When is that major AP overhaul happening?

[Californian Elitist]

"Thank you for your continued loyalty."

Not for long, Disney. Not for long.

 

[mickEblu]

Well yes and no. But the early summer is when the crowds are insane. I remember allllllllllll the crazy predictions for CL and yes June and July was insane for sure. By the time the end of August rolled around it was just average attendance. I was actually staying at the resort a few days for labor day weekend with friends and the resort was dead. RSR had a 20 minute wait and this was the first summer.

Yes probably overall the park was more busy than usual but the crowds were gone as they are gone every year. My guess is this is what Disney is thinking with GE because kids really do have to go back to school and less out of towners show up which means more Apers come.

And as for Deluxe it may not be that bad as well because while they are definitely blocked from DL second half of June I checked and they can actually go to DCA every day that month including Saturdays. That is definitely a change so they are really trying to compromise as best they can. And if you really want to see GE as soon as possible and as much as possible then yeah buy a Signature pass. You still have the exact same option if you want to go every day as before, you simply have to pay a little more.

Oh don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone on record many times saying the crowds won’t be as bad as everyone thinks. In regards to my last post on SWL, i was speaking to the initial craziness in the months after opening. So in your Cars Land example, were the lower tiers blocked out all summer? I find it hard to believe that crowds were gone by late August if the blackout schedules are the same as they are today. Important thing to remember - there are most likely many more pass holders today than 6 years ago.

 

[fctiger]

Oh don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone on record many times saying the crowds won’t be as bad as everyone thinks. In regards to my last post on SWL, i was speaking to the initial craziness in the months after opening. So in your Cars Land example, were the lower tiers blocked out all summer? I find it hard to believe that crowds were gone by late August if the blackout schedules are the same as they are today. Important thing to remember - there are most likely many more pass holders today than 6 years ago.

No they weren't. They were through the the second half of June through all of July but opened up the second half of August. That's why I was there in late August to take my mother who at the time had the So Cal AP (I had the Signature pass or whatever they called it at the time with my girlfriend so we went all summer) and she had to wait until the end of August. But it worked perfectly because that's when she got her vacation. She was able to go the first week after it opened as well in June but was blocked through August IIRC.

When my friends arrived in early September (they were from another country) the resort was even more quiet by then.

And yes they are probably more passes today but they ARE blocking more than they were 6 years ago as the Deluxe pass had free reign all summer too during that time, just not on Saturdays. Now we know they will at least be blocked through the last week of June and more than likely most of the summer but I think will be allowed in again by August the latest. They are also eliminating the pass my mother actually used six years ago (but it sounds like you can renew if you already have it) so there are going to be less passes in general this summer. I suspect the So Cal pass will be blocked all summer though but who knows?

 

[fctiger]

I was hoping something more along the lines of , "first step in eliminating our Annual Pass program."

I would have also accepted destroying, terminating, murdering, or choking all life out of.

Well I'm glad you don't run the resort then. AP are as important to theme parks as frequent flyer miles to airlines. Disney attendance would nose dive over night if they ever did that and they know it. Every theme park worldwide has APs, I been to about 40 of them, I haven't been to one yet that didn't have an AP program of some kind. People here only think about how they enjoy the park which I understand but Aps supplement a LOT and with the ridiculous one day prices (last week it was $135 for one park) they rely on them more than ever to keep a steady attendance. If they wanted less people on APs then the day prices wouldn't be higher than $80 tops.

And for the record I live 30 mins away and haven't owned an Ap in six years. But the park rely on them for one important reason---they have to!

 

[mickEblu]

No they weren't. They were through the the second half of June through all of July but opened up the second half of August. That's why I was there in late August to take my mother who at the time had the So Cal AP (I had the Signature pass or whatever they called it at the time with my girlfriend so we went all summer) and she had to wait until the end of August. But it worked perfectly because that's when she got her vacation. She was able to go the first week after it opened as well in June but was blocked through August IIRC.

When my friends arrived in early September (they were from another country) the resort was even more quiet by then.

And yes they are probably more passes today but they ARE blocking more than they were 6 years ago as the Deluxe pass had free reign all summer too during that time, just not on Saturdays. Now we know they will at least be blocked through the last week of June and more than likely most of the summer but I think will be allowed in again by August the latest. They are also eliminating the pass my mother actually used six years ago (but it sounds like you can renew if you already have it) so there are going to be less passes in general this summer. I suspect the So Cal pass will be blocked all summer though but who knows?

Yeah who knows. I think I spoke too soon a few days ago when I said I would not be renewing my AP in November. I forgot about the fact that I inevitably will want to see SWL in the first few months it opens (or however long I can avoid spoilers) and I would be stupid to not use that $ towards the AP. So I may as well renew in November instead of waiting for the price hikes.

 

[fctiger]

Yeah who knows. I think I spoke too soon a few days ago when I said I would not be renewing my AP in November. I forgot about the fact that I inevitably will want to see SWL in the first few months it opens (or however long I can avoid spoilers) and I would be stupid to not use that $ towards the AP. So I may as well renew in November instead of waiting for the price hikes.

Yeah I think thats a good option. I been going back and forth if I would get another AP after six years so I can see GE but I wanted to wait and see what the changes would be first. But now that they don't look all that bad (I was going to get the Signature one regardless) we may bite the bullet and get another one now. We are already going to the resort in July for a few days and planned to buy park hopper but now getting an AP might be the better idea to use the rest of the year and maybe for the first few weeks of GE opening. And if its something we REALLY have to do again we can always renew it (jesus Marvel land is suppose to open a year after that too). But I think now we want to get it before the next price hike and the monthly payments still makes it a great option even they are still ridiculously overpriced. Anyone have any idea when the next price hike will happen?

 

[TP2000]

I’m confused. What are the actual calendar changes with this announcement?

 

[fctiger]

I’m confused. What are the actual calendar changes with this announcement?

So far only the Deluxe and So-Cal passes are changed in June for DL. The so Cal pass is blocked completely in June and the Deluxe is until June 20th or something. The Signature passes are unchanged.

But both lower passes does get access to DCA in June. The So Cal pass just the first week on the weekday IIRC but the Deluxe pass not only get every day in June but also includes Saturdays which it never got before.

 

[mickEblu]

So far only the Deluxe and So-Cal passes are changed in June for DL. The so Cal pass is blocked completely in June and the Deluxe is until June 20th or something. The Signature passes are unchanged.

But both lower passes does get access to DCA in June. The So Cal pass just the first week on the weekday IIRC but the Deluxe pass not only get every day in June but also includes Saturdays which it never got before.

I wonder if they stop offering renewals for the So Cal. (Not So Cal Select)

 

[fctiger]

I wonder if they stop offering renewals for the So Cal. (Not So Cal Select)

Probably not since I don't think they ever have. In fact it seems like its always the So Cal pass they constantly stop and start which is odd. You would think they would just get rid of the cheapest one at this point but maybe those users really add to the slower days.

 

[Disney Irish]

Probably not since I don't think they ever have. In fact it seems like its always the So Cal pass they constantly stop and start which is odd. You would think they would just get rid of the cheapest one at this point but maybe those users really add to the slower days.

I look at it as Disney has a certain number of APs they like in the lower levels, the ones that visit the park most often. So they stop selling it when the level peaks, and then start selling again when the level drops.

 

[Stevek]

I’m confused. What are the actual calendar changes with this announcement?

From Mouseplanet

For June 2018, Deluxe annual passports offer 25 days of admission to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. In June 2019, that number drops to just 13 days of park-hopper access to both parks. However, the new schedule has no June blockout dates for Disney California Adventure in 2019, meaning those passholders can visit on previously-blocked-out Saturdays.

The situation is worse for Southern California and Southern California Select passports. This June, a SoCal Select passholder is valid at both parks on four days, before the summer blockout season begins. In 2019, the pass is valid at DCA on three days, and is not valid at Disneyland at all. The legacy Southern California passport, which is no longer available for purchase, is valid at both parks on 19 days in June 2018. In June 2019, the pass is valid 20 days at DCA, but not valid at Disneyland at all.

There are currently no changes to the blockout dates for Signature or Signature Plus annual passports, which retain park hopper access on all days those passes are otherwise valid.

For Deluxe passholders, the good news is that they get more Disney days with their pass in June 2019. The bad news is that they get fewer Disneyland days. Some passholders may consider that an acceptable trade-off, especially as this opens up summer Saturdays, dates that are typically blocked out to all but the highest tier of passholder.

For SoCal and SoCal Select passholders, at least for June 2019, their Disneyland Resort annual passport is really a Disney California Adventure pass. Again, we have just one month of data to look at, and it's from the summer season when the lowest-tier passes are usually blocked entirely. But it is reasonable to expect this pattern to continue for the first months that Galaxy's Edge is open, and passholders who just can't wait to visit Batuu will have to buy a one-day ticket to Disneyland.

 

[mickEblu]

Probably not since I don't think they ever have. In fact it seems like its always the So Cal pass they constantly stop and start which is odd. You would think they would just get rid of the cheapest one at this point but maybe those users really add to the slower days.

No they like the Select because it keeps the parks full on the weekdays. I think they would stop allowing renewals on the So Cal before getting rid of the Select. But yeah they probably won’t stop renewals for the So Cal unless SWL brings in some consistently high numbers for the next few years or whenever they ready to really shake up the AP program.

 

[TROR]

Given the current internet climate toward Star Wars, the fan boys will probably hate everything about Star Wars land because it has no original trilogy characters or vehicles. It won't be "their" Star Wars but "Disney's Star Wars" so the internet will be outraged. Where is Darth Vader? Where is Han, Luke and Leia? Where is R2-D2 and C-3PO? I'm sure BB-8 will be there in force. Internet sheepeople will stay away in droves and it will be the opening year of DCA all over again. We all know the HOB will stay away.

Not true. At least not in my case. I love the sequel trilogy (not as much as the OT, to be fair), the quality of the land seems like it'll be superb (though I'm worried about the attractions), and I believe I have a set of tickets that will be good for next summer. I definitely am afraid of crowds next summer, though, and wonder if it's worth missing out on a few other attractions just to wait two to three hours to ride the new stuff. Or perhaps MaxPass is a good option in 2019?

 

[mickEblu]

Or perhaps MaxPass is a good option in 2019?

Ummm ya. At $10 it’s a no brainer. Although by then it ll probably be $20 or more which is still a no brainer for someone trying to maximize their day.

 

[TROR]

Ummm ya. At $10 it’s a no brainer. Although by then it ll probably be $20 or more which is still a no brainer for someone trying to maximize their day.

I feel like I do a pretty good job maximizing my day, honestly. Last time I was at the park (just Disneyland) I was able to get Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure (2x), Splash Mountain, Star Tours (2x), Big Thunder Mountain (2x), Matterhorn, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean (2x), Haunted Mansion, Disneyland Railroad, Mark Twain, and Great Moments. Over an hour of my day was spent waiting for the DLRR since all the APs were cramming to get on it for their vlogs and forty minutes spent waiting for RDCT (which never came!) so I probably could've gotten another ride in that time. I believe I was inside the park from 10am-12:15am that day. When I went to grad nite day with my class I was able to get the all the big attractions done in about 3 hours. Could I get more done with MaxPass on a regular visit? Probably, but I don't see much of a need. Maybe my visit this summer to both parks in one day will be an indicator of how well I'll really be able to manage time.

 

[Phroobar]

Not true. At least not in my case. I love the sequel trilogy (not as much as the OT, to be fair), the quality of the land seems like it'll be superb (though I'm worried about the attractions), and I believe I have a set of tickets that will be good for next summer. I definitely am afraid of crowds next summer, though, and wonder if it's worth missing out on a few other attractions just to wait two to three hours to ride the new stuff. Or perhaps MaxPass is a good option in 2019?

True. It's not in my case either. I enjoyed Solo a lot. However it is internet hip to hate Disney Star Wars right now.

 

[mickEblu]

I feel like I do a pretty good job maximizing my day, honestly. Last time I was at the park (just Disneyland) I was able to get Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure (2x), Splash Mountain, Star Tours (2x), Big Thunder Mountain (2x), Matterhorn, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean (2x), Haunted Mansion, Disneyland Railroad, Mark Twain, and Great Moments. Over an hour of my day was spent waiting for the DLRR since all the APs were cramming to get on it for their vlogs and forty minutes spent waiting for RDCT (which never came!) so I probably could've gotten another ride in that time. I believe I was inside the park from 10am-12:15am that day. When I went to grad nite day with my class I was able to get the all the big attractions done in about 3 hours. Could I get more done with MaxPass on a regular visit? Probably, but I don't see much of a need. Maybe my visit this summer to both parks in one day will be an indicator of how well I'll really be able to manage time.

Not bad! But this was all pre SWL. If you want to do the SWL rides and all the other Es you mention above in one day you ll most likely need MaxPass. Two days, you could probably do without it.

 

[TROR]

True. It's not in my case either. I enjoyed Solo a lot. However it is internet hip to hate Disney Star Wars right now.

Solo was serviceable. Could've been way worse. I don't dislike it, but I don't particularly like it either. The only movie I really dislike in these last four is Rogue One.

Not bad! But this was all pre SWL. If you I want to do the SWL rides and all the other Es you mention above in one day you ll most likely need MaxPass. Two days, you could probably do without it.

I wonder how much Galaxy's Edge will do to take the crowds off from the rest of the park. I'm sure Star Tours will be a walk on and the water rides will maintain long lines, but what about Indiana Jones, Mansion, and Big Thunder? Those are definitely the ones I'm curious to see how SWL effects.

 

[JD2000]

Glad to see these changes being implemented. Hope monthly payments can end soon as well.

I am not sure that would do much. As there are credit cards or saving each month for upcoming renewals.

How does everyone feel about this? Would it do much?