Disney Annual Pass Struture and Pricing Change

[Nick]

The real crazy thing I just noticed in these prices, is that the Epcot After 4 Pass is something like $250!!! That's more than a lower level Uni AP and it's only for park entry after 4:00!

 

[rhino4evr]

I can't believe someone is actually defending price increases. Sure! take more of my money! Yay!

 

[*Q*]

Actually, ignore what I said. They seem to be taking the news pretty well. Looks like local APers are just as frustrated about the overcrowding from...um.. local APers.

It makes my head spin that they are having all of these problems with overcrowding, but instead of developing a third park with Star Wars and Marvel and stuff, they're shoehorning Star Wars into Disneyland and supposedly Marvel into California Adventure.

 

[anihilnation]

I know Universal upped the monthly payments for people who use those and renewal rates went up.

 

[Brian G.]

I know Universal upped the monthly payments for people who use those and renewal rates went up.

Yeah, just happened beginning on Sept I believe.

I know when Disney ups prices, Universal follows suit but I don't think this is going to happen because A.) The hike already happened this year and B.) This is more of a Disney Ticket structural change than price increase.

 

[Nick]

Yeah, just happened beginning on Sept I believe.

I know when Disney ups prices, Universal follows suit but I don't think this is going to happen because A.) The hike already happened this year and B.) This is more of a Disney Ticket structural change than price increase.

It's pretty much a price hike. Sure everything got fancy new names, seasonal got parking and some passes got photopass, but besides that? nothing changed.

This is more of a re-branding of the AP program than a structure change imo.

 

[Brian G.]

It's pretty much a price hike. Sure everything got fancy new names, seasonal got parking and some passes got photopass, but besides that? nothing changed.

This is more of a re-branding of the AP program than a structure change imo.

Eh, 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other.

 

[Jon84]

When you put it into perspective on what you can pay for other leisure activities, it isn't as mad as some people make out. Same goes for the increase in parking.

You'd pay much more to park in London, or NYC. Or even some Six Flags Parks.

 

[SeventyOne]

It's pretty much a price hike. Sure everything got fancy new names, seasonal got parking and some passes got photopass, but besides that? nothing changed.

This is more of a re-branding of the AP program than a structure change imo.

Seasonal getting parking is huge. That has been the #1 reason NOT to get seasonal for decades--a visit a month made up the price difference.

The goal seems obvious--let the whales have full APs and gouge them, let the more rational Disney fans come when they want except Spring Break/Easter/Christmas (and maybe weekends too). I honestly think the mid-tier APs are a decent deal with parking.

Putting aside special events, the parks weren't built for the current number of people. I don't just mean ride capacity, also just the walkways. Did Disney bring this on themselves with lack of building and FP+? Of course. But the only realistic short-term way to cut that down is a major price hike.

 

[Nick]

Seasonal getting parking is huge. That has been the #1 reason NOT to get seasonal for decades--a visit a month made up the price difference.

The goal seems obvious--let the whales have full APs and gouge them, let the more rational Disney fans come when they want except Spring Break/Easter/Christmas (and maybe weekends too). I honestly think the mid-tier APs are a decent deal with parking.

Putting aside special events, the parks weren't built for the current number of people. I don't just mean ride capacity, also just the walkways. Did Disney bring this on themselves with lack of building and FP+? Of course. But the only realistic short-term way to cut that down is a major price hike.

I think for the money and what you get, Gold is the best deal for APs. Only blockout Spring Break/Christmas periods and you get the added Photopass benefit. And since i'd be paying renewal rate, it's only about $465 for me.

The only added benefit I would even use is the water park entry and now they have Water Park year-round APs starting at $65 for After 2 or $110 for All-Day. So yeah, don't need that Platinum Plus pass (and that's all assuming I actually even go to the water parks).

 

[Nick]

When you put it into perspective on what you can pay for other leisure activities, it isn't as mad as some people make out. Same goes for the increase in parking.

You'd pay much more to park in London, or NYC. Or even some Six Flags Parks.

Pretty much every Six Flags park i've been to has been $25 lately.

However, parking is a significant part of Six Flags' revenue. For WDW and Uni, the money they make from parking is just extra cash to help pad the stock price.

 

[UNIrd]

I don't see Universal doing any real restructuring to their APs. Even though the prices have been steadily increasing, the fans still keep seeing the value and the benefits are great, especially for Premier. Their only qualm is the damn plastic cards and I feel them 100%.

 

[Nick]

I don't see Universal doing any real restructuring to their APs. Even though the prices have been steadily increasing, the fans still keep seeing the value and the benefits are great, especially for Premier. Their only qualm is the damn plastic cards and I feel them 100%.

I can easily see a large jump in the Premiere pass over the next few years unless some of those benefits get dropped. It's a steal right now for what you get.

 

[anihilnation]

I don't see Universal doing any real restructuring to their APs. Even though the prices have been steadily increasing, the fans still keep seeing the value and the benefits are great, especially for Premier. Their only qualm is the damn plastic cards and I feel them 100%.

Lol ... and don't forget the moving walkways

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The biggest challenge or change for UOR APs will be the addition of Volcano Bay.

 

[anihilnation]

The biggest challenge or change for UOR APs will be the addition of Volcano Bay.

As a powerpass holder I am not expecting that this would ever be included with my pass, though I would like it if I could add it to my pass so that I would have powerpass + volcano. That is why I like seaworld parks, you can have just a seaworld pass, or have aquatica added, or Busch added and a have a triple pass etc.

 

[Brian G.]

I know a lot of people's default reaction to a price hike is to immediately say "OUTRAGEOUS!" - so I wanted to take a day to really focus in on thoughts about it.

So as I started yesterday, the price jump is a double-edged sword. As an AP Holder, Gold is perfect because A. It didn't jump up in price and B. I wouldn't go those weeks anyway due to the craziness.

There is some good to the other levels as well. I like that parking is included for seasonal pass holders now and the ability for free PhotoPass downloads is pretty interesting. The change in structure is a good idea.

I just don't know if I agree with the amount of the hike for the other levels after an already good-sized increase in February. Knowing the history the past few years, it wouldn't be out of the realm for another price jump in Feb-Jun of 2016. If that happens, the Gold level - that most AP's are championing as the logical choice for the transition - may go up and cause more ruckus.

This increase though shouldn't really affect most except lifestylers and Florida residents. If someone from out of town owns an AP, 9x out of 10 they are a die-hard Disney fan; so the argument of screwing over the "regular folk" can't really apply here.

Wait for that when the 1-day and Multi-day passes jump up again.

But if we focus on those demographics, is it justified to increase the price while cutting budget, cutting discounts and offers, and offering less activities (Loss of DQ and an anemic line-up at DHS) at a higher cost?

Sadly, the prices will keep on going up if people continue to go. Don't vote with your Twitter, vote with your wallet. Disney knows the same people buying AP's are the same people that buy Orange Bird MagicBands for $400 on eBay. They'll milk it as long as the cow is producing the dairy. Just like there are a lot of people who are upset about an increase of price for a decrease in quality; there is the other side, where a lot of people will ignore the decline in quality because magic and pixie dust. I saw a comment on CNN where a mother of 2 said (in a nutshell) she'll pay whatever it takes because Disney is Magic.

So...yeah.

 

[UNIrd]

The biggest challenge or change for UOR APs will be the addition of Volcano Bay.

That's most likely when we'll see a big restructuring in the program, I'm assuming.

 

[Nick]

That's most likely when we'll see a big restructuring in the program, I'm assuming.

I would assume we'll see an extra tier be added at the very least. I'd also expect a VB only AP.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Pretty much every Six Flags park i've been to has been $25 lately.

However, parking is a significant part of Six Flags' revenue. For WDW and Uni, the money they make from parking is just extra cash to help pad the stock price.

We decided to hit Six Flags while in Dallas for a football game, I went online to buy tickets and discovered I could buy next year's pass and get the rest of this year included for approx 70 bucks. It included free admission and parking to all the other Six Flags parks except for a stand alone water park or two. So, for under 300 bucks for a family of 4, I can go to all the Six Flags I want with no parking fees. We have Spring Break in San Antonio planned , so we'll hit Fiesta there and Dallas again and in June we'll combo up Stl and Chicago while going to a couple of Cubs and Cardinal games on a road trip. That fall, we'll try to get to Atlanta but admission is covered for two for sure trips on the theme park front. We'll likely do the same when we plan a DC to New York trip for 2017.

That's a bunch of coasters on the cheap.