Flex Pass Superthread: Disneyland Resort Introduces New Annual Passport that Combines Value and Flexibility

[twodogs]

I love this option. Still not sure if it will draw me back into the AP program since the pricing is so high, but I actually really like the idea of reservations. That way, maybe it would be easier to control crowds.

But if they want to "control crowds," with all of the current craziness and demand, I think that might mean that they make the reservations very hard to get on the "blue" days. So I would think you would need to get this pass expecting to only get some of the blue days, and who knows how much "some" would turn out to be.

 

[agamble]

My concern is what time will the reservation system open. I always hate that Est opens at 7 AM for Disney World stuff and forces me to get up at 4 am. I think if you have your dates picked out and our online right when it opens at the 30 day mark there shouldn't be much problems with getting the day you want. For me this pass seems like the best option because I don't want to come on busy weekends and I don't want to come on holidays. I just hope I can upgrade my ticket on May 21st when I am down there because that ticket would pay for half the pass.

So have we confirmed (maybe I missed this in the thread) what counts as a reservation? Is it a day or is it a block of time? For example, if I am going the first week of August which looks like is all reservation days, is the week considered a reservation or only 2 days?

On the Facebook announcement Disney was responding to questions. They said 7AM Pacific time for reservations. And also said the reservation is for one whole day. It is not for part of a day and you do not use 2 reservations by reserving both parks. They kept saying only 2 reservations per 30 days.

 

[ardanxela]

Then this makes sense only for locals or people who can drive in for a short trip. I live in Texas, and I fly in. This is basically useless for me because I can't make a flight reservation and then just hope that I can get into the parks more than one day of my trip... I'm not flying all the way out there for one park day (or maybe no park days if I have to book my flight before 30 days, and then I can't get a reservation at all). I work and have school aged kids so doing a mid week trip on the "good to go" days would not work either. Oh well...

If you are able to combine reservation days with good to go days, you could reserve months ahead and then book your flights once the reservation days at the parks are confirmed.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I've got a bad feeling that this Disney Flex Pass is about to replace both tiers of the SoCal Pass.

I'd bet money that they eliminate one or both of those tiers of passes when they introduce this pass later this month.

I'm wondering about that too. Not right away, but maybe in a year or so I could definitely see this replacing the SoCal passes. It's basically the same thing with the added flexibility of being able to reserve 2 blockout dates a month.

I see this pass as mostly benefiting locals. As someone who lives a few hours away, I cannot wait until just 30 days out to guarantee that I will get the days I want. I need to request vacation time from work, book hotels, etc. at least 2 months, typically 3 months out. It would be even further out if I chose to fly. So what happens when I plan the trip and then at the 30 day mark find out that I can't get reservations for the dates of my trip? Not worth it. I only see this benefiting locals who can be much more flexible with their dates.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

If you are able to combine reservation days with good to go days, you could reserve months ahead and then book your flights once the reservation days at the parks are confirmed.

Except that by that point, flights will be much more expensive.

 

[midnight star]

Then this makes sense only for locals or people who can drive in for a short trip. I live in Texas, and I fly in. This is basically useless for me because I can't make a flight reservation and then just hope that I can get into the parks more than one day of my trip... I'm not flying all the way out there for one park day (or maybe no park days if I have to book my flight before 30 days, and then I can't get a reservation at all). I work and have school aged kids so doing a mid week trip on the "good to go" days would not work either. Oh well...

Yeah I feel like this could work very well for people in neighboring states like Nevada or Arizona. I know a few people in AZ who are contemplating this now.

 

[agamble]

I'm wondering about that too. Not right away, but maybe in a year or so I could definitely see this replacing the SoCal passes. It's basically the same thing with the added flexibility of being able to reserve 2 blockout dates a month.

I see this pass as mostly benefiting locals. As someone who lives a few hours away, I cannot wait until just 30 days out to guarantee that I will get the days I want. I need to request vacation time from work, book hotels, etc. at least 2 months, typically 3 months out. It would be even further out if I chose to fly. So what happens when I plan the trip and then at the 30 day mark find out that I can't get reservations for the dates of my trip? Not worth it. I only see this benefiting locals who can be much more flexible with their dates.

Although I also see this as benefiting locals, I think that any one who lives within driving distance could benefit. As someone above mentioned she goes for a few weekends a year from AZ. I think if you book 30 days out people will be fine. It is the booking a day or two out that isn't great. Most hotels can be cancelled within 48 hours. So if you don't have plane tickets it would be easy enough to cancel.

 

[ardanxela]

Except that by that point, flights will be much more expensive.

Oh wait, I just read that you can only book 30 days out? If that's the case yes, that wouldn't work for those who have to fly in.

 

[SeaDis]

On the Facebook announcement Disney was responding to questions. They said 7AM Pacific time for reservations. And also said the reservation is for one whole day. It is not for part of a day and you do not use 2 reservations by reserving both parks. They kept saying only 2 reservations per 30 days.

Thank you for this. I've been reading comments on FB, but there are over 1000 already and hard to get through. My biggest question was: one reservation for a Parkhopper day? They seem to be confirming that's the case. But I'm still worried whenever they say "depending on the day". I wonder if they only mean days when DL is reservation only, and DCA is good to go. Meaning you reserve DL and voila... you have a Parkhopper. Still need lots of clarity on this one, for me. But, I'm sure clarity will come.

Also maybe clarity on 2 reservations per 30 days. I don't think it's a limit of 2 per 30 days. Agree?

***Michael Arbuckle Jr. It says you can make a new reservation once your first reservation date has passed. So does that mean I could reserve entry for July 1st and 2nd and if there are spots available on the 3rd, I would then be able to get that reservation as well?

• 15h

Most Relevant is selected, so some replies may have been filtered out.

• 
  Disneyland Annual Passholders Hello, Michael. Yes, if you have 2 reservations during a 30-day window, you’ll have the opportunity to make another once your first reservation date has passed or if you cancel an existing reservation.

 

[EmJ]

I might have missed it, but have they said how far in advance reservations will be made available? So if it’s April, and I knew I wanted to go to Disneyland in September, could I reserve September 1 and 2 five months in advance, and then tack it on to the good-to-go days on September 3-5 to make a five day trip? I think that is the only way to give this pass value to anyone not within driving distance.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I might have missed it, but have they said how far in advance reservations will be made available? So if it’s April, and I knew I wanted to go to Disneyland in September, could I reserve September 1 and 2 five months in advance, and then tack it on to the good-to-go days on September 3-5 to make a five day trip? I think that is the only way to give this pass value to anyone not within driving distance.

No, you would not be able to do this. They are only available 30 days out.

 

[agamble]

Thank you for this. I've been reading comments on FB, but there are over 1000 already and hard to get through. My biggest question was: one reservation for a Parkhopper day? They seem to be confirming that's the case. But I'm still worried whenever they say "depending on the day". I wonder if they only mean days when DL is reservation only, and DCA is good to go. Meaning you reserve DL and voila... you have a Parkhopper. Still need lots of clarity on this one, for me. But, I'm sure clarity will come.

Also maybe clarity on 2 reservations per 30 days. I don't think it's a limit of 2 per 30 days. Agree?

***Michael Arbuckle Jr. It says you can make a new reservation once your first reservation date has passed. So does that mean I could reserve entry for July 1st and 2nd and if there are spots available on the 3rd, I would then be able to get that reservation as well?

• 15h

Most Relevant is selected, so some replies may have been filtered out.

• 
  Disneyland Annual Passholders Hello, Michael. Yes, if you have 2 reservations during a 30-day window, you’ll have the opportunity to make another once your first reservation date has passed or if you cancel an existing reservation.

Yes. It is 2 days in a 30 day window. So if you go July 1 you then only have the reservation for July 2 so you would be eligible for another on July3 if one was available.

My comment back a page or two was copied from FB in response to a question about reserving both parks for one day as one reservation. It said that both parks can be reserved and it is only one reservation. I think why it would depend on the day is that one park may sell out faster than another or one park may be a reservation day where as the other is a good to go day.

 

[agamble]

I might have missed it, but have they said how far in advance reservations will be made available? So if it’s April, and I knew I wanted to go to Disneyland in September, could I reserve September 1 and 2 five months in advance, and then tack it on to the good-to-go days on September 3-5 to make a five day trip? I think that is the only way to give this pass value to anyone not within driving distance.

Reservations are 30 days in advance. It would seem likely that if you booked right at 30 days you would be able to get a reservation. But there is that slight gamble they could allow no reservations because they are expecting crowds that day.

 

[DLgal]

It'll be interesting to see which guests gravitate toward this pass and how they use it. However, don't discount how much locals spend at the parks. I know there's at least one local AP who regularly eats at the restaurants, purchases merch, buys treats, and even stays on property on occasion, despite being less than an hour away from the park! That stuff isn't only for out of towners!

Raises hand!

So, we drop at least $100 every time we visit. Usually more. We eat and drink and buy merch in the parks. We have visited 46 times since last August when we renewed the pass. We have Signature passes that we added Maxpass to (x4). We stayed at the Grand for 2 days last summer and are planning 3 at the DLH this summer before we renew. Conservatively, we have already spent $10000 at Disneyland in the past 9 months. We still have 3 more months to go on this years pass...we live 15 minutes away.

By contrast, most out of town visitors stay offsite, and a large number of them don't eat all meals on property.

Disneyland knows how much their APs spend and it's not an insignificant amount.

 

[hodad]

My kid has a So Cal non-select pass, so we visit the parks about 6-8 Sundays a year. My Deluxe pass expired in January and I decided not to renew. I'm using the So Cal resident 3 day ticket until my kid's So Cal pass expires at the end of July, at which point we'll decide whether to renew hers and whether I'll get a Flex pass. I have a Costco 3-day Universal Studios Hollywood ticket good for 3 visits in a year, but you have to reserve the visit date in advance, so at its best the Flex pass could work the same way. At its worst it will be like making Be Our Guest reservations. Fortunately I won't have to decide until at least a month after it's implemented.

 

[EmJ]

No, you would not be able to do this. They are only available 30 days out.

Yeah, this is prohibitive for anyone not in California or a border state then. There would just be no way to count on airfare at an affordable price. Or even hotels maybe.

 

[agamble]

Raises hand!

So, we drop at least $100 every time we visit. Usually more. We eat and drink and buy merch in the parks. We have visited 46 times since last August when we renewed the pass. We have Signature passes that we added Maxpass to (x4). We stayed at the Grand for 2 days last summer and are planning 3 at the DLH this summer before we renew. Conservatively, we have already spent $10000 at Disneyland in the past 9 months. We still have 3 more months to go on this years pass...we live 15 minutes away.

By contrast, most out of town visitors stay offsite, and a large number of them don't eat all meals on property.

Disneyland knows how much their APs spend and it's not an insignificant amount.

I believe local APs spend a ton of money at the parks. The reason Disney gets cheaper with each day is that Disney wants people to stay and play (and pay) as long as possible. Theme parks make a lot of money off what guests spend after they are in the parks. That is why so many parks have discounts to pull in visitors. Six Flags and similar parks have many tricks to increase their daily attendance including very cheap annual passes that are often good from the fall of one year through the whole next year. They do this because people spend money in the parks.

We were at the 60th anniversary on opening day. The park reached capacity but we found ride lines to be more manageable that morning than the days leading up. This was because the local APs were all in line for special merch and food. Disney has so many limited time offerings because they know their local fan base has a fear of missing out.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

I wonder if WDW will do this, If they do I am TOTALLY done with Disney

 

[mentos]

For those traveling from neighbor states (or from up north), the best option is to use Southwest Airlines and book successive flights each weekend and cancel them as your DL Flex reservations are approved/denied. Save the credits for next time. You’ll also want to avoid prepaying for hotel, and it could work.

My plan is to convert to flex pass with the understanding that I may just upgrade to deluxe passes if things just don’t work.

 

[mentos]

As an aside, I foresee a reservation system being baked into ALL passes in the future except for premium. Crowd control will work best when there’s some predictability amongst all passes, as they’ve shown that higher prices just doesn’t dent attendance.