Annual pass changes coming........

[DisDadDVC]

Just wanted to give an update. I am in the park today. My AP expires next April. It cost me $101 to upgrade. I got all my photo pass photos we have already made. They said I was the first person to do it today! I have 2 more trips planned so good deal for me!

What kind of annual pass did you upgrade from? DVC AP? Regular AP? PAP?

 

[fla4fun]

Please do let us know, i bought mine Thursday. Finally I was in in before a price increase. Usually I'm after.

I cut it even closer. I renewed yesterday online because I hit the 60 day point and needed to do FP+ for my Dec trip. If it hadn't been for that, I would be kicking myself today.

I agree that for those of us who are local, and visit frequently, Photopass is a total waste. I have never used it, and can't see any reason why I would. I prefer taking the photos to being in them. I would have preferred a higher percentage discount for merchandise and dining over adding Photopass.

 

[focusondisney]

That's the kicker. It's per person so a family is going to get hit. Plus it's just the digital downloads which costs Disney nothing.

Right. Like a family would need more than 1 Photopass Plus. It is just DH & I that go. We are late 50s, we don't need or want Photopass. We don't do most of the rides that have photos. And how many pictures of ourselves in front of the Castle do we need?? After 23 years of trips, not too many. For sure not $200 worth.

 

[hamilkm]

Did your expiration date change or is it still April?

My expiration stayed the same. Just upgraded one family members pass to get photos for all our trips.

 

[rfc0001]

Here is my Comparison Chart of old/new WDW Passes Prices/Benefits I posted on other forums last night (DIS was down):

(click for online spreadsheet, incl. After-Tax rates)​

Sources:
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers/ticket-tour/walt-disney-world-pass/
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/florida-residents/passholder-program/
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/m...enefits/WDW-AnnualPass-Blockout-Calendars.pdf
https://shop.omniticket.com/wdw/renewal/index.cfm

 

[hamilkm]

What kind of annual pass did you upgrade from? DVC AP? Regular AP? PAP?

Just a regular annual pass.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

That's the kicker. It's per person so a family is going to get hit. Plus it's just the digital downloads which costs Disney nothing.

I just finished e-mailing Disney (which will probably do nothing) and let them know (politely) that I am not a happy annual passholder....

 

[lauriko]

Just wanted to give an update. I am in the park today. My AP expires next April. It cost me $101 to upgrade. I got all my photo pass photos we have already made. They said I was the first person to do it today! I have 2 more trips planned so good deal for me!

Did they mention that this was a flat rate? Or was it that rate because you were due to expire in April? I just renewed my AP 3 weeks ago and I really enjoy getting pictures....sometimes more than going on the rides so the upgrade would be worth it for me.

 

[asbyrneva]

Indeed. Break even now at $750

Parking up $3 to $20 as well.

With the new AP isnt parking included now?

 

[notnothin]

With the new AP isnt parking included now?

Yes, parking is included with all passes including "EPCOT after 4"

 

[bcrook]

DVC lost their discount on a standard AP tonight and the current standard AP for us is a seasonal with blackout dates that used to be only for FL residents. They raised the price $200 from yesterday's seasonal ticket. They will rationalize that you get memory maker now. That used to cost $169 now you will pay $200 each for it in the cost of your ticket. So a family of four will now spend $800 for memory maker since it was added "free" to the ticket.
I currently have an AP I wonder if they are allowed to downgrade it?

I was just crunching those numbers, if I buy an AP now, I'm going to have to deal with the blackouts. I'm not paying the $800.00 for memory maker.

 

[bcrook]

They are crazy. Many of us frequent visitors, FL residents, do not take that many photos. When you go all the time, you don't do that many pictures. They need an annual without this so called free perk that raised prices over $100

Per person.

 

[slykrab]

This is so confusing. I'm a FL WDW regular AP holder. It expires Sept 2016. At that point, will I be able to choose which new pass to renew as? I don't want to get stuck with blackout dates. Or has my pass already changed?

 

[TJA]

Here is my Comparison Chart of old/new WDW Passes Prices/Benefits I posted on other forums last night (DIS was down):



Sources:
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers/ticket-tour/walt-disney-world-pass/
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/florida-residents/passholder-program/
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/m...enefits/WDW-AnnualPass-Blockout-Calendars.pdf
https://shop.omniticket.com/wdw/renewal/index.cfm

Thanks for this chart -- this is the first time I've actually understood what my price would be. That is a substantial increase for renewal, $81 per person and we're a family of 4. Wow, I know people have been saying over and over that Disney is pricing them out, and now I'm about ready to join this way of thinking. With rack rates of the resorts sky high and the new Jan-Apr discounts very low, huge AP increases, TiW increases.....makes me so sad!

 

[Budshark]

Does anyone know yet what is the difference between Memory Maker and this "photo pass" feature? We have AP certificates to cash in at beginning of November - and won't go to DisneyQuest, were considering Memory Maker, and don't go any of the blackout dates. So... it might be worth it to "swap" a pass or two for the $20 each to get the photo pass feature and avoid the $170 Memory Maker.

 

[randumb0]

at least the seasonal includes parking now

 

[Budshark]

This is so confusing. I'm a FL WDW regular AP holder. It expires Sept 2016. At that point, will I be able to choose which new pass to renew as? I don't want to get stuck with blackout dates. Or has my pass already changed?

Existing passes/certificates haven't changed. So no changes for you until Sept 2016. In Sept 2016 you will have no choice - your renewal will be one of the new passes.

 

[bcrook]

The price of tables in wonderland for AP holders also went up to day, from $100 to $150!

Which means if you spend $1500.00 on food with TIW the true discount is only 10%. I can't make that work. And some places don't take TIW. Wow.

 

[Turn the Page]

Hmm....We have AP vouchers to redeem when we get there in a couple weeks. I wonder if this will affect us at all.

 

[ArtieMcD]

Did they mention that this was a flat rate? Or was it that rate because you were due to expire in April? I just renewed my AP 3 weeks ago and I really enjoy getting pictures....sometimes more than going on the rides so the upgrade would be worth it for me.

$101ish is exactly the difference in cost between the old non-discounted annual pass and the new non-discounted platinum pass + tax. So its a flat pricing. This is actually quite unfair that they didn't prorate this extra fee as the guest didn't (and couldn't) benefit from the extras for the whole 12 months. Of course, we're in brand new territory as this is the first time Disney is not grandfathering prices when a person upgrade post a price increase (not counting times they add a new gate). Previously when you upgraded, your existing pass was valued at the post increase price.