Will Disney Offer a Lifetime Pass ?

[awalkinthepark]

For the record, Disney did try to sell lifetime passes at the Magic Kingdom the first year it was open (1971) called a "Gold Pass" for $100. This pass was said to be good for "a lifetime" and for any additional parks that they may add in the future. A small amount were sold but it went over like a lead balloon because guests back then weren't too excited about forking out $100. :brick:

Hmmmm...do they still have the DeLorean over at Universal from Back to the Future? lol

 

[The MaD Hatter]

I have been hearing this on and off for a few years , but what gives ? I here they cant decide on a price for it and or how long the so called" Lifetime" should be . The price was initially $1500. or so, but who knows now :brick:

Eitherway I wanted to post to hear thoughts , pros and cons etc...
Maybe we can get the ball rolling.:ROFLOL:

$1500 seems really low if it truly was for a Lifetime, but if they offered one at that price I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat. In reality it would probably be closer to $15,000 rather than $1500.

Maybe the could do something like $200/year with a minimum of 10 years. That way a 45 year pass (thinking of people who own DVC) would be $9,000. Still a great deal if you ask me. Maybe they could even set it up so it could be transferred like DVC resales.

 

[cymbaldiva]

For the record, Disney did try to sell lifetime passes at the Magic Kingdom the first year it was open (1971) called a "Gold Pass" for $100. This pass was said to be good for "a lifetime" and for any additional parks that they may add in the future. A small amount were sold but it went over like a lead balloon because guests back then weren't too excited about forking out $100. :brick:

Oh man - what I wouldn't give to have gotten in on that deal!

 

[girlface]

I have been hearing this on and off for a few years , but what gives ? I here they cant decide on a price for it and or how long the so called" Lifetime" should be . The price was initially $1500. or so, but who knows now :brick:

Eitherway I wanted to post to hear thoughts , pros and cons etc...
Maybe we can get the ball rolling.:ROFLOL:

No!

 

[SKYWAY 4 ME]

Hmmmm...do they still have the DeLorean over at Universal from Back to the Future? lol

Yea , I got a couple of jars of plutoneoum lying in the garage !!

 

[lwalker8]

Maybe the could do something like $200/year with a minimum of 10 years. That way a 45 year pass (thinking of people who own DVC) would be $9,000. Still a great deal if you ask me. Maybe they could even set it up so it could be transferred like DVC resales.

Unfortunately this seems like the only possible way for them to institute a "lifetime" pass. The real issue in this day in age, is the accounting standards publicly traded US companies must meet. From an accounting standpoint, a true lifetime pass could not be counted as revenue until it's entire lifetime has ended. Until then the Disney company would accrue a large amount of unearned revenue in addition to trying to keep track of when exactly their lifetime passholders died. I'm sure 95% have no idea what I'm talking about, but it's a serious issue that would make a lifetime pass pretty difficult if not impossible to have.

 

[brkgnews]

The only way I could see doing this is maybe figuring out some way to offer them to DVC members... but even then I don't see any way it'd be financially feasible for them.

 

[slappy magoo]

The only way I could see doing this is maybe figuring out some way to offer them to DVC members... but even then I don't see any way it'd be financially feasible for them.

I think the basic idea would be something similar to when a company first goes public, starts selling stock. That infusion of money coming in from the stock, or in this case, the lifetime pass, would be used for other investments that would generate more revenue in other ways that would offset the fact that the purchaser would never pay for admission again.

Plus, you deal with the possibility/probability that, but never having to pay for admission again, many lifetime passholders will spend more money other ways, more expensive resort rooms (at full pop, unlike those jerks with annual passes ), appetizers AND desserts with every meal, and of course, sooooooooo many more souveneirs.

Finally, there'd be a strong possibility that the sorts of people who buy lifetime passes would then go on and buy lifetime passes for relatives or their kids, who would then grow up to do the same. So the checks keep coming in.

What I'd suspect is that this is a rumor that pops up whenever there's a downturn (or expected downturn) in tourism - a "limited time offer" that provides WDW an extra infusion of cash to offset the lean times, then when things start getting better, the offer expires. I'd be tempted to get one too if the price was do-able. At the very least, some idea of a multi-year pass that people can buy on the odd occassion that they have a chuck of change to "invest" in future vacations.

 

[jerlev]

My wife and I seem to remember seeing a 25-year pass offered during Disney World'th 25 anniversary. It was $2500 each as we recall...

 

[brkgnews]

My wife and I seem to remember seeing a 25-year pass offered during Disney World'th 25 anniversary. It was $2500 each as we recall...

That would be quite reasonable, I feel. Especially since it would be $100 per year (as opposed to $400-plus per year now)

 

[The MaD Hatter]

My wife and I seem to remember seeing a 25-year pass offered during Disney World'th 25 anniversary. It was $2500 each as we recall...

Well MK's 40th anniversary is only 3 years away. Maybe they'll offer a 40 year pass for $4000. Seriously doubt it though.

 

[bgraham34]

I can't see them offering a lifetime pass any cheaper than 5 grand. They might sell more at $2500 but they wont want to many people having it.

 

[WhatJaneSays]

My wife and I seem to remember seeing a 25-year pass offered during Disney World'th 25 anniversary. It was $2500 each as we recall...

There was a 25-year pass offered in 1996. I remember asking my parents when they had announced it the year before if I could forgo getting anything for my birthday and Christmas for those 2 years and get the pass. They agreed that if I could raise half the money they would. I did manage to save the money but aparently there was an age restriction ... I was only 12 at the time. I guess they couldn't assign the ticket to some one so young. My parents started a savings account in my name with the money. (I ended up buying a used car with it so all was good.)

(I don't remember but my mother told me that the poor girl at the guest services window felt so bad that she started crying.)

 

[The MaD Hatter]

There was a 25-year pass offered in 1996. I remember asking my parents when they had announced it the year before if I could forgo getting anything for my birthday and Christmas for those 2 years and get the pass. They agreed that if I could raise half the money they would. I did manage to save the money but aparently there was an age restriction ... I was only 12 at the time. I guess they couldn't assign the ticket to some one so young. My parents started a savings account in my name with the money. (I ended up buying a used car with it so all was good.)

(I don't remember but my mother told me that the poor girl at the guest services window felt so bad that she started crying.)

Intriguing, but I think the question on everyone's mind is how did a 12 year old manage to earn $1250? Your allowance must have been much larger than mine.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Here ya go, just print it out and use it....:ROFLOL:

 

[raven]

Here ya go, just print it out and use it....:ROFLOL:

Eh, already have one. :animwink:

 

[devoy1701]

Unfortunately this seems like the only possible way for them to institute a "lifetime" pass. The real issue in this day in age, is the accounting standards publicly traded US companies must meet. From an accounting standpoint, a true lifetime pass could not be counted as revenue until it's entire lifetime has ended. Until then the Disney company would accrue a large amount of unearned revenue in addition to trying to keep track of when exactly their lifetime passholders died. I'm sure 95% have no idea what I'm talking about, but it's a serious issue that would make a lifetime pass pretty difficult if not impossible to have.

Funny...because I'm about to take my financial account exam tonight and as I read your post i was like...wow, that a realistic example for everything chapter 4 of my book says.


I would buy a lifetime pass btw....for myself and then like 2 others...for when I have kids...wonder if they would let you do that... =/

 

[Crazy4WDW1]

Here ya go, just print it out and use it....:ROFLOL:

Here's a link about Dave: http://thisdayindisneyhistory.homestead.com/MacPherson.html

 

[DisneyBuff]

I have a friend who is a DVC member years ago from when DisneyLand started DVC and he has something similar to a lifetime pass from what he was telling me. If I am remebering right it gets him and either 1 or 3 guest into any US park with him. And it was good during his tenor as a DVC owner.

I will have to call him tonight and see if I cant' get more details.

He got it as part of his DVC package.

Has anyone else heard of this?

 

[WhatJaneSays]

Intriguing, but I think the question on everyone's mind is how did a 12 year old manage to earn $1250? Your allowance must have been much larger than mine.

Not really, my weekly allowance was $10 at the time; $15 if I was exceptionally good and did things I was not asked. I also requested to family that I not get presents and that instead they "donate to the fund" the amount they would have spent. (I lucked out with two birthdays and two Christmases during the fund raising.) I also passed up every school field trip that cost money, had a few kid garage-sales, sold orange juice that we made from the orange trees in the back yard at a stand and rolled change by the mountain. :dazzle:

16 months or so later I had the money. I think my parents though they were setting an imposable goal just to appease me ... they never made that mistake again. To this day I'm still surprised that I did it!

(Hmm, maybe this why I'm such a penny-pinching bargain-hunter as an adult. :hammer