Are you considering not renewing your Annual Pass?

[Pooh's World]

Not renewing. Disney treats us like trash so getting the Universal AP which is much cheaper

 

[HopperFan]

DS1 and I had APs for about 12 years until August 2019. DS2 had an AP off and on. We go 4-6 weeks per year. Initially we had the big boy out of state AP, then in 2016 we began getting the biggest FL Resident AP.

The entire year of 2019 I had "lost my joy" mostly due to other guests behaviors in the park. I loved the parks and CMs but became intolerant of the rude bad behavior. I decided we needed a break so we booked our first Disneyland trip for the 3 of us plus Dad, letting AP expire. We were going to DL summer of 2020 (and talked of Disneyland Paris Summer of 2021) with plans to get new APs in September. Our plan was likely the weekday AP because our trips were now weekend at beach, drive to WDW M-F then back to the beach. Weekends in the parks had really become too crowded.

WELL COVID hit, DL trip was cancelled and when WDW opened they were not selling APs. I just couldn't bring myself to buy regular tickets so we didn't go. It was very hard on DS1, he lives for his trips. So summer of 2021 we booked full family (6) WDW & Universal trip. DS2 had Universal AP so DS1 and I bought one. Rest had regular tickets. We all had FL Resident WDW 4 day tickets (no hop). Parks were still very manageable, we had a great time!!!

The minute AP went on sale DS1 and I bought the Pixie Pass plus Waterparks etc. Buying that plus our Universal was still less than a Sorcerer Pass (I think Pirate is pretty worthless for the price). We will not renew our Universal this summer but looking at a SeaWorld pass. Having both with waterparks means we always have a place to go even with block out dates. We will look at Universal again when Epic Universe opens at the latest.

Will we renew? YES, because we know what it felt like to not be able to go. BUT we have the Pixie Pass at $399. I stay offsite usually in suites or "condos" with kitchen, eat only one meal per day in parks if I can (and last trip did no TS), we don't spend much frivolously but prefer to do upcharges - like this summer doing H2O, we get free parking with AP and know each trip there will be things we just can't get done. I don't spend anywhere near what many spend so it is still a great value for us.

Would I renew if we were still being required to buy the most expensive out of state pass ($1299)? Absolutely not. If we couldn't get a great deal on regular tickets, like when they had buy 3 get 5 days ... we would probably buy the AP every few years and get as many trips out of it we could. Honestly I think they priced that pass to reduce the number of out of state guests, hoping to push them to regular packages. I could see it going up again.

Do I think APs are going away? No. Disney really can't afford to let the FL ones go away. WDW Park capacity (just the 4 major) is around 320,000 and with Guardians, Tron and each new addition it goes up. Disney hotels provide maybe around 100-120,000 guests. So Disney highly depends on non-property staying guests to fill the registers. People staying offsite are more likely to also do Universal (just wait until Epic opens), SeaWorld and other activities. FL Resident APs, whether local or staying offsite are "committed" to Disney parks with their AP. The locals also use the discounts for dining, drinking, Disney Springs highly priced, very profitable items. Disney couldn't survive with just the guests staying on property.

Right now I wouldn't read too much into them not selling, I didn't expect sale to open until the Guardians previews were done at minimum. Now depending on when Tron is opening (I laugh as I type) it may also impact whether they reopen sales. If I had to guess, I think the only one really impacted with any change might be the Incredi-Pass.

AND NOW ... DVC, I don't know, my gut is that Disney may make some big changes to that since right now they haven't cared one second how this is affecting them.

 

[Nice Work Pal]

Been an AP since 2015, passes expired yesterday. Zero interest in renewing. The state of the parks, genie + disaster and the overall price gauging was a slap in the face to loyal fans. Since 2015 I spent on average $10-15k annually directly on the parks (AP price/hotels/food/merchandise etc.)…now that money will be allotted to other destinations. Just got this email…sorry Disney I’ll always treasure the memories but you should really take a look in the mirror. Maybe start by reading the TripAdvisor reviews

 

[Mrs.Reese]

My kids are little so Disney is their happy place. We will probably keep ours when our gold pass comes up for renewal but we are done with their hotels.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

definitely renewing. It expires in July and I have 4 trips booked after that.

DVC members don't need park passes, they can use their DVC as HQ and spread out to other parks if they want. To switch totally to offsite would probably require a car anyway.

 

[Dis Dragon]

We're not renewing, not saying we'll never have an AP again (unless they continue this not selling them business), but we've hit a point where we're not looking forward to going as much as we have in the past due to changes and are giving different vacations a chance.

 

[Pooh2]

We bought our first APs in May of 2019 and got a few trips out of them (we are out of state).
We had a trip planned for March of 2020 which was cancelled (first week they were shut down).

We did not request a refund because we never would have thought the mask and other mandates would extend for so long so we lost a significant amount of value on the passes.

We would not likely buy another pass even when they come back.
Just too expensive at this point and too complex to plan with park reservations, no fast passes, etc.

For the next couple of years, we are doing road trips including Florida but staying away from Disney.

 

[rangerxenos]

Nope, I'm out of state, and I'm not renewing mine at the end of the year, first time in at least 5 years. I wish I hadn't activated it at the end of last year for a trip, as I'm not happy with a lot of the changes that have happened, upcharges for things that used to be free, reduced experiences, etc. I have one more trip planned this Spring, and that will be it for me for the year.

I don't see myself staying away for good, but will probably be cutting back to 1 trip a year. (hence an AP is not a good investment for me anymore)

I hope that ultimately things get better, if not, Disney will continue to get less of my money going forward. If I do go next year, I'll mostly likely be staying offsite for the first time in a decade.

 

[robinb]

We've had APs for most our Disney life. We bought DVC after our very first trip and visited 2-4 times a year, but I have been unhappy with WDW for a quite while. I call it my "Disney Ennui". It has gotten worse since my DD22 has gotten older and no longer wants to go to WDW with us.

We had APs for our September 2019 trip but they decided to hold off on renewing them until our September 2020 trip to take a break. In June 2020 I had a pair of APs in my cart and *poof* Disney pulled the rug out from under me and discontinued AP sales. I went to pay for them about an hour after I put them in my cart and the payment failed. We cancelled our trip and rescheduled for May 2021. That nice long 20 months away from WDW but I was also pretty jealous of my friends who visited many times in 2020 because they still had APs. When we went in May we had a great time, especially with lower crowds and no FP.

We grabbed APs back in October when we made an impromptu trip to say goodbye to Carl the Rose and Crown bartender on his last day. We are going for about 10 days in a few weeks and we have another 7-10 day trip planned for September Food and Wine. I think those trips will be the litmus test. If APs are on sale again in October (and I would be able to buy them when I need them) I will probably not renew unless we have firm plans to snowbird in Orlando for a couple of months. However, I am not sure how well that will go with the reservation system and only being able to book 5 days at a time. I would not be able to just decide on a whim to go to WDW and visit the parks.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

1500+ DVC points DEFINITELY renewing

 

[DVC-Don]

We will be downgrading our Silver AP's with the blackout dates to the pass that is only good for weekdays along with the blackout dates. We are locals and the parks are just too darn crowded. No higher demand dates or weekends thank you.

 

[RunMagicalMiles]

I will continue to renew mine due to fear of one no longer being an option as a non-Florida resident (although I own DVC). Recently I've been traveling 3x a year (2 long weekends for RunDisney, one longer stay) so it makes sense. If I didn't own DVC, it would be a different story.

 

[Tiggerish]

I am a non-resident, not DVC and have had an AP for the past 15 years.

The price has more than doubled. The discounts have gotten less. There in no Magical Express. There is not any photopass included with the pass. Free Fastpass has evolved into the paid Genie+ and Lightening Lane. Only the deluxe resorts get the evening extra hours. There are not any more free magic bands and for the discounted ones, today the selection has dwindled to 6.

The first full week of May I am taking my last AP trip to WDW and when my pass expires in early June, I will not be renewing.

 

[vwlfan]

Probably not, although you can see I left myself a rabbit hole. Very turned off by the changes and the increases, starting with Genie.

 

[Love Tink]

WDW is not a shell of its former self.

That's your opinion. In my opinion, it is currently the worst experience it has ever been in its 50-year history and is absolutely a shell of its former self.

 

[karen4546]

That's your opinion. In my opinion, it is currently the worst experience it has ever been in its 50-year history and is absolutely a shell of its former self.

That's your opinion.

In my opinion, it is still a place that many people enjoy-well actually it is not just opinion it is evident by the crowds.

Yes, there have been world wide changes, yes prices of EVERYTHING (not just at WDW but world wide), yes the changes implemented are not great (IMO) but those who want a good visit will adapt, and yes some people will say it is "a shell of its former self", "Walt would be rolling in his grave", "Walt didn't mean for it to be this or that".

In reality, not one single person knows what WD would think of today's Disney Corporation. He was a business man and would absolutely want to ensure that he could keep his employees EMPLOYED.

I do not have 50 + year history knowledge of WDC. However, I am 52 years old and have had experience with inflation, disasters (hurricanes and tornados), illness, a pandemic, and a multitude of life's challenges. We live. We adapt. We accept. We change what we can- not everything is wrapped up in the Disney Bubble, but for those of us that choose to enjoy all that we can while we can, that should be enough.

I understand your frustration. I truly do. I don't totally disagree with you, because things HAVE changed.

 

[helenm29]

I agree with a lot of you! we have been pass holders since 1983...pretty much haven't missed a year until the Pandemic. We have loved using the Premier pass because we are from California and it was so convenient to be able to go to DW too. We got to renew our AP this last year but the cost was ridiculous! because we are from out of state it's SO much more expensive! why are WE being penalized for not being from Florida? we are the ones bringing in the money and generally staying longer.
Unless they bring back the Premier pass we will not be renewing when our current passes expire and that makes me VERY SAD.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The business is going in a different direction. They don't want as many annual passholders. If you are being "penalized" it is because most annual passholders don't spend as much as regular ticketholders, and from a Disneyland perspective because there were too many annual passholders to begin with.

Everything changes. COVID may have been a major catalyst for this type of change, but it was going there eventually anyway.

 

[k5thbeatle]

That's your opinion. In my opinion, it is currently the worst experience it has ever been in its 50-year history and is absolutely a shell of its former self.

I agree 100% with this!

 

[TCRAIG]

DVC and live a driveable distance from WDW so YES - we are definitely renewing….