Disney Parks: No More Annual Passes?
Will other Disney Parks follow the example of Tokyo Disney Resort and eliminate its annual pass program?
This is fascinating. And not a little disconcerting. But, it is probably a sign of the times and we have two terrific articles exploring similar territory.
But it’s all predicated on one fact: Disney Tokyo Resort eliminated its annual pass program.
Disney Annual Passes Endangered?
Dirk Libbey of Cinema Blend wrote:
2020 has resulted in a lot of major changes for theme parks, but while many of these changes will likely disappear once things are back to “normal” it seems more than likely that some of the changes are here to stay, and that could mean a restructuring of the way many theme parks… do business.
Tokyo Disney Resort has announced that, at least for now, the park is ending its annual pass program entirely. Previously, as was the case with the stateside parks, guests who had annual passes had the expiration of those passes extended to a future date equivalent to the amount of time the park was closed due to the pandemic. However, now that extension has been canceled and guests with annual passes need to simply apply for refunds. We could see the AP program return, but we could also, not.
A Financial Decision?
Libbey cited Theme Park Insider and its theory about why it would make financial sense for APs to be DOA.
“Tokyo Disney’s location in one of the world’s largest cities and its dependence upon a mostly local audience sometimes make its operation a better reference for California’s Disneyland than Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort, which is driven largely by out-of-market visitors,” wrote editor Rober Niles. “With capacities reduced due to the need to promote safe physical distancing during this pandemic, theme parks would much rather have those valuable spots taken up by freer-spending guests on day tickets rather than annual passholders.”
Niles also explained:
The elimination of annual passes would simplify greatly managing who could visit the Disneyland theme parks when they return. Disneyland would not need to implement a passholder lottery or endure the website-crashing crush of annual passholders looking to book spots under a Disney Parks Pass reservation system.
Annual Passes: What’s Next?
Cinemablend continued to explore the concept, and asked out loud:
So What Comes Next? And so, there are a couple of potential solutions. One is to simply kill the Annual Pass programs. This is very possibly going to be a short-term solution, especially at Disneyland, that will need to manage its attendance very carefully. More than likely, we will see the AP program replaced with something, but what exactly?
What exactly, indeed.
Stay tuned, Disney fans. Stay tuned. But in the interim, be sure to check out the links above.