What is the business mindset behind locking Magic Keys?

[Stevek]

Purely a tool for trying to manage crowds and maximize profits from those paying full price for tickets and staying at hotels. My guess is that there haven't been any more sales because a) the mix has been working as expected and/or b) not enough MK holders have failed to renew where it makes sense to reopen sales.

 

[CaptinEO]

I think CaptainEO means DLR cancelled all the old APs, then limited the resale of the new APs, therefore if a person who previously had the AP didn't or couldn't get the new AP and really wants to go to DLR is now paying gate price.

Yes this explains it.

 

[mickEblu]

I think CaptainEO means DLR cancelled all the old APs, then limited the resale of the new APs, therefore if a person who previously had the AP didn't or couldn't get the new AP and really wants to go to DLR is now paying gate price.

As a very recent/ former AP I’d imagine that the majority of former AP/KH’s that didn’t renew are either not interested in going to the park in the short term or are waiting to purchase a new Magic Key. Once you get used to that level of value/ accessibility it’s hard to justify shelling out $1,000 for a family of 4 for one day the park. Unless you consider those 3 day So Cal passes as “gate price.”

 

[Disstevefan1]

As a very recent/ former AP I’d imagine that the majority of former AP/KH’s that didn’t renew are either not interested in going to the park in the short term or are waiting to purchase a new Magic Key. Once you get used to that level of value/ accessibility it’s hard to justify shelling out $1,000 for a family of 4 for one day the park. Unless you consider those 3 day So Cal passes as “gate price.”

Exactly. The pre pandemic DLR annual passes were a GREAT value! It was rumored there were a million pre pandemic AP holders and those folks made up about 75 percent of the daily visitors to DLR.

TWDC used the pandemic, “in the name of science” and canceled that valuable AP program.

Of course many (maybe most) folks didn’t purchase the new ones after having really good ones before.

TWDC successfully used the pandemic to “hit the reset button” for both DLR and WDW.

 

[Stevek]

As a very recent/ former AP I’d imagine that the majority of former AP/KH’s that didn’t renew are either not interested in going to the park in the short term or are waiting to purchase a new Magic Key. Once you get used to that level of value/ accessibility it’s hard to justify shelling out $1,000 for a family of 4 for one day the park. Unless you consider those 3 day So Cal passes as “gate price.”

Exactly. That being said, we even toyed with getting the 3 day so cal pass but decided it's no longer worth the headache of making reservations, genie+ and the overall crowd dynamics. We just didn't find trips enjoyable enough to want to go back anytime soon.