Inventory This High?

[SL6827]

End of January -- usually the last week...although this year I crossed over Jan/Feb.

I had forgotten about this. Glad your post reminded me.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

We still have APs right now -- but at $900 renewal fee for each -- I'm really starting to question whether I want to keep paying that.

There are plenty of people out there, that would kill to be able to buy APs at this price, with zero discounts.

true -- but people with really high net worths aren't usually disneyphiles.

Really? then who's doing all these VIP tours and paying rack rate staying at Princess Diana suites and grand villas?

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Living in So Cal, we own enough points for two 5-night stays in any 2BR in WDW, plus a shorter trip to Aulani every year. With a total of 10 nights in WDW, we only do maybe 6 or 7 theme park days every year. Our +/- number for AP's is probably around $1,000, so it's not a huge deal for us either way (I've found I park hop less and less as well, so I'll add a hopper option only on days we think we'll actually use it).. Bringing back a $900 AP wouldn't make me run out and buy another 200 points, that's for sure. We're not anti-AP by any stretch, if fact we all have Dream Keys at DLR, but only needing theme park access for 6 or so days a year doesn't make a lack of AP's a do or die issue for us.

I will say there is some convenience to just having the AP, and not needing to buy two separate 5-day passes every year, so I will give that nod to the AP.

The AP dynamic at DLR and WDW are completely separate dynamics. I had the Magic Keys when they first released and made 3 trips with it before they expired. But that was only because I had a lot of banked points from the pandemic. Having the AP flexibility at DLR was nice, being able to go to a park everyday. But I also quickly realized that level of vacationing was unsustainable, and prompted me to cancel it instead of prompting me to buy more points.

In WDW, the sheer distance from Hawaii prohibits us to go more than once a year. Most of time, it's every other year. We go for 2 weeks but a 10-day pass is more than enough for us. I suppose we can justify an AP if we decided to go twice in that year, but then I would be spending way too much money on airfare and everything else. I personally hope the APs never come back. But I get why people would want them.

 

[kilik64]

I personally hope the APs never come back.

Why?

 

[DonMacGregor]

The AP dynamic at DLR and WDW are completely separate dynamics.

Totally agree. Just mentioned the Magic Key so as not to be branded an AP hater.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Why?

My perception, is that APs facilitate overcrowding. I am not a local to either parks. I only visit once a year so not having APs do not effect me at all. I understand the issue is contentious. But I think Disney would solve overcrowding in an instant if EVERYONE had to pay day tickets.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

not to be branded an AP hater.

Damn. Did I just put a target on myself?....

 

[tidefan]

My perception, is that APs facilitate overcrowding. I am not a local to either parks. I only visit once a year so not having APs do not effect me at all. I understand the issue is contentious. But I think Disney would solve overcrowding in an instant if EVERYONE had to pay day tickets.

Well, I think the issue is perhaps more local than I thought. We are in Alabama and have many friends in GA, SC, etc, where driving to WDW just isn’t an issue. However, many do not have access to AP’s now. Just in the members we know locally, many are talking about downsizing membership without an AP.

We used to always go for Spring Break, for instance, but the last two years, it’s been Carnival Mardi Gras and Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady. We still go over Labor Day for whatever form the Halloween party is, but when you can cruise for a week on close to what tickets would cost and that includes your food, it’s hard for a WDW trip to win out, even with the room paid for. I know our per day spend may not be as high, but it’s still dollars going elsewhere.

But, as everyone says, Disney just fills it with someone else, so good for them.

The other thing I think is taking getting used to is that we all realized DVC perks could come and go, but I think a lot of us thought the perk was the AP discount, not that the APs just wouldn’t be sold…

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Well, I think the issue is perhaps more local than I thought. We are in Alabama and have many friends in GA, SC, etc, where driving to WDW just isn’t an issue. However, many do not have access to AP’s now. Just in the members we know locally, many are talking about downsizing membership without an AP.

We used to always go for Spring Break, for instance, but the last two years, it’s been Carnival Mardi Gras and Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady. We still go over Labor Day for whatever form the Halloween party is, but when you can cruise for a week on close to what tickets would cost and that includes your food, it’s hard for a WDW trip to win out, even with the room paid for. I know our per day spend may not be as high, but it’s still dollars going elsewhere.

But, as everyone says, Disney just fills it with someone else, so good for them.

The other thing I think is taking getting used to is that we all realized DVC perks could come and go, but I think a lot of us thought the perk was the AP discount, not that the APs just wouldn’t be sold…

Yeah, I completely understand. The Annual Pass was probably THE greatest perk that incentivized DVC buying. Unfortunately, DVD has zero control over DPEP who control APs. And there is no incentive for DPEP to offer APs to DVC, or for anyone for that matter. The numbers don't lie. Disney is in desperate need of raising revenue, especially when they're losing billions every quarter on their streaming s&it hole. And no other division raises more money than the Parks. And no source of revenue is greater than park tickets, which are pricey to say the least. But if their golden goose that is the parks, starts losing guests due to "poor guest experience", I don't see any other way around it, but to decrease attendance. And how else would you do that, when there are thousands of AP holders, who can enter the parks pretty much whenever they want to? Those people will probably say, Disney can increase park capacity by building a 5th gate, or park expansions, or extending hours. Disney has done the latter. They've proposed doing the second. But all of those would mean huge capital investments, which at the moment, is precarious at best in the current economy. I have no personal angst against AP holders. If I was a local, I would definitely want one too. But I'm not. And it's just the way I feel.

 

[tidefan]

Yeah, I completely understand. The Annual Pass was probably THE greatest perk that incentivized DVC buying. Unfortunately, DVD has zero control over DPEP who control APs. And there is no incentive for DPEP to offer APs to DVC, or for anyone for that matter. The numbers don't lie. Disney is in desperate need of raising revenue, especially when they're losing billions every quarter on their streaming s&it hole. And no other division raises more money than the Parks. And no source of revenue is greater than park tickets, which are pricey to say the least. But if their golden goose that is the parks, starts losing guests due to "poor guest experience", I don't see any other way around it, but to decrease attendance. And how else would you do that, when there are thousands of AP holders, who can enter the parks pretty much whenever they want to? Those people will probably say, Disney can increase park capacity by building a 5th gate, or park expansions, or extending hours. Disney has done the latter. They've proposed doing the second. But all of those would mean huge capital investments, which at the moment, is precarious at best in the current economy. I have no personal angst against AP holders. If I was a local, I would definitely want one too. But I'm not. And it's just the way I feel.

But locals still have AP’s…

 

[HIRyeDVC]

But locals still have AP’s…

True. But I get why Disney needs locals to have them, in times of economic downturns. I simply see it as a numbers game. If more people have it, then more crowded it will be, which will directly impact the overall guest experience. My guess is, DPEP has a magical number they have in place, of the amount of AP holders it can have without completely destroying the current guest experience. Whenever that number drops enough because of non-renewals, is when they'll probably release another batch of APs for non-locals. And when that happens, it will be a buying frenzy like no other, without discounts, telling Disney that the APs, as expensive as they are, are completely underpriced for what they offer, which is almost limitless access to the parks.

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

I personally hope the APs never come back.

Ooofff... Oh boy.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Ooofff... Oh boy.

I know. I said it. We're still friends right?

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Not selling the AP to DVC members is about the dumbest thing they could do. Discounted APs are basically the gateway drug to buying MORE points. And if you have to be a direct member to get the discounted AP, that just further drives more demand for direct purchases.

This is what happens when each corporate entity is only looking at their silo and there isn't someone taking a more holistic approach to the whole thing.

Yeah, also this.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I suppose we can justify an AP if we decided to go twice in that year, but then I would be spending way too much money on airfare and everything else. I personally hope the APs never come back. But I get why people would want them.

They way to benefit was to go twice within the 12 month timeframe of the AP so close to once a year but offset slightly. Then wait to purchase your next AP and time visits that way again.

 

[Lumpy1106]

My perception, is that APs facilitate overcrowding. I am not a local to either parks. I only visit once a year so not having APs do not effect me at all. I understand the issue is contentious. But I think Disney would solve overcrowding in an instant if EVERYONE had to pay day tickets.

This is certainly the case in DL/DCA - not so much in WDW. Pre-C we did not own an AP and would only go to DL/DCA on the (higher-priced) days when all but the very top level of APs were blocked. It cut the crowd in half.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

They way to benefit was to go twice within the 12 month timeframe of the AP so close to once a year but offset slightly. Then wait to purchase your next AP and time visits that way again.

This is what I meant. Even with this plan, I'd still spend a ton of money for airfares and everything else. Yes, I would save around $1000 by going twice within the 12 mo timeframe on tickets. But it'll be offset by other costs. But that's just MY personal situation. Believe me, I'd go to WDW more often if I could.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

This is certainly the case in DL/DCA - not so much in WDW. Pre-C we did not own an AP and would only go to DL/DCA on the (higher-priced) days when all but the very top level of APs were blocked. It cut the crowd in half.

yeah. DLR is a complete "locals" park. It's completely overrun. WDW "locals" probably mean the entire South East. Are you saying that crowds on AP blocked out dates like Christmas week is cut in half? What universe is this?!

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Been listening to Chad Pennycuff much? I don't disagree. But I'm not sure many DVC owners want APs. I certainly don't, living so far away. I'm willing to bet AP holding DVC members are a small percentage,...well, obviously more so now since they stopped selling them. But I agree. Having APs would prompt DVC members to go more, pushing them to want more points. I get it.

I don’t know, the breakeven point for the Sorcerers pass, if you timed it correctly, could be one weeklong trip per year. (This was when you could let the pass lapse between trips without worrying about having to renew it, so you could effectively get two trips, 358 days apart, every other year).

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

My perception, is that APs facilitate overcrowding. I am not a local to either parks. I only visit once a year so not having APs do not effect me at all. I understand the issue is contentious. But I think Disney would solve overcrowding in an instant if EVERYONE had to pay day tickets.

What makes you think that Disney wants lower crowds?