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mckygirl99
07-30-2005, 11:13 PM
I remember back in the late 1990's DL had AP E-ticket nights. My husband and I went before the park closed, got a special wristband and were able to stay until 1:00 or 2:00 am, I can't really remember. And of course, only the e-ticket rides were open. Does anyone know the story on that? Do you think they would ever consider bringing them back? I would be so excited! :D

Disneyfun
07-30-2005, 11:26 PM
What h appened to pass holder nights period that would be sooo fun.
I never did one.

sleepyjeff
07-31-2005, 12:19 AM
Not to be rude or anything; but shouldn't the poor suckers paying FULL price to get into the Park have at least the same advantages of those who are getting in(depending on how many times they visit in a year) for a small fraction of the one day admission :confused:

cosmicjive
07-31-2005, 12:55 AM
Not to be rude or anything; but shouldn't the poor suckers paying FULL price to get into the Park have at least the same advantages of those who are getting in(depending on how many times they visit in a year) for a small fraction of the one day admission :confused:

I have never understood this idea that AP holders are somehow "taking advantage" of Disney, or getting something for nothing, or some other such nonesense. Are AP holders really spending less to get into the park? Is Disney really making less money off of them? Absolutely not. They make more money off of AP holders.

I paid $370 for my last annual pass. Double that because I bought my girlfriend one as well. Now yes, I go to the park a lot, because I have the pass. But if I didn't have the pass, I would go maybe once or twice a year, thus spending far less admission money. So instead of getting $140 in admission money per year, I am giving the park $370 of admission money (just for myself).

And then there is concessions. Because I go to the park a couple of times a month, I'm spending concession money every time I go. If we spend a full day at the park, it isn't unusual for me to shell out a hundred dollars. Assume that I only spend $100 a month on concessions and merchandise (I buy lunch and dinner for myself and one other person, sometimes a T-shirt, miscellaneous snacks throughout the day, and so on). That's $1200 a year in concession money, compared to about $200, if I didn't have the pass.

And it doesn't stop there. Many of my trips involve taking people who are not AP holders. That means that Disney collects their full admission price. Would they have gotten that money without my AP? In some cases, yes, but in other cases, absolutely not. Last weekend we took my girlfriend's parents to the park. That trip would not have happened if we weren't pass holders. In about 2 weeks I'm taking my mother. Again, I'd be less inclined to do so if I wasn't a pass holder. In both cases Disney gets full admissions that they would not have otherwise gotten.

Disney should be very grateful to their pass holders, because they ultimately spend more at Disneyland, not less.

-Jeff "etumor"

sriggins
07-31-2005, 07:19 AM
They make more money off of AP holders.

I totally agree. As someone who lives out of town, I'd not go anywhere near as much if I had to pay full price per entry. It takes 6 trips to come out even or so, and I've gated around 12 times this year alone. I'm lucky as my employer is in So Cal as is my family, so I don't have huge car rental, air nor hotel bills.

At each one of those gates, they've made concession sales, gift item sales and only had to flush some water for the restroom.

My local friends also get advertising, which is free to Disney of course. Many of them want to go after hearing of my tales.

The best part of being an annual passholder to me, though, is that I can just go to the park, people watch, help other patrons who seem lost and not be so concerned about "OMG such and such is down!" :)

coronado_g
07-31-2005, 10:37 AM
I paid $370 for my last annual pass. Double that because I bought my girlfriend one as well.
-Jeff "etumor"
~sigh~ Jeff, you are the PERFECT boyfriend!

sriggins
07-31-2005, 10:47 AM
~sigh~ Jeff, you are the PERFECT boyfriend!

Hot dog, I'm putting that qualification on my personals ads :)

coronado_g
07-31-2005, 10:52 AM
Hot dog, I'm putting that qualification on my personals ads :)
True Story: I admit to actually putting that qualification in an online personal dating ad! I said "Must love Disneyland".
I got a specific answer from a guy who works security at DL - too bad he was MARRIED!

Disneyfun
07-31-2005, 11:16 AM
I did A survey one year for the annual pass and I about choked when I realized just how much I have spent. I agree with etumor Disneylands gets a lot more money off there annual passes. Before my annuanl pass we went maybe once a year when a family member came to visist. Then I got my pass I started going more offten. Now My mom, grandmother, Uncle, and daughter all have passes. I swore I would only get my daughter the Cheepest pass because I just could not seeing paying so much. But NO she was the Delux because then she could not go on the days the rest of do since we have the premimum. And because we have the peremimum and not the Delux I have had to buy some black out days and a full ticket on the 17th so she could go with us.
Be for passes my mom went once a year for her birthday. It was my treat each year. So right there compare the one day addmision to the preimum pass. NOw MY grandmother has the pass as well. My grandmother will buy anywere from 2 to 6 pins each trip. We always eat at least one full meal and much to me now nessicarliry wanting my grandother will buy my daughter some item each time.

So in all the pass allowes us to go more often ture. And I am sure those with out passes are jeluos. I have been there I understand that. But having a pass has not saved us one dime. Instead we spend more. I think we even buy more suvioners becuase we think we are getting a discount with our pass. But it is the old trick you buy more becuase you think you were saving. Many companies will give there "Big spenders" little perks. gift packs, a special evening what ever.
So who are the big spenders at Disneyland. THe guest who comes once ot twice a year? Or the Pass holder that forks out the large money at once and then contiues through out the year?
Just my two cents.

mckygirl99
07-31-2005, 11:37 AM
I did A survey one year for the annual pass and I about choked when I realized just how much I have spent. I agree with etumor Disneylands gets a lot more money off there annual passes. Before my annuanl pass we went maybe once a year when a family member came to visist. Then I got my pass I started going more offten. Now My mom, grandmother, Uncle, and daughter all have passes. I swore I would only get my daughter the Cheepest pass because I just could not seeing paying so much. But NO she was the Delux because then she could not go on the days the rest of do since we have the premimum. And because we have the peremimum and not the Delux I have had to buy some black out days and a full ticket on the 17th so she could go with us.
Be for passes my mom went once a year for her birthday. It was my treat each year. So right there compare the one day addmision to the preimum pass. NOw MY grandmother has the pass as well. My grandmother will buy anywere from 2 to 6 pins each trip. We always eat at least one full meal and much to me now nessicarliry wanting my grandother will buy my daughter some item each time.

So in all the pass allowes us to go more often ture. And I am sure those with out passes are jeluos. I have been there I understand that. But having a pass has not saved us one dime. Instead we spend more. I think we even buy more suvioners becuase we think we are getting a discount with our pass. But it is the old trick you buy more becuase you think you were saving. Many companies will give there "Big spenders" little perks. gift packs, a special evening what ever.
So who are the big spenders at Disneyland. THe guest who comes once ot twice a year? Or the Pass holder that forks out the large money at once and then contiues through out the year?
Just my two cents.


I completely agree! Those of us who are AP holders tend to be the die-hard Disney fanatics who don't mind putting down a couple hundred bucks on merchandise in the park as well because we enjoy it so much. I am not daring enough to see how much I spend yearly but I know DLR gets a huge chunk of my salary each year. I buy a premium for me and deluxes for my husband and daughter and it comes to $818 yearly. When my husband gripes at me I tell to think of it like car insurance, you don't like to pay for it but you have to have it! :D

I would still love for them to bring those E-ticket nights back!

Disney Vault
07-31-2005, 01:09 PM
I have never understood this idea that AP holders are somehow "taking advantage" of Disney, or getting something for nothing, or some other such nonesense. Are AP holders really spending less to get into the park? Is Disney really making less money off of them? Absolutely not. They make more money off of AP holders.
My dad and I go once a year and spend a couple thousand dollars in just a few days. I don't think they make more off of AP holders.

Also I don't think AP holder deserve benifits like an E ticket night. They should be treated just the same as every other guest. That is why I am so happy they didn't have AP previews for Buzz or Space Mt.

sleepyjeff
07-31-2005, 03:46 PM
I have..............
I paid ..........
I bought .........
I didn't...
I would ....
I am ......
.I go .......
I'm spending ..........
I go. ....
I only .......
I buy ..... ..........
I didn't .........
I'd be....




I rest my case ;)

Malcon10t
07-31-2005, 03:53 PM
My dad and I go once a year and spend a couple thousand dollars in just a few days. I don't think they make more off of AP holders. If you are seriously spending that much money in Disneyland (not talking hotels) in a couple days at Disneyland, you would save money if you or your dad had a Deluxe pass. The discounts on food and merchandise alone would pay for the pass, even if you only use it for that trip.

Disneyland recognizes they make more money off of the APs, that is why they do offer the APs the stuff they do.

coronado_g
07-31-2005, 03:54 PM
I rest my case ;)
LOL! Too much! Stop, you're killing me!

Disney Vault
07-31-2005, 04:35 PM
If you are seriously spending that much money in Disneyland (not talking hotels) in a couple days at Disneyland, you would save money if you or your dad had a Deluxe pass. The discounts on food and merchandise alone would pay for the pass, even if you only use it for that trip.

Disneyland recognizes they make more money off of the APs, that is why they do offer the APs the stuff they do.
That does include a hotel btw. We always stay at the Grand Californian so it is going toward Disney.

And I think it was Jim Hill who said they are looking into really increasing the prices of APs. This will make it so fewer people will buy them and to get more money because they aren't making enough from many AP holders.

mckygirl99
07-31-2005, 07:24 PM
Also I don't think AP holder deserve benifits like an E ticket night. They should be treated just the same as every other guest. That is why I am so happy they didn't have AP previews for Buzz or Space Mt.

Well all AP holders are getting tickets for the Halloween party at DCA early and at a discounted rate! Still think they're losing money on all of us? ;)

funatdisney
07-31-2005, 07:51 PM
Well I have gone to DT on $30.00 (for 3) on a day trip. I bring our lunches and eat at Rockets. After a while everything in the gift shops looks the same. I find I desire less from the gifts shops as time goes by. My kids know that every trip to DL doesn't mean they will get to buy what they want. We always have a good time. Now I will admit this is not true for every trip. I do sometimes spend hundreds at the park. Thit happens when there is a special occasion. I also have bought more this year cuz of the 50th stuff. Anyway, my point is you can go for less and have a good time.

Disney Vault
07-31-2005, 07:58 PM
Well all AP holders are getting tickets for the Halloween party at DCA early and at a discounted rate! Still think they're losing money on all of us? ;)
I never said they were losing money on APs. I jist think they make more on out of town guests.

mckygirl99
07-31-2005, 08:20 PM
I never said they were losing money on APs. I jist think they make more on out of town guests.

When I consider the price of APs for a family of 3 (over $800 annually) and the fact that I usually drop $50 each time I go which is close to once a week and sometimes I spend more depending on what I buy, I'd say I am spending the same if not considerably more than people who come from out of town. Most people I know are doing the same. This is why they are planning on giving us more discounts such as priority seating for Fantasmic at a discounted rate b/c they can rely on us to spend the money and this is the reason you're not going to have the same advantages.

adriennek
07-31-2005, 09:25 PM
Not to be rude or anything; but shouldn't the poor suckers paying FULL price to get into the Park have at least the same advantages of those who are getting in(depending on how many times they visit in a year) for a small fraction of the one day admission :confused:

Annual Passholder events were not free events. They were hardticket events that APs had to buy extra tickets to attend. They were much like private events where corporations buy out the parks for the evening: their guests can come in on special hard-tickets during the off-season when the parks would otherwise close at an earlier hour.

APs could buy more than one ticket. For one event, Doc and I bought extra tickets and brought friends who were not APs, so you didn't have to be an AP to attend, you just had to know one.

It was as "fair" as any other after-hours-off-season-hard-ticket event, IMO.

After the disney management blamed APs and the Internet for the failure of Light Tragic, they glowed away...

Adrienne

sleepyjeff
07-31-2005, 10:07 PM
Annual Passholder events were not free events. They were hardticket events that APs had to buy extra tickets to attend. They were much like private events where corporations buy out the parks for the evening: their guests can come in on special hard-tickets during the off-season when the parks would otherwise close at an earlier hour.



Not too thrilled that corporations can buy out the park for the evening either. Someone pays full price they should get a full day imho :(

I don't begrudge APs taking advantage of a good thing......just wonder if they realize what's on the other end of that teeter totter ;)

Malcon10t
07-31-2005, 10:24 PM
I never said they were losing money on APs. I jist think they make more on out of town guests.Many PAPers are out of towners. I'm 6 hours away.

Malcon10t
07-31-2005, 10:28 PM
Not too thrilled that corporations can buy out the park for the evening either. Someone pays full price they should get a full day imho :(

I don't begrudge APs taking advantage of a good thing......just wonder if they realize what's on the other end of that teeter totter ;)The corps buy the park in the fall or spring. The park generally closes at 6pm, and the company comes in at 7pm. The park calendar shows the hours the park is open. A person is free to decide if they want to come in. Same with Grad Nites for high schoolers. Same with a wedding in the park. This has been going on since Walt's time.

adriennek
07-31-2005, 10:30 PM
Not too thrilled that corporations can buy out the park for the evening either. Someone pays full price they should get a full day imho :(

If the park is advertised as closing at 8 and it closes at 8, the people who came aren't getting cheated out of anything. IF they went in the off-season, lines were shorter so they could do more in that day than they could otherwise.

Meanwhile, Disney does a few things:

1- Corporations guarantee a certain number of tickets sold. In the off-season, that number could be higher than they would otherwise have sold for people in the parks in the evenings. Disney needs a certain amount of attendance to make it worth they money to keep the park open.

2- During private parties, they don't need as many CMs to run the park. Many food locations are closed and other services are limited. So the people coming in after-hours are not necessarily getting as much as they would have during a summer evening when the park would be normally open late.

The "full day" visitor isn't getting cheated. If they wanted to come when the park was open later, they can plan to come when the park is open later. "Full day" is subjective.

Adrienne

sleepyjeff
07-31-2005, 11:16 PM
Good points..........but I am still not convinced :)