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Thread: AP Refund vs. Extension Questions: Pros? Cons?

  1. #101
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    I'm surprised they pulled the trigger so early. I had heard speculation about cancellation already but it would be closer to reopening. APs still get a discount for now - great - but with APs being the majority visitors I think after the initial wave of enthusiasm the park attendance will be quite low. Which will also mean I guess Disney mgmt can advertise wide open spaces and the save money on labor.

    I guess this will be the test if Disney can really make it a true resort destination like WDW over the long haul. Short term (,6 months, 1 year) it will be busy. Over time though, hmmm

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    I'm not surprised it was now. Yet I don't think they can ever make DLR a true resort destination like WDW. It wouldn't work because of the location and all that is around it. It will be interesting to see how long now before they announce what this "membership" will be and how it will work. As well as how they will take guests once the parks can reopen. I don't know if the parks will be empty when its time to reopen either. I think many will gladly pay for whatever ticket to get in when it opens. Shall see though what happens I guess and like I said where it ends up leaving many of us APers.
    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

    According to my princess, its not Star Wars land its "You stole my goats away from me!!......in progress land"

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  3. #102
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    My thought on the Flex was that they were attempting to balance price with a controlled attendance model. Since the majority of passholders did not move to flex (from what I understand) you could say the idea didn't work.

    My guess on a membership group? Pay an annual fee - reserve a date you can come to the park but pay full price to get in (see below), and discounts. Maybe a special event or two, separate admission required of course.

    Why full price? This is still the primary way Disneyland garners the majority of it's countable revenue against attendance. This is also why they were more afraid of sig and sig plus holders than anyone else -, thinking these folks would come every day. There's been no announcement - just my thought from following the park ebb and flow concerning ticket media over the years.

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  4. #103
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    My first 2 cents is Good. There were too many APs. It needed paring down. My.Opinion.

    Secondly, I'm willing to bet soup to nuts they already know what they're going to do. They're just not going to announce it til closer to opening. If I was them I certainly wouldn't want months of press about the new decision, giving the masses months to complain about it.

    Karin


  5. #104
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Sidebar - the lack of consistency with Disneyland AP email notification is astounding. Over the years I have checked and rechecked the email contact info and it's correct. But I probably get 1 of every 6 emails or so. If you're going to change the program - fix everything.

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  6. #105
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    Sidebar - the lack of consistency with Disneyland AP email notification is astounding. Over the years I have checked and rechecked the email contact info and it's correct. But I probably get 1 of every 6 emails or so. If you're going to change the program - fix everything.

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    OMG this please!!! When its something important like this and one doesn't look at DL sites like this or social media sites its important that gets through. I've told them a few times I don't get the emails. I am going to be surprised if whatever email sent out on this goes through to me. I know I've checked more times than I want to remember to make sure it was all in place to get their emails but it just doesn't go through to me.
    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

    According to my princess, its not Star Wars land its "You stole my goats away from me!!......in progress land"

  7. #106
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    Sidebar - the lack of consistency with Disneyland AP email notification is astounding. Over the years I have checked and rechecked the email contact info and it's correct. But I probably get 1 of every 6 emails or so. If you're going to change the program - fix everything.

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    I just talked to a friend who is also an AP and she hasn't gotten the email notification yet. *eyeroll*
    Karin


  8. #107
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    For transparency I finally did receive my email. Why the difference in timing is beyond me.

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    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  9. #108
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    Quote Originally Posted by Karin View Post
    I just talked to a friend who is also an AP and she hasn't gotten the email notification yet. *eyeroll*
    I haven't either and not expecting to knowing how it goes.
    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

    According to my princess, its not Star Wars land its "You stole my goats away from me!!......in progress land"

  10. #109
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    My thought on the Flex was that they were attempting to balance price with a controlled attendance model. Since the majority of passholders did not move to flex (from what I understand) you could say the idea didn't work.

    My guess on a membership group? Pay an annual fee - reserve a date you can come to the park but pay full price to get in (see below), and discounts. Maybe a special event or two, separate admission required of course.

    Why full price? This is still the primary way Disneyland garners the majority of it's countable revenue against attendance. This is also why they were more afraid of sig and sig plus holders than anyone else -, thinking these folks would come every day. There's been no announcement - just my thought from following the park ebb and flow concerning ticket media over the years.

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    I'm curious about your guess on membership. What would be my incentive to become a member - if I still have pay full price on admission. Would it simply be the discounts? Or would you anticipate preferential booking on park reservations?
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  11. #110
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    As a Premier Pass Holder, I am waiting on what the Disney World Pass price is that I have until the end of April to buy

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  12. #111

    My wife and I both have Disneyland accounts and current email contact information. Neither of us ever receives emails.

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  13. #112

    I don't think they're worried about attendance at all right now. I think that they would rather eliminate the expectation of the APs chomping at the bit to go multiple times per week that capacity will support that. I think that as capacity increases (likely slowly over a long period of time) you will see former APs continuing to take multiple trips. I know people who are highly ritualistic about their trips and spend hundreds of dollars almost every time they go for a single day. Even if the cost of a ticket is $150-200 it is not a huge difference to them. If some of the things they spend money on aren't available, the budget just shifts to include the ticket price.


  14. #113
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by june1st1997 View Post
    I'm curious about your guess on membership. What would be my incentive to become a member - if I still have pay full price on admission. Would it simply be the discounts? Or would you anticipate preferential booking on park reservations?
    I'm thinking this - if u buy one day ticket you pay full. Maybe after a few tickets u buy u can start getting discounted tickets. Something along those lines. This way they may keep crowds down and folks won't crowd and those that are spending real dollars will start to see benefits. More revenue, less crowds, in the direction of what they want. Yes discounts on merch and food. Even tiered so if u buy more u get more discount. That may be harder to track.

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  15. #114
    Healthy and Happy june1st1997's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    I'm thinking this - if u buy one day ticket you pay full. Maybe after a few tickets u buy u can start getting discounted tickets. Something along those lines. This way they may keep crowds down and folks won't crowd and those that are spending real dollars will start to see benefits. More revenue, less crowds, in the direction of what they want. Yes discounts on merch and food. Even tiered so if u buy more u get more discount. That may be harder to track.

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    That sounds like a pretty good guess.

    It's funny. I got an email about the APs from Disney. We no longer have APs, but we did have them pre-pandemic. We decided we would not be renewing. DD will be 15 in a few weeks and DH hasn't been in years. We just aren't going as much as we used to, and I loved having the pass, knowing I COULD go anytime I wanted, the fact of the matter is, I don't need an AP to do that and I was not getting any financial benefit by having the AP. We have been APs for over 20 years. We have been 100's of times.

    But right now - TODAY.... I have no idea when I will be comfortable going back. I have been in my house since March. Yes, DD plays tennis, and I went to the mall (outdoor with a mask) 4 times in the late summer - that's it. I have not been around crowds in a long time. The idea really makes me uncomfortable. I have nightmares about being out in the world and realizing I do not have a mask on. I am hoping after everyone in my house gets vaccinated - that I will feel differently. I envy all of you who are so anxious and eager to get back there.
    Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't

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  16. #115
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    Quote Originally Posted by june1st1997 View Post
    That sounds like a pretty good guess.

    It's funny. I got an email about the APs from Disney. We no longer have APs, but we did have them pre-pandemic. We decided we would not be renewing. DD will be 15 in a few weeks and DH hasn't been in years. We just aren't going as much as we used to, and I loved having the pass, knowing I COULD go anytime I wanted, the fact of the matter is, I don't need an AP to do that and I was not getting any financial benefit by having the AP. We have been APs for over 20 years. We have been 100's of times.

    But right now - TODAY.... I have no idea when I will be comfortable going back. I have been in my house since March. Yes, DD plays tennis, and I went to the mall (outdoor with a mask) 4 times in the late summer - that's it. I have not been around crowds in a long time. The idea really makes me uncomfortable. I have nightmares about being out in the world and realizing I do not have a mask on. I am hoping after everyone in my house gets vaccinated - that I will feel differently. I envy all of you who are so anxious and eager to get back there.
    I can understand that. We have been beyond careful and its gotten a little to close to us not sure if we were all put at risk a few times. Mostly thanks to my husband's job. One of his co-workers has lost 2 friends recently to it. My husband's got a cousin who's spouse has it and 2 aunts that one was around the spouse and the other works in a not great environment IMO. Those 2 aunts live together. We had already been doing homeschooling for years so we didn't have to worry about that area at all.

    I will say while I am anxious to be able to go back to the parks, I am also leery because of how so many are around here. I have no faith in most doing what is asked of them since so many don't care to now. At the same time though, I think that all the precautions and guidelines in place, that the parks at the beginning will probably be the safer time to go than a month or so later. Its only because as time goes on things always start to slack off on making sure rules are followed. I've read trip reports over this time since WDW opened and its shown the slacking that is going on over the months. There was talk on another board in that area where some think its part lazy, part tired of dealing with the attitudes given back, and part afraid of the guests. The plexiglass be shoved on rides with then packing guests on rides does nothing for me and gives me little faith in Disney as well in safety. Especially with a ride like Smuggler's Run. So I've been on the fence about if we would go right away if we could or not. Especially since we have been so careful this whole time and done our best to not bring in our home. Of course, I do have my Disturbed mask that looks really nice with a pair of Minnie ears ready to be worn when it is time and we are ok with going as well. LOL

    My husband and I had actually gone last on Valentine's Day. We were going a bunch. He had just finally decided to get an AP again when GE opened. We were having fun with our date nights again as well. So I do miss all that. As well as the days with the kids too. I don't know what they will consider a membership and what they will do. I won't even guess. I've seen some guesses that I could see as maybes and others that its probably not even possible or made no sense. At the end of the day whatever they decide will be something that they think will give them a good profit from.

    BTW, still have not had the email from them on this.
    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

    According to my princess, its not Star Wars land its "You stole my goats away from me!!......in progress land"

  17. #116
    Quote Originally Posted by olegc View Post
    I'm thinking this - if u buy one day ticket you pay full. Maybe after a few tickets u buy u can start getting discounted tickets. Something along those lines. This way they may keep crowds down and folks won't crowd and those that are spending real dollars will start to see benefits. More revenue, less crowds, in the direction of what they want. Yes discounts on merch and food. Even tiered so if u buy more u get more discount. That may be harder to track.

    Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
    This seems like a throwback to the old Magic Kingdom Club.

  18. #117

    The pandemic just keeps on taking doesn't it.

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  19. #118
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Well there was a report out there that the pass program was going to go through major changes last year - like maybe doing away with all except Sig Plus and then coming up with a modified Flex. So the pandemic just gave them a great reason.

    I also referenced a really old article from Al Lutz in 2011 where Disney was talking about a membership program back then - sort of like a gym membership instead of an annual dates thing. You just keep paying and paying. Of course that just sounds like the monthly payment option but the trick would be implementing reservations as well as balancing revenue with capacity. Whatever their direction within three years I predict we will be back to large crowds during peak times again. The money is too good.

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    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  20. #119

    This should also resolve some/all of the lawsuits alleging that Disney (and other theme parks) stole their money by not refunding their annual passes. if the new program is anything other than identical to the prior program (and I think we can all agree that it is highly unlikely to be identical) then giving pro rata refunds and starting over seems like the thing to do. And without having to worry about rolling out annual pass changes over a the year-long renewal period, this will hopefully be easier for them to implement when they are ready to introduce the new memberships.


  21. #120

    As much as I understand why this had to be done, it still really stung


  22. #121
    Quote Originally Posted by NickP View Post
    As much as I understand why this had to be done, it still really stung
    This is exactly how I feel. I get it, but UGH. I know it doesn't affect my reality right this minute because they aren't open, but my heart was counting on the months I was going to have my AP extended when they do open back up.

  23. #122
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    Quote Originally Posted by NickP View Post
    As much as I understand why this had to be done, it still really stung
    Quote Originally Posted by Shortpix77 View Post
    This is exactly how I feel. I get it, but UGH. I know it doesn't affect my reality right this minute because they aren't open, but my heart was counting on the months I was going to have my AP extended when they do open back up.
    I'm with you both on this. It was like that little hope left to get through all the crazy we have had going on.

    Editing to add: Still no email from them on this either.
    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

    According to my princess, its not Star Wars land its "You stole my goats away from me!!......in progress land"

  24. #123
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    I felt the same way too - sort of like getting laid off from my job (that kind of happened this week to me - but it was a highly recommended transfer internally). Stomach drops, and you have this really melancholy feeling.

    I read the LA times story this morning about it - and I noted about Ken Potrock's comments they printed "“A nice part of this is creating a variety of different ways for people to access the park,” Potrock said. “If they want to come every single day, do we have a program that allows them do that? If they want to come midweek, do we have a program that allows them to do that?”". so wow, doesnt that sound like keeping some of the features they have today? Ken makes it sound like they are still working on it - but i have to think this has been a hot topic in discussions for about 6 months at a minimum. The decision couldn't have been made last minute. Someone else noted that the timing makes sense so they can clear out all the refunds now (and not take on more burden) and then they will be able to announce a clean program.

    The sad thing for me right now as well? not knowing if I will run to those of you on here who I've met in person before. Over time we'd always run into each other at least once a year. Now, who knows. it will happen once the programs are announced but until then the gut is still punched.

    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  25. #124

    Been a passholder since they first started the program. Im retiring this year and was so looking forward to really being able to use my pass to go during the week (I live 4 hours away and have been limited to weekends and summer break...teacher).. So not too happy but totally understand. Waiting to see what the new "membership" is but more importantly just waiting for a reopening.

    Cruising the Seas... Looking for the Pearl

  26. #125
    Quote Originally Posted by GrumpyGoofyGuy View Post
    I called just now and the castmember I spoke to (Amy) told me our fully paid but not activated AP's will have the activate by date adjusted when the parks finally open adding 1 year from that date. I questioned that since Pammer had received a completely different answer a few months ago. The castmember put me on hold and came back after a couple minutes. She confirmed the information she gave me was correct. I'll call back after Christmas and make sure I get the same answer.
    Hey I thought of you and Pammer after waiting on hold 3 hours to talk to a AP castmember yesterday and finally getting some answers. January 2020 I purchased and paid in full for 3 Signature APs with MaxPass with plans to activate about a year later (now). Activation never occurred. In previous conversations with castmembers about these passes it was made clear to me that a refund was not an option for "the contractholder" (me).

    That all changed yesterday. They're refunding the amount in full to the payment method originally used. Thought you'd like to know. ETA on that refund is unknown, but by calling and giving them the serial numbers the ball is rolling at least. You may wanna do the same.
    Your attention, please. The Disneyland Limited now leaving for a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Aboaaard!

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