Annual Pass worth ?

[Mainahman]

We live about 11 hours or so away, and can and have driven. We are considering an annual pass. My wife gets 3 weeks of vacation time, and i get 4. Were considering a few long weekends, where we " jump in the car after work and go to disney for the weekend"

How many trips would you say youd have to do to make it worth it? Any insight from pass holders that can tell me the ins and outs.

 

[RustySpork]

We live about 11 hours or so away, and can and have driven. We are considering an annual pass. My wife gets 3 weeks of vacation time, and i get 4. Were considering a few long weekends, where we " jump in the car after work and go to disney for the weekend"

How many trips would you say youd have to do to make it worth it? Any insight from pass holders that can tell me the ins and outs.

It depends on which annual pass you're considering. The gold AP breaks even around 6 separate visits, and the silver around 4.

 

[Mainahman]

It depends on which annual pass you're considering. The gold AP breaks even around 6 separate visits, and the silver around 4.

We dont need the waterparks or any of the frills, just the parks basically. I could see us at least once every couple months, for a long weekend. Take a friday and monday off. Leave thursday after work, get there friday, enjoy parks slowly leave sunday mid day, and drive back and take monday to recover at home before back to work on tuesday. Just enough disney time to recharge.

 

[RustySpork]

We dont need the waterparks or any of the frills, just the parks basically. I could see us at least once every couple months, for a long weekend. Take a friday and monday off. Leave thursday after work, get there friday, enjoy parks slowly leave sunday mid day, and drive back and take monday to recover at home before back to work on tuesday. Just enough disney time to recharge.

Gold is probably the best bet for you if you're planning on coming over the summer as well. Minimal blockout dates, decent discount (that all APs have), and none of the water parks or frills except photopass.

 

[Mainahman]

I should also mention, i checked my work discounts, and i get about 100-150 off the cost if i do it through that

 

[Mainahman]

Gold is probably the best bet for you if you're planning on coming over the summer as well. Minimal blockout dates, decent discount (that all APs have), and none of the water parks or frills except photopass.

We live in the nashville area, so heat isnt an issue for us. i could see us going at least once every couple months. I drive a small car, that takes about a tank and a half to get there, so maybe under 50 bucks in fuel, we pack snacks for the drive, and plan breakfast at Disney. We really like POP so wed likely stay there, and if we curb other splurges could totally go that much.

The way our work is with time off availability, its easier for us to take shorter stints here and there, than a long week. Plus with our dogs and fish etc, its easier to go for shorter amounts than longer amounts.

 

[Mainahman]

Gold is probably the best bet for you if you're planning on coming over the summer as well. Minimal blockout dates, decent discount (that all APs have), and none of the water parks or frills except photopass.

All i see on the website is platinum. Is Gold no longer an option?

 

[RustySpork]

All i see on the website is platinum. Is Gold no longer an option?

I didn't realize you were out of state, although I should have when you said it was an 11 hour drive. The only pass available to non-residents is platinum I'm afraid.

 

[Schneewittchen]

My family lives in the DC area, so we have Platinum passes. I think break even for us was 10 days. We drive down for long trips, fly for quick ones.

This year (April 2019 - April 2020) we have 5 trips planned for a total of about 28 park days.

10 days in April 2019
4 days in July 2019
4 days in November 2019
4 days in February 2019
6 days in April 2020

The AP led to us getting a Tables in Wonderland card. We eat at least one table service meal a day, so we broke even with that while we were taking our 10 day trip back in April. That's 20% off most meals including alcohol.

And the AP card gets you 10-20% off most merchandise - suddenly souvenirs in the parks and Doritos from the resort store are a lot less spendy.

Also, with the tickets paid for upfront, I've been booking mostly deluxe resorts or renting DVC points. So in general, the trips themselves are getting nicer.

 

[Mainahman]

I didn't realize you were out of state, although I should have when you said it was an 11 hour drive. The only pass available to non-residents is platinum I'm afraid.

Yep. Were in the nashville area, so it takes about 11 ish or so hours to get there. I do have quite a bit of family in the lakeland area though, another pro is being able to visit them on the way down, or way back etc.

 

[Mainahman]

My family lives in the DC area, so we have Platinum passes. I think break even for us was 10 days. We drive down for long trips, fly for quick ones.

This year (April 2019 - April 2020) we have 5 trips planned for a total of about 28 park days.

10 days in April 2019
4 days in July 2019
4 days in November 2019
4 days in February 2019
6 days in April 2020

The AP led to us getting a Tables in Wonderland card. We eat at least one table service meal a day, so we broke even with that while we were taking our 10 day trip back in April. That's 20% off most meals including alcohol.

And the AP card gets you 10-20% off most merchandise - suddenly souvenirs in the parks and Doritos from the resort store are a lot less spendy.

Also, with the tickets paid for upfront, I've been booking mostly deluxe resorts or renting DVC points. So in general, the trips themselves are getting nicer.

see its just my wife and I now, and shes constantly saying " lets go to disney for the weekend" with just the 2 of us, its more feasable. I drive at night, she sleeps, i sleep the morning, and she drives the rest. we can get there easily. We enjoy the value resorts, as we are open to close people for the most part, so its just a bed to us. I also think with a pass, we could go down, and say. This trip all we do is Epcot. Finally get to go through world showcase, the way we want to, eat, shop drink ( not food and wine drink ha) and take things slower, knowing we will be back in a few months again.

 

[Schneewittchen]

see its just my wife and I now, and shes constantly saying " lets go to disney for the weekend" with just the 2 of us, its more feasable. I drive at night, she sleeps, i sleep the morning, and she drives the rest. we can get there easily. We enjoy the value resorts, as we are open to close people for the most part, so its just a bed to us. I also think with a pass, we could go down, and say. This trip all we do is Epcot. Finally get to go through world showcase, the way we want to, eat, shop drink ( not food and wine drink ha) and take things slower, knowing we will be back in a few months again.

There's some truth to the idea that if you know you'll be back soon, you're more willing to take it easy.

We just got back from our last trip on Monday. It was the most relaxed Disney trip we've ever had:

Went to the parks in the morning. Did a few rides. Had a slushy. Had lunch wherever we felt like it. Hung out at the pool for a few hours. Went back into the parks for a nice sit down dinner. Had a few drinks. Slept like the dead. Repeat.

 

[Mainahman]

There's some truth to the idea that if you know you'll be back soon, you're more willing to take it easy.

We just got back from our last trip on Monday. It was the most relaxed Disney trip we've ever had:

Went to the parks in the morning. Did a few rides. Had a slushy. Had lunch wherever we felt like it. Hung out at the pool for a few hours. Went back into the parks for a nice sit down dinner. Had a few drinks. Slept like the dead. Repeat.

we went in 2012, as a first trip as a family. ( i had gone in 2002 right after the 9-11 fallout January or febuary if i remember right) and didnt make it back till 2018, both times we tried to shove as much as we could in to the trip. I think being so close, and many slow trips a year its doable.

Im thinking throw all extra money at the end of bills being paid away for a couple months, that pays for a stay at POP, and gas, and the annual pass covers tickets, so its just a meal, which we can share for the most part, as we never eat much on disney time, unless its a dolewhip. You will loose a hand if you touch my DoleWhip.

 

[Mainahman]

There's some truth to the idea that if you know you'll be back soon, you're more willing to take it easy.

We just got back from our last trip on Monday. It was the most relaxed Disney trip we've ever had:

Went to the parks in the morning. Did a few rides. Had a slushy. Had lunch wherever we felt like it. Hung out at the pool for a few hours. Went back into the parks for a nice sit down dinner. Had a few drinks. Slept like the dead. Repeat.

Is it still true that if we buy, it doesnt activate until you try to use it the first time? Like if we were to buy now, and then not actually go till say september? and then wed renew in september?

I could see us buying now, going for our anniversary, Halloween ( never seen the decorations) maybe christmas ish to see decorations, then again in march for my birthday, and such. Just trying to navigate all the pros and cons.

 

[thomas998]

If you are simply close to a break even, then consider whether it really makes sense based on other things beyond ticket prices. If you like getting photos from Disney's photographers then that is a plus, it also will save you the parking cost at the parks. But you will have worst fastpass experiences if you have any plans for the newer rides as the AP only gets the 30 day window where most of the premium attractions will be snatched up by people staying onsite that have the 60 day window. While I have looked at the break even points and been a buying in the past, I have come to realize that if you are at a point where you really have to justify it by a break even and you are just barely over the line then it probably doesn't make sense because you will at the very least be locking yourself in to Disney.

 

[BASS]

Also, consider that there are oftentimes significant hotel savings if you have an annual pass, as well as discounts for dining and merchandise. You cannot simply consider price of tickets without annual pass vs. annual pass.

For my family, considering solely ticket prices, we need to do about 3 trips to make it worth it. However, having had annual passes for 2-3 years, I've found that I make out better with annual pass even if we only do 2 trips because of the hotel and dining savings.

 

[Mainahman]

If you are simply close to a break even, then consider whether it really makes sense based on other things beyond ticket prices. If you like getting photos from Disney's photographers then that is a plus, it also will save you the parking cost at the parks. But you will have worst fastpass experiences if you have any plans for the newer rides as the AP only gets the 30 day window where most of the premium attractions will be snatched up by people staying onsite that have the 60 day window. While I have looked at the break even points and been a buying in the past, I have come to realize that if you are at a point where you really have to justify it by a break even and you are just barely over the line then it probably doesn't make sense because you will at the very least be locking yourself in to Disney.

My wife and I usually dont book anything. Its more about being there to us. Its our happy place. The place where we can destress, enjoy a walk around the parks, have a dolewhip, go on the jungle cruise, have some tasty snacks, and just enjoy time together. Rides come second really, Most of the time, i prefer to let things cool off anyways. Were mostly more into Spaceship earth, soarin, jungle cruise, vs flights of passage etc. I enjoy wandering around taking photos as well. We just dont go anywhere else on vacation ever. Disney kind of is our way of life. The fastpass thing for sure doesnt bother us, as we dont use it now. Were more of a hey lets do this now its open kind of people.

 

[Mainahman]

Also, consider that there are oftentimes significant hotel savings if you have an annual pass, as well as discounts for dining and merchandise. You cannot simply consider price of tickets without annual pass vs. annual pass.

For my family, considering solely ticket prices, we need to do about 3 trips to make it worth it. However, having had annual passes for 2-3 years, I've found that I make out better with annual pass even if we only do 2 trips because of the hotel and dining savings.

Thats kind of what i was thinking. I Priced room only for say all star resorts, and it was under 500 bucks to stay like 3 nights. Thats easy to squirrel away over a month or 2, then head down stay a few days, take an extra day off of work to visit family on the way back.

Plus the savings on souvenirs. We drive, so we can bring anything back, and usually bring a ton back to ship back home to neices and nephews. Savings there would be amazing.

Disney is our thing, its all we ever talk about doing, the pro of seeing family on the way there, or back, is also a good pro for us.

 

[DryerLintFan]

My wife and I usually dont book anything. Its more about being there to us. Its our happy place. The place where we can destress, enjoy a walk around the parks, have a dolewhip, go on the jungle cruise, have some tasty snacks, and just enjoy time together. Rides come second really, Most of the time, i prefer to let things cool off anyways. Were mostly more into Spaceship earth, soarin, jungle cruise, vs flights of passage etc. I enjoy wandering around taking photos as well. We just dont go anywhere else on vacation ever. Disney kind of is our way of life. The fastpass thing for sure doesnt bother us, as we dont use it now. Were more of a hey lets do this now its open kind of people.

It sounds very much like you've already decided to go ahead with this.

We have annual passes, but only take one trip a year and it works out to be a sizeable savings. We book one trip the first year for 7 nights/8 days, then book another trip the next year for a week earlier.

 

[Mainahman]

Didn't they get rid of the photos with the latest AP.

the website still lists it.