AP dilemma

[jolynne28]

Hi all,

I need advice/best strategy regarding some APs we've never activated. We bought 4 AP's in summer of 2019 at the $899 rate, we were out of state. Our plan was to activate them during our November 2019 trip, as we have 3 kids, but at the time the youngest was turning 1. We thought we could do a few trips in a year on those APs before he aged in. Last minute we decided to just buy tickets for that trip, which ended up being the best decision b/c of covid. Also b/c of covid, my husband was able to work remotely on a permanent basis, so we moved to Florida at the end of last summer.

I've heard that Disney will basically grandfather in our youngest and sell us an AP for him. My first question is, will they only sell us the pass that is most equitable to what we have? I bought platinums, so I'm assuming the incredipass what be required for him?

The next piece is more strategy/advice. As a Florida resident now, we didn't jump on the newly released AP's in the fall b/c we, like everyone else, had no idea they would stop selling them so soon after release. I would have probably bought the pirate pass for everyone just to save a little money. We were thinking of holding on to the platinums for a few years (they expire in 2030), and then doing one last blow out year with all the perks of those passes. Does that sound dumb? I keep reading different opinions on what Disney is going to do with APs. We will be so disappointed if they stop selling them all together or drastically raise prices again.

I'm grateful to have AP's that we can use, but not sure I want to activate them just yet. If we were to activate them, when renewal time comes, would they let us drop down to a different level? We definitely can't justify the incredipass for 5 people. My kids are dying to go back, but honestly I'm hesitant still with all the new park pass and genie+ stuff. I was already killing myself to plan our trips before those two things came along. I know genie isn't going anywhere, but am hoping park reservations might end at some point. My family lived nearby for 2 years when I was a kid, we had passes back then. I so miss those laid back days. I love Disney, but it's so much mental work for the person planning the experience.

Ugh, I'm very long winded, sorry about that. I'm struggling with what to do.

 

[cm8]

Hi all,

I need advice/best strategy regarding some APs we've never activated. We bought 4 AP's in summer of 2019 at the $899 rate, we were out of state. Our plan was to activate them during our November 2019 trip, as we have 3 kids, but at the time the youngest was turning 1. We thought we could do a few trips in a year on those APs before he aged in. Last minute we decided to just buy tickets for that trip, which ended up being the best decision b/c of covid. Also b/c of covid, my husband was able to work remotely on a permanent basis, so we moved to Florida at the end of last summer.

I've heard that Disney will basically grandfather in our youngest and sell us an AP for him. My first question is, will they only sell us the pass that is most equitable to what we have? I bought platinums, so I'm assuming the incredipass what be required for him?

The next piece is more strategy/advice. As a Florida resident now, we didn't jump on the newly released AP's in the fall b/c we, like everyone else, had no idea they would stop selling them so soon after release. I would have probably bought the pirate pass for everyone just to save a little money. We were thinking of holding on to the platinums for a few years (they expire in 2030), and then doing one last blow out year with all the perks of those passes. Does that sound dumb? I keep reading different opinions on what Disney is going to do with APs. We will be so disappointed if they stop selling them all together or drastically raise prices again.

I'm grateful to have AP's that we can use, but not sure I want to activate them just yet. If we were to activate them, when renewal time comes, would they let us drop down to a different level? We definitely can't justify the incredipass for 5 people. My kids are dying to go back, but honestly I'm hesitant still with all the new park pass and genie+ stuff. I was already killing myself to plan our trips before those two things came along. I know genie isn't going anywhere, but am hoping park reservations might end at some point. My family lived nearby for 2 years when I was a kid, we had passes back then. I so miss those laid back days. I love Disney, but it's so much mental work for the person planning the experience.

Ugh, I'm very long winded, sorry about that. I'm struggling with what to do.

I would not wait any longer. They may just decide to stop grandfathering the littles.

They will be activated under the new system and any options added with that pass should be added to the Incredi pass without additional payment. However, once these expire you will then be required to pay the difference for them.

Your LO should be granted a pass the same as the one you have.

 

[Paddy Pat]

I always thought you needed to activate annual passes within one year of purchase. Otherwise, they would expire from date of purchase.

 

[jolynne28]

We bought these from Sam's, the expiration date is listed as 2030. Annual passes expire one year from the date of activation.

 

[jolynne28]

I would not wait any longer. They may just decide to stop grandfathering the littles.

They will be activated under the new system and any options added with that pass should be added to the Incredi pass without additional payment. However, once these expire you will then be required to pay the difference for them.

Your LO should be granted a pass the same as the one you have.

That's something I'm afraid of. My instinct is to wait and see when the start selling AP's again, but who knows when that will be, and I worry that they'll do away with them altogether at some point.

 

[Miffy]

That's something I'm afraid of. My instinct is to wait and see when the start selling AP's again, but who knows when that will be, and I worry that they'll do away with them altogether at some point.

At this point, I wouldn't've gamble with an AP. But that's just me--I'm gambling-averse.

 

[1lilspark]

I’d personally try to activate sooner rather than later especially if between now/September WDW doesn’t reinstate new sales of pirate, sorcerer or incredi and goes the way of Disneyland and stops renewal into those tiers

 

[DisneySyd]

That's something I'm afraid of. My instinct is to wait and see when the start selling AP's again, but who knows when that will be, and I worry that they'll do away with them altogether at some point.

The current policy is that you can renew into all four pass types (despite the halt on new passes). So, you can downgrade. They also usually give a 15% discount. This obviously can change before you’re eligible to renew but worth considering.
ETA Disney website quote: “

Renew Your Annual Passes​

We are pausing new sales of select Annual Passes. All current Passholders can continue to renew into any of our four pass types – at their renewal rate – and continue to visit using their pass. We will continue to evaluate the return of new sales for these passes. Please check back here for the latest updates.

As one of our most valued Guests, we want to thank you for your loyalty and support. We also want to let you know that it’s time to renew! By renewing Annual Pass(es) today, you’ll receive a special renewal price.”

 

[1lilspark]

The current policy is that you can renew into all four pass types (despite the halt on new passes). So, you can downgrade. They also usually give a 15% discount. This obviously can change before you’re eligible to renew but worth considering.
ETA Disney website quote: “

Renew Your Annual Passes​

We are pausing new sales of select Annual Passes. All current Passholders can continue to renew into any of our four pass types – at their renewal rate – and continue to visit using their pass. We will continue to evaluate the return of new sales for these passes. Please check back here for the latest updates.

As one of our most valued Guests, we want to thank you for your loyalty and support. We also want to let you know that it’s time to renew! By renewing Annual Pass(es) today, you’ll receive a special renewal price.”

As of now you are renewing legacy passes into the new system despite only pixie dust being open to buy new….

 

[jolynne28]

Thanks all. I'm not worried that they won't honor the passes we have, but i do agree that they could opt to not grandfather in our youngest. And they may do away with selling new passes all together, who knows. I wonder if I buy him an AP now, when it would have to be activated. That's something I should probably check with them on.

It will be hard to use those passes, with no blackout dates and including PhotoPass, then have to downgrade from here on out. $400 more per person for us is 2K, which is a large chunk of change. I'm sure we'll eventually do the Universal pass, and I'm pretty sure we can get Sea World, which includes Busch Gardens and a couple other things, for $400 a year for our entire family plus a guest.

Our kids our 8, 6 and 3 now. The oldest is hard core into coasters, so I don't think disney is going to be impressing him for too much longer. The youngest has no memory of going, but I lean towards not wanting to use the platinums until he can ride most things and fully enjoy the parks.

 

[focusondisney]

Another option, you could activate one of those passes for yourself & get the pixie pass for the rest of your family. That way you’ll save some money now but still get the Photopass. Going forward you could renew to
The pixie pass. Or use the vouchers instead of a renewal. Only works if you really don’t think you’ll want them for the whole family at some point.

 

[PolyRob]

I always thought you needed to activate annual passes within one year of purchase. Otherwise, they would expire from date of purchase.

I have some unused Gold vouchers purchased directly from WDW. They show an expiration of 2030.

 

[PepperjackDragon]

I wonder if they will cut discounts etc for Florida residents in light of the current events?

 

[RoseGold]

What I understand is that you haven’t activated because you want a future G+ system that isn’t hostile to AP holders. I find that unlikely, no matter what name they use in the future. I’d expect more hoops and reservations and such.

It’s a big risk to hold this many expensive tickets, and it’s a really big risk if one of your kids doesn’t have one at all. I’d activate now, I wouldn’t sit on them.

 

[cakebaker]

I have a voucher I bought at Sams at that same price too. My intention was to activate for our spring trip that was scheduled to start the day Disney closed. We went this past summer, but I knew I wouldn't be back until Disney got more back to normal. We live out of state and pre-covid we were going 2-4 times a year. I wasn't going to activate that golden ticket for a single, fairly short trip. I will be activating it this summer, already have another trip on the books for September and plan on going at least 1 or 2 more times before it would expire next summer.

I've been hesitant to hold on to it and I felt like I was pushing my luck doing so. I'd activate if I were you. I don't think park reservations are going away, ever and you run the risk that they'll stop grandfathering in.

 

[jolynne28]

Another option, you could activate one of those passes for yourself & get the pixie pass for the rest of your family. That way you’ll save some money now but still get the Photopass. Going forward you could renew to
The pixie pass. Or use the vouchers instead of a renewal. Only works if you really don’t think you’ll want them for the whole family at some point.

Ok this is a good point, but the major issue is that we can't really do Pixie b/c it's weekdays only with school aged kids.

 

[jolynne28]

I have some unused Gold vouchers purchased directly from WDW. They show an expiration of 2030.

View attachment 664721

Yes, ours are loaded into MDE and have that same expiration. I'm not worried about Disney not honoring the passes, but others seem to think I could miss out on our youngest if he doesn't have a pass. I'm going to chat with them today and see if they grandfather him in, and I buy him an incredipass, what the expiration date for activation will be. If they will push it to the same date as our other passes, then I have no issues sitting on these until we decide to use them.

 

[jolynne28]

What I understand is that you haven’t activated because you want a future G+ system that isn’t hostile to AP holders. I find that unlikely, no matter what name they use in the future. I’d expect more hoops and reservations and such.

It’s a big risk to hold this many expensive tickets, and it’s a really big risk if one of your kids doesn’t have one at all. I’d activate now, I wouldn’t sit on them.

I've never used Genie+ and I loathe the concept. But I know it's here to stay and that we will most likely never use it, or rarely at most. We're close enough for day trips to the parks, so I'd much rather spend that $75 on food than shorter lines. The nice thing about this is that we don't have to stress about not getting everything in.

I'm not understanding the risk that a lot of people think I'm taking. I can't imagine disney not honoring these passes that are loaded to my account.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm going to chat with them today and see if they grandfather him in, and I buy him an incredipass, what the expiration date for activation will be.

You'll have 1-year from date of purchase to activate a new Incredi-Pass, then it will be valid for 12 months from activation. If you don't activate the new Incredi-pass in that 1-year time frame, you would simply need to pay any price increase to bring it up to current - whether that is a year from now or 5 years from now or whenever.

 

[RoseGold]

There’s a lot of assumptions in here about what happens to tickets you haven’t activated years from now. Sure, right now they would allow this into incredipass. But if that pass is “sold out” in the future, they could just send you back to sams for a refund.

Or — the future passes could be worse than what you bought. A good example is the DVC gold pass that added the painful thanksgiving blackout. And of course, the California APs, which just showed no availability, sorry!

Disney has shown they are willing to change the rules and are clamping down on APs in many ways. I would not sit on thousands of dollars in tickets hoping things improve for APs in the future.

If the AP lawsuit in California goes in Disney’s favor, I think we all know what those buckets will be used for. I’d want an incredipass now, while Disney is allowing access and it is actually useful to get in during peak dates.