WDW adding golf to "Water Park Fun & More" pass

[GrumpyFan]

From: Orlando Sentinel - Scott Powers -
Walt Disney World is adding a golf option -- nine holes on the par 36 Oak Trail course -- to its "Water Park Fun & More" add-on to Magic Your Way tickets. The golf option also is being added as a free benefit to Disney World Premium Annual Passes.

The golf option requires reserved tee times at Oak Trail, a walking course designed by Ron Garl for the entire family, located adjacent to Shades of Green.


After a visitor buys a Magic Your Way ticket for 2-10 days, he can add various add-on options. The Water Park Fun & More add-on costs $50 per ticket for out-of-state visitors. Florida residents get a discount. Normally, green fees at Oak Trail run $38 for adults, and $19 for juniors, ages 17 and under.


The additional benefit is being put into the ticket package just a few days after Disney announced it would be closing the Pleasure Island nightclubs after Sept. 27, effectively eliminating that option from the Water Park Fun & More package and the Premium Annual Passes. However, one observer indicated that the golf addition might have less to do with replacing the Pleasure Island option than with creating sports and recreation options for the ticket packages. Other sports and recreation options might someday follow.


Oak Trail is near Disney's Magnolia and Palm golf courses. It plays 2,913 yards, featuring undulating target greens. Holes range from 132 yards to 517 years and include a double-dogleg par five that Disney pros regard as one of the more interesting and challenging among the 81 holes of golf found at Disney World.

Interesting that they're trying to maintain some of the value of those passes by adding something in, considering they took something out. So, hopefully, this means they're not going to raise prices.

[BMan62]

Surprising that they didn't add mini-golf rather than regular golf.

I would have thought mini-golf would be more along the lines of something families could enjoy.

[GrumpyFan]

Surprising that they didn't add mini-golf rather than regular golf.

I would have thought mini-golf would be more along the lines of something families could enjoy.

Hmm... good point. The mini-golf courses seem to get excluded from a lot of things or just plain forgotten.

[TheRustyScupper]

Surprising that they didn't add mini-golf rather than regular golf.

1) Simple.
2) Lots of people play mini-golf at WDW.
3) The Oak Trail is hardly used.
4) Voilà!
5) Give something away for free that no one wants to use.
6) It doesn't cost a thing or push out paying guests.
7) Or, giving something to a guest they were going to pay for.

[BMan62]

True, Rusty, but what percentage of visitors are golfers? 10% maybe? Of those, how many are going to make tee times for an executive course when there are full length, professional courses available?

This may increase play on Oak Trail by 3 - 4 foursomes a day, but I don't see it as a draw for the WPFAM addition to the ticket like PI was.

Based on your logic, they should remove the Water Parks from the WPFAM addition. People are going to pay for them gladly if they want to go there. I don't think attendance would suffer one bit.

Or, maybe that's next??

[Doug The Disney Man]

Minigolf seems to get forgotten a lot. It's even hard to find on the official site. Or at least it was a couple of years ago when I was interested in playing for the first time. It's a shame, too, because it is a lot of fun.