Are you considering not renewing your Annual Pass?

[wfjny]

We have had APs more on than off over the past 15 years. While in the beginning it was an attempt to get two week long trips in over two summers, for the past few years (since before the pandemic) we have had APs continually. We are out of state passholders, who are also DVC members. It has been common for us to make now between 6-8 trips a year. One is our week long trip, while the others are mostly long (and sometimes longer) weekends.

For the first time in a very long time, we are considering not renewing our APs when they come due in July. What makes this decision more difficulty is knowing that we may never be able to get Annual Passes again (only renewals have been available since November of last year). I have not made that final decision yet, but I will over the next three months.

I am wondering if others are in a similar mindset.

To be honest, not all of this is on Disney. My youngest will be a senior in High School this year, and while he loves going to Disney, I am not sure he will have the same time to go next school year. But, while we would certainly consider dropping his pass (as we have with our other children in the past), my intention was to still renew the passes for my wife and me.

I also do understand that the world has changed. Worker shortages, international travel issue, domestic travel issues, the concern over Covid19, all play a part here.

However, a significant part of this is also what we have seen of Disney in the past couple of years. I know some people do not like to hear others complain about our first world problems. I get it. However, I am starting with the premise that people were always willing to pay a premium for Disney, because of the environment, the service, and the attention to detail. The sprinkling of pixie dust every once in a while also added to the premium.

Sadly, what I have seen is price increases, while also having a declining level of service. Certainly, as a stock holder of DIS, I am glad to see the demand for a Disney vacation is there.

However, it is the overall quality of service that has been bothering me the most. Disney has pushed so much that was cast interactions to a self-service app that you need running your entire vacation. I have seen a drop in things like cleaning. Look around the EPCOT monorail station, it has almost as many cobwebs as the Haunted Mansion. Look at some of the more popular rest rooms. That along with the lack of some previous services (shows, characters, shops, restaurants, parking lot trams, etc), has made me ask why I am paying for this premium vacation? I remember a time when it was odd to see a crack on a piece of cement. It seems when one started, the entire slab would be replaced overnight.

I also feel the number of deals, that extra value that you would get has been disappearing. I also remember a time when a DVC full blown (Platinum Plus) annual pass was about $100 more than a 7 day parkhopper. That is how we got started with APs in the first place.

I get the feeling that Disney World is becoming more of a set of a few amusement parks, then the immersive world that it once was. And for that, I could take a tour of Cedar Fair parks, Six Flags, or any of the other independent parks like Dollywood and Hershey.

Sorry to be venting. I guess I am just curious, am I the only one that feels this way? Are you considering not renewing your Annual Pass? If so, why?

 

[Jennasis]

We are only considering renewing because they don't seem to be offering annual pass sales anymore. We usually buy one every other year and now we will have to renew for 2023 even though we aren't going. So stupid

 

[StageTek]

I'm not renewing. For many of the reasons you mentioned.

I'm in California and would visit the World at least twice - and often thrice - during my AP year. But Disney has removed so many of the perks and reasons go several times a year that it's just not worth it anymore. A Walt Disney World vacation was once special. Now it's industry standard.

 

[k5xs]

We have been AP holders for ten years and are considering not renewing based on several factors.

Our strongest motivations for renewing them are sentimentality ("Do we REALLY want to pull the plug?") and the scant hope things will turn around (and if we don't renew we'd not be able to get a new AP--classic FOMO.

We don't like Genie+, and we detest the loss in spontaneity brought on by the park reservation system.

 

[kanerf]

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.

 

[Shellyred8]

We decided to not renew our AP's when they expired in Dec 2021. We were planning to take 2022 off from WDW (we are DVC too and were going to bank our 2022 points) for many of the reasons you listed. Then things changed. In April, we found out that some of our friends and family are going down at different times of 2022 and we are now going to be making at least 2 trips to WDW in 2022. One trip is a shorter trip, so we are buying a 4-day pass. The second trip is longer and we will be using some non-date specific 7-day park hopper passes that we bought years ago for this trip. I'm now kicking myself for not renewing our AP's.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

For the first time in years, we did consider it. Going from Silver to Pirate was a decent jump in price and we liked being blocked out for summer. So we are now paying for dates we will never use. We did renew but will reevaluate in March 22 to see if we used it enough.

 

[soniam]

We will be renewing. Not local but visit a few times a year. Platinum->incredipass prices were not much different. We still find value in it. I just wish they would allow you to make park reservations beyond the AP expiration without having to buy park tickets. I will probably have to do this again if Spring Break 2023 is going too fast, which means I will be on hold for hours trying to apply the cost of the tickets to the AP renewal, again.

 

[loves to dive]

I probably won't renew mine but not for any of your reasons. It's strictly financial for me. I'm non-DVC out of state so I have the most expensive one. It expires Sept. 5 and I have two trips planned before then so I've gotten my money's worth out of it. I'm pretty sure I'm only taking one trip within the 12 month period after it expires. The company I work for is closing within the next 2 or 3 months. I don't draw SS for another year and half. I planned for this and have savings (along with my annuities for after I turn 70) with some cushion to live on but 3 to 4 trips to WDW during that in between period are not going to work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they do start offering them again. I have had them on and off during the past 10 years, just depending on my plans for the upcoming year in the past. Mine had expired before the world shut down and as soon as they started selling them again I got one. I can buy tickets for probably two 5 days trips (park hoppers) for less than or equal to the cost of renewing and since I'm pretty sure I am only taking 1 six day trip, it doesn't make financial sense to renew. Fingers crossed within the year after Sept. they start offering them again.

 

[pixieprincess925]

To be honest, not all of this is on Disney. My youngest will be a senior in High School this year, and while he loves going to Disney, I am not sure he will have the same time to go next school year. But, while we would certainly consider dropping his pass (as we have with our other children in the past), my intention was to still renew the passes for my wife and me.

Definitely a big dilemma and something to consider. My youngest started college this past fall. Originally, I was not going to renew her pass (October renewal). But then I saw that she sometimes needed that break to get away for a quick weekend - or even a day when classes allowed. We are from Maryland. It really broke up her school year and allowed some destress time at Disney without me worrying about paying for 1-3 day tickets each time. I honestly would not have done this with my oldest. He needed to be in school with no distractions during the semester. Now he's graduating and ready to join us on long weekends again - but we can't get him an AP! (like you said - first World problems)

Hubby asked me a few years ago if he and I could just keep renewing. He likes our trips and wants to make sure we don't feel guilty about adding a weekend from time to time. ;-)

Of course, you know your family best and should determine what makes the most sense for you.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

We have had APs more on than off over the past 15 years. While in the beginning it was an attempt to get two week long trips in over two summers, for the past few years (since before the pandemic) we have had APs continually. We are out of state passholders, who are also DVC members. It has been common for us to make now between 6-8 trips a year. One is our week long trip, while the others are mostly long (and sometimes longer) weekends.

For the first time in a very long time, we are considering not renewing our APs when they come due in July. What makes this decision more difficulty is knowing that we may never be able to get Annual Passes again (only renewals have been available since November of last year). I have not made that final decision yet, but I will over the next three months.

I am wondering if others are in a similar mindset.

To be honest, not all of this is on Disney. My youngest will be a senior in High School this year, and while he loves going to Disney, I am not sure he will have the same time to go next school year. But, while we would certainly consider dropping his pass (as we have with our other children in the past), my intention was to still renew the passes for my wife and me.

I also do understand that the world has changed. Worker shortages, international travel issue, domestic travel issues, the concern over Covid19, all play a part here.

However, a significant part of this is also what we have seen of Disney in the past couple of years. I know some people do not like to hear others complain about our first world problems. I get it. However, I am starting with the premise that people were always willing to pay a premium for Disney, because of the environment, the service, and the attention to detail. The sprinkling of pixie dust every once in a while also added to the premium.

Sadly, what I have seen is price increases, while also having a declining level of service. Certainly, as a stock holder of DIS, I am glad to see the demand for a Disney vacation is there.

However, it is the overall quality of service that has been bothering me the most. Disney has pushed so much that was cast interactions to a self-service app that you need running your entire vacation. I have seen a drop in things like cleaning. Look around the EPCOT monorail station, it has almost as many cobwebs as the Haunted Mansion. Look at some of the more popular rest rooms. That along with the lack of some previous services (shows, characters, shops, restaurants, parking lot trams, etc), has made me ask why I am paying for this premium vacation? I remember a time when it was odd to see a crack on a piece of cement. It seems when one started, the entire slab would be replaced overnight.

I also feel the number of deals, that extra value that you would get has been disappearing. I also remember a time when a DVC full blown (Platinum Plus) annual pass was about $100 more than a 7 day parkhopper. That is how we got started with APs in the first place.

I get the feeling that Disney World is becoming more of a set of a few amusement parks, then the immersive world that it once was. And for that, I could take a tour of Cedar Fair parks, Six Flags, or any of the other independent parks like Dollywood and Hershey.

Sorry to be venting. I guess I am just curious, am I the only one that feels this way? Are you considering not renewing your Annual Pass? If so, why?

Just be aware if you don't renew it could potentially be years before you can get another one. It's possible they don't start reselling new ones until the lawsuit is resolved.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We will renew our DVC AP's. We're now spending 24-26 nights in two trips. Our plan is to stay even longer in the near future so it makes sense to keep renewing.

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

Just be aware if you don't renew it could potentially be years before you can get another one. It's possible they don't start reselling new ones until the lawsuit is resolved.

I knew they stopped selling new APs in 11/21, but I never knew the reason. Sound like this lawsuit you mention is why. Can you or anyone point me to where I can find out more info? Thanx!

 

[Scalemaster34]

If your OK giving up going to WDW... don't see any point in paying for the pass. If you are going to go, you can do the math to see if passes are worth having.

Normally we would get a pass, go four of five times a year, then take a year off to do other things. But with passes not being offered right now, backlog of vacations that SWMBO say we have to get caught up on, and a couple of big attractions about to come online... we renewed.

Don't know about a lawsuit, but Annual Passes are simply a discount program... right now it's clear they don't need the Annual Passes program.

 

[brightlined]

I knew they stopped selling new APs in 11/21, but I never knew the reason. Sound like this lawsuit you mention is why. Can you or anyone point me to where I can find out more info? Thanx!

The main reason they stopped was that they had so little available capacity - the top tier passes were basically blocked out over Thanksgiving. (Btw - the lawsuit was specifically at Disneyland - their top tier pass was basically blocked out for nearly all of the holidays.) People were complaining - loudly - about spending big bucks on a pass that they couldn't use.

Disneyland actually halted their top-tier pass in late October, prior to the lawsuit. I'm not convinced the lawsuit is what's stopping them from reopening sales.


I'm a contrarian - I actually think they'll start selling them sooner than later. Capacity is getting closer to normal. I think once the big shows (ie, Fantasmic) reopen, it'll be easier to justify it.

If anything, I think they're waiting to get past the current peak season. Once we get into summer - people buying APs would be getting two summer trips (front and back of the pass) rather than two Christmas / Spring Break trips, which is a more desirable situation for WDW.

 

[Marionnette]

I knew they stopped selling new APs in 11/21, but I never knew the reason. Sound like this lawsuit you mention is why. Can you or anyone point me to where I can find out more info? Thanx!

The class action lawsuit was filed 11/15/2021 with regards to the DL Dream Key annual pass, which has no blockout dates. The suit alleges that annual passholders are being denied park reservations even when park reservations are still available for guests with multi-day and single day tickets. The plaintiff asserts that selling an annual pass with no blackout dates is false advertising when the holder cannot actually use the pass for admission on any given day. There are actually 6 causes of action alleged in the lawsuit.

On 11/22/2021, WDW halted the sale of all annual passes, except the Pixiedust Pass. Only the Enchant Key,, the most restricted DL annual pass, is available for purchase. The Dream Key and Believe Key passes are "sold out".

Disney moved to have the case heard in federal court instead of California Superior Court on 12/17/2021.

https://wdwnt.com/2021/12/disney-responds-to-magic-key-program-lawsuit-with-notice-of-removal/

 

[brightlined]

Separately, I'm actually not planning to renew mine. I realized that I actually kind of liked the break over 2020 - when I started going again, it was almost like getting to re-experience everything for the first time. But I think I'm also a little burned out on feeling like I need to make enough trips to justify the expense. I've had a Flex pass and Enchant Key at DLR in recent years, too, and it's been really nice to have that separate experience. (In a perfect world, I could see myself alternating WDW/DLR APs year-to-year.) I'll probably consider a WDW AP again in 2023 or 2024 - or not, if they decide not to offer them again.

 

[Marionnette]

To answer the OP's question: I will not be renewing my AP when it expires at the end of this month. I have some Gold AP vouchers that will also stay in the drawer unused until I get a better vibe WDW. We will just use some of the old MYW tickets sitting in the drawer next to the AP vouchers if we get the urge to go.

 

[jo-jo]

We are not renewing because of health issues. Last April we started an AP. Took trip with grandkids. Had plans of two week trip last Dec. The trip was on and off for about 6 weeks since DH went into AFIB. A week before we were going, Had heart shocked, Dr said have a good time..... 3 days before trip, back into AFIB. Cancelled trip. We did just get back from a one week trip. And planning that two week trip again in Dec. But do we want to start the clock ticking now? Knowing we won't use it for at least 7 months? And if we don't go.......

We have some free passes adding up to 12 days. One of us with use them and one of us will get a 10 day ticket and if the health issues improve greatly, we could apply that money to a new AP.

 

[CanucksRock]

We are probably not renewing because we would like to go to Tokyo Disneyland & Disneyland, so put money towards that instead. This is the third AP I have had. First was when Premier Pass was still around, then July 2019 that extended to Nov 2020, and we got the recovery pass which we activated in Sept. (I'm in Canada, which is why I let it lapse in Nov 2020). I have done 8 trips +1 upcoming in May since July 2019 so I have got my moneys worth of of it.