AP sales…

[Madame]

Is anyone else (who uses their DVC for park visits) seriously struggling to find a way forward without an AP..?

We’ve reduced length of ticket (incorporating 50% non park days), reduced to base instead of hoppers…. The cost is just prohibitive. I’m not even thinking of the discounted pass (which is useless to us as Xmas travellers)… just any AP!

I don’t understand how they market DVC anymore, but given the proclivity of most new - & many veteran - owners to choose studios (assuming to save points) and prefer multiple visits to larger accommodations…. Just why are they not allowing AP sales to DVC members?

 

[zavandor]

Things are not yet 100% in the parks. Many shows are still dark or in reduced form, no real character meet, mostly no street entertainment, restaurants are not 100%. For many days park passes are sold out which means they meet their reduced cap.
Once all those thing are back, AP will be back.
If they planned to discontinue or alter dramatically the AP programme, they would have done like in DL. They are still allowing AP renewals, which means new sales will restart. We don't know when and it is certainly a huge issue for people with vacations booked in the next few weeks.

 

[Madame]

Things are not yet 100% in the parks. Many shows are still dark or in reduced form, no real character meet, mostly no street entertainment, restaurants are not 100%. For many days park passes are sold out which means they meet their reduced cap.
Once all those thing are back, AP will be back.
If they planned to discontinue or alter dramatically the AP programme, they would have done like in DL. They are still allowing AP renewals, which means new sales will restart. We don't know when and it is certainly a huge issue for people with vacations booked in the next few weeks.

True. I just booked for Easter (4 weeks out) and all parks are available, however, & that’s not even using the AP park reservation pool. Surely DVC members are a drop in the bucket.

I don’t even think it’s a deliberate choice, they either don’t care or simply don’t think about it. I just lament the lack of service/care with which the Disney brand used to be synonymous

 

[Sandisw]

True. I just booked for Easter (4 weeks out) and all parks are available, however, & that’s not even using the AP park reservation pool. Surely DVC members are a drop in the bucket.

I don’t even think it’s a deliberate choice, they either don’t care or simply don’t think about it. I just lament the lack of service/care with which the Disney brand used to be synonymous

The AP sales are determined by DPEP and when they make the decisions they make they take into account all guests. DVC, unfortunately are no more or less important to that division than the regular cash guests who also go multiple times a year, or FL/CA residents that go multiple times a year.

Now, what would be great is for them to have allowed DVC owners a chance to buy the pixie dust pass, like FL residents still can, during the suspension as I would snap up one of those without question and adjust my trips so I don't visit on weekends (which I don't normally anyway).

But, I think we just have to wait but the renewing gives me hope they will be back. I also think the lawsuit may be playing a larger role in this now since they did not return after the holiday crowds.

 

[Madame]

The AP sales are determined by DPEP and when they make the decisions they make they take into account all guests. DVC, unfortunately are no more or less important to that division than the regular cash guests who also go multiple times a year, or FL/CA residents that go multiple times a year.

Now, what would be great is for them to have allowed DVC owners a chance to buy the pixie dust pass, like FL residents still can, during the suspension as I would snap up one of those without question and adjust my trips so I don't visit on weekends (which I don't normally anyway).

But, I think we just have to wait but the renewing gives me hope they will be back. I also think the lawsuit may be playing a larger role in this now since they did not return after the holiday crowds.

Definitely. I just wish DVC recognized what was important to a lot of their base and either communicated *something* with us regarding APs or attempted (assuming they’ve not) to negotiate with the ticketing division on our behalf.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

I know that if there isn’t an annual pass for DVC available by the time we go on our next trip which will take place in Jan 2023 we will definitely change how we do Disney. We may buy a few day passes through Shades of Green but that isn’t a definite plan at this time.

A lot of times we go into a park just to enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants housed within the park. I guess going forward that will change, no pass means no entry into park which means we can’t eat at favorite restaurants within park. This could equate to a loss of revenue for the restaurants within the parks if enough people do the same thing.

I’m hoping they do bring back the DVC annual pass program along with Tables In Wonderland program. We have enjoyed both for many years now but I guess the old saying that “all good things must come to and end” may be applicable here. I sure hope not!

 

[Madame]

I know that if there isn’t an annual pass for DVC available by the time we go on our next trip which will take place in Jan 2023 we will definitely change how we do Disney. We may buy a few day passes through Shades of Green but that isn’t a definite plan at this time.

A lot of times we go into a park just to enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants housed within the park. I guess going forward that will change, no pass means no entry into park which means we can’t eat at favorite restaurants within park. This could equate to a loss of revenue for the restaurants within the parks if enough people do the same thing.

I’m hoping they do bring back the DVC annual pass program along with Tables In Wonderland program. We have enjoyed both for many years now but I guess the old saying that “all good things must come to and end” may be applicable here. I sure hope not!

Same here. BCV is one of our homes, but a big part of why we love it is eating & shopping in the PM in Epcot or DHS & If we’re forced to keep skimping on base tix… well

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

This could equate to a loss of revenue for the restaurants within the parks if enough people do the same thing.

The problem is, right now, Disney is experiencing such demand that basically every restaurant reservation is sold out for every restaurant at all times. So I think Disney isn’t really losing much revenue by pausing AP sales and I also don’t think they care much about long term good will anymore unfortunately.

 

[DeeBee3]

I believe higher ups (forget her name) said they would not be changing park capacity since they are so full right now. I don't think capacity will affect AP sales. I do hope they return because the tickets are really expensive. We are new to DVC and I did not have an AP. Now that we have an idea of how often we can travel, those APs would be great. We definitely limited our upcoming trip park days. It's just so expensive. However, now we will do resort things and just check out all the non-park adventures.

 

[kdm31091]

Completely understand wanting to just pop in for a meal, but unfortunately, the parks are super crowded, and Disney is trying to mitigate that. Outside of park reservations, limiting APs is another way to do that.

Since they're allowing renewals, I would imagine sales will be back - I doubt the program gets killed entirely. We just don't know when sales will resume. In the meantime, resort days & exploring non-park options are alternatives because yes, day tickets are absurdly priced.

 

[Madame]

Completely understand wanting to just pop in for a meal, but unfortunately, the parks are super crowded, and Disney is trying to mitigate that. Outside of park reservations, limiting APs is another way to do that.

Yes but selling DVC, a product that encourages longer or more shorter trips and denying AP sales to those clients seems sketchy to me. I understand modern corporations have a silo mentality - I just don’t like it.

 

[RoseGold]

I swapped out the point bookings so that a couple of my contracts are ready to sell after my May trip. If there are no APs, even really expensive or Blue Card only ones, my DVC plans don’t work. I can’t be the only one thinking that.

I’m not going to be the last one out, when the writing is on the wall. Disney has made a lot of decisions that don’t benefit DVC, but this would be the one that ends it for me.

 

[aka Charles]

Now, what would be great is for them to have allowed DVC owners a chance to buy the pixie dust pass, like FL residents still can, during the suspension as I would snap up one of those without question and adjust my trips so I don't visit on weekends (which I don't normally anyway).

I agree, allowing DVC members access to get a pixie dust AP would be a great gesture on Disney's part. After all, we do own "property" in Florida, which kinda makes us Florida residents.

 

[Madame]

I swapped out the point bookings so that a couple of my contracts are ready to sell after my May trip. If there are no APs, even really expensive or Blue Card only ones, my DVC plans don’t work. I can’t be the only one thinking that.

I’m not going to be the last one out, when the writing is on the wall. Disney has made a lot of decisions that don’t benefit DVC, but this would be the one that ends it for me.

I’m hoping it doesn’t get to that point, but this is just brutal (even having the extra funds after basically being locked down in Canada for 2 years). I like resort time but I can spend time much more cheaply in Florida if I can’t go to the parks, but using air b&b or renting a townhome or condo.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

The longer this pause takes the more I also think it’s tied to that lawsuit in California. I continue to believe that lawsuit has teeth and will ultimately be settled by Disney with changes to the AP program, including probably getting rid of the different “classes” of park availability.

 

[RoseGold]

The longer this pause takes the more I also think it’s tied to that lawsuit in California. I continue to believe that lawsuit has teeth and will ultimately be settled by Disney with changes to the AP program, including probably getting rid of the different “classes” of park availability.

If that’s true, then AP is truly doomed. They want to be able to throttle the cheapskates.

Or, if they can make a class for it, maybe the solution is something like an on-site only AP, which would be a big boost for DVC and an awesome Blue Card perk.

 

[Madame]

If that’s true, then AP is truly doomed. They want to be able to throttle the cheapskates.

Or, if they can make a class for it, maybe the solution is something like an on-site only AP, which would be a big boost for DVC and an awesome Blue Card perk.

Yes, the lawsuit could take years, right? Kind of glad my kids are older and losing interest a bit so I can leave some of them home…. $1000 usd for 3 days of tickets for 2 people when we only ride a few rides per day…. Not sustainable.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

If that’s true, then AP is truly doomed. They want to be able to throttle the cheapskates.

Or, if they can make a class for it, maybe the solution is something like an on-site only AP, which would be a big boost for DVC and an awesome Blue Card perk.

The problem with the current AP and park pass bucket structure is that it is really deceptive, especially in the case of California. In California, they literally sold an premium priced AP that cost more so you could use it on weekends, and then had NO weekend availability for months for AP holders while simultaneously still selling day passes for walk-ups. There are other ways to throttle AP’s without being so deceptive. For example, you could, up front, state “this annual pass entitles you to ‘X’ visits per year, no more.” Then at least you’re being honest about the product you’re delivering. Plenty of other variations on that.

 

[lowlight]

I swapped out the point bookings so that a couple of my contracts are ready to sell after my May trip. If there are no APs, even really expensive or Blue Card only ones, my DVC plans don’t work. I can’t be the only one thinking that.

I’m not going to be the last one out, when the writing is on the wall. Disney has made a lot of decisions that don’t benefit DVC, but this would be the one that ends it for me.

APs are 100% my line in the sand. Not just out of principal, but financially. If for some reason we can’t renew the ones we have now and it becomes permanently removed, I will list my contracts the next day in a fire sale to get ahead of the pack that will surely follow. With that said, I don’t think it’s permanent.

 

[lowlight]

If that’s true, then AP is truly doomed. They want to be able to throttle the cheapskates.

Or, if they can make a class for it, maybe the solution is something like an on-site only AP, which would be a big boost for DVC and an awesome Blue Card perk.

The issue with this is, I don't want to concede one more got dang thing to Disney. I've conceded dozens of things in the past few years in the name of "pandemic" or "short staffing" or "shortages" or "high demand" or "inflation" or just plain "Disney wanting a higher spending park visitor", the list goes on. I don't want to offer Disney a way to realize more profit on something that is already very profitable. Sure, they can make it for on-site stays only, or make it limited to a certain number of days a year, or a bunch of things, but the AP is the last "value" item left in the ENTIRE universe of Disney, and even then, it had 40% of it's value chewed out when it changed from Gold to Sorcerer. I have no way of stopping Disney from doing anything, and even if a hundred people agreed and left with me it wouldn't even be a blip on the balance sheet, but I won't pay more for it, or accept it when it's rebirthed as a more limited product at a higher cost. Disney has poked and prodded me for the past few years with price increases and I smile through clenched teeth each time, but this would be the proverbial straw, and I say that as a blue card member. Raise the price on Mickey Bars to $9 for all I care, but when you start artificially gating how many times I can come to a park that's, I guess coincidentally, on the same property as the property you leased to me as a "second home", it's over. "Welcome home, but not for that long of a stay!" It's almost like that movie where the guy has to maintain a certain adrenaline level or his heart stops, except it's Chapek and if he doesn't maintain a certain profit level, he self combusts.