Annual Pass - Non FL Resident; Worth It?

[iPirate]

I am debating purchasing an annual pass for 2018. I am not a Florida Resident, so I only have two options really available to me. The Platinum, and the Platinum Plus. I never go to water parks, so the former is the likely option.
I intend to go to WDW in Jan or Feb, April, October, and around December in 2018.

For other non-Florida residents: is it worth it? How many trips would you say you have to make (park days?) to say it is worth the cost?

 

[danyoung56]

I've been an AP holder off and on for the past 20 years. I live in Dallas, and I try to get 3 trips of 4 or 5 days on it. Plus it gives me the right to buy the Tables in Wonderland card, which gives 20% off of all table service meals and some quick service, including alcohol. I know they have 20% off of some meals with the AP, but it's not as extensive coverage as the TiW card. And it gives you free parking, which is another $20 a day.

 

[wwmmd]

Plus free memory maker if that's something you'll utilize.

 

[sxeensweet]

It’s worth it if you do a total of OVER 10 -11 days a year whether you do over that in one trip or several it’s worth it. Just compare price to price of what will cost total to buy your tickets for the year. Always go by if you will save in admission nothing else. We always get one and live in Louisiana. I try to get 2 -2 week trips almost exactly a year apart. Even if we only get one 2 week trip we save on admission buying an AP. Plus you get memory maker all year included, free parking (not needed if you stay onsite though you get free parking anyway), merchandise and dining discounts, room discounts, etc etc.

 

[Texas84]

Just do the math. Let's assume 4 trips at 4 days each. With hopper it's 4x$425 for your four trips. 4 trips at 3 days each, 4x$349. It's already worth it without the discounts.

 

[dreamfinder]

Usual break even is around 10 park days spread over 2 or more trips. Exact point will vary based on duration of your individual trips, based on the number of days for each trip. As @Texas84 said, just do the math. It's currently about $830 or so, tax included for a non FL Res/Non DVC AP. Heck, if your 4 trips were only for 2 days each, at approx $212 (tax included) per 2 day base, the AP should save you money on admission alone. And even if they were longer trips and you bought discounted tickets from someone like Undercover Tourist, you should still save by buying the AP. And park admissions is all that really matters as discounts may be discontinued at any time. If there are some and you use them they are just gravy.

 

[NelleBelle]

It’s worth it if you do a total of OVER 10 -11 days a year whether you do over that in one trip or several it’s worth it.

Trying to figure how one breaks even on going for a 10-11 day trip. Our family always does the PH with water parks. So looking at current price for the adult platinum plus (even if we just did the platinum) they come out at $869/pp or $779/pp. I can get tickets for our 10-day trip through Tickets@work for $495. I don't see how we'd break even on a single 10, or even 11-day trip.

 

[Monty]

Trying to figure how one breaks even on going for a 10-11 day trip. Our family always does the PH with water parks. So looking at current price for the adult platinum plus (even if we just did the platinum) they come out at $869/pp or $779/pp. I can get tickets for our 10-day trip through Tickets@work for $495. I don't see how we'd break even on a single 10, or even 11-day trip.

It really depends on a lot of other things if you're only doing one trip. If you can get an AP room discount, if you shop a lot, if you get the TiW card and eat enough to make that worthwhile.

I did one trip where we stayed at Beach Club. The AP discount for an 8-night stay paid for my AP, my son's 9-day Hopper, a TiW card and all the food we ate [discounted by the TiW card] while we were there. Sadly, I haven't seen the 42% AP discount in a long time, but even at 30-ish%, you could probably save overall.

 

[NelleBelle]

Ah, I could see how that could work. Key would be to use one AP and buy all the rest of the passes, accommodations, etc.

I think if they ever came out with an AP that gave admission to both WDW parks and DLR parks, I'd totally jump on that! It's hard for us to do WDW more than 1x/grand even then, DH is complaining about how he wants to travel to other places than WDW, which is why I count myself lucky I've been able to get him to do DCL for seeing other parts of the "world" while I still get a little Disney fix

 

[sxeensweet]

Trying to figure how one breaks even on going for a 10-11 day trip. Our family always does the PH with water parks. So looking at current price for the adult platinum plus (even if we just did the platinum) they come out at $869/pp or $779/pp. I can get tickets for our 10-day trip through Tickets@work for $495. I don't see how we'd break even on a single 10, or even 11-day trip.

I said OVER 10-11 days not just 10-11 days! Lol After 10 days you can’t just add days to your tickets you have to buy a day ticket or more new multiple day tickets. We go for 13-14 days at a time once or sometimes twice almost a year apart, so would have to buy a 10 day and a 3-4 day each visit and even just One 13-14 day visit an AP makes sense.

 

[I am Timmy]

I said OVER 10-11 days not just 10-11 days! Lol After 10 days you can’t just add days to your tickets you have to buy a day ticket or more new multiple day tickets. We go for 13-14 days at a time once or sometimes twice almost a year apart, so would have to buy a 10 day and a 3-4 day each visit and even just One 13-14 day visit an AP makes sense.

I wondered about that. We always go 14 days, but we get the 10 day park hopper and only enter a park those 10 days. We put aside a couple days for Disney Springs (sleep in), and usually have tickets to a halloween or xmas party one of the days (sleep in) and a free day (sleep in). So do you go to a park every day of the two week trip?

 

[winstongator]

I said OVER 10-11 days not just 10-11 days! Lol After 10 days you can’t just add days to your tickets you have to buy a day ticket or more new multiple day tickets. We go for 13-14 days at a time once or sometimes twice almost a year apart, so would have to buy a 10 day and a 3-4 day each visit and even just One 13-14 day visit an AP makes sense.

How long do non-FL residents have to use their multi-day passes? Two 5-day passes are more expensive than one 10-day, right?

 

[dreamfinder]

How long do non-FL residents have to use their multi-day passes? Two 5-day passes are more expensive than one 10-day, right?

Since they no longer sell the non-expire option, all new tickets expire 14 days after first use, unless explicitly stated as otherwise like with some of the FL Resident tickets. And yes, 2 5 day tickets are more expensive than 1 10, $370 ea vs $440 (no tax included, non hopper). And since the platinum AP is currently $780 pre tax, that is how the breakeven is usually around 10 days.

 

[DisneyMann]

We live in NY and are AP holders because even two trips a year at 4-6 days (without the hopper) costs more separately than the Platinum AP. This doesn't include any of the discounts either.

We used to do only once a year or every two years but since e go more often it makes so much more sense to have APs. We always did park hoppers so the cost would have been substantially more to get two 5 day hoppers than having APs.

 

[wannabeBelle]

I have had an AP since 2002 and renew it every year. Going for more than one trip with the park hopper option factored in, I have found it to be the least expensive option. My trips average between 5 and 8 days a piece and I am usually there at least 3-4 times a year. With no other discount offers, that alone makes the investment worth it for me. Marie

 

[Chef Mickey]

It's just a math problem. Write down your planned days and it's super simple after that.

A 5 Day Park Hopper is $474 including tax.

A Platinum Annual Pass is $829 including tax.

Looks like if you go at least 2 times for at least 5 days, it's worth it. If you go once for 10 days, not worth it.

With Memory Maker and AP discounts, even going a couple times per year for 3-4 days each is probably worth it. I saved at least $250 on food, snacks, and merchandise in my last trip.

 

[thomas998]

I am debating purchasing an annual pass for 2018. I am not a Florida Resident, so I only have two options really available to me. The Platinum, and the Platinum Plus. I never go to water parks, so the former is the likely option.
I intend to go to WDW in Jan or Feb, April, October, and around December in 2018.

For other non-Florida residents: is it worth it? How many trips would you say you have to make (park days?) to say it is worth the cost?

We've done it but that was when we were taking two week long trips per year. But you need to look at the number of trips and how long each one is to figure out when the breakeven happens. One 10 day trip isn't enough as you pay about $500 for a 10 day vs the AP of $750.... Now if you don't stay onsite and you make say multiple short trips then you probably breakeven with 2 3 day trips.... also make sure to factor in the 20/day for parking if you aren't an onsite visitor. If you are kind of on the fence and using the other discounts to justify it then just have one person in your family get the AP then you can all make use of it by having them make the purchases that get discounts and the rest can just buy tickets the normal way... Also with only one person having the AP they can still get multiple hard ticket event discounts for things like the Halloween and Christmas party.

 

[Courtney6682]

We are Passholders from Philly who like to go at least twice per year. This year we are getting in 3 trips for a total of at least 19 days in the parks. Like others said before, if you plan on spending more than 10 days per year in the parks then it pays for itself. Memory make being included is also huge for some families, for us, we love the discount on food and merchandise- that's all stuff we were going to buy anyway!

 

[disneygeek90]

Ah, I could see how that could work. Key would be to use one AP and buy all the rest of the passes, accommodations, etc.

I think if they ever came out with an AP that gave admission to both WDW parks and DLR parks, I'd totally jump on that! It's hard for us to do WDW more than 1x/grand even then, DH is complaining about how he wants to travel to other places than WDW, which is why I count myself lucky I've been able to get him to do DCL for seeing other parts of the "world" while I still get a little Disney fix

I believe there is a WDW/DL AP for about $1500.

 

[danyoung56]

It's called the Premier pass, but so much is added in just for DL access that it's almost not worth it.