New ticket system coming to WDW - Begins October 16th

[MommaBerd]

The folks on our local news did a story on the Disney ticket price change this morning.
They were saying that it will be possible to see a price drop depending on what you buy and how you buy them. I got interrupted by the dog needing to go out before I heard the particulars

I think this is the risk of buying tickets in advance *if* you don’t go during peak times. I also think this may be the reason we haven’t seen the alarm bells rung by UT and MousSavers. Buying up this year’s tickets may not be beneficial for everyone.

The current ticketing calendar can give you a general idea about peak/regular/value prices, but Josh @ easywdw recently had a blog post that showed the calendar changed from last year to this - not significantly, but it did shift some.

However, I’m betting on mostly across the board increases. We have a trip planned with my brother and his family for next October, and I advised them to purchase now. There’s almost no chance our dates will decrease in price.

 

[Farro]

And the money grab continues. Sheesh.

I don't think that's applicable here.

Prices were going to go up regardless, especially with all new attractions coming. This is just a different way of doing it. Will benefit some, some won't benefit and some will break even. Jut like with everything.

And it seems to give more incentive to booking an on-site package.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

If you purchase that one-Day ticket as part of an onsite package, you can use that 1 ticket any day of your package stay.

It wouldn't be a "package" but separate room and ticket. Or would that be more beneficial now?

Ok, so I don't HAVE to use it on a Tuesday, I could use it on a Friday?

 

[AngiTN]

This is from the WDWNT blog post:
These prices are set in advance and will not fluctuate like airline prices. Basically, certain days are more or less expensive based on the perceived demand.

I do find it interesting that so many just jumped to the conclusion that Disney was going to follow the airline model of dynamic pricing, thinking the worse, rather than waiting to find out. Taking the worse and running with it. Sometimes that gets as old as those who think that Disney never does wrong. Disney does wrong, often. But on the other hand, not everything they do is evil.

 

[AngiTN]

@hiroMYhero where do I find the expiration date before purchasing. We (4adults) are going in early December 2019. If I plan to buy 4 8 day park Hopper tickets from UCT prior to 10/16/2018 will they be good the second week of 12/19? How can I be sure? TIA

I believe the reseller can tell you if you ask them prior to purchasing. Otherwise, that's the only way I know of

 

[hiroMYhero]

It wouldn't be a "package" but separate room and ticket. Or would that be more beneficial now?

Ok, so I don't HAVE to use it on a Tuesday, I could use it on a Friday?

You can choose the date of use if you have a package.

You can also choose your date of use if you buy your one-day tickets now. It just is up to you if you want to take a chance in paying more for a one-day ticket beginning Oct 16.

 

[Moneypenny]

I believe the reseller can tell you if you ask them prior to purchasing. Otherwise, that's the only way I know of

I just did an online chat with UCT (they were very helpful, as always). Of course, you want to do your own checking but they just told me the e-tickets expire 12/31/19 and the mailed tickets expire either 12/31/18 or 2/28/19 (you can request which one you need).

 

[AngiTN]

But lots of folks have never had the initiative or they just stay in their Disney hotel and hoof over for a couple days. I think this might push more folks to do like you do, or even just to stay at one of the newer Universal hotels that look really nice and explore elsewhere on the darkside.

All the folks so fed up with FP+ and planning, not to mention the other more recent changes - I see this as another aggravating add on if you usually take longer trips but only do 4-5 days in Disney parks. If I had to buy tickets, I would be inclined to do split stays and take advantage of Universal pluses.

We always do our Universal trips at the beginning or end. Do most really do theirs in the middle of their Disney stay? Why?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Any idea if this will impact the Canadian ticket offer that is currently available? I was going to buy our six-day tickets in November but maybe I should jump sooner??

I'm Canadian...and there currently is a Canadian ticket offer that we can purchase up to March 15th 2019 - with tickets purchased good until end of September 2019.

We are going August 2019. Plan was to save up some cash to buy these tickets in the new year...but now not sure will happen with the October 16th date that this pricing kicks in!

I am Canadian also and am pretty sure that the prices of the tickets currently being offered will go up if (as anticipated) the price of other tickets go up.

I believe our offer will be the same as the rest in that an 'x' day ticket will cost $. If we want the option to start using those tickets on a date that is not yet determined we will probably pay the price plus the new fee.

I believe our offer will mirror what Disney is offering their US customers, just with the discounted price of the tickets. (LOL - which is still far from 'discounted' when you pay with our weaker dollar!)

 

[Moneypenny]

We are probably, but not definitely, going back in November 2019. I don't want to by the UCT mailed tickets because those will expire before November 2019. I don't want to buy the e-tickets because we aren't certain we're going again and the e-tickets are nonrefundable. I can book the room and tickets through Disney now (which is fully refundable if we end up not going), but we already have a resort reservation and tickets in MDE for our November 2018 trip. If I have two sets of tickets in MDE, will I have to go to Guest Services before we enter a park this November to make sure they use the right tickets? If it matters, our current tickets are part of an agency exclusive deal (like convention tickets) so have specific use dates.

 

[Luminous25]

I just did an online chat with UCT (they were very helpful, as always). Of course, you want to do your own checking but they just told me the e-tickets expire 12/31/19 and the mailed tickets expire either 12/31/18 or 2/28/19 (you can request which one you need).

I was just going to post the same thing, I was in an online chat with UCT as well.

 

[hiroMYhero]

We are probably, but not definitely, going back in November 2019. I don't want to by the UCT mailed tickets because those will expire before November 2019. I don't want to buy the e-tickets because we aren't certain we're going again and the e-tickets are nonrefundable. I can book the room and tickets through Disney now (which is fully refundable if we end up not going), but we already have a resort reservation and tickets in MDE for our November 2018 trip. If I have two sets of tickets in MDE, will I have to go to Guest Services before we enter a park this November to make sure they use the right tickets? If it matters, our current tickets are part of an agency exclusive deal (like convention tickets) so have specific use dates.

If you book that 2nd package, those tickets won’t even be active until check-in day of your 2019 Stay. No need to go to Guest Relations this November.

 

[pappyP]

What I am reading seems to indicate that tickets tied to a package deal expire when the package does. So if your package is December 1-5th on the 5th the tickets go "poof"

I'm staying onsite from Dec 8 through Dec 13 (checking out Dec 14) and staying offsite Dec 14 & 15. I purchased a 7-day PH and was going to use the 7th day on Dec 15, having a no-park day earlier in the week. Today MDE shows that my ticket is only valid through Dec 14. I called them and they said it's just a glitch in the MDE system but reading through this thread, I'm worried that the 7th day of my ticket purchase won't be able to be used on Dec 15. Thought? Suggestions?

 

[AngiTN]

So we have an answer. If you have an AP and have been doing the “buy a ticket just to get free dining but use the ticket at a later date gig” it’s over. You use that ticket on that package or it’s not good. I expect this is going to upset a lot of people

No, that is not clear by that statement. That is referring to tickets that are activated and used. It doesn't indicated what happens if you do not use and/or activate the tickets.

 

[rteetz]

Today's Daily Fix Thread of the Day!

 

[AngiTN]

Well I admit I was having trouble figuring this out so I asked one of the forensic accountants to take a look at the article and get his opinion. He said about a year after this starts when Disney has enough data he hopes that Mickey Mouse is there to kiss us during certain times because anyone who get screwed that badly should at least get a kiss. He "thinks" that when they have enough data some dates will get actually save money but on a lot of dates they will set the price way way up.

I'd say that goes without saying.

 

[maroney495]

okay have not read through all of the posts so this may have already been asked.....I purchased 5 day hoppers from UT for a December trip that we had to postpone until next March..... These tickets will expire before that according to them so I must make a decision on what to do. They are not linked so can be returned for 95% credit or "converted" to etickets for full value(not really sure how etickets work). I also read on another thread that even if expired Disney would credit us the full value of these tickets toward new tickets or AP upgrades??

is that correct?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We always do our Universal trips at the beginning or end. Do most really do theirs in the middle of their Disney stay? Why?

Don't know the number but it's for sure the way I've vacationed.

We actually split up the days mixing it up. Between both companies reducing when their tickets expire it will be very hard to do that. It's annoying honestly but I'll cross that bridge whenever the next Orlando trip ends up happening

Just to give an idea last trip in 2017 this was the original plans:

Arrival day-DS/monorail hopping
1st Park Day-Disney
2nd Park Day Universal
3rd Park Day-Universal
4th Park Day-Disney
5th Park Day-Disney
6th Park Day-Disney
7th Park Day-Disney
8th Park Day-Universal
Departure Day

What ended up occuring due to Irma was:
Arrival day/1st Park Day-Universal
2nd Park Day-Disney
3rd Day-Parks Closed
4th Day-Parks Closed
3rd Park Day-Disney
4th Park Day-Disney
5th Park Day-Disney
6th Park Day-Disney
7th Park Day-Universal
8th Park Day-Universal
Departure Day-DS/monorail hopping

I attempted to maximize park hours between MNSSHP, HHN, and new for us was EMH due to staying onsite. And honestly I lucked out amazingly because the 2 days that the parks were closed were Universal days thus my FPs and ADRs were not interrupted. It also breaks up planning, interest levels between people and helps keeps up reinvigorated between the two places.

I don't have what days I went in 2011 but it was a mixture just like 2017. I *think* what I did back in 2011 was Disney, Disney, Universal, Universal, Disney, Disney, Universal, Disney.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I believe I'm in the minority here but I really don't think this is such a huge change. Yes, it will make a difference to those who like to visit the parks before and after a longer cruise or, go between Uni/WDW but to many of us it's not huge. (And yes, I do believe it's a way Disney is increasing revenue, that's for sure!!)

Maybe I plan our trips differently from others? Basically I look to see when I want to go (will now be able to see pricing on the WDW site), secure the time off work, book our trip then closer to our trip secure flights. Personally, I don't take into consideration the price of flights on particular dates as I normally book a year or so out so most flights are not released. Possibly that's the big difference for our family. When flights come out I shop around to find the best available prices for the dates of our trip. (Others may book their flights then work their trip around those dates.)

Since many here book trips staying either at WDW or offsite, don't many already have a good idea of what date they plan to go to their first park? Dining reservations are booked 180 days out so that's already playing into 'what park on what day' scenarios too.

Is this going to add another step in the planning process? Yes, for sure! But, is it a huge change? I just don't see it as so. Just like deciding if I want to add the PH option or not, I'll now be able to decide if I want to choose the first date I'll enter a Disney park or pay for the option to choose later.

A money grab? Yes!! But, as many have said, the parks seem to be getting busier (most days) and it will only get worse with all the enhancements Disney is working on.

I knew things were going to change to help manage the crowds. I just didn't know how and I think this is the first of many changes we may see. (Personally I see the removal of resort classifications as we know them to be another big change coming down the pipe!)

 

[AngiTN]

I think this is the risk of buying tickets in advance *if* you don’t go during peak times. I also think this may be the reason we haven’t seen the alarm bells rung by UT and MousSavers. Buying up this year’s tickets may not be beneficial for everyone.

The current ticketing calendar can give you a general idea about peak/regular/value prices, but Josh @ easywdw recently had a blog post that showed the calendar changed from last year to this - not significantly, but it did shift some.

However, I’m betting on mostly across the board increases. We have a trip planned with my brother and his family for next October, and I advised them to purchase now. There’s almost no chance our dates will decrease in price.

Me too. I can't see many who will see drops. I do believe they will be tied to lower crowd times. While it is far from their sole reason for this change, since clearly that is to make more money, there is a side benefit of hoping to shift crowds some by offering lower prices at times when crowds are currently lower.