AP Pricing Concerns

[Laura's Dad]

Well I am glad I went with my gut last night and bought 3 new platinums!

Congratulations. I was worried about the costs of APs going up with the new ticket system. I guess I was right. We are going to get 3 APs for Chistmas this year to use next year. Guess I 'm just going to spend $150 more. Such is life.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Thank you.

It's annoying, but I can live with the increase. Upgrading in December. .
I only have to buy one though so it doesn't hit as hard.

Yep it's not a huge one at least.

 

[AngiTN]

What is the email for Disney guest relations? I’m frustrated I couldn’t upgrade my AP within my renewal window with an existing third-party ticket unless I visited a Guest Relations in person, despite a few people reporting that ticketing phone agents did do that for them. It must not be the standard protocol, but unfortunately that has cost me $40 per AP renewal because of the price increase. I’m holding out some hope maybe an email will generate some help. I’d be happy with the difference in the form of a Disney gift card even.

I will be very curious to hear their response. Last year was told 3 different times from 3 different CM at 3 different locations (since I upgrading 3 different tickets) that I couldn't use a ticket to apply towards renewal. That it was against policy. Now, we all know it is done all the time and I'd done it in prior years without issue but still ran into major problems last year, that resulted in notes being added to my "permanent file" that they would do it as an exception that one time but never again. Each person in my account got 1 exception, and I was reminded of this each time. I didn't want to go through the arguments again so I didn't even try to use a ticket for this year's renewal. So, when or if you get an answer about doing it, I'm curious if their answer is, you can't do this ever. Or what their position is

 

[dlavender]

I'll throw my FL AP rate YTD increase chart on this thread as well:



I'll also throw out there that an average of 10% increase in one year is pretty steep, if you think about it.

We paid $769 last October for our passes. Now, for a fam of 5, that's a $400 increase in just one year. What's been added in that time? TSL....

What's the increase going to be when Tron, EPCOT, SWGE come online?

 

[jenmsmith]

I will be very curious to hear their response. Last year was told 3 different times from 3 different CM at 3 different locations (since I upgrading 3 different tickets) that I couldn't use a ticket to apply towards renewal. That it was against policy. Now, we all know it is done all the time and I'd done it in prior years without issue but still ran into major problems last year, that resulted in notes being added to my "permanent file" that they would do it as an exception that one time but never again. Each person in my account got 1 exception, and I was reminded of this each time. I didn't want to go through the arguments again so I didn't even try to use a ticket for this year's renewal. So, when or if you get an answer about doing it, I'm curious if their answer is, you can't do this ever. Or what their position is[/QUOTE

When I called after my renewal window opened, I had one CM who was fine with applying the ticket to renewal, then she noticed it was a third-party ticket, put me on hold and later said she can’t do it because it’s a third-party ticket. In a previous call, a CM had noted in my account that I could use the ticket for renewal. They both said I wouldn’t have to worry about any price increases between then and my trip in November. A few people had posted on the ticket sticky that they’d been able to upgrade third-party tickets via a phone call recently. I didn’t get lucky. FWIW, I only had the third-party ticket because of an extended family trip where tickets were bought for everyone. We decided we wanted to renew our APs instead.

Interesting. I will update when I receive a response.

When I called after my renewal window opened, I had one CM who was fine with applying the ticket to renewal, then she noticed it was a third-party ticket, put me on hold and later said she can’t do it because it’s a third-party ticket. In a previous call, a CM had noted in my account that I could use the ticket for renewal. They both said I wouldn’t have to worry about any price increases between then and my trip in November. A few people had posted on the ticket sticky that they’d been able to upgrade third-party tickets via a phone call recently. I didn’t get lucky. FWIW, I only had the third-party ticket because of an extended family trip where tickets were bought for everyone. We decided we wanted to renew our APs instead.

 

[jennf]

So happy I bought tickets on Sunday.I went back and forth on whether to purchase the tickets on Sunday versus waiting since our trip is in March. Especially the AP. So glad I did !!!!

Through Disney:
Purchased one AP so saved $47.92
Purchased 2 day ticket which only went up 4.73 for the 2days in March

Through UT:
4day adult ticket saved 52.53
8 day adult saved $72.46
4day +1 day saved $60.10
10 day child saved $62.60


Total saved $300.34

 

[Searc]

$849 before tax.

$904 with tax.

 

[10CJ]

Some of my group needs AP for next year. I almost bought UT tickets to upgrade then realized the AP price increase would probably be greater than the UT discount. So glad I got the APs I needed before the change.

 

[TJA]

Wow I'm glad I renewed all 4 of our APs in August. I was considering just buying new ones next month.

 

[Bree]

So glad I renewed my FL resident Platinum pass last night! I had a gut feeling we would see an increase today.

 

[StacyStrong]

So, I did the math for me. I am going December 4-10 and have 6 day PH under the OLD system. I also have a trip booked in April. No tickets because we plan on upgrading to APs in December. If we did not upgrade to an AP, we would be getting 5 day base tickets for April.

The OLD 6 day PH cost (without tax) + the NEW cost for my 5 days in April (without tax) is $2 LESS than the cost of the NEW AP price (without tax). So for me, the upgrade is still worth it because we will get MM, discounts and won't need to worry about flexibility.

As an added bonus, we want to go in Fall 2019 as well.

 

[randumb0]

Today


Yesterday they were both $439

 

[gillep]

My renewal window had opened up on October 8th and I am very glad that I decided to just renew that day, saved me a little bit of money on renewing our two Gold APs.

 

[Searc]

Today
View attachment 358799

Yesterday they were both $439

You can't park hop with the Select, according to the chart you posted. I don't know if you were able to before today. I can't see those AP options, so I don't know what they included.

 

[ShadeDK]

The cost of a platinum AP before the February increase was $779. Current cost with today's increase for the same AP is $894. That's an extra $115 and about a 15% total increase on the year. Even assuming no additional price hikes at the beginning of 2019, anyone renewing their AP purchased before the 2018 increases will get a renewal discount that allows them to pay about the same amount as their original AP.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the AP Platinum Pass cost at the beginning of 2016 - it was $649 before the February 2016 price increase. So in 2 1/2 years, the cost of the Platinum AP has increased by about 38%. Whenever next year's price increase occurs, I expect that the cost of the Platinum AP (with tax) will push past $1,000.

 

[randumb0]

You can't park hop with the Select, according to the chart you posted. I don't know if you were able to before today. I can't see those AP options, so I don't know what they included.

I don't think that part has changed with the Select. You are subject to many blackouts that would prevent hopping

 

[mousestruck]

Yes, they did but they didn't increase at the same time as tickets then, they did them in Feb INSTEAD of the fall. So I wouldn't assume that it will happen in February too. Why do you think they'll raise them twice in a year? Doesn't it stand to reason they just did them now instead of Feb?

I just checked historical pricing. Annual pass prices increased twice this year and also in 2015, so it is possible and perhaps even likely they'll go up again in February. Again, I hope that is not the case, but seems like they go up every February and sometimes in October, too.

 

[AngiTN]

The cost of a platinum AP before the February increase was $779. Current cost with today's increase for the same AP is $894. That's an extra $115 and about a 15% total increase on the year. Even assuming no additional price hikes at the beginning of 2019, anyone renewing their AP purchased before the 2018 increases will get a renewal discount that allows them to pay about the same amount as their original AP.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the AP Platinum Pass cost at the beginning of 2016 - it was $649 before the February 2016 price increase. So in 2 1/2 years, the cost of the Platinum AP has increased by about 38%. Whenever next year's price increase occurs, I expect that the cost of the Platinum AP (with tax) will push past $1,000.

APs have taken a huge hit, compared to tickets. The coast to coast AP is even worse

 

[Searc]

The cost of a platinum AP before the February increase was $779. Current cost with today's increase for the same AP is $894. That's an extra $115 and about a 15% total increase on the year. Even assuming no additional price hikes at the beginning of 2019, anyone renewing their AP purchased before the 2018 increases will get a renewal discount that allows them to pay about the same amount as their original AP.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the AP Platinum Pass cost at the beginning of 2016 - it was $649 before the February 2016 price increase. So in 2 1/2 years, the cost of the Platinum AP has increased by about 38%. Whenever next year's price increase occurs, I expect that the cost of the Platinum AP (with tax) will push past $1,000.

$894 plus tax.

 

[Searc]

I don't think that part has changed with the Select. You are subject to many blackouts that would prevent hopping

How do blackout dates prevent hopping?