Disney WDW AP Issues

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rdeacon
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Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by rdeacon » Jan Wed 02, 2013 11:08 am

UPDATE:

Just a correction.. Premium AP reg AP both get the 10% discount now.

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Normally I am not one to complain, but this is really annoying me.

WDW announced that they are cutting the AP discounts. Premium AP is getting reduced from 20% to 10%, and reg AP is going to 0%.. yes zip, nada, zilch. I buy A LOT of Disney park merch. Seems I need to stop and make a point.

Oh and to make this worse Disneyland Prem AP discount is still at 20% Where is the love WDW?

This is not acceptable, we need to make our voices heard. I have turned a blind eye to the Disco Yeti, and other bad show items. Well no more. Its time we let them know we expect a premium product and our discounts!! Complain at City Hall and other guest relations and send some email complaints to here:

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com



Rich
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mindflipper
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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by mindflipper » Jan Wed 02, 2013 11:23 am

AP holders & recurring guests at WDW have always been treated like an abused puppy: they slap you hard as much as they want because they always expect you will come back with your tail wagging wanting more. You have to be a bit masochistical to be a WDW fan sometimes.

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by Len90 » Jan Wed 02, 2013 12:24 pm

Rich give me a day or so to get my thoughts together and I will be sure to write a nice anthology of a complaint. Maintenance issues, fine details going unnoticed, and other small things. I will make my voice heard but I fear it will go unheard with TDO.
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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by MadEye » Jan Wed 02, 2013 2:47 pm

Len90 wrote:I will make my voice heard but I fear it will go unheard with TDO.
It will...
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And life's a little weird,
And when we find someone whose
Weirdness is compatible with ours,
We join up with them and fall in
Mutual weirdness and call it Love.”
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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by Amy » Jan Wed 02, 2013 3:18 pm

This is so sad. It would be a little different if DL and WDW were being treated the same. It still isn't nice, but at least treat the parks equally. I would venture to say most AP holders buy a lot of merchandise, and they spend a lot of money returning to the park multiple times a year. Not a smooth move at all WDW :(
Did anyone notice if they had the coupons printed on the receipts this holiday season? We took full advantage of those last time around, 20% merchandise at various stores. I wonder if they did away with those as well? I think it was off a minimum $50 purchase, but as we all know, that isn't a lot when it comes to WDW.

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by NaCler » Jan Wed 02, 2013 10:06 pm

I'm a regular AP holder, so I get zilch now. I may have to switch to Seasonal next year as there isn't much of an enticement to pay the extra cash for no benefit. I'll join in on the complaining at City Hall. But if I get Soarin, I'll go easy on her. ;)

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by BenB » Jan Wed 02, 2013 10:25 pm

Could you link to the source, please, so I can complain with the facts in hand?
Hoping to go back to the Magic soon.

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by Wizzard419 » Jan Thu 03, 2013 9:48 pm

mindflipper wrote:AP holders & recurring guests at WDW have always been treated like an abused puppy: they slap you hard as much as they want because they always expect you will come back with your tail wagging wanting more. You have to be a bit masochistical to be a WDW fan sometimes.
Pretty much, but at the same time I wouldn't consider it abuse since you are paying (presumably) less per visit if you don't treat the price as a sunk cost. It's also not much of a slap since the reason you bought the pass was to get into the parks not so you could buy stuff... at least I would venture a guess at that. I cannot imagine many people say "No discount? F*ck that, I'm going to USO instead". :D

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by mindflipper » Jan Thu 03, 2013 11:24 pm

Wizzard419 wrote:
mindflipper wrote:AP holders & recurring guests at WDW have always been treated like an abused puppy: they slap you hard as much as they want because they always expect you will come back with your tail wagging wanting more. You have to be a bit masochistical to be a WDW fan sometimes.
Pretty much, but at the same time I wouldn't consider it abuse since you are paying (presumably) less per visit if you don't treat the price as a sunk cost. It's also not much of a slap since the reason you bought the pass was to get into the parks not so you could buy stuff... at least I would venture a guess at that. I cannot imagine many people say "No discount? F*ck that, I'm going to USO instead". :D
I do know people who prefer USO instead. Nothing is more exciting than standing in one queue or another in the WWoHP. From every recounts their time at USO, they spend most of their time waiting in a line at WWoHP than actually doing something (like being on a ride, shopping, and eating). Then having to pay for those Express Passes....

What do people see so wonderful in USO?

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by MadEye » Jan Fri 04, 2013 7:19 pm

As a passholder, this doesn't really affect me. Since my girlfriend works for the mouse (rat to some, now?) she has a better discount on table service reservations and merchandise. Not trying to brag. It's just that I didn't become a passholder for the perks, I got a pass to get into the parks as much as I can/do.
We are all a little weird
And life's a little weird,
And when we find someone whose
Weirdness is compatible with ours,
We join up with them and fall in
Mutual weirdness and call it Love.”
― Dr. Seuss

Eames: Listen, if you're gonna perform INCEPTION, you need IMAGINATION.

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by wwwdrich » Jan Fri 04, 2013 7:47 pm

If it makes you feel better, the AP price at Disneyland went up $150 last year. We get a better discount, but we're paying through the nose for the pass in the first place. The premium annual pass at Disneyland is now *more* than the regular annual pass at WDW (the 4-park pass that doesn't include the water parks or Disney Quest).

Admittedly, it makes the Premier Pass that I have seem like a bargain -- it's only $200 more for me to add everything in Florida. And since we head to WDW at least once a year, it's a good deal.

The discounts have always been better at DLR, we get discounts at both table service and most counter service restaurants for example.

And while I'm not happy to hear that the discounts are going down at WDW, I think that just like the price increase at DLR it's designed to scare away AP holders. APs are a frequently losing proposition for Disney. While there are some APs who will spend money in the park, an awful lot of them just hang out, ride the rides, then leave. So there is no additional income for Disney generated from them and they use up park capacity.

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by JenMuse » Jan Fri 04, 2013 8:15 pm

wwwdrich wrote:If it makes you feel better, the AP price at Disneyland went up $150 last year. We get a better discount, but we're paying through the nose for the pass in the first place. The premium annual pass at Disneyland is now *more* than the regular annual pass at WDW (the 4-park pass that doesn't include the water parks or Disney Quest).

Admittedly, it makes the Premier Pass that I have seem like a bargain -- it's only $200 more for me to add everything in Florida. And since we head to WDW at least once a year, it's a good deal.

The discounts have always been better at DLR, we get discounts at both table service and most counter service restaurants for example.

And while I'm not happy to hear that the discounts are going down at WDW, I think that just like the price increase at DLR it's designed to scare away AP holders. APs are a frequently losing proposition for Disney. While there are some APs who will spend money in the park, an awful lot of them just hang out, ride the rides, then leave. So there is no additional income for Disney generated from them and they use up park capacity.
I upgraded a 7 day park hopper to an WDW AP back in 2008 because I found out I'd be back in FL for a wedding in 2009, and didn't even know about the various discounts until after the purchase. I ended up spending more than I had planned on merch because of the discounts, so I think Disney won in that deal on both of my trips.

But I can definitely see that locals wouldn't necessarily be spending like us vacationers...

I've been considering upgrading the 4 day WDW PH I bought for my trip this month to a Premier Pass so I can hit DL later this year (and maybe sneak in another WDW trip in November). It's such a big outlay upfront (though mitigated when upgrading since I've already spent 1/2 the cost). wwwdrich, you're the only person I know with one, and it works for you?
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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by Wizzard419 » Jan Fri 04, 2013 11:09 pm

I really am surprised that AP holders buy so much stuff. In the past year from my pass I have literally purchased 6 items, all of them within the last 30 days and most of them were holiday gifts.

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by Amy » Jan Sat 05, 2013 8:51 am

Wizzard419 wrote:I really am surprised that AP holders buy so much stuff. In the past year from my pass I have literally purchased 6 items, all of them within the last 30 days and most of them were holiday gifts.
But don't you generally sweep in after a company lunch, experience a few attractions and leave? Maybe you aren't in the parks long enough to shop?

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Re: Disney WDW AP Issues

Post by Wizzard419 » Jan Sat 05, 2013 3:54 pm

But the key is that I have no want for the products they sell, generally. The merch is for tourists mostly.

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