2018 Price Increases

[jknezek]

True true..but it wasn't that large of an increase from 2011-2015 (we bought our Sep 2017 trip tickets in Feb 2016 at the 2015 prices). That's more of what I'm meaning. The price increases seem to be at a larger amount than before. For me personally if I looked each year I'll drive myself crazy instead of looking at the price when I'm ready for a trip (and hopefully I can plan ahead like I did for this last trip and get them early enough to minimize the price increase). It could just be me and how I think about it lol.

Ok. I'm confused on the bolded part. Single and multi-day tickets bought before the price increase must be used before the end of the year of purchase. So tickets bought in Feb 16 at the 15 prices, would have needed the first day to be used on or before 12/31/16. Unless the rules were different in that year than they are now. For example, I cannot buy multi-day tickets for my Jan '19 trip before the price increase on 2/11, because tickets bought before that date must have first day of use on or before 12/31/18.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Ok. I'm confused on the bolded part. Single and multi-day tickets bought before the price increase must be used before the end of the year of purchase. So tickets bought in Feb 16 at the 15 prices, would have needed the first day to be used on or before 12/31/16. Unless the rules were different in that year than they are now. For example, I cannot buy multi-day tickets for my Jan '19 trip before the price increase on 2/11, because tickets bought before that date must have first day of use on or before 12/31/18.

The expiration on first use is pretty new, like within the last year.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I hate to be the negative Nancy, because I don't like price increases either and definitely have to budget to afford my trips, but the flipside of this is that until they eventually price some people out, the crowded-all-the-time feeling that seems to have become the norm here lately won't ever let up.

yeah, it is such a weird situation in that the two big complaints are about the cost and the crowds - usually the way the market works is when prices go up supply goes down but that doesn't seem to happen with Disney.

 

[Lee Matthews]

I hate to be the negative Nancy, because I don't like price increases either and definitely have to budget to afford my trips, but the flipside of this is that until they eventually price some people out, the crowded-all-the-time feeling that seems to have become the norm here lately won't ever let up.

100% agree

I’m fine with price rises if it’s eventually going to thin out the parks. It’s just too crowded at the moment

 

[jknezek]

yeah, it is such a weird situation in that the two big complaints are about the cost and the crowds - usually the way the market works is when prices go up supply goes down but that doesn't seem to happen with Disney.

The parks are absolutely dependent on the economic cycle. As an aspirational good for middle, upper middle, and lower upper classes, define those as you will, attendance soars when times are good regardless of price increases and attendance plummets when times are bad, though the plummet is more dependent on pricing in terms of discounts than the rise...

 

[skier_pete]

I hate to be the negative Nancy, because I don't like price increases either and definitely have to budget to afford my trips, but the flipside of this is that until they eventually price some people out, the crowded-all-the-time feeling that seems to have become the norm here lately won't ever let up.

This is a good point, and what's happened with APs in DLR. At least in California Disney is really actively trying to reduce attendance from AP holders. Not sure this applies to WDW though, I think here it's more about knowing you have the crowds coming, and a small loss can be offset.

 

[Disneymom1126]

So...my plan was to buy APs for us this year because we plan to go November 2018 and November 2019 (and maybe another long weekend in between) for enough days that it would make sense...but now I'm not so sure! The AP is a significant increase ($779-$849). I was planning on saving money over the next few months to pay for it...Everyone cross your fingers my tax refund comes before Sunday

 

[JETSDAD]

I'll say this - happy I bought our APs with the DVC deal last year, and that I was able to also buy a 7-day ticket for DDs friend that we are bringing this summer, because with the $40 I already saved on the 7-day for 5-day ticket, plus the increase, looks like that'll be close to a $90 savings.

It astounds me that they are able to increase the prices the way they do and yet more and more people come. I keep thinking that they are really going to suffer a LOT the next time there is a severe economic downturn.

The more they jack them up while times are good the better the 'discounts' will look when times aren't so good.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ok. I'm confused on the bolded part. Single and multi-day tickets bought before the price increase must be used before the end of the year of purchase. So tickets bought in Feb 16 at the 15 prices, would have needed the first day to be used on or before 12/31/16. Unless the rules were different in that year than they are now. For example, I cannot buy multi-day tickets for my Jan '19 trip before the price increase on 2/11, because tickets bought before that date must have first day of use on or before 12/31/18.

@disneygirlsng is correct. The tickets that we bought expired technically in 2030 for WDW but that was only shown once we inputted them into MDE. The Universal tickets didn't show an expiration date.

Both WDW and USO now have expiration dates on their tickets. The in-laws who were supposed to go with us but backed out due to stamina issues still have their tickets they bought. If they don't go before we go we may see if we can buy their tickets (they have not been linked yet into MDE purposefully) as their tickets are under the old policy.

The addition of the expiration date occurred after we bought our tickets in Feb 2016 (at the 2015 price point). I *think* single day ticket expiration dates were added in the 2016 price increase and multi-day ticket expiration dates were added in the 2017 price increase.

 

[rteetz]

Here Are the Expected 2018 Walt Disney World Ticket Price Increases

 

[rteetz]

If you have the means and are planning on buying an AP within the next few years I would buy it now. It doesn't expire until 2030 right now whereas a regular ticket would expire in 2019. Just a thought to help save people money.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Am I reading this correctly? It seems now that the cost of the park hopper option is based on when it's going to be used (value, regular, or peak season).

 

[wareagle57]

If you have the means and are planning on buying an AP within the next few years I would buy it now. It doesn't expire until 2030 right now whereas a regular ticket would expire in 2019. Just a thought to help save people money.

Forget bitcoin. Put all your money on WDW AP Futures! Can you imagine what a AP will cost in 2030?

 

[TheFloatingBear]

If you have the means and are planning on buying an AP within the next few years I would buy it now. It doesn't expire until 2030 right now whereas a regular ticket would expire in 2019. Just a thought to help save people money.

I didn't realize that...if you buy it now to activate later, does it need to be assigned to someone specifically, or can you just purchase it for future use? - sorry, I'm not really well-versed in APs!

 

[TwoMisfits]

It will be interesting, now that the domestic job market is in full take-off mode, but the markets are now heading to correction mode, if we'll finally see who the audience of Disney really is. In theory, if it is still solidly the middle-class, this should be a banner year for attendance. If it's the upper class tier (the 20-2%ers), they could really take a hit this year if folks start feeling like they are "less rich" soon...

 

[rteetz]

I didn't realize that...if you buy it now to activate later, does it need to be assigned to someone specifically, or can you just purchase it for future use? - sorry, I'm not really well-versed in APs!

I'm not sure on specifics. I am thinking you can just purchase for future use.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

I'm not sure on specifics. I am thinking you can just purchase for future use.

I'll look into it - thanks!

 

[mshanson3121]

Pretty hefty increase on multi-day tickets and APs, wow... $50 increase for 5 day passes... that isn't a small increase when you're a family of four....

 

[mshanson3121]

I hate to be the negative Nancy, because I don't like price increases either and definitely have to budget to afford my trips, but the flipside of this is that until they eventually price some people out, the crowded-all-the-time feeling that seems to have become the norm here lately won't ever let up.

Most regular people though, don't care. They don't notice it because they don't know any different.

 

[Auntof2]

If you have the means and are planning on buying an AP within the next few years I would buy it now. It doesn't expire until 2030 right now whereas a regular ticket would expire in 2019. Just a thought to help save people money.

So we are considering (well, "I" am considering, and assume my husband will go along) with buying annual passes in the future. Would probably do so for a point where SWGE, anything for the 50th, and the new Epcot overlap, which I assume is 2020 or 2021. Are you saying that we should (umm, I mean I should) buy the passes now and not activate them, and that they could then be activated in a few years when I decide that we're going to spend a year only vacationing in Orlando (we live in Atlanta, so we have the choice of flying or driving). And how does this work with fast passes? I should also say that I assume that on top of this to actually get into SWGE we'll be paying some sort of premium for a tour like AK has or for pre or post-park special hours. Adding to the picture, we normally stay at the Swolphin on points though it also wouldn't surprise me if that option goes away or becomes more difficult.