For AP holders, seems like the right strategy is to request a refund no?

[tommygunn]

Sounds like that’s an option being offered. And while I love Disney and want to support them, it’s pretty clear that things aren’t going to be back to anywhere near “normal” for quite a while. Seems like the right move to to ask for a refund of the unused portion at this point given all the uncertainly. Am I missing something?

 

[Sandisw]

I think it all depends, I will be extending mine because it currently expires on October 6th, but have an early Dec trip, The extension will allow me to cover that trip,

Then I will be able to renew Vs, buying a new one.

 

[savemycamera]

No... I don't think you're missing anything. I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to do as well. At this point, I figure that whatever I would get in a refund would be more than what I would save if I renewed right away. That way, I can just buy a new AP outright and not have to worry about expiration dates passing by.

 

[winthropf]

I am waiting for the parks to open and then will look at the new expiration date. If that get the next normally planned trip, I will probably extend. If not, I will take the refund.

 

[lovethattink]

My son’s AP expires May 21, mine and dh’s expires July 7. My dh thinks we should do the refund. But I’m thinking we should still hold out and see what happens. We have gold, so I’ll be interested to see how they extend with the black out that was there overt spring.

 

[starry_solo]

You won’t get a refund for the unused portion, only the time Disney is closed, unless your AP expires during the time they are closed.

 

[Flamingeaux]

My AP expires 11/17. I rescheduled my May trip to September with the FD offer. I am the only person on this trip with an AP so I may use my ticket to renew my AP. We had another trip planned for early November - prior to my original expiration date. Due to the closure we changed this trip to late November which is a better fit for us. Also if this drags out to June that would push my new expiration date to the end of January/early February. I am thinking of fitting in a mid January trip. I am optimistic that things will be settled down by then so I am leaning towards extending my expiration date versus the refund. We shall see....

 

[OKW Lover]

Being local we are happy with the extended term.

 

[kylenne]

Sounds like that’s an option being offered. And while I love Disney and want to support them, it’s pretty clear that things aren’t going to be back to anywhere near “normal” for quite a while. Seems like the right move to to ask for a refund of the unused portion at this point given all the uncertainly. Am I missing something?

It really depends. I thought about it and will likely take the extension to have my pass last longer into next year when I renew it. Mine expires in August and we rebooked our canceled trip from this week for next May, but I also want to be there for the actual 50th anniversary day. The later expiration date will suit me better. Some people who have been there done that may actually want to go right when they reopen to see what changes have been made.

 

[Just People]

I wonder if they will have the nerve to increase AP prices next year.... Due to guest demand, of course.

 

[gharter]

If I understand what you are saying is you are planning to ask for a refund of the unused portion of your AP.
My understanding (and I could be wrong) is Disney is offering to extend your AP for the time it was closed or refund the percentage of your AP for the time it was closed, not a refund of the remaining unused protion of your AP.

 

[BebopBaloo]

I think it very much depends on your specific situation. The extension will be the entire number of days that the parks are closed. So, if you renew and the parks open starting (hypothetical date here) June 25 2020, the renewed pass would go through June 25 2021 Plus approximately three months (we don't know when the parks will open yet) because the extension would be added onto the renewed pass. Factor in the times of the year that you would normally go because ticket prices vary by date. So if you planned a trip over a spring break month, or a Christmas/New Year time frame, plus a summer date then you are most likely going to come out ahead by renewing.

 

[emmabelle]

I plan to take the extension because I bought my passes from Sam’s Club at the old price. I assume Disney knows this and would give me less back? Then I would have to buy new passes at the higher price. I may try and book something for late November/ early December since my AP will be extended until then.

 

[MeridaAnn]

I'll have to look at the exact timing and refund amount, but I think I'm going to take the refund. My pass expires in early June and I think it's likely that the parks will open to APs sooner than I feel good about going back. I also have a Universal pass, and I haven't seen anything from them about a refund - just extending the date, so even if I do end up going to a park, I could go to Universal instead.

(As a side note, I feel like I'm emotionally going to be ready for Universal before Disney somehow - I just don't think I'm going to be able to flip straight to the cheeriness of Disney, but Universal has a different feeling to it, where I think it wouldn't feel like quite as much emotional whiplash, if that makes any sense? I just don't think I could forget everything quickly enough to enjoy the "Disney magic" right away, but I could find myself enjoying Universal's thrill rides just for the rides themselves, since there are fewer emotions tied up in them somehow?)

Anyway, I live locally, so travel plans aren't part of my considerations usually, but I do have friends scheduled to visit from out of state in September, and I feel fairly confident that I will be ready to return to Disney by then. If I get the refund and let my pass expire in June and then re-purchase in September (assuming my friends are still able to come), I would lose out on about $70 from the renewal discount, so as long as the refund is more than that, I will still come out ahead. If the closure was long enough that extending would make my current pass last until that September visit, I might have a different set of calculations, but in my case, the extension won't last that long (at least with the way things look right now). So I think it's just going to come down to everyone running the math on each of their options. Some people will be better off with the refund, others with the extension. Just depends on the exact numbers and timing.

 

[gharter]

For our travel plans, we'll probably take the extension.
Our last trip was off the usual schedule and needed to renew the AP earlier than planned. The extension should put us back on schedule.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

As PPs have noted, it is the unusable portion of your AP year that gets refunded, NOT the unused portion. Otherwise, it would be easy for most to choose the refund. So you should expect a prorated refund for the portion of the year they were closed. Like, if they're closed for two months you get 2/12 of your AP price back (assuming you paid in full). You don't get the full 5.5 months you might have had left.
So everyone has a different situation. For people like me with a relatively "young" AP (I activated on Jan 1), it's easier to conceive that your family might go back to WDW before the new extended expiry date. I am currently looking to be extended all the way into March 2021 (and thus my kids' spring break) instead of Jan 1, 2021. That's a nice (sufficiently long) timeline for planning another trip.
However, lots of different things could happen that would make me hold off on going to any park anywhere, a few under Disney's control, a lot that aren't. So, the partial refund might be what I end up taking.

Another issue is current APs who expect to renew vs. those who do not. If you're not renewing, then only your possible plans for another trip matter. If you are renewing, then there are considerations around the renewal discount. Maybe people with experience renewing can speak up about the math involved. I do believe that we will soon cross the day when the refund will be above 15% of your price, though (meaning WDW will have been closed for more than 55 days).

 

[Kaadk]

It's all going to be relative to each individual. The person who renews year over year, most likely, will benefit from taking the extension. But the person who bought the AP once, to cover 2 trips, and has no plans for renewing, might fall into one of these three scenarios:
1) Their pass was set to expire during the closed period, and the remaining days left on their pass is too short to bother trying to get another trip in. That person most likely would be better off with the refund.
2) Their pass is set to expire way in the future, in which case, taking the extension they may bonus. They might be able to cover that second Dec trip they had planned, and get in a bonus 3rd trip some time in March.
3) Their pass is set to expire soon after reopen, in which case, it would depend on whether or not they'd be able to get another trip in before the extended expiry.

 

[DLgal]

My fear is that they will jack up AP prices or even stop selling them altogether after the parks open back up. Holding onto an AP and getting it extended is preferable to both those options. I imagine if they temporarily stop selling new APs, they would continue to allow renewals.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Since we renew every year, we are taking the extension.

 

[going/again]

I think it all depends, I will be extending mine because it currently expires on October 6th, but have an early Dec trip, The extension will allow me to cover that trip,

Then I will be able to renew Vs, buying a new one.

Extension covers me for early December too