What is the point of the annual passport this year?

[ford prefect]

So, having just returned from DLP I decided to book a return visit in July.

Price of 2 dream AP using shareholders discount €320

Price for 4 nights at Sequoia Lodge for 2 adults and 2 children aged 4 and 2 with AP discount £998.

Price for the same with park tickets £679 using the 40% offer.

Prices obtained this morning from the UK booking line and exclude transport.

Anyone thinking of booking this year and buying an AP should carefully weigh their options.

I have just rattled a series of emails to different departments and a letter to M. Gas in a vain hope that somebody rethinks the AP long term booking discounts!

[pussinboots]

May I just add that park access — which is of course the main purpose of these passes — is ridiculously cheap with even the Dream variety. Surely you will agree that the Disney hotel discounts are but a peripheral perk.

[Willow]

Surely the 40% offer won't be throughout the whole year?

No chance of Annual Passes getting greater discounts, it never happens.

[ford prefect]

May I just add that park access — which is of course the main purpose of these passes — is ridiculously cheap with even the Dream variety. Surely you will agree that the Disney hotel discounts are but a peripheral perk.

Generally I agree, although I am not sure I would call the hotels discount a peripheral perk.

I work in a quasi retail industry and am fully aware of the rules and regulations governing sales and discounts, Disney are not doing anything illegal, and I must be the one marching out of step here.

My point is: why buy an AP when you can buy a complete package for less than that of a combination of AP and subsequent hotel bookings.  It makes a mockery of the AP.

I have held a dream passport for 6 years and been a shareholder for eight years, I live in the UK and therefore want to stay on site.

I have to plan ahead (being self employed) and whilst the AP does give some very good offers, very often I receive them too late to take advantage.

My complaint is:  why buy an AP this year which gives 365 days access that is negated by Disney effectively giving park tickets free with their current 40% book before April.

There is a distinct lack of fairness to those who are loyal, repeat visitors who plan ahead compared with those that visit once a year and plan ahead.

Now, if the offer was matched (ie there was an early booking discount for AP holders)which ensured a price match, or DLP explained the price structure properly and stated that the park tickets (which constitute 40% of the package price) were free and gave an appropriately reduced price off the hotel rooms for AP as per our contract, then all would be well.

instead we have a ridiculous situation where an AP holder that wishes to stay in a Disney Hotel has to pay twice.

Edit: The irony is that on the Eurostar on the way home I was chatting to a family of first time visitors who had loved every minute of their trip and were planning on going back very soon.  I suggested they think about an AP, boy do I wish I hadn't!  

I also suggested they join this forum for any other advice!

Willow: I accept that the offer won't last, and I am not asking for greater AP discounts, although the fact they are discounting so generously for early bookings suggest that (allowing for rules of sale) there will be some very hefty discounts over the next few months.

[never2old]

Don't forget that the 40% discount does not apply to everyone - if you live in France or Luxembourg, for example, you don't get that at all...

[ford prefect]

Thank you for that N2O, I was unaware of that.

However I think that just goes to show how unfair Disney's discount policy really is.

Indeed, it might even be termed discriminatory.

[id@53]

Don't forget that the 40% discount does not apply to everyone - if you live in France or Luxembourg, for example, you don't get that at all...

Or Ireland.....right now the best deal available seems to be 10% OFF plus an extra night and day free for arrivals b/t 6th and 21st March.  For arrivals b/t 3rd April and 30th September, booked by 15th April, they're offering €99 per adult per night (kids under 7 stay and play free). This price is per night, based on a 3 night / 4 day stay at Disney's Hotel Sequoia Lodge, for 2 adults and 2 children under 7 sharing a standard room - approx. 25% of the standard rates.

[smurfy74]

im thinking the 40% off for the UK might have to do with the fact the £ has fallen so far against the €, although it has gone up from its lows, plus for us here in the UK food is now terribly expensive due the exchange rate. And seeing as at least 25% of dlrp visitors come from the UK i can understand this offer. I too have an AP and have faced the same dilema as we are going in September with my sister in law and her 3 boys, so far we have booked their room and the eurostar for all 6 of us, we just are keeping our fingers crossed there is a special offer for then if not i guess we will have to console ourselves with the fact we get the 20% off merchandise and 10% off food with the pass. At least theres not long for the next Envie+ release and maybe we will get some longer term specials then  

[Anthony]

The biggest problem with their Annual Passport service is that it only seems to cater for French-speaking guests living within an hour of the resort who can decide on a whim to visit. Everyone else can hand over their €179 and be gone, they're not interested in you.

They've got (or had) that 50% off offer for AP holders, didn't they? The only problem being that it seemed to only reach up to April, and as far as I can understand, we've got to wait until 2nd April for the next "round" of discounts to be announced, which will then serve the next three months.

What's the good in that?!

On a separate note, why isn't there an easier way of renewing your AP? Why don't they let you set up a monthly direct debit or something so it's automatically renewed? I can't be bothered getting a new one, especially not with the good special offers for regular guests and the lack of any emails/communication I've had this year (although they did stop sending Envie de + by post, right? It's not just me?). I'm disillusioned too.

[pussinboots]

The biggest problem with their Annual Passport service is that it only seems to cater for French-speaking guests living within an hour of the resort who can decide on a whim to visit. Everyone else can hand over their €179 and be gone, they're not interested in you.

They've got (or had) that 50% off offer for AP holders, didn't they? The only problem being that it seemed to only reach up to April, and as far as I can understand, we've got to wait until 2nd April for the next "round" of discounts to be announced, which will then serve the next three months.

What's the good in that?!

On a separate note, why isn't there an easier way of renewing your AP? Why don't they let you set up a monthly direct debit or something so it's automatically renewed? I can't be bothered getting a new one, especially not with the good special offers for regular guests and the lack of any emails/communication I've had this year (although they did stop sending Envie de + by post, right? It's not just me?). I'm disillusioned too.

It's true. It is a little odd how they keep the existence of the Annual Passport program under wraps for anyone outside of the Ile-de-France and conduct no business in any other language. And despite the fact that there always seem to be one or two non-French people at the Bureau, the staff is stocked with the only people in Western Europe who lack even the most basic understanding of English. And no, I haven't received any Envie de + either for a long time.

I suppose it's a slightly Gallic way of doing business (no latent xenophobia intended, just speaking from a little experience); You're only entitled to good service if you've overpaid. You got a good deal, you don't complain. And again, the Annual Passports are a good deal. To drive that point home (possibly to the point of annoyance), here is a price comparison for "basic" — non-local, with block-out dates — Annual Passports around the world, in US dollars for no reason other than comparison:

Disneyland: $269
Walt Disney World: $469
Tokyo Disney Resort: $764
Hong Kong Disneyland: $168
Disneyland Paris: $162

Granted, Walt Disney World has four parks, but it's clear where you get the best deal. Even Hong Kong Disneylandette charges more for its three and a half rides. So forgive me if I get a little French about this and think that we really shouldn't complain. And learn French, haha.

[ford prefect]

So forgive me if I get a little French about this and think that we really shouldn't complain. And learn French, haha.

I speak french fluently and am English,  I don't think xenophobia is the point, it is down to fairness to all.

As a francophile I thoroughly enjoy french culture.  But this discussion is not about franco/english relations.

[ford prefect]

I have just had a phone call from Disney with an appropriate response to my complaint.

No company does better than Disney when it comes to responding to and dealing with issues!

[speedpacket]

No company does better than Disney when it comes to responding to and dealing with issues!

I really wish I could tell the same.  At this point, I'm actually considering selling my shares, not renewing my AP and not returning ever again.

This thread only adds to that feeling

[smurfy74]

When ever ive had to make a comment on service it has always been resolved without any issue and i have been happy with the spped and efficiency it has been dealt with by Disney. What went wrong this time speedpacket

[davewasbaloo]

Well, where ever possible, I prefer now to stay off site due to the overpriced poor service and buy an AP. Much better deal. The only hotel that now offers a Disney experience is the DLH, and I can stay in a Villa at Marriott for less, and have more space.

But I do not find the deals are that great right now when I look at how much the hotels have gone up overall. Plus the AP still gives great deals (we had 40% off at the DLH last OCtober).