Are we really getting what we pay for with our AP???

[aluisi]

The previous thread about people hating APers brought around a link by Uzmati. This link was to the WDW ticket and reservations. Now I just looked at the price for the WDW Florida Resident Premium Annual Pass. Let me brake it down for you all

Florida Resident Premium Annual Pass

Premium Annual Pass
Includes:
• 365 days of magic in all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks
• Same day admission to all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks
• Admission to DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park, Pleasure Island and Disney Water Parks Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
• Theme Park parking
• Special Passholder discounts and offers

• Special Passholder events throughout the year, like attraction previews.
• Merchandise discounts at select Downtown Disney® Area locations, including World of Disney® Orlando.
• Food and Beverage discounts at select Epcot®, Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, Downtown Disney® Area and Walt Disney World® Resort locations, including Le Cellier Steakhouse, Olivia's Café and Wolfgang Puck® Express.
• Periodic Walt Disney World® Resort room discounts
• Plus, you will receive discounts on select Theme Park tours, golf, miniature golf, spa treatments and more!

(Ages 10+) $429.00
(Ages 3-9) $379.00

Now our pass for the Disneyland Resort

With a Premium Annual Passport, you'll enjoy:
• 365 consecutive days of admission to both Disneyland® Resort Theme Parks and unlimited enjoyment of attractions (except arcades and midway games) during regular operating hours.*
• 10% merchandise discount at select locations throughout the Disneyland® Resort ($10 minimum purchase; restrictions apply).
• Exclusive benefits at select Downtown Disney® District locations
• Free annual parking pass for the Mickey & Friends parking structure (subject to availability; restrictions apply).
• 10-15% dining discount at select Disneyland® Resort restaurants ($10 minimum purchase; restrictions apply).
• Special rates at the Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort (subject to availability; restrictions apply).

(Ages 10+) $349.00
(Ages 3-9) $349.00

Now if we do the math here the adult price difference for Florida is $80.
And for the kids is only a $30 difference.

Looking at there benefits compared to ours I feel we are getting ripped off big time. Let me break it down.

WDW has 8 different admissions to various places through out the WDW resort.
Disneyland only has 2 for $80 less.

WDW gets the same discounts but for more locations including golfing (yes I know we don't have that here at our resort)

WDW has two different priced Premium Annual Passports one for the adults one for the kids

Disneyland same price for both kids and adults.


Doest this bother any one else that we are paying $80 less for 2 parks and less benefits? Some one please explain why we get the shaft out here.

[MasterGracey]

Our Premium Annual Pass is still an exceptional value, but for the price WDW guests pay for a Premium, they do get much more. Oh well.

[DarkRider]

So, proportionally, you think we should be paying $107 (1/4 the Florida price) for the two admissions, or should they pay $1,396 (four times our amount)?

I agree it's unequal, but they're kind of apples and oranges (or at least apples and slightly different apples). From what I hear, California has a lot more APs than Florida, and the visit rates tend to be much higher. Because of Florida's location, they also get many out-of-state APs, which doesn't happen as much in California. A WDW AP holder uses their AP less frequently than a DL AP holder uses theirs.

[figment1986]

some of us dont care for all that extra gates.. so locals get the FLA pass.. $315 (or it was when i got mine) and 4 parks.. a few discounts here and there.. free parking...

DL's is a better deal.. you get discounts in parks.. we get select discounts at select palces at select times... outside the parks sure we get more.. but it works out in the end...

[ExJungleSkipper95]

Not really an exceptional value if you think about it. Back when I bought my first annual pass, back when there was a parking lot where DCA is now, a Premium Pass would get you "Preferred Parking", which is parking in the closest areas near the main gate. That was a great perk to getting a Premium Pass.

Here is my point. How many new attractions has WDW gotten compared to DL in the last 10 years? They get something new almost every year while we get excited over a refurbished submarine attraction and refurbished pirates attraction. We don't get anything new but yet they still charge an insane amount for the passes. Exceptional value, perhaps to some. But it's not Disney's fault for the high price of the passes. It's the legions of suckers that keep dishing out the dough for them. As long as there are people out there who are willing to shell out big bucks for a pass to a park with refurbished attractions only then they will continue to raise the prices. The only way to make a difference is to stop buying passes untill there is a reason to come back. It's a boycot of sorts. It's our way of saying "Hey, we pay alot of money for these passes and the best you can give us is a Johnny Dep animatronic and reopened subs? Give us something new! Something great! Something worth the price of my pass! " I don't know about you guys but paying 300 bucks or more for a pass isn't an easy thing for me and it's something I have to save for although lately I have come to the conclusion that untill there is something new and different then it's not worth it. I know I'm one of the few who think this way but that's my opinion.

[aluisi]

some of us dont care for all that extra gates.. so locals get the FLA pass.. $315 (or it was when i got mine) and 4 parks.. a few discounts here and there.. free parking...

DL's is a better deal.. you get discounts in parks.. we get select discounts at select palces at select times... outside the parks sure we get more.. but it works out in the end...

All of our discounts are select as well. We have to eat at a certain place or buy from a certain location to get the discount. I do believe we should be paying less. $299 was the right price. They shouldn't have raised our pass here. I feel kinda ripped off now.

[speederscout]

I have to agree, I still think our Premium AP is a fair deal. But remember, no matter how you slice it, it's still a big hunk of cash to hand over at one time.

[TDLFAN]

DL's is a better deal.. you get discounts in parks.. we get select discounts at select palces at select times... outside the parks sure we get more.. but it works out in the end...

I too would welcome such benefits on my WDW AP.

But my point of view is... the powers that be view the AP value in terms of repeatability. Meaning, they see these APs as a good deal because they can be used over and over and over again over the one year period. They don't care as much what it is you are getting. On the other hand..at TDR, we'll be paying over $650 for the 2-park hopper AP, which DOES NOT include such benefits as free parking, discounted merchandise, discounted hotel rooms...etc etc etc etc etc, and.. entry to the parks is NOT garrantied if you arrive there and the gates are closed due to crowded conditions within the park.

So tell me... who do you think is getting less for their AP cost???

[Hyperbole]

Our Premium Annual Pass is still an exceptional value, but for the price WDW guests pay for a Premium, they do get much more. Oh well.

My feelings exactly. I don't look at Florida with jealousy. I'm just thankful that I can afford an AP and enjoy OUR parks when I want to. That makes it a wonderful value for my family.

[RobotMirror]

I definitely see your point, but I'm not sure that comparing our pass to a different set of parks is the right metrics to answer the economic question, "Are we really getting what we pay for?"

For me, it comes down to comparison to Disneyland admission and entry. Having a pass makes economic sense to me, since I visit so often. In that respect, as long as individual one day passport ticket prices are what they are, I do get what I pay for.

We live in a market where prices are primarily set by supply and demand. The economic conditions of visitors to Walt Disney World may be different, or may have more competition, I don't know. But I think demand for an annual pass, even at what you feel is a bad bargain, will still drive sales high, based upon the perceived value.

[aluisi]

I too would welcome such benefits on my WDW AP.

But my point of view is... the powers that be view the AP value in terms of repeatability. Meaning, they see these APs as a good deal because they can be used over and over and over again over the one year period. They don't care as much what it is you are getting. On the other hand..at TDR, we'll be paying over $650 for the 2-park hopper AP, which DOES NOT include such benefits as free parking, discounted merchandise, discounted hotel rooms...etc etc etc etc etc, and.. entry to the parks is NOT garrantied if you arrive there and the gates are closed due to crowded conditions within the park.

So tell me... who do you think is getting less for their AP cost???

If I was making a comparison of all the parks I am sure TDL gets the shaft worse then any one. But we are comparing the US parks. I just feel our AP is not worth the value considering the price vs. perks

WDW has a better deal.

[MasterGracey]

Not really an exceptional value if you think about it. Back when I bought my first annual pass, back when there was a parking lot where DCA is now, a Premium Pass would get you "Preferred Parking", which is parking in the closest areas near the main gate. That was a great perk to getting a Premium Pass.

Here is my point. How many new attractions has WDW gotten compared to DL in the last 10 years? They get something new almost every year while we get excited over a refurbished submarine attraction and refurbished pirates attraction. We don't get anything new but yet they still charge an insane amount for the passes. Exceptional value, perhaps to some. But it's not Disney's fault for the high price of the passes. It's the legions of suckers that keep dishing out the dough for them. As long as there are people out there who are willing to shell out big bucks for a pass to a park with refurbished attractions only then they will continue to raise the prices. The only way to make a difference is to stop buying passes untill there is a reason to come back. It's a boycot of sorts. It's our way of saying "Hey, we pay alot of money for these passes and the best you can give us is a Johnny Dep animatronic and reopened subs? Give us something new! Something great! Something worth the price of my pass! " I don't know about you guys but paying 300 bucks or more for a pass isn't an easy thing for me and it's something I have to save for although lately I have come to the conclusion that untill there is something new and different then it's not worth it. I know I'm one of the few who think this way but that's my opinion.

I hardly thing that new attractions is the main reason to get an AP, or the main reasoning used to justify its cost.

Since most APs ParkHop, let's assume you'd by a $79 Park Hopper every time you go to the Disneyland Resort, you only have to go 4.41 times to pay off a $349 Premium Annual Pass. Definately a bargain, not to mention the discounts and free parking.

[TDLFAN]

If I was making a comparison of all the parks I am sure TDL gets the shaft worse then any one. But we are comparing the US parks. I just feel our AP is not worth the value considering the price vs. perks

WDW has a better deal.

WDW's may be a better deal but you have a better park in DL over the rundown MK at WDW, and even DCA has more to offer than DAK and it's new EE ride. So that alone makes the DL AP a better value.

[skratch addict]

i dont care too much about perks and special offers. the thing is that i save waaay more money with my AP than paying regular "ticket price". sure it would be nice to have new attractions at DL, but thats not what i bought an AP for.

[lazyboy97O]

Supply and demand. More people probably want, and living in Southern California, can afford the high price for a Disneyland AP. WDW probably has no where near as many and a good chunk could also include people who are going once but staying long enough that an AP is cheaper than a Park Hopper.