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

[WaitingforDisney]

It didn't mention any hotel discounts for AP's. Do you think they will still offer those?

 

[disneygeek90]

As I understand it current Passholder's keep what they have with the exception of increasing to 5 reservations on appropriate tier until they renew. They can't change the terms after sale.

All existing AP's are moving to 5?

 

[Chip Chipperson]

We're not far removed (in fact it was yesterday) from the following being true... If you had two trips of 4 or 5 days or more in a calendar year, it was worth it to get an AP. Now that number is two trips of 7+ days. This does not factor in parking.

Don't worry, a ticket price increase can't be far behind. Otherwise more people will do the same math you did and reach the same conclusion.

 

[pdude81]

More or less it's same $***, but more money. This may ultimately save me some cash by taking the easter weeks out of the blockouts on Gold. We're at Plat. now because that'll be a regular travel time, but if I can renew us all at the lower tier and add photopass on for one of us, it's all good.

I kind of expected they were holding off to announce some sort of tiny Genie+ discount, but it looks like these price increases are just meant to discourage people from buying annual passes unless they are local or go for at least 2 different weeks a year.

I would have thought they'd hold prices in the same lane given the Genie+ prices since Disney's top pass is already DOUBLE that of the Premier AP at Universal, which gets free EP after 4. Curious decisions here unless they want to cut way back on photographers

 

[ToTBellHop]

It didn't mention any hotel discounts for AP's. Do you think they will still offer those?

They won’t always be available, but they will still be offered.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I’m just happy they threw DVC a bone.

What bone?

I can get the proletariat plus pass for $899 and won’t be stuck with the bourgeoisie pass for $400 more that I don’t need. Everyone else in my state would be stuck with that.

Still holding out hope for a discount. We will see.

Existing DVC members just saw a 25% increase ($150) in the price of their annual pass renewal along with the elimination of PhotoPass.

That’s not throwing them a bone.

That’s getting boned.

 

[donsullivan]

All existing AP's are moving to 5?

Starting on September 8, 2021, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus Annual Passes will be eligible for more reservation holds at a time:

• Platinum Plus, Platinum and Gold Annual Passes: Up to 5 reservation holds at a time
• Silver: Up to 4 reservation holds at a time

Plus, Annual Passholders staying at select Disney Resort or other select hotels are eligible to make theme park reservations for each day of their Resort stay(s), in addition to holding their maximum days of theme park reservations at a time on a rolling basis.

 

[ToTBellHop]

DVC members just saw a 25% increase ($150) in the price of their annual pass along with the elimination of PhotoPass.

That’s not throwing them a bone.

That’s getting boned.

Again, I can only speak of my situation. We are going Easter week. We would have previously needed Platinum. We will actually save money here. I guess I should have said they are throwing me (and other DVC or FL-resident Spring Breakers) a bone.

 

[JohnD]

General observations for pass blockout dates (specific dates are given in a post above):

1. Pixie Dust: All Weekends, Federal Holidays, Thanksgiving week, Dec. 17 - 31, Mid-March, The week before and after Easter (4/17)
2. Pirate: Weekends around Federal Holidays, 50th anniversary weekend (10/1-3), 10/23??, Thanksgiving week, 12/4??, Dec. 17 - 31, Mid-March, The week before and after Easter (4/17)
3. Sorcerer: Thanksgiving (11/24-27), Dec. 18 - 31
4. Incredi-Pass: None

 

[JohnD]

It didn't mention any hotel discounts for AP's. Do you think they will still offer those?

I think we'll see the usual offering of AP and FL Resident discounts. How good those discounts are is a different matter.

 

[Artemicon]

If you're a DVC member that takes 8-12 night trips, with a pass like this, does the 5 park reservations stop you from making a reservation each night of your trip, or is it treated as a normal ticket if you have an active resort reservation?

 

[donsullivan]

I think we'll see the usual offering of AP and FL Resident discounts. How good those discounts are is a different matter.

Discounts are always about filling available rooms. If occupancy goes down they'll drop some Passholder discounts.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Existing DVC members just saw a 25% increase ($150) in the price of their annual pass renewal along with the elimination of PhotoPass.

That’s not throwing them a bone.

That’s getting boned.

Winner

Again, I can only speak of my situation. We are going Easter week. We would have previously needed Platinum. We will actually save money here. I guess I should have said they are throwing me (and other DVC or FL-resident Spring Breakers) a bone.

For some…

it’s an odd move to Black out thanksgiving weekend and drop the two week spring blackout

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If you're a DVC member that takes 8-12 night trips, with a pass like this, does the 5 park reservations stop you from making a reservation each night of your trip, or is it treated as a normal ticket if you have an active resort reservation?

No…in the fine print

you get a slot for every day you stay

 

[pdude81]

If you're a DVC member that takes 8-12 night trips, with a pass like this, does the 5 park reservations stop you from making a reservation each night of your trip, or is it treated as a normal ticket if you have an active resort reservation?

With on site hotels you can still reserve in the hotel guests bucket. I saw it somewhere official looking

 

[Demarke]

I believe Universal Orlando does indeed still allow it but Disney has never. Even in CA it was often only available in half the state- if you lived in Northern CA you couldn't use monthly payment.

I think it’s likely (in theory anyway) to avoid people scamming the system by doing a payment plan and using it for one or two long trips in the first month or two then backing out or refusing to pay the rest. Locals would be less likely to just be out to get a vacation-long $100 ticket because they’d more likely be back more times during the year.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Disney World is officially giving us Passholders the D!

free magnet!

 

[matt9112]

Friends and family settings in MDE allow you to download photos. This is why there are ridiculous photopass share groups online where one person pays and they split it among families.

Sounds like disney ks picking up pennys and lettimg dollars fly over head.

 

[jmp85]

Just going on my faulty memory here, I could have sworn our 2019 pass was $429, and that it went up after that, but we didn’t renew because 2020 was our scheduled year off. I may be mixing it up with Theme Park Select.

I can't quite recall either. Either way, it looks like us 'peasant level passholders' faired the best .

 

[donsullivan]

I think it’s likely (in theory anyway) to avoid people scamming the system by doing a payment plan and using it for one or two long trips in the first month or two then backing out or refusing to pay the rest. Locals would be less likely to just be out to get a vacation-long $100 ticket because they’d more likely be back more times during the year.

I completely agree. Especially in this internet world, the moment someone figured that out they’d share how to visit WDW on the cheap. Theft prevention is indeed one of the biggest drivers to restricting monthly payment plans.