Keep finding more reasons in favor of letting our AP's expire

[sir clinksalot]

Before we renewed last year I was kind of "Disneyland'd Out" and would have been fine not renewing our AP's. We then decided to give ourselves "one last year" of AP's and we would try and use them as much as possible. This was May of 2012. In those 10 months, our family of 4 has gone to Disneyland together exactly once. And that was in June.

My wife and I have gone down for various events 2 or 3 times and I was there solo for the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon in September.

We've been trying to find ways to use them these next two months but we noticed something else while looking into doing a full weekend at the parks next weekend. You see, while my wife and I have the Premium passes, our children have the Deluxe passes. And after tomorrow they are blocked out on Saturday's until August 24.

We've been AP's for almost 15 years and they've had the Deluxe passes every year they've been available. Typically they would be blocked out on Saturday's the couple of weeks around Spring Break (late March/Early April), allowed back in on Saturdays until May, blocked out in May and on Memorial Day Weekend and then would typically have a couple of Saturday's in June. Now, along with the price increases, the benefits for Deluxe passes have also been decreased.

It's looking like we'll get maybe one more visit in (maybe next Sunday) but in looking at what we are committed to prior to our passes expiring in May that's likely the only time.

Safe to say renewing our passes last year was a colossal waste of money and renewing them this year is now completely out of the question.

We used to justify our passes to our friends and family in that we could spend 8-10 hours at Disneyland on a Saturday or Sunday and spend the same amount as Dinner and a movie. We would go once a month, have some great family time and that was that. It made sense at the time. But now the price of the passes have exceeded our personal "value".

I wish I could say I was sad about it, but honestly, I'm looking forward to not having the stress of having a Disney pass. And that's not the way it should be.

[Disneytwins]

I'm not sure how to respond. As a non-APer, my non-Disney life is just fine. Sometimes spacing out visits is better than frequently going. I suppose APs are worth more to some pople than others.

[jasmineray]

I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you can find a better use of your money!

[Disneymike]

Hey Greg, I empathize with you. As much as I love Disneyland I cannot justify the cost for something that keeps going downhill so much. A lot of people say" but Disneyland is more popular than before" I say is it really? Is Disneyland more popular or is it the Disney brand that is more popular? Think about it, what besides Carland, which is new, is cutting edge and progressive about Disneyland? Nothing, besides a new offshoot of Fantasyland called the Fantasy Faire.

[bayouguy]

The writing is certainly on the wall: annual passports are becoming pricey luxuries. This is not boding well for my family. I'll be rather sad when that time comes when APs are $1000 per person. For the time being, we can afford the premium APs with careful budgeting and cutting out souvinir buying and other spending while at Disneyland.

[erdons]

I had been a Premium Annual Pass Holder for the last 4 years and finally decided to let it expire without renewing last month... Simply wasn't the same anymore, the parks felt so much more crowded than in prior years and really didnt get much use of it this past year. Perhaps next year if I get a yearning for some Disney I will get another pass...

[EPCOTresident]

so many ways to respond..I'm a former AP I didn't renew because of how much I used it...Man I went like at least twice a month...how much Disney can ya take before you get bored with it???...I reccomend trying a different theme park AP for a year however...choose wisely...you could get just as easily burned out on another park...a friend of mine andI are concidering Universal Studios...but thats a big if...and US only has so much to offer...Knotts Berry Farm used to be almost as good ad Disneyland but Cedar Fair now owns it and they've basically stepped on that park and ruined the charm it once had...Sea World is trying to theam park it up a bit but I'm skeptical...Six Flags...man I used to love that place and it's great when in your teens...but riding the vomitron a few times gets to ya and there is very little theme to it...one more thing...being a Disneyland AP also has other perks..discounts at the Citywalk comes to mind as well as Anahiem Gardenwalk...heck I went to Disneyland for less than an hour one day on the passport (forgot why)....if it were me I'd concider Universal Studios....much cheaper and they got some fun stuff and lots of entertainment value...you also get the discounts on the citywalk at US...hope you get this message and it serves you well!!!..there's a great big beautiful tomorrow dawning at the end of every day!!

[Druggas]

Gave mine up in January. I guess if you've been with Disney when Walt owned the company, and have seen it go downhill with their money grubbing ways, it will jade us all.

I have to say that I loved my AP when there was an "off season" and I have been lucky enough to have gone to special events, Club 33, etc. Now with what I know about Disney, crowds, and so many rude people, it was time for me to let go.

Now, I will go only once a year and make it "special" much like DL was when I was a kid.

[Ryan120420]

The Deluxe being blocked out on all Saturdays from March- August has been like that for over 3 years now.




I'm on the fence on renewing. I have the money set aside waiting for Disney to announce their price increases, but, with the recent change in FP has pushed me more to the side of not renewing.


My last two visits I was constantly looking at my watch and rushing to make return times and given the crowds in the parks , that was more stressful than fun.


The value has gone down for me.

[sir clinksalot]

^ Weird, I certainly remember us going on a Saturday in June the year Star Tours 2 opened.

As for other parks, we've had passes to all of the SoCal parks at one time or another. In fact, one year (I want to say 2005/2006) we had passes to ALL of them (Sea World, Disney, Knott's, Six Flags, Universal).

We'll certainly keep our Six Flags passes only because it's so easy for us to just go up to the waterpark for a few hours during the summer. Universal is a possibility but there isn't much there my wife can ride anymore with her back, even the tram.

The fact is, I'm totally fine with taking a break from theme parks for awhile.

[techskip]

Greg,
You've known me a long time. Tink and I stepped off the AP train a few years back. We had that "kitchen table" talk and decided our money would be better spent elsewhere. That was when "get in free on your birthday" was just ending and "monthly payments" were in full swing. What convinced me was the reality that from January to April we went exactly 4 times... and 2 of those were so crowded we didn't even make it down Main Street before leaving to go elsewhere. Most visits we've had since have convinced us we made the right choice. It's expensive, crowded, and our money goes further elsewhere. The "Disney fund" has funded road trips and memberships to other places. You can always go back if you miss it that much.

My last two visits I was constantly looking at my watch and rushing to make return times and given the crowds in the parks , that was more stressful than fun.

I find it interesting that when Fastpass is utilized in the manner it was meant to be it becomes stressful rather than a convenient time saver.

[ssmatik]

Greg,
Don't know you but I think I've seen you at SFMM events.
We also have decided that we won't be renewing when our passes expire in May. We have had premiums the last few years and really felt they were a good deal up until the last year or so, even though we come from out of state. After the Rally our plan is to stay away for a full year and then give it another try to see if it reignites our love of the parks.
I don't know why but the crowds have just created a "chore" element to our visits. Paying more for something that isn't as fun just doesn't work for us. Obviously we are in the minority when looking at the lines in the Esplanade every morning.

[4Apples4Disney]

We also gave up our passes in November, although we're 500 miles away. I truly don't mind the price increases, and personally my family has seen about a 50% cut in pay with the current economy. The problem, or "table talk" we had was the fact that those price increases seemingly don't have an effect on the crowds..at least so far. I'm hoping the crowds will balance one day again.

[penguinsoda]

My pass expired last October. It was really, really hard for me to let it go. But I had gone from going 4 or 5 times a year to once or twice because of money issues... For me if I had the money I'd still have one, because even when its crowded, I was so use to just "spending time" hanging out and people watching, taking pictures and not having to worry about trying to see or do everything because I was an AP and I knew I'd be back. But now... my trips will be down to maybe once a year (most likely the anniversary in Jan/Feb) and I'm going to have to adopt a whole new mindset when I go. I'm very sad in a lot of ways because for the last few years Disneyland and the MiceChat meets had become such an integral part of my life. Thats what I'll miss most about not having an AP and going to the park.

[Coasterjunkie]

Well coming from an Orlando resident, I actually looked at getting a annual pass for WDW but then passed when I saw just how steep those prices were, even for Florida residents. I still keep my Platinum Pass for Busch Gardens and SeaWorld, and my Premier Pass for both Universal Parks. I've had passes for those parks for atleast 12 years now and I find I get more bang for my buck at those parks with preffered parking, preffered show seating, discounts on just about everything, and reride priveledges on select attractions at SWO and BGT and free parking and discounts at the Universal Parks. To me, I just couldn't justify the price for having an annual pass for WDW.