Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>I think that the new promotion and the AP payment plan is tacky and both cheapen the Disney brand<<< I totally agree, the place will become even more busy with guests less likely to add value to the bottom line, and make it even harder for the distant infrequent visitor. I do not like this at all.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo gottaluvthevillains is spot on, that is one of the best ways of doing it. I have to be honest and say, I agree, if you cannot afford it in one hit, what makes paying it monthly easier? If Disney is going to this, I hope they whack on an interest charge.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I don't mean to offend anyone here. I know what it is to be poor, where I would sometimes not eat for a couple of days etc. But most people that are likely to take advantage of this will also be less likely to buy the nicer souvenirs, or eat in in the nicer resstaurants and they will get dumbed down. The business case for bigger, better e-tickets will not stack up as it will take longer to recoup on an investment, so we will end up with more celebrations or plywood style character attractions. I had to go without a Disney fix for about 7 years because I could not afford it. It is not meant to be for everyone. I would rather have to save and then go and have a better time than for the place to commoditise. Once a product is commoditised, it is almost impossible to recoup value, so the next step is cost cutting. This is not a good way to go.
Originally Posted By danyoung >I think that the new promotion and the AP payment plan is tacky and both cheapen the Disney brand.< And I think you're just sitting back and waiting for whatever Disney announces so you can spout off on how much you dislike it. >I'm saying this payment plan is bunk and those who use it are being irresponsible.< This is simply ridiculous. I'm a huge park visitor on both coasts, and I think it's a great idea to be able to pay out over time (although it's not available yet to me in Dallas). It simply means that I don't have to worry about that large chunk once a year - I can incorporate smaller payments into my monthly budget. There's nothing ghetto or cheap or irresponsible about it. I'll still spend a bucket of money on lodging and food and souvenirs. This new plan is merely one of convenience, and I applaud it.
Originally Posted By danyoung >But most people that are likely to take advantage of this will also be less likely to buy the nicer souvenirs, or eat in in the nicer resstaurants and they will get dumbed down.< I just don't see this. Seems to me that people will have MORE income to spend in the parks if they don't have to scrimp and save to buy the AP. And for those who previously just couldn't afford an AP but now can afford $35 a month, well, they'll go more often, buy more food, buy more souvenirs, maybe even stay in the hotel a time or two in a year. Seems like a win for everybody.
Originally Posted By Mr X There is no additional cost to this? It's just a payment plan thing? What is "irresponsible" about that? How many people have thrown the whole thing on a credit card and then racked up interest for a few months who can now pay little by little interest free? I don't see the issue. Sounds like just a matter of promotion and convenience to me. ***It is not meant to be for everyone*** An amusement park? Not meant to be for everyone? I guess class warfare is still alive and well at Disneyland.
Originally Posted By ecdc Interesting points and thoughts on this topic. I suppose I fall into the camp of "If you can't afford it up front, maybe you shouldn't be buying it." Mind, I'm not some financial whiz - I've racked up my credit cards more than I prefer to the last two years and now I'm working to pay them off. I'm sure there are people that will use this responsibly. They'll charge the monthly payment to a credit card they pay off each month, or if Disney gives the option, they'll have it taken from a bank account. But there will probably be more people who let it build on the credit card. And this one thing from Disney probably won't do much harm, but it's a larger part of our "gotta have it now" culture, whether we can afford it or not. Regardless of how you try and explain it, that's not a good culture, and it has fed into our current economic problems. Most Americans are one paycheck away from disaster; they have no business going to Disneyland under those circumstances. Easier said than done, I know, and I'm as guilty as anyone of not being as responsible as I should.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "How many people have thrown the whole thing on a credit card and then racked up interest for a few months who can now pay little by little interest free?" A lot of people do. Doesn't mean they should.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones I agree with davewasbaloo. Disney is way too focused on attracting annual passholders. They don't want to attract distant visitors from all over the world as the former world-class Disneyland used to do. They want locals to come and see a cheap "street party" for their "What will you celebrate?" promotion. They don't want people from out of state, out of country, who really spend the big bucks, to come see a brand new world-class E-Ticket, the kind Disney used to be known for. It's all about short-term results, not long term growth. Disneyland continues to have sore spots that rot in front of guests eyes every day. Starcade, Autopia, the Skyway building in Fantasyland, the Motorboat Lagoon, Rivers of America, the People Mover track, the Carousel building, and more. They take attractions like the Disney Gallery to commandeer for their lame "Stay the night inside of Disneyland!" prize that few guests will ever experience. Where's the Disney Gallery replacement that we were so hopeful for? If you want to see a Disney Resort that's thinking in the long-term, go to Tokyo while Disney continues to cheapen the legacy of Disneyland in Anaheim.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Most Americans are one paycheck away from disaster; they have no business going to Disneyland under those circumstances." And Disney knows this. So they are taking advantage of our gotta-have-it-now culture, which they have ever right to do, so we can continue to have the things we want when we can't even afford the things we need. Instead, they should be using this downturn to build up Disneyland to be what it should be, investing in the park that started it all, making it fire on all cylinders again. Turn it into something that people really want to save for. Now that they're practically giving it away, how special is Disneyland really?
Originally Posted By danyoung >But there will probably be more people who let it build on the credit card.< What's the difference between someone putting $400 all at once on their credit card and putting $35 a month on? It's the same amount being financed - the monthly bill is just easier to handle up front.
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>And for those who previously just couldn't afford an AP but now can afford $35 a month, well, they'll go more often, buy more food, buy more souvenirs, maybe even stay in the hotel a time or two in a year. Seems like a win for everybody.<< Well said, I agree. I don't see what's 'irresponsible' about budgeting for this over a year instead of paying it all in a lump sum, especially since it's interest-free. It's probably not something I would do (I say this because the park where I have an AP here in Australia offers a payment plan and I choose to pay the once-off sum) but I think it's great that they have an option for people who might not have the money in their pockets to pay for APs for their family upfront.
Originally Posted By llanatoye I honestly don't understand why there is a controversy over this. It's a personal issue for each individual or family. I don't particularly care or want to know how someone affords or pays for their AP. None of my business. And if the park is too crowded because more people have found a way to afford the price of admission then I say good for them and good for the park. I like being around happy people, I like having fun. If it's too crowded for the one's that are complaining about too many people visiting the park then maybe you are the one's that should stay home. ok, I'm done.
Originally Posted By LuLu Wow - amazing - I just read that you can use your free birthday tickets as the initial payment on the AP. One thing I'm confused on - are we just *assuming* there's no interest charge? I didn't see that spelled out. It seems Disney would want to charge interest to cover the people who weasel out of paying the full amount by canceling their credit card or something...
Originally Posted By LPFan22 So if my current AP expires today (it really does by the way) and I wait until November will I be considered a "new" AP holder... or is this for people who have never had an AP before?
Originally Posted By LuLu Well, this exchange was posted on the other site: If our pass expires on the 1st of Oct. are we considered NEW on Nov 4th???? The way it was explained to me is that the renewal letters sent to the November and December-expiration passholders won't include this option because the program wasn't finalized at the time the letters were prepared. If your pass expires 10/1 and you don't renew, then you can buy an AP on the monthly payment plan on 11/4.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***weasel out of paying the full amount by canceling their credit card or something*** I can't believe it works that way. Tons of companies offer those sorts of payment options, I doubt they'd leave themselves open to getting shafted just because someone throws away their card. I think in that case the customer would still get stuck with the bill every month..and if they refused to pay it would be the banks problem, not Disneys. I'm just guessing.
Originally Posted By ImTempest Just my perspective: I'm headed to DLR the last week of October with my husband and son, for the first use of our new PAPs. We saved up for 10 months - put aside money here and there, saved all our change in jars, saved our recycling money, etc... It feels amazing to go, knowing the passes are "free and clear". Could we have put them on a credit card? Sure we could. But I like it this way much better. We've already started saving again for next year's passes.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I think in that case the customer would still get stuck with the bill every month..and if they refused to pay it would be the banks problem, not Disneys. >>> It would be the bank's problem if a bank was financing it. This is the way things like "no interest for 12 months" at an appliance store work. There's a bank that is financing the purchase, and the store gets paid up front by the bank (minus whatever charge the bank is going to make to the store). If the customer doesn't pay, then the bank will come after you, typically with a letter-writing campaign, phone calls, and reporting the delinquency on your credit report. However, in this case, my educated guess is that Disney is self-administering and self-financing this plan. They're just going to charge your credit card each month, and if the payment doesn't go through, they block your AP. If you end up not making good on your end of the bargain, I highly suspect that the worst that will happen is that you'll get a few letters in the mail and that you won't be able to use that AP or get another one in the future until you pay up, but that nothing beyond that will happen.
Originally Posted By danyoung But you need that bank to finance a purchase where hardware is involved (a new fridge, a new TV, a new car). An AP is an intangible, and there's really no money out of pocket for Disney to provide them. All this will take is a payment processing center to log the payments. That center would then put out a report each month on who hasn't paid, and their AP's get deactivated. Very simple, efficient, and easy to track, all within the Mouse House.
