New DVC AP Changes and Pricing

[VWL Mom]

Gold - New $549 Renewal $466
Platinum - New $649 Renewal $549
Platinum Plus - New $729 Renewal $619
Above prices do not include tax

Tiers:
Gold -This new annual pass type is exclusive to Florida Residents and Disney Vacation Club Members! It includes:

• Admission during most times of the year to all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks (during normal operating hours)
• The ability to go from park to park on the same day
• Theme park parking
• Disney PhotoPass downloads*
• Special offers for stays at Disney Resort hotels and discounts on dining, merchandise, recreation and tours
• Blockout dates apply⁴

Platinum :

• One year of admission to all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks (during normal operating hours)
• The ability to go from park to park on the same day—with NO blockout dates
• Theme park parking
• Disney PhotoPass downloads*
• Special offers for stays at Disney Resort hotels
• Discounts on dining, merchandise, recreation and tours

Platinum Plus:

• One year of admission to all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks (during normal operating hours)
• The ability to go from park to park on the same day—with NO blockout dates
• Theme park parking
• Admission to 2 fantastic Disney water parks¹, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex² and Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course³
• Disney PhotoPass downloads*
• Special offers for stays at Disney Resort hotels
• Discounts on dining, merchandise, recreation and tours are also included

The following blockout dates apply to the Disney Gold Pass: December 17, 2015 – January 1, 2016 and March 19, 2016 – April 1, 2016, December 19 – 31, 2016. January 1 – 2, 2017.

Looks like the gold increase is about in the $20 area but if the blackout dates apply to you and you need to go up to platinum it's closer to $100. The platinum plus (premium) is up $80 or $46 on renewal.

If you always pay for PhotoPass then you're ahead of the game but for those like me that don't it's an increase.

Also at the same time parking costs were increased to $20.

[Joannelet]

Tables and wonderland I believe also went up to $150.

[AgentC]

Tables and wonderland I believe also went up to $150.

Yes, $150 for passholders/DVC members. $175 for Florida residents.

[CanadianWDWFan]

Wow...

Seems to me that Disney is beginning to price everyone out and not wanting to give anyone a break on the costs of visiting. $150 for TiW?!? For mediocre food that is not worth the price that it costs. Guess I will be using my DVC suite for making more meals.

[DizneyRox]

So, if I'm understanding thus correctly, the Gold is the "discounted" AP for DVC and Florida residents, which now cones with restrictions? Or is there still a discount available to all of these?

Without that, this appears to be the second AP price increase this year...

[VWL Mom]

So, if I'm understanding thus correctly, the Gold is the "discounted" AP for DVC and Florida residents, which now cones with restrictions? Or is there still a discount available to all of these?

Without that, this appears to be the second AP price increase this year...

All prices listed here are the DVC discounted prices. Regular AP is available in platinum at new $749 renewal $635 and platinum plus new $829 renewal $705.

Tables and wonderland I believe also went up to $150.

Glad I got mine Thursday.

[AgentC]

Glad I got mine Thursday.

It will be interesting to see how this affects pass holder rates. I was in Epcot yesterday and there were so many people in line for the special pass holder stamp to get the free glass for Food & Wine. I also heard they were already out of the special pass holder pin and t shirts at the festival center. It is only the second weekend of Food & Wine so that is a little crazy.

[Christine]

My goodness. Those are some hefty leaps. My issue is the increase now, when there are so many attractions closed and so much more to be closed for construction. I guess they figure this is as good as any way to pay for it.

Photo pass downloads? So I go to the parks 3-4 times a week- I can get my pics from rides and photo pass staff every day?

TiW. My goodness. It used to be a knee jerk reaction to renew every year and say "it pays for itself in 2-3 times! I'm going to have to do the math again.

[AgentC]

My goodness. Those are some hefty leaps. My issue is the increase now, when there are so many attractions closed and so much more to be closed for construction. I guess they figure this is as good as any way to pay for it.

Photo pass downloads? So I go to the parks 3-4 times a week- I can get my pics from rides and photo pass staff every day?

TiW. My goodness. It used to be a knee jerk reaction to renew every year and say "it pays for itself in 2-3 times! I'm going to have to do the math again.

They don't list a restriction on the photo pass that I see. I'm assuming it is the downloads tare usually $14.95. I plan on downloading every single one available. Or maybe I shouldn't. If there are too many they'll probably raise the price again!


I did the math on TIW and put it in dining. Break even moved from $400 to $750. It might still be worth it to you but I'm not sure if I'll buy it again.

[Fangorn]

Photo pass downloads? So I go to the parks 3-4 times a week- I can get my pics from rides and photo pass staff every day?

It appears so. The AP section on the Disney site has a link to the Photo Pass section where they talk about this. From that link, they indicate that the AP acts just like Memory Maker, and you can download all your pics as many times as you want until they expire. Pictures expire day by day starting 30 days after they're taken, now anyway, so this just sounds like you have ongoing access for the whole year.

They are probably counting on the fact that AP holders are less likely to actually do Photo Pass than other guests, so while it sounds like a great perk, cost to Disney both directly and as "lost revenue" is minimal.

Steve

[Christine]

I get that Mark , but my issue is how much less there is available. Once new Star Wars opens and Toy story land opens and soaring and maelstrom / frozen is finished- and avatar land is finished. maybe. Not to mention Disney springs.
But you have a LOT of unusable space and want to charge more? Nah.

[Hammer]

I get that Mark , but my issue is how much less there is available. Once new Star Wars opens and Toy story land opens and soaring and maelstrom / frozen is finished- and avatar land is finished. maybe. Not to mention Disney springs.
But you have a LOT of unusable space and want to charge more? Nah.

Many of those things are going to start opening in 2016. I think Disney Springs is to be completely done by May 2016, along with Frozen. While neither you or I are fans of Frozen, it is very popular. Soarin is also due to open in 2016.

Personally, I think it would have been better to have announced this change after the first of the year, when you are in the same year as when many of these things are opening. I think there would have been less of an uproar.

Like others have said, I would have liked if there was an Annual Pass option option available for DVC members to purchase which did not include the Photopass. DVC members aren't eligible to buy the Silver Pass.