Since the devastating news of the annual pass program going away for good, previous and aspiring annual passholders everywhere have been held in rapture awaiting the release of new information. Thankfully, whispers are beginning to emerge.
Most previous annual passholders already know that if they were still passholders on March 14th, 2020, that they have been automatically updated to "Legacy Passholders". These passports were cancelled and refunded but the discounts will continue: 30% on merchandise purchases at Disney owned-and-operated locations at Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street Mondays to Thursdays through February 25th. They will also receive applicable discounts on days when this offer is not available and continuing forward, even after the February 25th end date.
OC Register has reported that the Disney Company has begun to survey annual passholders for the kind of options they would like to see moving forward. While the biggest factors are that of Disneyland reopening and the COVID-19 pandemic, the options that are being surveyed are choice, flexibility and value. Ken Potrock, Disneyland President, has stated the goal is to "spread out attendance at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure while satisfying the largest number of people. Some of the questions they are trying to answer include:
When do passholders want access to the parks? Weekdays, or weekends? Mornings or afternoons? Midweek? Time of year?
How frequently do passholders want access to the park?
what is the level of spontaneity that passholders want access to the park?
What level of value are passholders looking to achieve while accessing the park?
Dennis Spiegal, expert at International Theme Park Services, believes that it breaks down relatively simply: passholders are either time-sensitive or they are value-sensitive. Some passholders want the flexibility of going whenever they choose and will pay extensively for it. Other passholders are on a budget and looking to save money wherever they can. Spiegal also believes the new passholder system will mirror the current daily ticket system: a tiered dynamic pricing model with levels for each potential guest.
DAPS Magic gave us the inside look at some of the pass options that Disney are surveying. These passports range from $399 to $1399 and have a variance in what is offered at each level.
$1399 Passport: You can make up to 6 reservations, up to 90 days in advance. You are blocked out most of June and July and most weekends, with 2 tickets to use on block-out days. Discount include 30% on merchandise, 10% on food, and 20% on special event tickets. Parking and PhotoPass is included and you have a dedicated entrance. There is also a "Rewards Program".
$1200 Passport: You can make up to 2 reservations at a time, up to 90 days in advance. Many weekends are available but some major holidays are blocked out. You have two anytime reservation tickets and 2 block-out day tickets. Discounts include 30% on merchandise and 20% on food. MaxPass and PhotoPass are included but you do not get the dedicated entrance or the "Rewards Program".
Option 1 at $999: You can make up to 2 reservations at a time, up to 60 days in advance. You are blocked out most of June and July and most weekends, with 4 anytime tickets and 1 block-out day tickets. Discounts include 30% on merchandise and 10% on food. There is a child option for this passport worth $899.
Option 2 at $999: You can make up to 4 reservations at a time, up to 90 days in advance. There are fewer block-outs with most weekends available. You have 6 anytime reservation tickets and 1 block-out day ticket. Discounts include 10% on merchandise, 30% on food, 20% on special event tickets and 20% on parking. MaxPass and PhotoPass are included and you have a dedicated entrance. There is a child option for this passport worth $809.
$799 Passport: You can make up to 6 reservations at a time, up to 60 days in advance. There are a few block-out days, including holidays, with 2 block-out day tickets. Discounts include 20% on merchandise. 30% on food, and 20% on parking. MaxPass and PhotoPass are included.
Option 1 at $599: You can make up to 4 reservations at a time, up to 60 days in advance. You are blocked out of most of June and July, holidays and weekends. You have 4 anytime reservation tickets and 1 block-out day ticket. Discounts include 10% on merchandise, 10% on food, and 20% on special event tickets. You also get a 50% discount on (2) Friends and Family tickets. MaxPass and PhotoPass are included and you have a dedicated entrance.
Option 2 at $599: You can make up to 6 reservations at time, up to 120 days in advance. You have significant block-outs but some weekends are available. You get 6 anytime reservation tickets and 2 block-out day tickets. Discounts include 20% on merchandise, 20% on food, 20% on special event tickets, and 50% on parking. PhotoPass is included and you have a dedicated entrance and the "Rewards Program".
$399 Passport: You can make up to 4 reservations at a time, up to 60 days in advance. Most of the availability is during traditional non-peak times. You have 6 anytime reservation tickets and 1 block-out day ticket.
(These are not defined passes coming to Disneyland but they are based off the previous passes and the passes offered in Florida.)
Of course, COVID-19 factors are a significant weight to balance in the scheme of things. When will Disneyland reopen their gates? When will the COVID-19 vaccine be widely available and will that availability be a factor in the gates reopening? How quickly will the state be able to loosen the capacity limits for the park? How long will the demand of the pent-up visitors hold true? While the stay at home order has been lifted, the county of Orange is still in the most restrictive purple tiers and would need a minimum of 6 weeks to get to the tier in which the governor has deemed safe. That 6 week minimum is a best case scenario at that. However, there is new hope in the news that Disneyland workers are being called back to reopen Buena Vista Street restaurants and the potentiality of open-air dining once more.
Please stay tuned for more information on the coming changes.
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