Has anyone given up their Annual Pass due to pin frustrations?

Hello Looking for advice here; Pass for WDW will be up for renewal soon and I am having trouble wrapping my head around spending almost $500 on a pass which I only use to trade and buy pins based on how things have been going at the parks and the feeling that Disney no longer cares about pins and is not likely to improve the situation. Anyone one else having this issue? What would you do? Thanks for the input! Janet

I pay 750 for ours (so that is 3 passes totalling 2250) to dlr with no intentions of giving it up. we do it for pins but also because we go to the parks weekly to enjoy shows or eat or events or just to stroll. I guess if you don't enjoy the parks and only go for pins it would be hard to justify.

If you don't mind giving up that 10% off, go for it. If you're not enjoying the parks and not using your pass for anything else, it's probably not worth it. You can get most pins at DTD anyway.

I wouldn't give up my pass just because of pin disappointment, because there are so many things I enjoy about Disneyland besides just the pins. Often I'll go and do nothing related to pins all day because I'm having fun going on rides, seeing shows, meeting characters, etc.

I would agree with what's been said. If the sole reason you get the pass is for pins and are unhappy with the situation and don't foresee it improving, then maybe it's best to give it up and save the money or put it into something else you enjoy.

I use the Weekday pass and also love enjoying the parks. It's very affordable (and pays for itself in a few visits). Maybe downgrading on your pass option would work for you instead of giving it up entirely?

we just renewed ours but down graded to just the annual not the premium, we too use for the 10% and for pins it is a savings and we go once a year last year it was twice

I love DLR and would never think of giving up my soCal pass plus as long as I renew it I can keep it even thou they do not still offer it.Plus the pins at DSF are better pins...

We live in Seattle and we used to have annual passes. It was a big expense, but we would usually get two visits out of them. When they took out the pin trading tables we agreed we would not be renewing our passes and have not and will not. Now we go down and throw pin trading parties so we can see the people we would normally have met in the parks. We usually go into the park on Sunday when we are there, but don't spend any where near what we used to. I am sure Disney doesn't even notice we spend less, but I know it. If we lived closer I would probably suck it up and get them though.

thanks you guys lots of food for thought Janet

Sis and I had annual passes since 2008 and gave them up in 2014. We have too many things going on during the weekend that we haven't missed it yet.

Hey Janet, was hoping to see you last night to answer in person.

It really depends on what you do at WDW besides pins. You really don't need a Pass to buy pins or to trade with Cast Members at DTD or the Resort Hotels or to use their Transportation system. The Disney Pin Meets have always been outside of the Parks plus, there are the local Pin Meets on Saturdays away from Disney property.

For the Event in September, Disney usually has a Fall Florida Residents special Ticket (like the Spring deal of 3 days for $139.00) or just pay for 2 days.

As for the 10% savings on merchandise, you'd have to spend $5,000.00 before making up for the $500.00 ticket price. IF that is the only reason you get a Pass.

Up to you. TTFN, Sue

As sis mentioned, we gave up our APs after 6 years (this time). We used to get APs every 5-10 years for just a single year but we enjoyed going with our friends in the IE that we kept on renewing, justifying that we were "saving money" since we typically renewed before the big price hike.

We started out when Deluxe APs were $200-235. After 2 years, we got Premiums (since the difference in price with parking was "only" $70-100) so we could go on Saturdays during the summer (to rest on Sundays to go back to work, etc.)

We gave up our APs in October 2014 and so far, don't have that many regrets. We do enjoy walking around the parks, etc. but we usually can meet our Disney-loving friends (that live in other areas of OC/LA) in DTD and eat somewhere there.

We do still buy pins (hello ebay and FB!) but not many of the new releases at DLR. So, pin-wise, we don't really miss it that much. For Hidden Mickey pins (we collect a few of those series), we can still get them a few months later in DTD. It's weird that they still aren't out yet for the year!

TiggerSue said:

Hey Janet, was hoping to see you last night to answer in person.

It really depends on what you do at WDW besides pins. You really don't need a Pass to buy pins or to trade with Cast Members at DTD or the Resort Hotels or to use their Transportation system. The Disney Pin Meets have always been outside of the Parks plus, there are the local Pin Meets on Saturdays away from Disney property.

For the Event in September, Disney usually has a Fall Florida Residents special Ticket (like the Spring deal of 3 days for $139.00) or just pay for 2 days.

As for the 10% savings on merchandise, you'd have to spend $5,000.00 before making up for the $500.00 ticket price. IF that is the only reason you get a Pass.

Up to you. TTFN,

Sue

Click to expand...

Actually, Sue, they haven't had in the "Play 3" type pass in the Fall for 2 or 3 years now...just in the Spring. I know, because I've been waiting one out, and because last year is the first time my husband came with me, and we ended up buying him a one day, and he just stayed in the hotel for the second day.

Instead, I've been buying a Seasonal Pass for the last few years. If I time it right and buy it right before the event, and if I get lucky and that event is later in the month (like, the 11th instead of the 5th), I can get two year's worth of events out of one pass.

I took a break this year, but I kind of regretted it...especially missing the 10% off, with how much I bought this year.