Disney World AP price increase? [Answer: Yes]

[dprincessmom]

And people will STILL throw their money at Disney.
Imo, one of the bigger problems with long lines and lack of FP+ is BECAUSE of AP holders (mainly locals, who didn’t appear to get an increase). Those same people entering the parks day after day after day and riding the top tier rides numerous times while others literally spend YEARS with numerous trips and never get a single FP for those rides. And let’s face it, the reality of 3-7 hour lines is not realistic. It’s just not.

The answer is not price increases. The answer is to either limit how many times AP holders (locals) can ride the new rides and restaurants OR do what Discovery Cove does and limit daily attendance to a reasonable number so that guests are comfortable. Their current system of simply raising prices isn’t working.

But locals can only get the FP+ 30 days out like the rest of the world. We are Florida residents but not local. I've only been able to snag SDD 1 time in 6 trips. I think the issue in the volume of people in the park but I don't see that changing either. I agree the price increases aren't working, they are only driving a small handful away from the parks. We went from AP holders for 2 years, to Florida resident specials and will continue to do that until that's not cost effective either.

 

[disneygirlsng]

While price increases do stink, I could definitely see myself getting an AP again in the future. I would never do it consistently year after year anyway, but it has been so nice this year. Having a "year of Disney" is nice between all my other vacations. My $1000 AP more than paid for itself with one 3 day weekend trip last year, let alone the other 3 trips I'll have total on it. So if I ever plan 2 or 3+ trips in one year again, I can absolutely justify the price.

 

[Haley R]

And people will STILL throw their money at Disney.
Imo, one of the bigger problems with long lines and lack of FP+ is BECAUSE of AP holders (mainly locals, who didn’t appear to get an increase). Those same people entering the parks day after day after day and riding the top tier rides numerous times while others literally spend YEARS with numerous trips and never get a single FP for those rides. And let’s face it, the reality of 3-7 hour lines is not realistic. It’s just not.

The answer is not price increases. The answer is to either limit how many times AP holders (locals) can ride the new rides and restaurants OR do what Discovery Cove does and limit daily attendance to a reasonable number so that guests are comfortable. Their current system of simply raising prices isn’t working.

All I can say is wow. We became Floridians last June and I can promise you we don’t go on the top tier rides very often. We can only book FPS 30 days out because we don’t stay onsite often and it’s very difficult to get those FPS. We definitely aren’t there every day either. We usually go for a day trip just to visit festivals and maybe get some FPS...

 

[yulilin3]

All I can say is wow. We became Floridians last June and I can promise you we don’t go on the top tier rides very often. We can only book FPS 30 days out because we don’t stay onsite often and it’s very difficult to get those FPS. We definitely aren’t there every day either. We usually go for a day trip just to visit festivals and maybe get some FPS...

this is the thinking of non Orlando residents. That local ap holders just spend every free time at the parks each time these price increases show up I read the same argument. The added untruth is that we grab bg every day for RotR

 

[Iowamomof4]

When you don't live close, it's easy to imagine you'd be there every day if you could be (i.e. if you lived in Orlando or nearby)! The reality is far from that.

I experienced that on a very small scale recently. We used to live 1 1/2 hours away from our "local" amusement park. I remember thinking, if only I lived in the city, we could go every weekend! Or in the evenings! Then we moved and DID live in the city and we actually have purchased season passes a couple of times. However, when we do that, we don't spend the whole day in the park and we only go 3-4 times over the course of the entire summer. Plus, the park just isn't as fun anymore when you don't make a day out of it the way we used to when we lived farther away. So yeah, the grass is always greener.

 

[Haley R]

this is the thinking of non Orlando residents. That local ap holders just spend every free time at the parks each time these price increases show up I read the same argument. The added untruth is that we grab bg every day for RotR

We live an hour away so we aren’t right there but still close. We’ve actually bought after hours tickets this year just so we could ride headliners and that’s an added expense for us. Oh well. They can think what they want I suppose.

 

[Iowamomof4]

We live an hour away so we aren’t right there but still close. We’ve actually bought after hours tickets this year just so we could ride headliners and that’s an added expense for us. Oh well. They can think what they want I suppose.

Just know that not all of us make such assumptions about the local AP holders.

 

[Haley R]

When you don't live close, it's easy to imagine you'd be there every day if you could be (i.e. if you lived in Orlando or nearby)! The reality is far from that.

I experienced that on a very small scale recently. We used to live 1 1/2 hours away from our "local" amusement park. I remember thinking, if only I lived in the city, we could go every weekend! Or in the evenings! Then we moved and DID live in the city and we actually have purchased season passes a couple of times. However, when we do that, we don't spend the whole day in the park and we only go 3-4 times over the course of the entire summer. Plus, the park just isn't as fun anymore when you don't make a day out of it the way we used to when we lived farther away. So yeah, the grass is always greener.

Are you talking about Adventureland?

 

[dlavender]

While price increases do stink, I could definitely see myself getting an AP again in the future. I would never do it consistently year after year anyway, but it has been so nice this year. Having a "year of Disney" is nice between all my other vacations. My $1000 AP more than paid for itself with one 3 day weekend trip last year, let alone the other 3 trips I'll have total on it. So if I ever plan 2 or 3+ trips in one year again, I can absolutely justify the price.

Can you elaborate on the bolded?

 

[dlavender]

When you don't live close, it's easy to imagine you'd be there every day if you could be (i.e. if you lived in Orlando or nearby)! The reality is far from that.

I experienced that on a very small scale recently. We used to live 1 1/2 hours away from our "local" amusement park. I remember thinking, if only I lived in the city, we could go every weekend! Or in the evenings! Then we moved and DID live in the city and we actually have purchased season passes a couple of times. However, when we do that, we don't spend the whole day in the park and we only go 3-4 times over the course of the entire summer. Plus, the park just isn't as fun anymore when you don't make a day out of it the way we used to when we lived farther away. So yeah, the grass is always greener.

When we lived in TN and were looking at moving back to FL, I was like, "Yay, we can get AP's and go every weekend!"

We live 2.5 hours away, and with price increases (20% hotels, 20% food, 50% APs) and 3 kids it just wasn't feasable.

Now, we've had APs 2 of the last 3 years, and we did go, but on the first AP we went probably 30 times. On this AP we have gone 10 (still 4 months to go).

 

[disneygirlsng]

Can you elaborate on the bolded?

Saved a little over $300/night on the hotel (Grand Floridian) with an AP discount. That was close to $950 right there in savings. Plus food/merch discounts was about $60. Then tickets that I would've had to pay for anyway were about $350. All together is well over what I paid for the AP. And I've had one other trip and two more coming up that are just gravy on top with savings. The hotel savings wasn't even a factor when I decided to purchase an AP, but it's been huge. Saving close to $200 each for a value resort during the other 3 trips.

 

[SaintsManiac]

ahhh Disney Math. If it was a course we would all be tenured professors.

 

[dlavender]

Saved a little over $300/night on the hotel (Grand Floridian) with an AP discount. That was close to $950 right there in savings. Plus food/merch discounts was about $60. Then tickets that I would've had to pay for anyway were about $350. All together is well over what I paid for the AP. And I've had one other trip and two more coming up that are just gravy on top with savings. The hotel savings wasn't even a factor when I decided to purchase an AP, but it's been huge. Saving close to $200 each for a value resort during the other 3 trips.

I see what you did.

I just calculate differently. Since I'm a FL resident, I look at the AP discount vs the FL discount vs the gen pop discount to see how much I really "saved". Normally the AP is a hair better than the FL resident, but you are talking $20 more a night. Do you know what the gen pop discount was then? I also use priceline which can save substantially more than all of them.

I don't ever get discounts on food with my AP. We eat QS though. I've gotten some merch discounts, but with the price increases, we don't buy as much.

To each their own. I'm glad the >$1k pass is still working out for some.

 

[AngiTN]

And people will STILL throw their money at Disney.
Imo, one of the bigger problems with long lines and lack of FP+ is BECAUSE of AP holders (mainly locals, who didn’t appear to get an increase). Those same people entering the parks day after day after day and riding the top tier rides numerous times while others literally spend YEARS with numerous trips and never get a single FP for those rides. And let’s face it, the reality of 3-7 hour lines is not realistic. It’s just not.

The answer is not price increases. The answer is to either limit how many times AP holders (locals) can ride the new rides and restaurants OR do what Discovery Cove does and limit daily attendance to a reasonable number so that guests are comfortable. Their current system of simply raising prices isn’t working.

Wow, put our bitter and jealous pants on today?
Luckily, you can opt not to go and solve all your issues.
Limiting visits of AP holders is stupid. There are limits done by the type of AP bought. If someone wants to pay $1200 and go every single day it's their right to do so. Just as much as someone who paid $500 for a ticket.
Wow, just wow.

 

[Searc]

Saved a little over $300/night on the hotel (Grand Floridian) with an AP discount. That was close to $950 right there in savings. Plus food/merch discounts was about $60. Then tickets that I would've had to pay for anyway were about $350. All together is well over what I paid for the AP. And I've had one other trip and two more coming up that are just gravy on top with savings. The hotel savings wasn't even a factor when I decided to purchase an AP, but it's been huge. Saving close to $200 each for a value resort during the other 3 trips.

Yay for Disney math.

 

[disneygirlsng]

I see what you did.

I just calculate differently. Since I'm a FL resident, I look at the AP discount vs the FL discount vs the gen pop discount to see how much I really "saved". Normally the AP is a hair better than the FL resident, but you are talking $20 more a night. Do you know what the gen pop discount was then? I also use priceline which can save substantially more than all of them.

I don't ever get discounts on food with my AP. We eat QS though. I've gotten some merch discounts, but with the price increases, we don't buy as much.

To each their own. I'm glad the >$1k pass is still working out for some.

The hotel savings for me are compared to the normal discount. When I went last June, there was no standard discount available. Not a FL resident, so I can't compare there.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Yay for Disney math.

Hey, if I'm going anyway, might as well save a few bucks (or a few hundred).

 

[dlavender]

The hotel savings for me are compared to the normal discount. When I went last June, there was no standard discount available. Not a FL resident, so I can't compare there.

That's just shocking to me to see a $300/night AP discount when no others are available.

I'm doing my hotel searches the wrong way....

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Just for historical sake, I'm taking what we paid for our AP in 2017 and looking at what it is today, 3 years later.

Feb 17 - $779
Feb 18 - $849 +70
Oct 18 - $894 +45
Jun 19 - $1119 +225
Feb 20 - $1195 +76

That's $416 in 3 years, or 53%.

I know they have built and are building a lot, but did anyone think we'd be paying 50% more in just 3 years time?!

For my fam of 5, I would pay $2k more today than I did 3 years ago.

The 2019 increase was the final straw for us. It was our line in the sand. We can afford the increase, we just don't see the value in an AP or even visiting WDW at all over the next few years.

 

[disneygirlsng]

That's just shocking to me to see a $300/night AP discount when no others are available.

I'm doing my hotel searches the wrong way....

It was a pretty last minute trip, booked about 3 weeks out. Not sure if that makes a difference.