

It's Ironic, before the pandemic, when we dropped into WDW on a whim, we always ate someplace and always picked up some merch and only sometimes rode an attraction. Oh well...

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

Does anyone know the answer to this question: for my upcoming trip I bought tickets from Undercover Tourist, if AP sales resume, can I upgrade that ticket and still get my DVC discount (saying DVC discounts resume)?

 

[EnjoyingLife]

Full 1:1 dollar value

so if you paid $500…the upgrade would be the AP price -$500…

make sense?

Yes, thank you! I hope it’s available this month.

 

[lightguy]

Does anyone know the answer to this question: for my upcoming trip I bought tickets from Undercover Tourist, if AP sales resume, can I upgrade that ticket and still get my DVC discount (saying DVC discounts resume)?

Yes. We've done that before.