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Annual Pass?
- Thread starter Robynf2
- Start date
pixiesteno
Well-Known Member
Well, how you would want to figure out if it is worth it to you is to look at your length of stay, how often are you planning to go to WDW during a 12 month timeframe. Anytime that you have over a 10 day stay in a given year timeframe it really does pay to have an annual pass. For instance, we are staying for 12 days in Sept and will get APs for DH and I. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to have a second trip on those passes before the year is up. If you are local to FL and know that you are going to spend numerous days at WDW then there are several options as a FL resident.
Now, historically there are have been AP discounts available for rooms on property and discounts offered on dining and shopping. These discounts are not guaranteed but are a nice perk if it works out for your stays. Generally, you will see discounts of around 30% at some delux resorts and less for moderate and value stays. Again, nothing guaranteed and the rooms do fill fast. Additionally, if you stay off property an AP will cover your parking fees to go to the parks.
Now, historically there are have been AP discounts available for rooms on property and discounts offered on dining and shopping. These discounts are not guaranteed but are a nice perk if it works out for your stays. Generally, you will see discounts of around 30% at some delux resorts and less for moderate and value stays. Again, nothing guaranteed and the rooms do fill fast. Additionally, if you stay off property an AP will cover your parking fees to go to the parks.
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taz0162
Well-Known Member
when I did the math it would be worth it (hopper w/waterparks and more) if you were planning 17 days in the park during the course of the year. (this was based on research on my 14 day trip and just planning on the stay there and not returning within the year so my ticket package through Disney progressively got cheaper (by day ticket value) the longer we stayed.
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Generally, in my experience it's worth it to get an annual pass if you're planning on going to go at least 10-12 days out of the year.
It really depends on what type of ticket you usually purchase, however.
The AP rates are not as good as they were just a few years ago, where you could see 40% off a deluxe.
Usually they're about 5% higher than normal general public discounts, but that's not always true, as this past winters discount was only 37%, only a 2% difference between the general public at 35%. Not enough for myself and my fiancé to renew our AP's as we planned on only taking 1 weeklong trip this year. Whereas the previous year, we took 2 weeklong trips.
If only one of your party were to get an AP -- you might be able to get some savings, but ONLY if the general public discount is significantly lower than the AP rate.
I would not base it on what level of resort you stay at, but how many days you usually spend at Walt Disney World throughout the course of an entire year.
Also, remember this... If you usually only take a weeklong vacation once a year, and you do buy an AP, it will burn a hole in your pocket, meaning, you might be tempted to go back, and back, and back, and back.... and back.
Hope this helps.
Michael
It really depends on what type of ticket you usually purchase, however.
The AP rates are not as good as they were just a few years ago, where you could see 40% off a deluxe.
Usually they're about 5% higher than normal general public discounts, but that's not always true, as this past winters discount was only 37%, only a 2% difference between the general public at 35%. Not enough for myself and my fiancé to renew our AP's as we planned on only taking 1 weeklong trip this year. Whereas the previous year, we took 2 weeklong trips.
If only one of your party were to get an AP -- you might be able to get some savings, but ONLY if the general public discount is significantly lower than the AP rate.
I would not base it on what level of resort you stay at, but how many days you usually spend at Walt Disney World throughout the course of an entire year.
Also, remember this... If you usually only take a weeklong vacation once a year, and you do buy an AP, it will burn a hole in your pocket, meaning, you might be tempted to go back, and back, and back, and back.... and back.
Hope this helps.
Michael
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The question, "how many people can go on one pass?"
If you mean, how many people can be admitted into a park -- just 1(the passholder) -- everyone else would still have to buy normal tickets.
But that 1 person would be able to make room reservations with an AP discount (under their name), even though not everyone has an AP.
If you were to compare the prices...
AP - $574
General ticket w/ park hopper $399
Difference of - $175
(Note: savings might be different if you don't get a parkhopper, usually)
If you can get $175 in savings with an AP discount, vs the general public discount -- then it would be a good idea if just one family member got an AP, just for the discount.
If you mean, how many people can be admitted into a park -- just 1(the passholder) -- everyone else would still have to buy normal tickets.
But that 1 person would be able to make room reservations with an AP discount (under their name), even though not everyone has an AP.
If you were to compare the prices...
AP - $574
General ticket w/ park hopper $399
Difference of - $175
(Note: savings might be different if you don't get a parkhopper, usually)
If you can get $175 in savings with an AP discount, vs the general public discount -- then it would be a good idea if just one family member got an AP, just for the discount.
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If I understand your questons correctly...
There is not a guarantee of a hotel discount. From time to time (when it is in Disney's best interest due to low projected occupancy) they will announce and offer reduced hotel rates for AP's. One pass per person. Your AP would be tied to your name and your finger that you place on the reader. You would need some sort of entrance medium for everyone except the 1 year old.
You can do the math, but if you aren't looking ata park hopper and/or water parks and more option the AP may not be a benefit for a straight 10 day visit. If it's close for you as far as the cost of tix vs AP, you need to consider some other factors such as discounts on purchases you can get as an AP holder. If you are major shoppers than you may make up some ground with savings on souvenier purchases.
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wannabeBelle
Well-Known Member
The real benefit and the only one expressly stated for an AP is admission to the parks for a 365 day period of time. Anything else such as the hotel discounts ( these are NOT guaranteed and are offered periodically and usually VERY close to the dates of travel, lately the General Public discount offers have been offered further in advance of this discount) merchandie discounts, dining discounts etc are all perks that can be changed or eliminated at any point. As others have said unless you are planning multiple visits to the parks over the course of a year it may be wise to hold off, see what other discounts are offered for that time frame before making the investment into an Annual Pass. That having been said, I myself have an AP and LOVE It!!! I am also down a few times a year so it does make sense for me if only from an admission perspective. Marie
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RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
Well...lets look at it this way...assuming at least 2 visits per year (and pretty much based on my personal experience, so while its anecdotal, it's real):
3-day 4-night visit for one person at POFQ in January using MYW without a dining plan = 927.00
Purchased Season pass while on property - minus the current cost of the MYW tickets (3-day hopper), it brought the price of the season pass to about 274.00
Second Visit in February would have cost the same thing -- 927.00
Instead, the 30% discount at POFQ brought the price to 527.00 with the pass to get in -- savings = 400 -- already more than making up for the cost of the annual pass by 126.00.
Third trip in March, with a 35% discount at POFQ was 430.00 -- now a 493.00 savings, with no cost for tickets
In three visits to WDW this year so far, I have already saved 619.00 over what the full price would be for these three trips --
It does not take 10 days to make up for the price of the annual pass. There are passholder discounts available for the resorts for almost the entire year, except peak -- and even at peak, this coming Christmas for a week the third week of December, by 4-day cost at POFQ is 790 -- a 400 dollar discount over the regular price.
It all depends on the times of year you go, and how many passes you need. As stated previously, you can purchase ONE season pass, and get regular tickets for everyone else....but don't discount the discount....
3-day 4-night visit for one person at POFQ in January using MYW without a dining plan = 927.00
Purchased Season pass while on property - minus the current cost of the MYW tickets (3-day hopper), it brought the price of the season pass to about 274.00
Second Visit in February would have cost the same thing -- 927.00
Instead, the 30% discount at POFQ brought the price to 527.00 with the pass to get in -- savings = 400 -- already more than making up for the cost of the annual pass by 126.00.
Third trip in March, with a 35% discount at POFQ was 430.00 -- now a 493.00 savings, with no cost for tickets
In three visits to WDW this year so far, I have already saved 619.00 over what the full price would be for these three trips --
It does not take 10 days to make up for the price of the annual pass. There are passholder discounts available for the resorts for almost the entire year, except peak -- and even at peak, this coming Christmas for a week the third week of December, by 4-day cost at POFQ is 790 -- a 400 dollar discount over the regular price.
It all depends on the times of year you go, and how many passes you need. As stated previously, you can purchase ONE season pass, and get regular tickets for everyone else....but don't discount the discount....
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Susan Savia
Well-Known Member
We go twice a year for two weeks each time. The AP is the only way to go and the discounts on merchandise, free parking and discounts on some restaurants is great too. Last year on the spur of the moment we decided to go during the Halloween party. Definitely worth having.
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wannabeBelle
Well-Known Member
Also there is the availability of the Tables in Wonderland Dining discount for Annual Passholders as well. Marie
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rsoxguy
Well-Known Member
To the OP:
I am currently an AP owner, and have been an AP owner several years. @wannabeBelle is giving you some good information.
I am currently an AP owner, and have been an AP owner several years. @wannabeBelle is giving you some good information.
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docdebbi
Well-Known Member
don't underestimate the value of that TiW card. if you are staying 10 days and do a sit down meal every day, and have alcohol, the discount adds up and adds to the value of the AP. we usually do at least one sit down per day, often two, esp with character meals included, and always have appetizers and drinks and WINE with my meal, so the 20% discount racks up. if you are like us, the TiW is the way to go and calculate that into your numbers. you can look at all the menus on allears.net and actually price out the savings to see if it's worth it.
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dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
This. Never look at an AP as anything more. The discounts can be nice, but lately they are getting less and less. Outside of TiW (which can be a good money saver if well used) none of the discounts are guaranteed. Now if one does get release for the time you are there, then yes, buying an AP instead of a ticket could be a wise move.
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lunchbox1175
Well-Known Member
TIW is the Tables In Wonderland card available to Annual Passholders. Check out the link http://allears.net/din/dde.htm, on my last trip we spent about $1500 on food before the discount, so it saved me $300 on our trip. It more than paid for itself, and i also have another trip coming up in September, where we will be looking at about the same, so the combined savings of $600 minus the cost of the card $100 gave me a savings of $500 for the year, which is almost the amount of my Annual Pass Renewal, so if you take advantage of all of the discounts avaiable, its almost like getting in to the park for free.
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sbkline
Well-Known Member
We go every April and My wife, my son and I got APs in 2011 to use for our 2012 and 2013 trips. When we ordered our APs, we got these green plastic cards in the mail, called vouchers. We then took those with us last year for our 2011 trip, and activated them for the trip. We are using them this coming April and the day we check out of the hotel is the day the APs expire.
I figured up that it would save us money using APs for two trips, as opposed to buying park admission for the two seperate trips.
We also have a daughter who was too young last year to need admission. We will therefore have to buy her admission this time around, but I went on Allears.net to get the current prices for APs vs current prices for regular tickets. Based on current prices, and based on an 8 day pass, I figured up that for my wife and I and our two children (under 9), the cost of APs for all of us would be about $500 cheaper than buying park admission next year and then buying park admission for the following year.
Add to that the fact of annual price increases. If you buy an AP to cover two annual trips, you lock your price in whereas if you buy park admission each year, you will actually be paying more next year than you did this year. So that $500 savings I just mentioned migh in reality be a savings of $550, or however much the ticket price increase might be for a family of 4. Hypothetically, if I buy them this spring before the next round of price increases, I may dodge two price increases, thereby saving even more money in the long run (not sure yet if I am going to do so, however).
Someone else already mentioned the tables in wonderland card, where you can get 20% off most table service restaraunts. Each card is good for 13 months, I believe, and only one person in the family has to have the card.
So there are alot of other savings to consider other than the AP resort discount, with which I wasn't that impressed with this year. Not a whole lot better than the general public discounts. But depending on how many times you go and for how long, you can still save alot of money.
My wife and I keep talking about doing a short Christmas trip. We had one planned and booked last year, but then we bought a house and had all the expesnes invovled in that, so we cancelled it. It would have been sandwiched in between our two April trips on our AP, giving us essentially free park admission. We're thinking about trying to do that again in 2014, if we end up getting APs for our 2014 and 2015 trips.
I figured up that it would save us money using APs for two trips, as opposed to buying park admission for the two seperate trips.
We also have a daughter who was too young last year to need admission. We will therefore have to buy her admission this time around, but I went on Allears.net to get the current prices for APs vs current prices for regular tickets. Based on current prices, and based on an 8 day pass, I figured up that for my wife and I and our two children (under 9), the cost of APs for all of us would be about $500 cheaper than buying park admission next year and then buying park admission for the following year.
Add to that the fact of annual price increases. If you buy an AP to cover two annual trips, you lock your price in whereas if you buy park admission each year, you will actually be paying more next year than you did this year. So that $500 savings I just mentioned migh in reality be a savings of $550, or however much the ticket price increase might be for a family of 4. Hypothetically, if I buy them this spring before the next round of price increases, I may dodge two price increases, thereby saving even more money in the long run (not sure yet if I am going to do so, however).
Someone else already mentioned the tables in wonderland card, where you can get 20% off most table service restaraunts. Each card is good for 13 months, I believe, and only one person in the family has to have the card.
So there are alot of other savings to consider other than the AP resort discount, with which I wasn't that impressed with this year. Not a whole lot better than the general public discounts. But depending on how many times you go and for how long, you can still save alot of money.
My wife and I keep talking about doing a short Christmas trip. We had one planned and booked last year, but then we bought a house and had all the expesnes invovled in that, so we cancelled it. It would have been sandwiched in between our two April trips on our AP, giving us essentially free park admission. We're thinking about trying to do that again in 2014, if we end up getting APs for our 2014 and 2015 trips.
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