hhoope01

Disney raised their prices for the US parks yesterday (Sunday): Disney Raises Ticket Prices.

Note that I do believe Undercover Tourist still has a limited number of park tickets at the old price. So if you were planning on a Disney trip sometime soon, but haven't purchased your tickets yet, it might save you some money to check them out.

StephensWorld

Ok. Noted! And where do we find the undercover Tourist?

Mary2e

www.undercovertourist.com

exbayern

I am curious to see what thoughts are around the recent AP price increases (lowest base price now for non-FL, non-DVC is I believe $749 )

Also wondering if they are still selling that DL/WDW combined AP which one past poster used to rave about, and what that cost must be now. Those prices stun me. But I am certain that at least one poster will claim that it is still a great value....

writerguyfl

So as to not disappoint you:

Disney World annual passes can still be a great value. Although, the number of people to which that statement can apply is certainly fewer than in the past. The cheapest non DVC/FL resident pass is actually $649.

In theory, you can start saving money if you have two trips of 4 or more days within 365 days. That's based on purchasing multi-day tickets with the Park Hopper option.

Three-Day: $325 X 2 = $650 versus $649
Four-Day: $369 X 2 = $738 versus $649

Actually, I probably wouldn't call that a "great" value. For the record, I do think that Disney's two price increases in 2015 is rather appalling.

Mary2e

How is it $649 for non-DVC and non-FL residents? I see $749.

That said, I find it outrageous they've raised the pass that much. Yes, they've included photopass, but honestly, I can't remember the last time I even considered buying it. How many more picutres do I need?

We had already decided to cut back on our trips and not renew our annual passes because the new FP+ system significantly altered the way we enjoy our vacations. We go to relax, and go into the parks to ride a few favorites and stays a few hours. If we have to change our plans, we essentially can't reproduce our FP+s because they've all been taken. As well, while we formerly used to enjoy planning a trip, it has now turned into an exercise in stress and deciding where we want to be on which day up to 2 months in advance.

With the increase, they just cemented our decision. And we get a F&F discount now and the pass would still be outrageously expensive. As are the 3 day tickets - particularly given the way we use the park admissions. Perhaps we'll go for a weekend but only buy a 1 day ticket IF we think we're going to get a days worth of use from it.

We really enjoy going to WDW because there is so much to do there excluding the parks. However, I think they've taken it a bit too far now.

I wish I can say we're the only longtime, multiple trip a year people who have said the same. Reading the fan sites, it seems that the FP+ situation had some people saying they would be vacationing elsewhere, and now with the price increases, more are saying it.

Is Disney cutting off its nose to spite it's face? It's now turned into an unaffordable vacation for many people in this country.

mkjr

It seems like their need to monetize all your information and purchasing habits and track you in the park has really killed a lot of what was good.

Thankfully we will take our daughter to the parks in Tokyo and Hong Kong in march while on vacation.

There, day tickets in Tokyo are 6,900 yen (US$58) adult and child 4,500 yen (US$37) and in Hong Kong HK$499 (US$65) adult and child HK$355 (US$45).

Pretty decent IMO.

We also have some 6 day expiring PH tixs and 7 days left on non expiring PH tickets that should tide us over for a few years but once those are gone, unless things have changed in about 3-4 years, I honestly don't know...

toomanybooks

I think the pass that covers DL and WDW is now $1349. Up 31%!

exbayern

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/

I was just coming to post that; perhaps the previous poster did not realise that I was referring to the outrageous ticket prices as of very recently. (I thought that they were outrageous before, but....)

If I recall, didn't one of the most fervent Disney defenders here pay $749 or similar for an AP to BOTH DL and WDW just 2 or 3 years ago?

I do agree that the parks outside the US are still great value; I have not been to DLRP in years, but they advertise all over the métro system, and have very attractive off peak prices. Their AP scheme was a very good deal, with a parrainage system which gives one discounts for referring new passholders. (Refer 3 new passholders, get a one year extension on your own pass, and 10 percent discount for those you referred)

Edited to reply to myself and answer my question. Yes, just two years ago, for just $125 more than the current WDW only AP price, one could purchase an AP which covered both DL and WDW.

CalVol

Our family of 4 have been AP for 10 years. Premium the last 5 years. Living ~ 2 hours from Anaheim, we got good use out of them. This was the final straw for us. Once our passes expire, we are done.

Mary2e

I really do wonder if they realize how much additional revenue they're losing? In my case, they get extra $$$ from me in hotel nights, etc. We generally will use an annual pass for at least 2 weeks of one week stays, and several long weekends. All in their hotels - and not the inexpensive hotels. We also eat in their nicer restaurants and spend money throughout the property.

We last went in June and normally we would be planning a short trip for the fall. Not this year. Our passes expire in early November and we're not renewing them either.

Unlike most hotel chains, I guess they don't want repeat or loyal visitors. they must make more money from the once-in-a-lifetime crowd.

CalVol

I'm sure they've got some great number-crunchers.

Like you, we've spent a considerable amount of money on food, hotels, souvenirs for for friends and family, etc. Even when we do it on the cheap, we probably spend nearly $1k.

It'll be curious to see if there is some kind of backlash.

Mary2e

I wish I could do it for only $1k For us, spending 1 week in WDW cost nearly as much as 10-14 days in Hawaii. A week could easily cost us $5k and that's with the APs.

I suspect they're going to see their numbers drop from people like me - I enjoy going often and spend a good deal of money there. They're going to keep on getting the first timers who stay in the least expensive hotels, bring their own food into the parks, and don't spend money on hardly anything else.

CalVol

Well, I'm talking about 2 day trips. We do a lot of get there Friday evening leave Sunday evening trips. So, same ballpark. We typically spend one or two week long stays and then another 8-9 weekends.

We are going to FL for Christmas. Staying at Dolphin on points. We were going to get the pass "Premier?" that gives access to both DW & DL. Not now. We just did park-hoppers once the price increase hit. Frankly, if we hadn't already booked all of our other stuff, we might have canceled Orlando...just because.

Swiss Tony

I think you've got this the wrong way round. The massive Disney fans who visit 3, 4, 5, 6 times a year know all the work arounds and aren't the ones delivering the fattest margins back to the company. They buy an annual pass. They know where to get the best value food. They know to take a water bottle into the park. Their kids aren't going to buy shed loads of stuffed toys on every visit. Globally there's a rapidly growing middle class - Disney will make many times more attracting a once in a lifetime visitor who just throws everything at it, compared to someone who heads down every weekend. And let's face it, the parks aren't getting any quieter.