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[NCC1701Q]

On the ed92-site there is an extensive article about possible changes to the whole AP-structure and especially the prices of the current AP's.
Read the whole article here: http://www.ed92.org/#!FRESH-IN-NEW-ANNUAL-PASSPORTS/oamjc/578f95980cf27c01035a114b

I have some very mixed thoughts about this, under the assumption ofcourse that the changes as described will be realized.

First: the price-changes. Yes, the AP's for Paris are cheaper than the American ones. However, we have two parks, whereas WDW has four and a water park. The french AP's have been getting more expensive every year. I wonder what will happen when that increase will be much bigger suddenly. Our family of four currently has 4 Dream-AP's. That's almost €900 just for the AP's.

Second: the extras. I personally think there is one thing that people would pay a lot of money for: quicker access to the attractions. All other extras are just that: extras but no essential "ingredients" of the AP. A VIP-parking space would be nice, but how much time would you "earn"? 15 minutes? Not more, I think. Is that worth the extra money?
A VIP-lounge would be nice, but how VIP would that be if you're cramped into a room with 100 other VIP-AP-holders? Same goes for the VIP-space at Disney Dreams!. Nice idea, but what if there are let's say 25 families with each 4 persons showing up? How VIP-py would that feel, unless they clear the whole front side of Central Plaza?

Third: APs holders only earning Disney €1 per day. We stay offsite but visit the parks five times a year for a week. Each visit we have lunch or dinner at the parks on average 5 times (let's say for €60 per meal, averaging out for Plaza Gardens, Agrabah or Hakuna Matata/Fuento del Ore). We spend about €150 on average each visit on merchandise. So that means, including the AP itself, a total earning of €3142 per year. Divided by four persons and that result by 365 days, it comes down to €2,39 per person per day. Ofcourse I'm not sure whether our spending pattern is average but that is 2,39 times more than the €1 mentioned in the article.

Fourth: (referring to the recent price-change at the Da Vinci-parking garage): would the marketeers and other smart heads at Disney really think a huge price change bring them more than it would cost them? Personally I'm more than sure that I would have to have a serious talk with my wife when I propose extending our AP's when they will be €499 per person. And if we would: the money we pay more for the AP's will no doubt be "economized" when getting inside the park: eating and buying less inside the park would mean (at least a part) of the increased revenues of AP's would disappear immediately by the decrease of revenues of food + merchandise.

I'd love to read anyones thoughts on this.

TLDR: what would you do if the price of an AP would be doubled?

[msRavenswood]

I've never bought an AP, but I was considering getting one for my next visit in September 2017. I don't know if and when these changes will occur, but I'm thinking of buying my AP in October before the rumoured structure change takes place in November, so that it's still valid for my next visit. I don't think I will be remewing it though if they do increase its price. I agree with you that the FastPass+ is the only worthy perk.

[Zee79]

I would not be renewing my AP. They would be pricing a lot of nations out of going to Disney.

[Sulley's Arms]

The main points I picked from the article were the proposed AP prices, which would be ludicrous if introduced, plus the €1 per day profit presented as a negative.

Bearing in mind that most (non-local) AP holders would possibly only attend the parks between 10-15 days per year, €365 profit per AP holder is not a trifle, especially when multiplied by the number of AP holders there are - DLP have been pushing APs like their lives depended on it for a number of years now.

The new prices proposed in the article will undoubtedly reduce the uptake of APs for a great many.  So here's the rub - are DLP actually attempting to reduce annual footfall but increase profit per head (i.e. entice only the wealthy to half-fill the parks and spend, spend, spend)?

I used to be a retail manager and our Exec believed that charging higher prices would result in higher profits - they completely missed the point that sales would fall as customer buying habits changed in reaction to this. It is quite simple - would you rather make less profit (by not raising your prices) or zero profit (by not selling anything at the higher price).  The same appears to be about to play out now with DLP.

The very reason that we have been able to repeatedly visit DLP over the past years has been the relative affordability of the APs, especially when we're able to have 2 'main' holidays (i.e. at the beginning & end of each AP year) as well as shorter visits during the year.  The proposed higher AP prices would quite simply make DLP unaffordable for us as a holiday destination.

What does everyone else feel on this?

[rocker]

Irrespective of whatever fast pass + benefits might be included, €499 is totally out of the question for me. I'm a part time public sector worker so do DLP on a pretty strict budget stayling off site and maxing out on included breakfast then snacking/doing a cheap meals, no charcater meals for us sadly. I guess they must be looking to change passes to a premium product, like a stay at DLH. ~€1k for my daughter and I will never happen.... what a shame but it's a business  so no doubt they've crunched the numbers and worked out they don't want budget conscious AP holders clogging up the parks when there are bigger spenders out there...oh well...was good while it lasted.

[Becky92]

We're going next in October, was planning on getting our AP then. Hope the prices don't rise before we go, as I can't see any of them new ones being that more appealing for the cost.

[A&S&O]

I wonder if they could implement a pricing structure depending on what country you were from, similar to the "Ultimate" tickets for Florida?

An AP holder living within a couple of hours of the park is going to get much more use out of it than someone travelling from the UK for instance.

Maybe have passes that allow access 365 times a year, tiering down to passes that give access for 14 times in a year (any days, no blackouts). Many people in the UK holding APs probably don't visit for much more than 14 days, so this sort of pass would be ok.

Of course, for most it will all depend on price, rather than perks.

[macca1476]

Trebling of the AP would rule out us going back to Disney for anything more than a 3 or 4 day visit instead of a two week visit (which i have now done four times).

Ultimately the money spent whilst in the park mounts up, this increase would make the cost of a two week holiday into similar territory to an Orlando break. At that point why would i go to Paris?

[irishbhoy1888]

"The Disneyland Paris community is already in arms, especially about the prices. But with a EuropaPark AP costing 185 Euros (without parking and with very few discounts) and a Disneyland Resort (California) AP costing at least $600, it was only a matter of time before the prices went up in our favourite Resort.
The numbers say it all: an AP holder only brings in 1 Euro per day! With the wide return to the Disney Standard at the Resort, AP holders are starting to cost money to the company rather than bringing in profits. A problem that could no longer be ignored".........................................................

What you have to laugh at about the above statement is DLP trying to compare DLP to US parks .Im not sure about europa parks and hotels or if you get a discount on them with an AP but after having a quick look on their site the hotels are no more than 100 euro per night ,so to stay at one would be similar to the santa fe or cheyenne with the AP discount. Now i know from speaking to a lot of AP holders that they will stay at a Disney hotel if the price is right . So lets say a family like my own of 5 people have 5 dream APs E890 with the 20% discount added , and lets say they visit 3 times per year , each trip a 4 night stay E500 to E600 . Now that comes to a yearly figure of about E2,690 without any food or merch on top .
It would easily cost about E4000 with merch and food bills on top , So thats a roundabout figure of 4 grand per family of 5 per year that would go to Disney alone , Thats money that Disney will lose if these prices are introduced, if they want Disney California prices well then splash out and give us Disney California grade parks and rides .
You cant look to parks that are getting new lands , makeovers ,world class  rides etc and say well they are being charged that amount so you have to pay the same , it dont and wont work like that . !!!

DLP in my opinion is constantly overlooked by the WDC and its customers taken for granted . 

[NHDisneylover]

My family has been saying we expect teh Aps to jump in price and try to get closer to US pricing--but I really hope it is only a rumor and they really do not more htan double overnight (basing the top tier--Dream AP now versus the new top tier in that list). 

And maybe we are unusual, but having an AP means we go to the parks much more often and we dine there more, etc.  This year we will spend 25-30 days in teh parks. Half of that staying onsite and having a sit down meal on site daily as well as some coutnere service and snacks and shopping more than we would otherwise.

Without APs we visit once every 5 or so years for one week, on site, when they offer a free dinign plan and we don't buy much if any from teh shops.

So, I think tehy make decent money off of us as AP holdes and wonder if we are an exception or if they are calculating totally wrong.

[irishbhoy1888]

Comparing DLP to US parks is their first bad mistake,  They have wdw and disneyland California.  The first is just non comparable and the  latter has a brand new theme park in California adventure with some amazing attractions and world class park theming. Compare California adventure to disney studios park!
Both WDW & Disney california are currently undergoing massive refurbs and park expansions with star wars lands and avatar at WDW to name a few. 
If Paris was giving this attention they have a case for upping their prices, but as usual its not.
So Disney please stop using your US park prices as an excuse to up DLP prices, i just cannot see people paying it.

[Sulley's Arms]

We're all talking here about rumoured AP price increases, but has anybody here completed the questionnaire that the new APs / prices were in? If the views being expressed here were relayed to Disney they would be foolish to simply proceed with this plan that will clearly result in a great many existing AP holders, that regularly spend a lot of money in the parks on each visit in restaurants and shops, from no longer attending.

Also I totally agree that to compare DLP with any other Disney park is laughable, particularly any of the US ones. If a model is introduced in Paris to make our pricing more comparable to the US APs the new DLP hierarchy want sacking.

[jacmurphy]

we have been AP holders for just over a year now and have visited 5 times. I renewed for a second year in may. We have spent a considerable amount of money there. We go for 5 days eat in the parks buy a lot of merchandise. If this rumours are true then i am afraid we will not be renewing again. Absolutley ridiculous to compare DLP to US parks and I thought this was why there was such a differnce in AP charges in the first place

[Fran1988]

OMG!!! Nooooo!!!
I have annual passes for me and all the family. I have visited 5 times in the last year each for 5days at a time. If this is the prices then I shall definately not be renewing as you can get some good deals with park tickets. We will then only be going once a year if we are lucky. Me and mum mum usually spend around 500euros every time we go so not sure where this 1euro figure has come from as everyone i have seen wrote on here spends alot more. If disney cant see the bad jump then more fall them I say!

[Samninetysix]

We shall just use our shareholders discount and not bother with renewing AP's.