Questions/benefits of being a annual pass holder

DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
I'm toying with the idea of taking a quick Friday - Monday trip down to WDW this November as a surprise to my family - so the wife and kids can enjoy the Osborne lights in HS and decorations in MK. 2 day non park hopper tickets will run us 800 dollars.

Add in the fact we're planning our blow out spare no expense full week of WDW in April of 2016, the tickets will cost us 1,400. That brings us close to the cost of the Annual Pass (just about 2,800).

I see that for 2015 WDW offered up to 30% discounts for AP holders, was that on select dates or was it wide open? To put it another way, would it be reasonable to expect a discount on my Contemporary reservation for April of 2016?

I also noticed that for many restaurants I can get a 10% discount on meals.

Any other advantages to being AP?
 
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Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
If you are going to spend 10 or more days during a calendar year at the parks, then the AP is the best value especially since park hopping is included. The flexibility to park hop is a big perk.

Room discounts are offered at various times of the year, but in recent years are not much better (if at all) than the general public offers. Discounts are offered during the same period as general public offers. There is a good possibility your room in April may have an AP discount, but it may also qualify for the general public spring offer. If you decide to go the AP route, purchase it before you go in November since then you may get an AP discount for that room too (current AP room discounts only go through Oct. 3).

A big advantage to having an AP is the ability to purchase a Tables in Wonderland card, which gives 20 percent off most table service locations (food and alcohol), some resort quick serve locations, and lounges. Restrictions do apply but TiW tends to be a far better deal than the DDP. The card cost $100, so once you spend $500 on food & drink you realize the discount.

The AP will give 10 percent off lunch at a few locations (without having to purchase TiW.) There is also a 10 percent discount at many shopping locations. Tours are discounted as well.

The downside to the "savings" you get from an AP? The temptation (and eventual reality) of taking more trips to WDW!
 
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DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
Original Poster
Tuvalu said:
The downside to the "savings" you get from an AP? The temptation (and eventual reality) of taking more trips to WDW!
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LOL of course. The biggest inhibitor for us to taking more vacations/visits to WDW is the cost of the flight. When you're dropping 1,400 for a round trip to Orlando, its hard to justify multiple jaunts to WDW in a given year.

That's the struggle I'm having right now, I fleshed out a quick and dirty cost analysis of a Friday to Monday trip to Orlando including a stay a TimeShare - I'm looking at a 3,000 expenditure for that time.
 
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JasonDeyoung

JasonDeyoung

Well-Known Member
I've had an AP for 3 years now and me personally I have saved so much $ on tickets and on resorts. The resort discount is usually offered for a few months at a time but goes year round. It does have blocked dates towards end of the year I believe like Christmas and NYE I think (discounts not ticket)
 
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DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
Original Poster
I have a couple more questions regarding the annual pass.
Does it make sense to get the premium flavor - other then the water parks are there any other incentives?
Where can I buy the AP other then WDW, i.e., can I find a cheaper place (that's not a scam of course)
 
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dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
maflynn said:
I have a couple more questions regarding the annual pass.
Does it make sense to get the premium flavor - other then the water parks are there any other incentives?
Where can I buy the AP other then WDW, i.e., can I find a cheaper place (that's not a scam of course)
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Premium really depends on if you will use the extra admissions. It gets you the water parks, Oak Trail golf course, WWoS and Disneyquest. Although with DQ going the way of the dodo, they may need to change something up. You can buy just a water park AP for $110, and premium is $125 more than regular so if you just want water parks, then you save a few bucks that way. For a period of time premium and platinum AP holders got 20% off on merch, but that has now gone down to the same 10% for a regular AP.

APs are sold through WDW, Disney Stores, and the website. Buying it at the store or online costs you exactly the same, they even charge you FL tax. The only way I know of to save on an AP is to buy a discounted ticket from someone like Undercover Tourist, and then upgrade it to an AP. As long as they continue to bridge, you can save $20-30 or so that way. They are currently selling a 4 day hopper + WP&M for $38 under gate, so that would save you $38. If you do buy a ticket that has WP&M and use one of the WP&M entitlements, you need to upgrade to a premium AP, you cannot upgrade it to a regular AP.
 
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DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
Original Poster
I bit the bullet, I'm not sure if it was a wise decision but I think its a good one based on the trips I have planned. Now I want to see if I can make the TiW plan work for me.
 
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HRHPrincessAriel

HRHPrincessAriel

Well-Known Member
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DaisyDoesDisney

DaisyDoesDisney

Well-Known Member
I have reservations for both a September trip and a December trip. With both trip packages I added 7 day park hoppers. I'm realizing that I should have just gotten the AP. Can I change my ticket selections without cancelling the reservations completely? Also- do you purchase the Tables in Wonderland card at the same time as the AP? Is the card also good for 1 year?
 
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Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
DaisyDoesDisney said:
I have reservations for both a September trip and a December trip. With both trip packages I added 7 day park hoppers. I'm realizing that I should have just gotten the AP. Can I change my ticket selections without cancelling the reservations completely? Also- do you purchase the Tables in Wonderland card at the same time as the AP? Is the card also good for 1 year?
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Call and tell the cast member to remove the tickets and that you want APs. You won't lose your reservations. You will receive vouchers (or a number) for the APs which can be exchanged for your APs at a Guest Relations location. Your "start" date for your AP will be the first time you use it to enter a park, and you will get until midnight a year later to use it.

Tables in Wonderland begins the day it is purchased so it is best to wait until you arrive to get it. You have to have a valid AP (or DVC member card, or FL drivers license) to show in order to purchase the card. Depending on what day of the month you get the card, you may get 13 months use rather than 12.
 
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DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
Original Poster
DaisyDoesDisney said:
I have reservations for both a September trip and a December trip. With both trip packages I added 7 day park hoppers. I'm realizing that I should have just gotten the AP. Can I change my ticket selections without cancelling the reservations completely? Also- do you purchase the Tables in Wonderland card at the same time as the AP? Is the card also good for 1 year?
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That's what I did, I already had the base tickets on my reservation. I purchased the AP, then called and had them remove the tickets from my reservation.
 
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