Disney Annual Pass Price Hike

[jsucool76]

Anyone else totally pissed about the price hike of disney annual passes? I paid $550 for my florida resident annual pass (I did the monthjly payment program) and was able to use 10,000 barclaycard arrival miles as a credit against the downpayment. Lowered my cost to $450. 

My $550 annual pass had no blockout dates....the renewal for that pass (used to be around $480) is now $584! Totalllllll garbage. 

[Anonymous]

I would agree totally!

Unfortunately, they pretty much have a 'license to steal' with having a high quality and unique product.

The break even point for an annual pass used to be between 7 and 8 days of regular tickets, is that still true?

I also read that they are considering a ticket plan that would charge more for the day of the week that you visit.

And they already charge more for a ticket to the Magic Kingdom than the other parks.

Before our big credit problems, we were long time annual pass holders and I hope to get back to that again next year, after my rebuilding efforts have improved scores.  We have a ton of great memories there.

We also like the Disney Cruises.  My favorite has been the 7 day Eastern Caribbean, but I could easily be talked into a 3 or 4 day cruise as well.  I hope to get back to that again too.

I have actually been standing in a line at a cash register to pay for something and have a foreign person in front of me that appeared affluent, but didnt speak much English and they would open a wallet filled with cash and offer it to the cashier for them to take what was necessary.   I think as long as they have a long line of people making reservations and spending big money, it is going to be more expensive for us every year.

The only good point for us is that my DW has 12 shares of Disney Stock with the physical certificate delivered to her, so she can display it in a frame with the artwork, and the value has gone up a lot in the past couple years.   It is now up to 106 and change, she bought it a few years ago at 24.  I think years ago, they had a shareholders discount but I think its long gone.

[jsucool76]

As far as the breakeven point, i can buy 8 days worth of disney in the "magic your way" tickets for $513 (though they're riddled with blockout dates). Disney sent me a letter saying...basically "Hey, we increased the price of your pass, BUT...we're opening star wars land, and the downtown disney/disney springs renovations are just about done...so...it's all good." I mean hell, parking is increasing to like $21/day or something, which is ridiculous. At least the annual pass gets the 10-20% off at restaurants. That's 80% of my disney trips....eating. lol.

I normally go for 3 or 4 days every like...2 months or so, so I end up at the point where the annual pass makes sense for me, but i just hate to see the price hike. My first day for elligible renewal was today (october 14) and AAA had the OLD ticket prices until midnight this morning/last night.....that's the part that really pissed me off.

[Anonymous]

Dont know if it is still in place or not, but I used to be able to pay the money to renew my AP and then submit the voucher when I was actually standing at the ticket window.  I could get 30 months out of a two year pass.  I guess that one is gone now, but it worked when I lived in Ohio.

I am also a FL resident now.  I know if you get a regular FL Res AP, you dont pay for parking.  If you get the FL Res Seasonal pass, you do have to pay for parking.

Back in the good ole days before my credit crash, I used to have the Disney Dining Experience pass that gave me good dining discounts too, and access to extra cost special events.

I am looking forward to getting those things back soon.

I am at one trip a year for two days now, but still great times.

[kdm31091]

Disney is expensive, has always been and always will be. Its just how it goes. At the end of the day, its a luxury so if one has to cut back, they have to cut back. Id love to go every year. Cant afford it so I go every few years. It is what it is. You dont have to have an annual pass just because you live in FL.

[jsucool76]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Dont know if it is still in place or not, but I used to be able to pay the money to renew my AP and then submit the voucher when I was actually standing at the ticket window.  I could get 30 months out of a two year pass.  I guess that one is gone now, but it worked when I lived in Ohio.

I am also a FL resident now.  I know if you get a regular FL Res AP, you dont pay for parking.  If you get the FL Res Seasonal pass, you do have to pay for parking.

Back in the good ole days before my credit crash, I used to have the Disney Dining Experience pass that gave me good dining discounts too, and access to extra cost special events.

I am looking forward to getting those things back soon.

I am at one trip a year for two days now, but still great times.

---

1. Yeah, I thought about that first thing last night. "Damn, I shoulda just bought it before." 

2. There is no more seasonal pass, There is a weekday select pass, a silver annual pass, a gold annual pass, a platinum annual pass, and a platinum plus annual pass now. All of which include parking now. 

3. Sounds like tables in wonderland. I've considered that, as it gets discounted with an annual pass, and we easily spend 1-200 for every lunch, and like 3-400 for every dinner. lol. Also offers free valet at resorts if you're eating there. 

[Anonymous]

I just looked at the prices on the Disney site -

Oh my, they are really proud of those annual passes!

I would need the Platinum level annual pass cause my daughter teaches school in Ohio and can only come down to FL during the blackout dates around the Christmas Break.  They need daily tickets and my DW and I would need the Platinum at 691 each.

I dont see that happening this year either so I'll be in the daily ticket line again.

Maybe another time, Disney!

I am just one lottery ticket away!

[SunriseEarth]

Meanwhile, at Disneyland, I'm curious to see what the effect will be here.   Many people in SoCal have APs for Disney.  It's a popular place to go after work or on a date night or the weekend, so the crowds are overwhelming.   I'm wondering if many passholders will scale back?

I just renewed my Premium pass effective a few days before the price hike.   I'm doing monthly payments using BBR, which will be like getting a $100 discount.  Most likely, I will renew at the Signature level and not the higher Signature Plus.   I can forgo a few days near Xmas and New Years to save $200...plus, those are horrible times to go to the park anyway...WAY too crowded!

[jsucool76]

The AP for Disneyland is like over 1k now, and it's nothing compared to Florida Disney.