New WDW AP Program (2021)

[Tbad556]

New Walt Disney World Annual Passes Available Sept. 8, Just in Time for 50th Anniversary Celebration

At Walt Disney World Resort, being an Annual Passholder brings a special kind of magic – the kind that lets you visit our theme parks again and again so you can revisit the spots where your favorite memories were made. And as the countdown to our

disneyparks.disney.go.com

Pixie Dust: $399, FL res. weekday pass w/ blockout dates
Pirate: $699, FL res. any day w/ blackout dates
Sorcerer: $899, FL res. & DVC any day w/ blockout dates
Incredi-Pass: $1,299, no blockout dates

Some significant jumps in prices and reductions in benefits there. And RIP to out-of-state visitors.

 

[Brian G.]

Why is Disney overcomplicating the tier names for the sake of being cute? Keep it simple. Silver, Gold, Platinum may be boring, but it's easy for guests to follow which tier is better.

 

[Joe]

They want characters or IP in everything.

 

[SailwiththeTide]

Seems like a bargain compared to magic keys. All FL passes have parking while Keys top level only gets parking. But I guess that has always been the pricing strategy for Disney.

 

[frank_1991_]

My first annual pass with no blackout dates cost I believe 490 p/p in 2010-2011. The jump to $1299 for about the same pass with the added bonus of having to make reservations is crazy.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'm guessing 'Pixie Dust' is losing it's allure, relegated to the lowest level, as Disney assumes a more corporate business like mentality. Tinker Bell is losing her clout, as
Chapek :hail: casts his shadow over Disney... O:

 

[Alicia]

Going all in on Park Reservations, check
Bewildering Blackout Dates, check
Nonsense naming scheme, check

Wonderful.

 

[darkridelover]

Why are we doing this reservation system. It makes no sense. We're not even pretending anymore that we're operating at lower capacity because of covid. So why can't I just show up at the park I want to go to?

 

[snayberry]

Disney is losing it with this change. What are they doing, between this and the new Genie+. I better get some visits in before all this madness happens.

 

[Vyrus]

The thing that at the end of the day that sucks, is with all of these changes and price hikes and continuous desire to squeeze every penny instead of making it affordable is that younger children, and even the ones born during this pandemic era will not have the luxury of visiting the parks unless they are born into money.

I have UO AP for my whole family because its affordable and it has a perceived VALUE. I worked in travel my whole life and when it comes to vacations, there has to be a perceived value to feel like you're getting your moneys worth.

But getting 4 pirate passes, which would be almost $3000 a year in passes versus $976 a year for UO has almost no perceived value, on top of the fact your stressing for reservations, on top of do I need to PAY for Genie+ to even ride anything, on top of dealing with pixie dusters who feel like they are always the special ones.

It is a no brainer as to which one more has ACTUAL value and I feel like more and more FL residents will pick a UO ap. Disney almost feels like they want LESS AP holders.

 

[Mad Dog]

The thing that at the end of the day that sucks, is with all of these changes and price hikes and continuous desire to squeeze every penny instead of making it affordable is that younger children, and even the ones born during this pandemic era will not have the luxury of visiting the parks unless they are born into money.

I have UO AP for my whole family because its affordable and it has a perceived VALUE. I worked in travel my whole life and when it comes to vacations, there has to be a perceived value to feel like you're getting your moneys worth.

But getting 4 pirate passes, which would be almost $3000 a year in passes versus $976 a year for UO has almost no perceived value, on top of the fact your stressing for reservations, on top of do I need to PAY for Genie+ to even ride anything, on top of dealing with pixie dusters who feel like they are always the special ones.

It is a no brainer as to which one more has ACTUAL value and I feel like more and more FL residents will pick a UO ap. Disney almost feels like they want LESS AP holders.

"Disney almost feels like they want LESS AP holders". Good analysis...That's probably the true bottom line, and most especially they don't want the previous AP holders that went to the parks quite often. Disney is
thinning the herd.....Myself, I've had a Universal AP for a decade, even though I live out of state. It has tremendous value overall, especially with the hotel discounts available. I've never had a Disney AP.
Even before this change , it had very little value for an out of state guest.

 

[Allison]

So $1,200 or $100 per month for an annual pass w/o blockouts and Photo Pass?

 

[Bort]

Disney almost feels like they want LESS AP holders.

That's precisely it.

The vacationer is more likely to pay to skip lines than the local who can drive back another day. The vacationer plays with monopoly money (in the name of ~vacation~) and thus justifies spending oodles of money on food, beverages, merchandise, and overpriced hotels.

For better or worse, Disney has cemented itself as a part of the American youth experience. They know families will do almost anything to get their kid one trip there growing up no matter the financial situation, sometimes as dangerous as maxing out credit cards or going into debt. A week at Disney is no longer affordable for most middle-class families, but we continue to go anyway. Until one side gives in, I think we'll continue to see this shift towards not wanting AP holders, and instead wanting a higher base of vacationers.

 

[Alicia]

Today was the first day of my 60 day renewal window for my Silver pass. Was able to lock that in for another 12 months.

After it expires I will need to go with a Sorcerer pass for 900 dollars, because Pirate has random Saturdays blocked all year instead of the two solid months of summer blocked out.

That means my annual pass price just doubled... just so I can still go on Saturdays in the fall.

 

[SeventyOne]

Disney almost feels like they want LESS AP holders.

The number of people (many on here) who don't blink an eye at $550 for 39 nights of HHN with Express but balk at $900 for 346 days of WDW without Express illustrates how much of a GSAT-killer long lines truly are.

This is why the Mouse is doing all this. Lines are too long. Less AP holders should help that. So should Genie. But that is clearly the mantra at TDO right now.

 

[Mad Dog]

Disney realizes that park attendance prior to covid was too high, and too crowded and uncomfortable, for their available park capacities, And they are unwilling to spend the money to increase capacity substantially
with lots of new attractions, not just replacing old attractions, but in addition to them. The alternative is to maximize the number of guests that have high guest spending numbers. They don't want those locals &
central Floridians crowding the parks that show up thirty plus times a year with an AP, and carrying their own beverages and food in a backpack. Their objective is probably to maximize tourist visitations and spending,
while keeping the in park crowds at more comfortable levels. WDW is aiming for the middle to high middle class tourists. Unfortunately, the lower classes will all but be priced out of WDW vacations.

.

 

[Alicia]

The number of people (many on here) who don't blink an eye at $550 for 39 nights of HHN with Express but balk at $900 for 346 days of WDW without Express illustrates how much of a GSAT-killer long lines truly are.

This is why the Mouse is doing all this. Lines are too long. Less AP holders should help that. So should Genie. But that is clearly the mantra at TDO right now.

I wouldn't even be so upset if it wasn't for just how complicated the new blackout dates were. It's not even about the money, it's about being able to understand how my old pass is blacked out Spring Break, Summer, and Xmas week, to now, scattered blackout dates every single month, including most Saturdays, for the new equivalent version.

Paying for a confusing product that looks like it was written by an algorithm to maximize profits doesn't sit well for me, much more than the cost.

 

[Allison]

The number of people (many on here) who don't blink an eye at $550 for 39 nights of HHN with Express but balk at $900 for 346 days of WDW without Express illustrates how much of a GSAT-killer long lines truly are.

This is why the Mouse is doing all this. Lines are too long. Less AP holders should help that. So should Genie. But that is clearly the mantra at TDO right now.

I’m paying $900 for the option of 365 days at WDW, when I go to renew next June if I purchase the equivalent to what I have now that would be the Incredi-Pass (ugh with these new names too) which would be $1,399, had to add the extra $99 to include Photo Pass which already comes with Platinum. Oof.

At this point I should be thanking Disney for pushing me to invest in the bucket list trips I’ve been wanting to take instead.

 

[SeventyOne]

I wouldn't even be so upset if it wasn't for just how complicated the new blackout dates were. It's not even about the money, it's about being able to understand how my old pass is blacked out Spring Break, Summer, and Xmas week, to now, scattered blackout dates every single month, including most Saturdays, for the new equivalent version.

Paying for a confusing product that looks like it was written by an algorithm to maximize profits doesn't sit well for me, much more than the cost.

Obviously, as mentioned above, the nonsensical names don't help.

But also I think the changes you specifically mention are WDW trying to adjust to central Florida going from a backwater to (close to if not already) one of the largest 20 metro areas in the country. Twenty years ago, Saturdays were slow--it was a "travel day" for out-of-state vacationers, and not enough locals to have an effect on crowds. Reems Road and SW Davenport were all trees, not subdivisions. Now there's enough local APs that it can swamp the park. We're not L.A. yet, but I think there's a realization we're creeping up, population-wise.

ETA:

I’m paying $900 for the option of 365 days at WDW, when I go to renew next June if I purchase the equivalent to what I have now that would be the Incredi-Pass (ugh with these new names too) which would be $1,399, had to add the extra $99 to include Photo Pass which already comes with Platinum. Oof.

At this point I should be thanking Disney for pushing me to invest in the bucket list trips I’ve been wanting to take instead.

I'm with you, it's a hell of a price hike at the top level, but they're trying to get us to just give up Thanksgiving and Christmas. At the "1A" level (I refuse to use the names), that's the only blackout dates, and with renewal personally saves me hundreds over the 365 pass.

But ultimately they need fewer people in line on busy days. Short of massive capital expenditures--Disney Decade level stuff plus--this is the way they do that. For every AP who bails, it makes the guests left in the park more likely to be in a good mood and spend more.

 

[MrBlonde]

So $1,200 or $100 per month for an annual pass w/o blockouts and Photo Pass?

Photopass is actually an extra $99 for the year.

Disney must be focused on increasing revenue per guest, because they're shooting everything up price-wise so only those left standing are paying so much more, or just don't care at the cost.