No more annual passes in 2013?

[karidaluv]

I think that AP's are a great option for those who are nearby and can visit every weekend, or at least once a month. I don't think it's a bad idea to have AP's. Just get rid of the no blockout dates and you'll avoid large crowds on weekends. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Malina]

If you and the average AP have watched things 4 billion times x 900,000 APs , that`s denying many who traveled some distance with one shot to see.
How can you say you spend more than the average tourist. Do you stay at the hotels around the park every night of the week. They are running at 85% capacity , as much as $400/night at GCH, for standard rooms x 365 days/year.The tourists match you churro to churro, t-shirt to t-shirt and are paying a premium for admission

It isn't a contest about who spends more--and it shouldn't be a judgment on who "deserves" to be at the park more. If someone stands in front of you at Fantasmic! it doesn't matter if they are an AP or a day ticket holder, you still won't be able to see, right?

IMHO asking one group--locals or tourists--to clear out, or to presume that one group "ruins" the park for the other, is totally misguided. Everyone paid to be there. Nobody gets to dictate who or when anyone else should be able to come to the park.

I wouldn't come to your hometown and tell you when or where you were allowed to go out and have fun in your own city; I expect the same courtesy when you come to Southern California. I welcome visitors to my city; you would likely welcome visitors to yours. It's pretty simple.

[DrFink]

The argument of AP's overcrowding the park is hilarious to me. Disneyland is ALWAYS crowded. It doesn't matter when you go. There will always be lines and crowds.

A person with a basic AP only has 170 eligible days in the park out of the 365. They are blocked out on weekends, the week of Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring Break, the week of New Year's, and the months of June and July and half the month of August. They are not creating the crowds during peak season. People on vacation are creating them.

[clara]

Can I thrown this stone into the pool?


What if Disney introduced something along the lines of an "AP day/s"? Where the park was only open to APer's maybe once or twice a year. (remember AP haters..that is only 1/365 days a year, maybe 2/365).

Now I know one of the BIG negatives would be that Disney wouldn't get the revenue from a day like that compared to a regular day. However, it would be a way to say "yeah prices for AP's are insane but here...have a day/s to enjoy the park crowd free.."

Now commence the rants about what a dope I am suggesting such a thing... :P:P

[DrFink]

Can I thrown this stone into the pool?


What if Disney introduced something along the lines of an "AP day/s"? Where the park was only open to APer's maybe once or twice a year. (remember AP haters..that is only 1/365 days a year, maybe 2/365.

Now I know one of the BIG negatives would be that Disney wouldn't get the revenue from a day like that compared to a regular day. However, it would be a way to say "yeah prices for AP's are insane but here...have a day/s to enjoy the park crowd free..

Now commence the rants about what a dope I am suggesting such a thing... :P:P

I'm surprised Disney doesn't already do this, tbh.

[Malina]

They have taken baby steps toward that with the passholder Soundsational parties and the various previews. I think it would be a great idea to have a day, but the parties work well too--those are typically after hours and they are very capacity controlled. Maybe they could give APers a choice of one or two of these parties a year. I think for Soundsational there weren't more than 5000 people in the park and it was just glorious.

[clara]

They have taken baby steps toward that with the passholder Soundsational parties and the various previews. I think it would be a great idea to have a day, but the parties work well too--those are typically after hours and they are very capacity controlled. Maybe they could give APers a choice of one or two of these parties a year. I think for Soundsational there weren't more than 5000 people in the park and it was just glorious.

The last Soundsational event I see after a web search was a year ago. One or two of those a year would be my suggestion. I missed out on the one in 2011. Did the park close early except for APer's?

[Malina]

The last Soundsational event I see after a web search was a year ago. One or two of those a year would be my suggestion. I missed out on the one in 2011. Did the park close early except for APer's?

Yes, it was last October, and it was after hours. They announced it on the park blog. You had to RSVP to Disneyland and then they let you know if you'd scored a reservation or not. It was free but you did have to have a reservation and a valid AP.

It went down a lot like the Halloween Party: the park closed, you showed up, showed your reservation print out and got a wristband. Like the Halloween party, most rides were available, and they had special food options. They had two showings of the Soundsational parade and they had the floats on Main Street afterward, so you could take photos and see all the details up close.

And because there were so few people, everything, even Space Mountain, was a walk on. It was tremendously fun and I'm surprised they haven't done any more of those parties.

[Jerryp49]

It isn't a contest about who spends more--and it shouldn't be a judgment on who "deserves" to be at the park more. If someone stands in front of you at Fantasmic! it doesn't matter if they are an AP or a day ticket holder, you still won't be able to see, right?

IMHO asking one group--locals or tourists--to clear out, or to presume that one group "ruins" the park for the other, is totally misguided. Everyone paid to be there. Nobody gets to dictate who or when anyone else should be able to come to the park.

I wouldn't come to your hometown and tell you when or where you were allowed to go out and have fun in your own city; I expect the same courtesy when you come to Southern California. I welcome visitors to my city; you would likely welcome visitors to yours. It's pretty simple.

No ones asking anyone to clear out. And not everyone pays the same.What dictates how often someone gets to go is the price they paid and APers are getting the better deal. Im an APer,myself. The point is that Disney can make more money from tourists and may be trying to go in that direction.

[clara]

Yes, it was last October, and it was after hours. They announced it on the park blog. You had to RSVP to Disneyland and then they let you know if you'd scored a reservation or not. It was free but you did have to have a reservation and a valid AP.

It went down a lot like the Halloween Party: the park closed, you showed up, showed your reservation print out and got a wristband. Like the Halloween party, most rides were available, and they had special food options. They had two showings of the Soundsational parade and they had the floats on Main Street afterward, so you could take photos and see all the details up close.

And because there were so few people, everything, even Space Mountain, was a walk on. It was tremendously fun and I'm surprised they haven't done any more of those parties.

After hours like after midnight since park closes at midnight? That would be hard for APer's with small children, like myself. I know I've kept my kid up around 11 even 12 when we have a late night there but 2am-ish would seem weird for me. But that does sound nice otherwise.

I know that I've gone to two ride "soft" openings because of an AP drawing type thing. The opening for Nemo and the new 3D Star Tours. Both were AP only random drawings and it was cool to be one of the first to ride.

[Malina]

After hours like after midnight since park closes at midnight? That would be hard for APer's with small children, like myself. I know I've kept my kid up around 11 even 12 when we have a late night there but 2am-ish would seem weird for me. But that does sound nice otherwise.

I know that I've gone to two ride "soft" openings because of an AP drawing type thing. The opening for Nemo and the new 3D Star Tours. Both were AP only random drawings and it was cool to be one of the first to ride.

No, they did it on the nights when the parks closed at 8 -- so as I recall it was 8 to 12 or something along those lines. So even if you had to leave at, say, 10, you still had two hours of party to enjoy.

I do hear you on the late hours. That's one of the reasons I missed the Glow with the Show events. They started at like 11 at night. I don't have kids, but it was problematic because there was no way to get home after the event because it was so late at night (I use mass transit when I go to the parks alone).

[4Apples4Disney]

Would attendance be different if the consumer actually paid for each admission? Yes. A Deluxe AP gets you in the park for $1.49/day. However you slice it, that's cheap, local entertainment and makes the point. Ticket prices should reflect an average daily use. Let's face it...."tourists" want a less crowded park so they can actually breathe on vacation. "Locals" want the park on a whim to enjoy whenever they want.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

Can I thrown this stone into the pool?


What if Disney introduced something along the lines of an "AP day/s"? Where the park was only open to APer's maybe once or twice a year. (remember AP haters..that is only 1/365 days a year, maybe 2/365).

Now I know one of the BIG negatives would be that Disney wouldn't get the revenue from a day like that compared to a regular day. However, it would be a way to say "yeah prices for AP's are insane but here...have a day/s to enjoy the park crowd free.."

Now commence the rants about what a dope I am suggesting such a thing... :P:P

Such a special event would probably attract a LOT of people, and it'd just end up being crowded like the leap year day was.

It's not a great idea in any case, because "just one day" is pretty significant to someone who has paid a lot of money to visit Anaheim from out of town that day.

---------- Post added 10-16-2012 at 06:51 PM ----------

The Disney payment plan is genius and allows more people/families, enjoy the park. Cutting any of the AP programs would/could be considered, economic discrimination.

Economic discrimination? So everyone has the right to visit Disneyland? It should be free in that case?

[karidaluv]

Does Disneyland still allow you to upgrade your tickets to an AP at the gate?

[Trav1Disney]

Does Disneyland still allow you to upgrade your tickets to an AP at the gate?

Yes at the ticket booth