Why the annual pass wasn't for me

[Trackmaster]

1. EMH -- just another way that makes AP less valuable. Yeah, well, I wasn't 100% sure until after we got the APs. My wife made the purchase and I wasn't up on all the details.
2. Point #4 is that if I can't get enjoyment from riding rides (I'm a ride guy), then the AP thing isn't worth it (for me). It's just not worth all the time/expense when I get there and just walk around staring at 180+ minute waits for rides. How is that enjoyable?

So yeah, no point in APs for us. Maybe, and that's a big MAYBE, we might reconsider in 2022/2023 when/if all the development is completed and there is more "value" in going more often.

Counterpoint:

I went to DHS yesterday, and everything I rode was on FP+ or a show that I walked into:

Slinky x2
Tower of Terror x3
RRC x3 (OK one of theses was in the SRL)

Star Wars outdoor show thing in the evening
Little Mermaid show x1
Steve McQueen x1

I didn't book any of the FP+ until that afternoon. I saw that I got Slinky and I'm like "OK, I'll make it out." Booked two dummy tier 2 FP+ before Slinky, and kept riding the FP+ tier 1 the rest of the day. I just feel like an AP would know about this and not a hotel guest. So I do think that the system benefits AP guests in many ways. Really, it benefits the savvy guest more than anything.

 

[RustySpork]

Counterpoint:

I went to DHS yesterday, and everything I rode was on FP+ or a show that I walked into:

Slinky x2
Tower of Terror x3
RRC x3 (OK one of theses was in the SRL)

Star Wars outdoor show thing in the evening
Little Mermaid show x1
Steve McQueen x1

I didn't book any of the FP+ until that afternoon. I saw that I got Slinky and I'm like "OK, I'll make it out." Booked two dummy tier 2 FP+ before Slinky, and kept riding the FP+ tier 1 the rest of the day. I just feel like an AP would know about this and not a hotel guest. So I do think that the system benefits AP guests in many ways. Really, it benefits the savvy guest more than anything.

Yeah, a savvy guest can use FP+ to their advantage like this (I know that I do) but it's really only viable on days that the park you visit isn't terribly busy. GL with that method on a Saturday at MK.

 

[LivingLifeInFlorida]

Counterpoint:

I went to DHS yesterday, and everything I rode was on FP+ or a show that I walked into:

Slinky x2
Tower of Terror x3
RRC x3 (OK one of theses was in the SRL)

Star Wars outdoor show thing in the evening
Little Mermaid show x1
Steve McQueen x1

I didn't book any of the FP+ until that afternoon. I saw that I got Slinky and I'm like "OK, I'll make it out." Booked two dummy tier 2 FP+ before Slinky, and kept riding the FP+ tier 1 the rest of the day. I just feel like an AP would know about this and not a hotel guest. So I do think that the system benefits AP guests in many ways. Really, it benefits the savvy guest more than anything.

Seriously, congrats. Being in the Tampa area, it's more a planning/weekend exercise to get to the parks. I did go a few times after work on a Friday because I could leave early. My Fri/Sat/Sun stuff never panned out for fast passes or getting on rides that weren't an absurd amount of waiting (180+ minutes).

 

[larryz]

You know what I meant... that mine train ride with dwarfs.

Oh. You mean the ride called the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?

The one that only briefly shows Snow White in the forest house right at the end?

That "Snow White ride"?

Never mind, then.

 

[KaliSplash]

First time annual pass holder and Florida resident. I tried the Silver annual pass for a year but didn't renew it.

I'll focus on the negatives in no particular order:

1. Fast pass ruins everything and the annual pass doesn't fix that problem. I could not get a fast pass for any of the rides I wanted to ride when I visited (even 30 days out!?!). The only way I was able to ride Snow White's D ticket ride was to get in the stand-by line during the fireworks (even then it was 30 minutes).

2. Disney closes too early now or limits hours for special events. If I wanted to visit after work on a Friday, I can't make the trip because the park is closed early or stops the "magic" at 10pm. I'm not driving after work on the I-4 for 90 minutes just to have 2-3 hours of "fun".

3. No real discounts on food at the park -- and paltry 10% off sit down restaurants.

4. All the ancillary costs add up quickly. When you factor driving time, gas, hotel room, and food purchases, the price per visit goes up significantly. If you don't live down the block, you're going to have additional expenses times the number of visits. The more you visit, the more you spend -- and when you can't ride the rides you want (see #1), what's the point?

5. Disney keeps locking out days/times from visiting by having special events. As a passholder, it's annoying that the park gets resold to me with special events constantly.

6. Extra magic hours -- Nope, not for YOU annual passholder.

Overall, there just isn't any value to it for me. I'm going to stick with the Florida Resident 3 day or 4 day tickets per year.

P.S. How is it possible that I've visited Disney like 20 times in a year and still haven't been able to get a FP for the rides I want to ride? How in the world did they come up with a system that is so mind-numbingly ridiculous. They really just want me to wait 180+ minutes in stand-by? That's a good experience?

They want you to stay on site and let them know more than 60 days in advance.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Oh. You mean the ride called the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?

The one that only briefly shows Snow White in the forest house right at the end?

That "Snow White ride"?

Never mind, then.

It also has that unique magic of being back at the station and wondering where the other half of the ride is.

I only point this out because that ride is going to be there for decades and they just did it halfway. Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, or BTMRR are excellent examples of "full" rides where you're on it and think, "Oh wait.. There's more!"

 

[Trackmaster]

Yeah, a savvy guest can use FP+ to their advantage like this (I know that I do) but it's really only viable on days that the park you visit isn't terribly busy. GL with that method on a Saturday at MK.

But the thing is that it wasn't even a really slow day. If it was a ghost town day I wouldn't even care about the FP+ and would just walk-on everything. Touring Plans counted it as a 4/10 when I checked the final results for the day. And I thought it was hilarious how people were still waiting in stand-by lines that were pretty long for rides that literally had time slots available immediately without any refreshing needed.

 

[Trackmaster]

Seriously, congrats. Being in the Tampa area, it's more a planning/weekend exercise to get to the parks. I did go a few times after work on a Friday because I could leave early. My Fri/Sat/Sun stuff never panned out for fast passes or getting on rides that weren't an absurd amount of waiting (180+ minutes).

Ironically, the trick to the Fast Pass game is to actually wait until the day of to start booking. You can book the easier to come by FP+ 30 days out, but the stuff that runs out you needto do day of. In my experience the only stuff that you can't get day of are FoP, Slinky, 7D, and the safari early in the morning. Everything else is easy 30 days out. Start working on refreshing for the other ones the day of. Well, the early safari is probably a lost cause so early. But you'll find the other ones easily.

 

[correcaminos]

1. EMH -- just another way that makes AP less valuable. Yeah, well, I wasn't 100% sure until after we got the APs. My wife made the purchase and I wasn't up on all the details.
2. Point #4 is that if I can't get enjoyment from riding rides (I'm a ride guy), then the AP thing isn't worth it (for me). It's just not worth all the time/expense when I get there and just walk around staring at 180+ minute waits for rides. How is that enjoyable?

So yeah, no point in APs for us. Maybe, and that's a big MAYBE, we might reconsider in 2022/2023 when/if all the development is completed and there is more "value" in going more often.

Sounds like you aren't meant for an AP but I am struggling with your comments on EMH. We stay onsite, get an AP and honestly never do EMH when we can avoid it. It doesn't degrade our Gold passes.

 

[Trackmaster]

Sounds like you aren't meant for an AP but I am struggling with your comments on EMH. We stay onsite, get an AP and honestly never do EMH when we can avoid it. It doesn't degrade our Gold passes.

So why do you actively avoid EMH? Excessive crowds?

 

[RustySpork]

So why do you actively avoid EMH? Excessive crowds?

That's why I do. With an annual pass, we can just go to that park on a non EMH day when it won't be overly crowded.

 

[Trackmaster]

That's why I do. With an annual pass, we can just go to that park on a non EMH day when it won't be overly crowded.

I was talking about the EMH itself, not the day itself. Wouldn't it still make sense to take advantage of thee EMH use some FP+ as early as possible, and hope over to another park? Or even just set your FP+ up for another park entirely?

I haven't done EMH since I was a kid, but are they that crowded that they're not even worth going to? I'd think that the fact that FP+ isn't taking capacity away would make the lines manageable at least.

 

[RustySpork]

I was talking about the EMH itself, not the day itself. Wouldn't it still make sense to take advantage of thee EMH use some FP+ as early as possible, and hope over to another park? Or even just set your FP+ up for another park entirely?

I haven't done EMH since I was a kid, but are they that crowded that they're not even worth going to? I'd think that the fact that FP+ isn't taking capacity away would make the lines manageable at least.

EMH days are usually busy all day. Even when staying on property I avoid them because of the time it takes to hop.

 

[correcaminos]

So why do you actively avoid EMH? Excessive crowds?

I'm on vacation, I cannot be bothered to set an alarm clock to get up for morning EMH. The last night time one I went to, I was pregnant for the first time. After that night ones didn't appeal either.

So I avoid crowds if I can and enjoy a more relaxing vacation

I was talking about the EMH itself, not the day itself. Wouldn't it still make sense to take advantage of thee EMH use some FP+ as early as possible, and hope over to another park? Or even just set your FP+ up for another park entirely?

I haven't done EMH since I was a kid, but are they that crowded that they're not even worth going to? I'd think that the fact that FP+ isn't taking capacity away would make the lines manageable at least.

Oh just saw this. I find park hopping like that to be more of a time waster. I hope after breaks in the day, not to try to get a few rides in. Personally setting a second park for FP+ would make more sense than wasting them for EMH rides in the morning.