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

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The top AP (the Platinum AP until September 7, 2021) at the start of 2015, pre-$lappie: $634
The Incredi-Pass AP on September 8: $1299.

6 years, and more than double the price. More timeless, more relevant, more family, more Disney!

It’s actually $1499 for the water park and photo add on

 

[MrPromey]

Same point as I put in the Genie+ thread, is the AP price increases really going to stop anyone from going?

Individually, maybe not.

Combined?

I'm certainly pumping the brakes and waiting to see how this all plays out... So they'll lose me for a year and we'll see what happens after that, I guess.

In the meantime, my son's now old enough to do a lot more at Universal and they have what looks to be a pretty cool new park on the horizon. We'll probably pick up APs there for this year and see what the future holds when Nintendo Land is a thing stateside.

If I can get Universal, Legoland, and Busch Gardens/Sea World and have it still come out to be less than Disney...

 

[SirLink]

Same point as I put in the Genie+ thread, is the AP price increases really going to stop anyone from going?

Its probably going to move guests away from going 2 -3 small holidays/vacation to one large one every 2 years. Disney wants a big splurge every one every 3 years.

 

[matt9112]

[/QUOTE]

Yep, but sadly it seems I'm part of the riffraff.

You and me both. Guess i will come on back when i can spend 10k on my Disney vacations.

 

[Indy_UK]

Its probably going to move guests away from going 2 -3 small holidays/vacation to one large one every 2 years. Disney wants a big splurge every one every 3 years.

That’s exactly what I think they want

While AP holders do spend money, I bet that on a day to day basis, they maybe spend less than a family on a ‘lifetime’ trip

Bit like the after hours parties. With MNSSHP, it seemed like locals (and Vloggers) would go every year regardless for the same experience.

With Boo bash I bet it’s making people think maybe we will do the Boo Bash for lower crowds but we will do it every other year or so.

Park Pass, New APs, Genie+ is moving Disney how exactly they want to operate and honestly, probably in the direction it needs to go to reduce the crowds. hand on heart, it’s probably what we all want

 

[MrPromey]

You know, with all of these changes and KEEPING reservations, the parks sure better be at Univesal levels of crowding.

If not, there needs to be a line at Guest Services.

With reservations, Disney now has the full ability to limit the number of guests who enter their gates each day (something people used to argue for years, they'd never be able to do because of the sad-faced day guests showing up who couldn't get in or people staying on-property being locked out) so when you're standing in line for an hour or more to do a 30-50 year old attraction and paying more than you ever have, just remember that Disney wants it that way.

With price increases, reservations, Genie+, single ride lighting, etc. they've effectively taken away any excuse that could be made to deflect blame and when you've already jumped through all the new hoops, if it's the same experience it's been for the last 10+ years with crowding and waits... well, you'd have to be either a non-functional adult or paying with someone else's money to be okay with all that, I'd think.

 

[matt9112]

Jeeze you guys, they're not LITERALLY evil.

That's debatable and its well known that the reservation buckets are a thing. Limiting certain types of guests based on park demand seems to be a logical thing to do. Imho APs are backfill....if tourists could fill all the rooms every day of the year the AP program wouldn't exsist.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Just to correct something mentioned earlier:

The current DVC gold AP renewal rate is $594. So the difference between current ($594) and new renewal price ($764) is 28%.

 

[Jeff4272]

I love how every time they roll something crappy out - they say it's in response to guest feedback.

I'd really like to find those "people" who told them they'd like to pay more to get less and have the pass names changed to something stupid.

I’d say most people here on this forum who b@tched and complained about FP+ are the guilty ones. This is a direct result of that

Got what you wished for!

 

[Indy_UK]

You know, with all of these changes and KEEPING reservations, the parks sure better be at Univesal levels of crowding.

If not, there needs to be a line at Guest Services.

With reservations, Disney now has the full ability to limit the number of guests who enter their gates each day (something people used to argue for years, they'd never be able to do because of the sad-faced day guests showing up who couldn't get in or people staying on-property being locked out) so when you're standing in line for an hour or more to do a 30 year old attraction and paying more than you ever have, just remember that Disney wants it that way.

With price increases, reservations, Genie+, single ride lighting, etc. they've effectively taken away any excuse that could be made to deflect blame and if you've already jumped through the hoops, if it's the same experience it's been for the last 10+ years... well, you'd have to be either a non-functional adult or paying with someone else's money to be okay with all that, I'd think.

I think in 2023/2024 when all the new systems and way of vacationing at Disney has had their price hikes or two then families may start to call it quits.

 

[Casper Gutman]

You know… Universal is building a third park.

That just seems more and more relevant over the last few months.

PS: Also seems worth pointing out that these prices are being charged while much of Epcot is themed to a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

 

[doctornick]

You know, with all of these changes and KEEPING reservations, the parks sure better be at Univesal levels of crowding.

If not, there needs to be a line at Guest Services.

With reservations, Disney now has the full ability to limit the number of guests who enter their gates each day (something people used to argue for years, they'd never be able to do because of the sad-faced day guests showing up who couldn't get in or people staying on-property being locked out) so when you're standing in line for an hour or more to do a 30 year old attraction and paying more than you ever have, just remember that Disney wants it that way.

With price increases, reservations, Genie+, single ride lighting, etc. they've effectively taken away any excuse that could be made to deflect blame and if you've already jumped through the hoops, if it's the same experience it's been for the last 10+ years... well, you'd have to be either a non-functional adult or paying with someone else's money to be okay with all that, I'd think.

I think the last thing any AP should want is for Park Reservations to be significantly limited and having the parks be under capacity- if they do that, the first bucket they will reduce numbers from would be the AP pass reservations. They would be more than happy to drastically limit the number of AP slots available on any given day in order to ensure that resort guests and day trippers can reserve if they want. They can always add more spots to APs late in the game if the other types aren’t filling in advance.

As is, I don’t think APers will have much problems getting park reservations except for rare special occasions (like Oct 1 this year). But if Disney decided they wanted the parks less crowded, then look out. That said, I think they want them crowded so they can sell more Genie+ and such

 

[doctornick]

Don't forget the extra $ to save away if you also want Genie+ for your trips.

I think it’s cute that some folks suggested that Genie+ might be included with APs. Disney would be dumb to do so and honestly would off all of us “regular” guests - APs already get discounted entry and are often able to go more regularly than most guests; giving them front of the line access on top of that seems horribly to the one in a lifetime or infrequent guest selling out thousands of dollars for their few days in the parks trying to do as much as possible.

If APs got some sort of Genie+ benefit included, I feel like they have to give resort guests it as well. And that would erode the entire point of charging extra.

 

[reptar77]

It has been a long time since we bought a new annual pass, we let our DVC annual pass lapse in 2020. When does the use year start? The day of purchase or when we activate it on property? I ask because some other Disney forums are stating that there are going to be a limit number of annual passes.

 

[Big Ben]

well one bonus in all this is the dining discount going up to 20% for all passes (if I read right).... and the shopping discount staying at 20%. they could have done away with both all together and they didn't.

Is it possible the increase in dining discount could be a 'replacement' for the dining plans?

 

[SirLink]

I’d say most people here on this forum who b@tched and complained about FP+ are the guilty ones. This is a direct result of that

Got what you wished for!

TBH We wanted to remove all front of the line access programs FP/FP+ not have a new one

 

[monothingie]

I was at guest relations at springs for an hour…I’ll tell you what happened after 9/8

I am so disappointed in you.

Turn in your “Chapek haters club card”.

 

[Indy_UK]

Is it possible the increase in dining discount could be a 'replacement' for the dining plans?

Probably more of a replacement for Tables in Wonderland which probably won’t return.

They’ve said Dinning plans will return

 

[Minthorne]

Is it possible the increase in dining discount could be a 'replacement' for the dining plans?

The wording is dining discounts “up to 20%”

Precious few are 20%. Like maybe 2 places? Most are 10%. Looks like Joffery’s is 20% and a few non-Disney owned places are 15%.

Walt Disney World Resort

disneyworld.disney.go.com

 

[LAKid53]

It has been a long time since we bought a new annual pass, we let our DVC annual pass lapse in 2020. When does the use year start? The day of purchase or when we activate it on property? I ask because some other Disney forums are stating that there are going to be a limit number of annual passes.

When you activate on property.