Annual Pass Questions

[Jessica Meier]

Okay, I have never considered doing an AP before but after reading a few posts on here I was thinking it might be beneficial to do for our next trip. We are a family of 3, our daughter will be 7 at the time of our next trip, we want to go at Christmas time probably Christmas thru NYD. We drive from North Alabama. Will use the regular DDP. We would like to stay at a monorail resort, preferably PoLy. So my question is, are the discounts on stays at resorts that you get enough to make buying an AP worth it?

 

[Mukta]

For me, yes. I get 30-37% discounts on rooms, I use TiW to get discounts on food and I can park hop to my heart's content.

You know that you are going during the busiest time of the year, right? If they have AP discounts, I am sure they will sell out fast, so watch mousesavers and this site closely.

 

[Jessica Meier]

Fully aware of the timing. It is the only time we can go for longer than 4 days thanks to school and my husbands work schedule. We won't go until 2015. When do they usually announce the Christmas time discounts?

 

[Mukta]

Here is the list of discount dates and when they were released.

http://www.mousesavers.com/walt-dis...orld-resort-hotel-discounts-codes/#historical

 

[Jessica Meier]

It appears that they don't offer discounts on stays Christmas thru New Years.

 

[Monty]

Discounts are only offered at times they aren't certain of filling the resorts. All the major holidays are out. Sorry.

 

[Jessica Meier]

Should have known.

 

[lunchbox1175]

I would say it is probably only worth it if you are going to go again within the one year time span. If you are only going for seven days, it is not quite break even, especially if you won't be getting a room discount. But if you are planning on going again and will visit a total of 9 days over the year, then you may be able to get a room discount on your next visit that will add to it. I would also recommend the TiW card over the DDP if you are going to get the AP, in my experience it is a much better value and you will save more money over the long term. The key to the AP being worth it, is that you have to use the discounts every opportunity you get, weather it is on food, merchandise, or rooms, if you don't use it. For a 7 day stay (Park Hopper Option) tickets are $391.92. If you then went again later for 2 days, that would be an additional $258.80 for a total of $650.72 per adult with no discounts. The AP is $648.59 per adult, so the additional trip as well as the discounts are where you can make the savings, plus you get a discounted renewal rate of about $100 less, so that is nice as well. I can tell you that my wife and I are both AP holders and we live in Houston. We have gone as far as adding up all of the discounts that we have received on purchases, rooms, TiW food, and have found that at the end of two trips each year, the discounts have paid for the passes, so it is almost like getting the tickets for free, but you have to take advantage of the discounts.

 

[Jessica Meier]

I would say it is probably only worth it if you are going to go again within the one year time span. If you are only going for seven days, it is not quite break even, especially if you won't be getting a room discount. But if you are planning on going again and will visit a total of 9 days over the year, then you may be able to get a room discount on your next visit that will add to it. I would also recommend the TiW card over the DDP if you are going to get the AP, in my experience it is a much better value and you will save more money over the long term. The key to the AP being worth it, is that you have to use the discounts every opportunity you get, weather it is on food, merchandise, or rooms, if you don't use it. For a 7 day stay (Park Hopper Option) tickets are $391.92. If you then went again later for 2 days, that would be an additional $258.80 for a total of $650.72 per adult with no discounts. The AP is $648.59 per adult, so the additional trip as well as the discounts are where you can make the savings, plus you get a discounted renewal rate of about $100 less, so that is nice as well. I can tell you that my wife and I are both AP holders and we live in Houston. We have gone as far as adding up all of the discounts that we have received on purchases, rooms, TiW food, and have found that at the end of two trips each year, the discounts have paid for the passes, so it is almost like getting the tickets for free, but you have to take advantage of the discounts.

Thank you for this. Helped put it into perspective.

 

[luv]

When do they usually announce the Christmas time discounts?

When hell freezes over. Don't get an AP if you're reason is to get room discounts at Christmas. It will require a natural disaster, act of war or a miracle.

It is insanely packed at Christmas. You have to walk very slowly because there are so many people packed in. Ever left a park after fireworks? There you go. People. Crammed. So many of them.

Lines - LONG LINES - for EVERYTHING. Want some water? Get ready to stand in line for 30-45 minutes. Bathroom? Again, long lines. If you want to ride something, lol, prepare to wait at LEAST an hour for unpopular stuff, two hours for medium stuff and three hours or more for popular things.

They've got people waiting 20-30 minutes just to buy stuff. It is really crazy.

Make sure your child knows that ride lines will be a MINIMUM of one hour, sometimes 2 or 3...and that your child understands this and can stand in line for two or three hours repeatedly. Scale your ride plans to 4 or 5 things a day, tops...and plan to stand in line all day long.

 

[Jessica Meier]

@ luv we have experienced WDW same dates we are planning on going so pretty much know what to expect. Crazy yes, but still magical. Our daughter is very patient and easy going so waiting in lines is no big deal. We experienced lines up to an hour plus on our trip in September as well. Its all part of the experience I guess.

 

[SMS55]

AP's are worth it if you are making more than one trip I think. As a Florida resident we do seasonal passes. We aren't going during the week you're going or Spring Break. Even though were local the summer heat is oppressive. We'll pick a couple of long weekends and make the trek. There are many perks like room discounts, restaurant an merchandise discounts. Having said that, room discounts typically aren't available during Christmas or New Year's. It is their busiest season. There is no incentive for Disney to offer room discounts as they will all fill up. This past year, a friend of mine tried to book a room in late November and the only thing they found open was the Swan which isn't really a Disney hotel

 

[wannabeBelle]

Also keep in mind that the difference between an Annual Pass discount and the General Public one usually isnt that much, if anything. As others have said the true value is if you KNOW you will be going again within 365 days to save on the admission. I have an Annual Pass and regularly go a few times each year so for me it is a no brainer. Also I do get the Tables in Wonderland card with the AP discount, to discount my sit down dining experiences. I hope this is helpful! Marie

 

[minniemickeyfan]

Just an FYI on the TiW card too- you cannot use it on dates such as Christmas Eve and Day as well as NYE and NYDay.
The most important thing you can do that Christmas week is to arrive BEFORE open, do your favorites, make FP for later in the day, and take in the shows in the afternoon. It is crowded but manageable.

 

[dreamfinder]

My advice is to not assume any discounts. Check to see if you break even on an AP because of park admission alone. The discounts may or may not be available, and they may or may not be better than those for the general public. Unless you are going to make that second (or third...) trip during the course of a year, the AP may not be the best bet. Alternatively, you can buy one AP and still be able to buy TiW (usually a better deal than the dining plan) and get any other discounts, making that breakeven much more attractive.