Are you considering not renewing your Annual Pass?

[A Mickeyfan]

I have had an annual since 1995. It expired in May and I did not renew. I am taking a break to see if things change. I am tired of paying to be able to go when ever but when ever now has reservations. I am tired of paying full price for the full experience but not getting it. My time and my money is valuable too. Until things change, I will not get an annual pass.

 

[cakebaker]

I just activated my AP voucher last week that I've had since before the shutdown and I will never not renew as long as they are not available to buy. Normally, I'd alternate years but with no ability to purchase, I'll just renew.

 

[holyrita]

I just went to renew my Incredi-pass in MDE and was surprised to see there was no option to use a Disney Gift Card as payment. Does anyone know if this is not possible at all or just not possible through the app?

 

[butterscotchcollins]

I just went to renew my Incredi-pass in MDE and was surprised to see there was no option to use a Disney Gift Card as payment. Does anyone know if this is not possible at all or just not possible through the app?

It was definitely an option when I renewed using a mobile browser so I’d say that’s just an MDE app issue.

 

[holyrita]

It was definitely an option when I renewed using a mobile browser so I’d say that’s just an MDE app issue.

Good call. I went to the app because I wasn't able to find how to do it on Disney World's crazy confusing website. Google was able to help me though. Thanks for your help too!

 

[notatallmagic]

Former multi year Disney AP holder - didn't renew this Spring. We just purchased Universal Annual Passes and are excited to try something different. We'd been in Florida for a Discovery Cove/Sea World trip in June, and spent a day exploring Universal City Walk and the Deluxe Resorts in order to make our decision. I have to say that their service blew us away - in a good way! I'd heard the rumor that many former Disney cast members had moved to Universal, and I definitely believe that to be true. We explored resorts, asked lots of questions, and ate two meals on site, and had great experiences. The ability to walk from resorts to the parks easily was wonderful; the boats were lovely and came often, and security protocols were quick and sensible. Everything was super clean, their employees were wonderful, and the prices were SO much better for food and souvineers - and they had really cool new merchandise!

I love the price point of the passes, as well as the ability to stay at a Deluxe resort for less then the price of a standard Disney moderate room - and get free "front of the line" passes for our length of stay. We haven't even applied our AP discount (if their is one offered), and have Royal Pacific booked for $319/night!

No, it's not Disney, but until Disney can stop charging more for less and get their lapses in service in order - we will enjoy a new experience. Oh, and my kids are now listening to Universal park music loops Plane tickets, hotel, and annual passes are ready to go!

 

[sssteele]

I still go 20 days or more each year (multiple trips) and renewed from Platinum to Sorcerers when it was time. If I go for fewer days, I might consider dropping the AP, but at 20 days it is still the best option.

Same for wife and I; we will continue to renew indefinitely, as we own a lot of DVC points at 3 different resorts. Our grandchildren are grown adults (23 and 29), and have work responsibilities and lives of their own, so it's usually just the two of us. We love the resorts, but still enjoy going into a park early, catching a few attractions that have relatively short waits, and then people-watching and having a beverage. Sometimes we park hop if we're not going off property to eat. We're now in our early 70s, and realize that things can change physically at anytime, so we're making the most of WDW while we can. At present, we go 3 or 4 times a year, driving from PA.

 

[Dean1953]

My AP still has until After Thanksgiving before it expires, so I may have a Thanksgiving trip in the future, although that’s doubtful. So far, I’ve gotten 6 weeks out of this AP. I’m actually in Orlando now, finishing up on Thursday a 16 day trip. I bought it early pandemic for $530 with PhotoPass, an activated it last November. With all the price increases at Disney, including the Sorcerer’s Pass, and having to deal with Park Reservations and Genie Plus and Lightning Lanes, I decided to use two 5 year old 4 day passes at Universal for myself and my 14 year old son. After the first day, I upgraded to a Premier Pass for $400 a piece. That means no blackouts and Express Pass after 4 PM, which works for my son who hates to get up for Disney‘s half hour early morning head start. Today is our last day at Universal and then, the next 3.5 days at Disney. Those could be the last for awhile, unless we come back at Thanksgiving, when we would split time between Disney and Universal.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

We are not happy with any of the changes. I have considered many times not renewing, but in the end always do renew.

 

[sheilafri]

Not sure if anyone feels this way... I bought mine 9/8/2021 and I've visited a total of 15 days so "technically" I've made it worthwhile. BUT, I find myself thinking "I need to go again and get my money's worth even more"! It's like a race to see how much I can go LOL. Even though my passes are basically prepaid by buying the AP last year, there is still a lot to pay for - hotel, transportation via driving or flying, food... so I'm spending even more money than I normally would. I'm not sure it's "safe" for me to have an AP because of this. Kind of gives me this fake excuse to keep visiting. I'm a 9 hour drive away so that's too easy. I don't know ... still on the fence. Enjoying this discussion.

I can relate to this mindset. We have a 6 hour drive, in state so our Pixie Dist Pass is relatively cheap. I still want to get my per day cost down. But it costs me gas, mileage, hotel, food, etc. each time I go. And we’ve discovered the Deluxe Extra Evening Hours, so more expensive hotel! I’m compromising by arriving late on a Monday and staying through Thursday. I can go to Epcot on Monday and MK on Wednesday. Pretty sure they designed this to up occupancy on weekdays.

 

[PamNC]

^THIS^

From a purely emotional standpoint, I keep returning to Disney World because it is where my family found so much joy when our kids were young. I relive a lot of that joy on my long weekend trips even when it's just me and a local friend. The kids are grown, graduated, married, on to other things. But I can't let go.

Not to get too morbid, but if you've watched the Netflix series AfterLife -- all those places he's going as a widower, but still seeing his wife in times' past, smiling and laughing, in these bittersweet moments? That's me at Disney World seeing my kids as they grew.

And now, this Thanksgiving (because it was literally the only time everyone could go) both my kids, their spouses, and my 1 year old grandbaby on her first trip, will make more memories that will make me even more invested/renewing.

Weaponized nostalgia is a powerful strategy. Sometimes I envy those who are able to walk away.

WOW - you hit the nail on the head. Weaponized nostalgia. I am a 60 year old single female and I've been going since I was 10 years old. My parents took me down A LOT. Maybe not every year, but at least every couple years. I've been doing as an adult both when I was married (got my now ex-husband hooked on it), and after I was divorced. So lucky to have met so many fantastic folks at the DIS conventions and locals that I just ran into and started up a conversation and ended up being friends. It's a special place and I can't let go either. And why should we - it's a magical place even with all it's recent issues. I just keep hoping Chapek will one day GO AWAY. Here is what I say "If lovin' Disney is wrong, I don't wanna be right." In a world with so much stress and division, why not go to your happy place. The world needs more happy.

 

[suemom2kay]

Not only did we not renew, we are strongly considering selling our DVC. The parks are a total ripoff way worse than ever before.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We have a three week trip in November. We don't plan to be at WDW even half of that time, however for convenience sake we will just renew (expires 10/28) and schedule 2023 prior to expiration just in case. I'm afraid if we don't renew we might not have the opportunity to do so in the future, sigh.

 

[squirk]

I usually renew, because I usually have the opportunity to visit the parks several times a year as a side-trip that is part of a larger business trip to FL. Having the AP was a no-brainer for me.

All that took a pause for COVID, but now that I am back to traveling a lot for work again, I am ...... reluctant to renew because of Genie+/Individual Lightning Lanes.

I don't want to rehash everything that's been said ad nauseum, so let's just say that I'm not a fan of the new service. And it curbs my desire to visit the parks as frequently as I have in the past.

So right now, the Sorcerer AP doesn't really make sense for me because, sadly, I don't plan on visiting often enough to break even on the cost (even factoring in discounts).

 

[Kingoglow]

I will be renewing.

I am not sure if Disney would even notice if most AP holders 'voted with their wallet' and dropped their AP. It would take something much more substantial, like most DVC members selling their contracts back to Disney, for the company to take notice.

But DVC is a whole other level and I doubt most will sell.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Providing an update and I want to be as transparent as possible.

My earlier posts indicated that I was inclined to let my AP expire.

Well.......we have reviewed our travel plans for 2023 and we are already going to be near Orlando on 2 different occasions. If I make an specific trip in December of this year, that will make 3 "visits" without really having to work hard at it.

My total number of days in the parks will be lower than ever............ but the free parking and (lame 2pm) park hopping.......combined with no tiered pricing or access to certain days.....have influenced me to hang on for one more year. The recent changes to one ILL per park is also encouraging.

Since I always drive, and no air travel is required, having the AP gives me some flexibility in case I stumble across some sort of hotel or condo rental deal down near Disney.

This decision is not a slam dunk......Disney is expensive and everything else we are now paying for is expensive thanks to the 8/9 percent (or more) inflation we are experiencing.

So I will be watching the calendar and renewing 60 days early so I can start getting some park passes lined up.

Oh......and if we were not fully retired and able to come and go as we pleased, I would not have renewed.

Squeezing in trips on an AP and working a full time job was already a challenge.............luckily we have a lot of flexibility now.

 

[lurkernj]

I had 2 platinum vouchers from prior to covid. I activated one of them in March. When it expires next March I don't plan to renew and will take some time off. I still have one platinum voucher left for when I'm ready to go back.

Not too happy with their changes either. The one that irritated me the most was that I had to wait to park hop until 2pm. With no fastpasses any longer, we like to get to park 1 at rope drop to get stuff done and on two separate days we were done in the first park by 11am and had to wait until 2 to go into Epcot for lunch. Don't like the park reservations as it leaves no flexibility if I change my mind on where I'd like to go. Tried Genie+ one day, it was ok, but don't like that we have to pay for it and it also makes it very difficult to plan ahead (like dining reservations).

I'm sure I'll be back at some point so I can use my other voucher, but my excitement for upcoming trips isn't there and I need a break.

 

[GeneralTso]

We plan on renewing, it was not a question for us. We travel to Orlando a few times each year and always to go Disney. It just makes sense.
I get the top tier, my husband gets the lower one because we use mine for the best discounts, etc.

When we were there a few months ago, we had to talk to someone at the ticket counter in Epcot. It must have been our very lucky day because the CM helping us called in a supervisor and they ended up renewing our passes in a way that we didn't lose the months we were losing because of not traveling due to Covid. They were able to add 6 months to our passes. Talk about unexpected Pixie Dust! The supervisor was so awesome and worked some exception magic and boom.....new passes and we didn't lose time. I don't know what we did or what we said to prompt this, but it was so nice.