As I stated earlier. Many on another fan site have reported December expiration dates on their vouchers.
As I stated earlier. Many on another fan site have reported December expiration dates on their vouchers.
Really? In this thread?Originally Posted by 3Princesses1Prince
If true, then it's on. We might as well buy now. Can't see it getting bumped into 2013, not that it's needed (for us, that is) anyway.Many on another fan site have reported December expiration dates on their vouchers.
Your attention, please. The Disneyland Limited now leaving for a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Aboaaard!
Actually, Disney continues to handle the AP program the way that they do because of people exactly like you. You've just said that you're not happy with how things are and that the value isn't what it used to be, but you're going to keep buying an AP anyway. So what's their incentive to do anything different? No matter what they do, even though you're unhappy and don't see the value, you're going to keep renewing anything. Disney doesn't even have to try to keep your business.
I believe that I get great value out of my AP because of how I use it and what I get out of using it. But if I ever got to the point where I didn't feel it was worth it, or other things happened which didn't enable me to afford it anymore, then I'd walk away.
Now different is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, pretty is what it's about
I never met anyone who was different who couldn't figure that out
But beautiful, I'd never live to see
But it was clear, if not to her, well, then to me.
blah blah blah blah
First of December? End of December? We're planning a trip around December 15th. When we last bought vouchers in 2010, it was January 3, 2011
There are no perfect men in this world-Only perfect intentions
Last year, I bought vouchers the first part of June (the night before the increase) and the expiration was Dec 31, 2011.
Planning 3 trips at once...
It may have been in the AP thread in the planning forum.December 31. We are going Dec 15 too unless we go to WDW in Oct for DHs work. Then I'll make a quick trip to DL so I can activate my AP before WDW then upgrade it to a Premier.
Okay, I'm going to be the jerk who says what I think many others feel but who are afraid to speak out because of peer pressure. I think the DL ticket and AP prices are too low, because the parks are generally simply too crowded.
I know enough about microeconomics to know that supply and demand curves are not linear, but if (for example) all ticket and AP prices were instantly increased by 5x which instantly made hald of the people I see at the parks disappear, I'd love it. I also know that there's a lot more to Disney's profit than simply the park admission, and that they work hard to maximize the "take at the gate" along with the in-park spending at food and merchandise outlets.
But personally, I'd spend quite a bit more of my personal discretionary income to be able to enjoy a less crowded Disneyland with shorter wait times, more access to restaurants at peak times, etc.
Rocket Scientist/Future Imagineer
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it.", Alan Kay
Come join the Pleasure Island Lover's Club!
I'm not afraid to speak out because of peer pressure, but I don't think the prices are too low. They're what the market is bearing, as evidenced by the crowds at Disneyland. I do think that the monthly payment option is making it easier for more people to be able to afford APs than if they required full payment at the time of purchase. And there are often discounts available through Disney directly or through employers for single and multi-day tickets, so I don't know what the percentage is of people actually paying full price on those.
As Malcon10t said earlier, people make their decisions on what they want to spend their disposable income on.
Now different is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, pretty is what it's about
I never met anyone who was different who couldn't figure that out
But beautiful, I'd never live to see
But it was clear, if not to her, well, then to me.
blah blah blah blah
Alright I was just at the DLR esplanade box offices and inquired about this. Big mistake. One of those "ask 3 different people and you get three different answers" type things. First guy told me there was a 90 day "suggested" fuse on voucher purchases and that if a price increase occurs and we wait past the suggested 90 days, there's a decent chance we'd be on the hook for the difference when activating. That hardly sounded right, so I got in line to see a different representative ....
This one proceeded to inform me "there are no vouchers. You purchase and your pass starts today" even though I repeatedly reminded her I wasn't activating anytime soon and/or renewing. It was apparent she was out of her depth or that I'm an utter failure at English because she and I weren't communicating. When I mentioned people buy APs online frequently and they're not active until the first trip through an actual turnstile (unless renewed of course) she slowly stared blankly into the stratosphere and replied "well, .... Yeah, .... I guess that's a possibility." I thanked her for her help and moved on ....
Called the AP helpline. An associate there assured me the vouchers are valid for redemption without penalty through at least Dec. 31. And by no penalty I mean there's 100% certainty you won't pay the price increase (if there is one) difference. Unlike the two associates I spoke with at the resort, this one had a noticeable confidence in her answers.
Your attention, please. The Disneyland Limited now leaving for a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Aboaaard!
not to create too much confusion - but in the past i used to get a card to renew and they did it. then one day (about 3 years ago) they said no, it's not a renewal, it's new so you have to pay the difference. Huh? I was renewing as well. Now, I get a Disney Gift card with the amount before use (i have someone else pay for my pass at times).
Just trying to say even though the AP hotline person told you the answer you expected - does not necessarily mean it's what will happen when you go to the ticket office. It should, but....
"[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney
That's an excellent point. By the time I got around to speaking to the AP helpline person on the phone I deliberately used the terminology "if/when I buy Deluxe annual passes AS GIFTS for someone else, do THEY have to pay for any price increases that occur between now and activation?"
I learned the hard way if you approach the associate as a current passholder, the tenor of their responses changes from one of "of course the gifts are redeemable without penalty" to "well naturally you need to renew to save $20 per pass.". No thanks, we don't renew. Last time we took 3 months off between passes. This time we'll likely take off 6 months.
So we'll purchase these as gifts (the helper on the phone said there's even an 'as gift' classification you can designate when purchasing online.
Your attention, please. The Disneyland Limited now leaving for a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Aboaaard!
There's a far cry between "the value isn't what it used to be" and "there is no value". I think it's entirely valid to say that the value of an AP isn't what it used to be, but there is still more than enough value there to continue to purchase one.
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
The great George Carlin asked, "Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?" With that in mind, my selfish preference would be for an annual 9 or 12 visits annual pass. Who needs to go more often than I do? (Don't answer that--it's beneath you or should be.)
I'd like to reduce the already small # of people who go every weekend because those 51 spread-out visits add up and clog the park. (I'm a "guest"; others are "clogging units.") Of course, Disney could sell far more expensive passes that allow unlimited visits and no blackout dates. I don't really like limiting anyone's time in Disneyland (I'd like to live in an apartment above Main Street that could be made soundproof when desired), but some guests enjoy September weekdays more than packed summer weekends, and Disney should explore with ways of reducing crowds and increasing guest satisfaction while increasing profits.
So I'd like a mid-range AP replaced with something like the offer to go twice for $99, but more like: go 10 or 12 times within one year for $399.
I'd also like the daily admission increased by $10, but then reduced by $20 for "discounts" on non-summer & non-holiday Mondays through Thursdays. Price out the biggest crowds.
Tom Sinsky
Last edited by jcruise86; 04-05-2012 at 03:39 PM.
Sorry jcruise, I don't agree with your rationale. In a perfect world, that would be great and your card could even have a receipt that tells you how many days you have left. However, it already costs $80 a day for a 1 park 1 day ticket. If I'm lucky enough to get 12 days in over a year's time. The current PAP, with parking pass & discounts gives me a $41.58 average per day. I can live with that.
Personally the rational of there are more AP's than ever so the price is fine, doesn't work for me. I think personally if they had not started the monthly payment option for CA the amount would not have increased ten fold.
I think a Senior Pass is a great idea or an after 4 pass to DCA or something along those lines. But for the rest of the world that cannot do a monthly payment, prices are increasing and some of us may be pushed out of the market. And yes I have read all the arguments for continued increases.Just my opinion.
Have a Disney Day!
You don't have to walk on water, it's how you walk on land.
I also think if the goal is a less-crowded Disneyland then the prices are too low---but the resort wants a crowded Disneyland--so is not likely to increase the pass price to a point where the numbers of AP holders would significantly drop. (Even if they raised it $100--that would probably not offset the loss of food and merchandise purchases by people who now can afford the currently-priced APs but would be unable to afford another $100 for an AP--or would think they couldn't afford it). Like cstephens, I think the monthly payment plan has also contributed to the crowds. Again--it's to the resort's advantage to have Disneyland (and perhaps soon DCA) full to capacity as much as possible. So while the AP prices will continue to go up, there will not be such a dramatic increase as to price out many.
If I go down, I'm going down fat and full.
You say that so well... The monthly payment plan opened the door to many who otherwise wouldn't buy an AP. While I would love to have the old version of peak season back, it isn't going to happen. And while raising the AP price might price a few out, I can see Disneyland opening the payment plans nationwide in another year, and the number of passes will grow far beyond the million mark.
Planning 3 trips at once...
Honest question because I am very much an outside to the AP thing: Is the 1mill mark for the number of APs good or bad for Disney?
I guess I can see both sides of the equation. While the parks get very full sometimes, a la OMDD, are the AP Holders really that much of an impact on regular attendance? Do those that pile in and allegedly over fill the parks buy things or are they working on getting a good return on the cost of the APs? I know that APs offer discounts, but I would wonder how many people take advantage of this perk and to what degree. Is it like going to the movies and the theater making extra money off of way overpriced popcorn & soda but it's those "regulars" that bring their own food & refuse to buy the extras?
Also let me pose this, if there is a large price increase that could in theory drop the # of AP Holders, what happens to DL attendance? From what I've always understood, and grasped as a resident of the midwest, DL doesn't attract the number of vacationing tourists that WDW does. I've always understood that most guests are from CA. Sure, DL isn't a trip the park that costs nothing, but with an annual pass it costs you less to visit for the day than it does for me o fly in from Chicago, stay in a hotel, buy hoppers, eat, etc. Would Disney be able to attract enough "vacationers"? Oh and yes I do realize that not all AP Holders live around the corner and stop by for lunch. I'm just getting at the idea that between the SoCal APs and DL regulars I see on these boards and others I wonder what would happen if DL tried to cut off the locals or reduced their options for attending semi-regularly at a somewhat reasonable by Disney standard price?
I'm not so sure the monthly payment option really did all that much as far as crowds. From what I've read the DL AP number has been close to a million for a few years before they came out with the monthly option.
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
I also remember reading that the free gift card on your birthday helped boost AP numbers as well.
Have a Disney Day!
You don't have to walk on water, it's how you walk on land.
yes - but I believe as price increases have come on board the monthly option makes it possible for more to keep their passes and renew. they don't have the one time fee all together but can gather the monthly rate.
"[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney
I think it was a nice one-two combination. The free on your birthday made it almost a no-brainer for people who live nearby to upgrade. For about the cost of going one more time, you could get the lowest level pass and come back all year. The monthly payments made it a lot easier to renew. Once you are used to budgeting a fixed amount per month for your Disney fix, it's easier to continue to do so year after year. The year of a million volunteers didn't have quite the same impact/boost, primarily because they ran out of the tickets so early.
It would be nice to have the option of a monthly plan. It would deffinitely increase the chances that DH and I would buy APs again. It wasn't a horrible expense this time around as DD was free, but I can't imagine having to buy them for us and several kids. If it was a monthly bill, it would seem more obtainable, even though the end result is the same amount of money.
The monthly plan is the only way I am able to have an AP. There is no way I could come up with $499 at once, but with the monthly option I am able to have a Premium AP for an affordable monthly fee. Granted that is about $40 a month which is pretty much the max I can spend per month on non essentials, but it's worth it to me and I am only paying for myself. I can see how it would become far less affordable if you have kids, and obviously not everyone is given the option of monthly.
As far as the value of the pass being diminished, I can't really say because I couldn't afford to have one until December '10. For me personally, yes the pass is expensive but worth the value that I get out of it. Pretty much I figure if I go to the parks just 4 times at a price of $105(1 day hopper pass) per trip plus $15 per trip for parking(comes up to $480 total), I have gotten the value of my pass already. I love that I can go drive a couple hours and be at my favorite place any day of the year as long as I can come up with gas money which is becoming more and more difficult. so for me, it's worth it.
~savvy
IMHO, I think Disney is looking at AP's the way a bar looks at a cover charge; just enough to not so you have to think about it, but not enough to stop you from spending one once you are inside....in other words, there is a TON more profit on $3.00 Cokes and churros than they make on the ticket prices
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