Buying Tickets a Year in Advance .... good idea?

[Disnee4Me]

So I've been building up my Disney dollars for four years now (have over $1300), but when I tried pricing out a package of 7 nights at Port Orleans Riverside, four - 5 day park hopper tickets around Christmastime this year, it came to $4000. So we are thinking of putting off the trip another year until 2014. Would it be possible to buy the park tickets now to avoid any price increase and then just book Port Orleans Riverside sometime in early 2014? I figure another year and a half I could build up a decent amount of Disney Dollars to get some $$$ off the hotel bill.

 

[dreamfinder]

It may be. Historically tickets are grandfathered in. So any ticket you buy now should be valid at the same subset of parks in the future. But there is a chance that if they do decide to magically open a 5th gate (highly unlikely) that the tickets won't work at that new park.
Yes, you would avoid having to pay any ticket increases. If you are trying to do that, I do suggest using a 3rd party reseller such as Undercover Tourist to save an extra $10-30 (depends on your ticket choice) over buying direct from Disney.

The biggest downside is if there is some promotion that requires ticket purchase. For instance, the free dining promotion usually requires a minimum ticket purchase (I believe currently 2 days). So you would end up having to buy whatever ticket is required for that promotion, which normally more than negates any savings you had from buying the tickets now, since you then have 2 tickets.

And not a downside in my mind, but you wouldn't be able to do the Disney Dining Plan at all, as unless you are an AP or a DVC, you need to buy tickets as part of that package. I have yet to find anyway to make the DDP work for my party, so I don't think of that as being an issue.

 

[luv]

Yes. If you know you are going to go, it is best to buy your tickets as soon as you can. The prices only go up!

 

[xdan0920]

So I've been building up my Disney dollars for four years now (have over $1300), but when I tried pricing out a package of 7 nights at Port Orleans Riverside, four - 5 day park hopper tickets around Christmastime this year, it came to $4000. So we are thinking of putting off the trip another year until 2014. Would it be possible to buy the park tickets now to avoid any price increase and then just book Port Orleans Riverside sometime in early 2014? I figure another year and a half I could build up a decent amount of Disney Dollars to get some $$$ off the hotel bill.

Sign up for the Mousesavers newsletter. Then use the link in said newsletter to click over to their exclusive Undercover tourist ticket discounts. Buy your tickets there.

 

[Disnee4Me]

Sign up for the Mousesavers newsletter. Then use the link in said newsletter to click over to their exclusive Undercover tourist ticket discounts. Buy your tickets there.

so what would happen in 2014 ... I would then hand in my tickets when I get to the hotel and they'd give me the wristbands??

 

[xdan0920]

so what would happen in 2014 ... I would then hand in my tickets when I get to the hotel and they'd give me the wristbands??

Presumably.

There is no way Disney could ever start nullifying outstanding tickets. So you have nothing to worry about. If you can afford the expense right now, it WILL save you money going forward.

 

[Figgy1]

It may be. Historically tickets are grandfathered in. So any ticket you buy now should be valid at the same subset of parks in the future. But there is a chance that if they do decide to magically open a 5th gate (highly unlikely) that the tickets won't work at that new park.
Yes, you would avoid having to pay any ticket increases. If you are trying to do that, I do suggest using a 3rd party reseller such as Undercover Tourist to save an extra $10-30 (depends on your ticket choice) over buying direct from Disney.

The biggest downside is if there is some promotion that requires ticket purchase. For instance, the free dining promotion usually requires a minimum ticket purchase (I believe currently 2 days). So you would end up having to buy whatever ticket is required for that promotion, which normally more than negates any savings you had from buying the tickets now, since you then have 2 tickets.

And not a downside in my mind, but you wouldn't be able to do the Disney Dining Plan at all, as unless you are an AP or a DVC, you need to buy tickets as part of that package. I have yet to find anyway to make the DDP work for my party, so I don't think of that as being an issue.

yes but free dining or a 30 percent room savings would still be less than 4 one day park tickets so that would be worth it. AAA and a few other places offer discouted tickets

 

[bethymouse]

I don't see why not as long as your dates are pretty much set in stone.

 

[coachwnh]

Santa brought our new APs for Christmas in 2011. We didn't use them until July of last year. The cost goes up annually. If you know you are going, at least your passes are paid for at the lower price!

 

[Poofiesdream]

I always buy my tickets a year in advance. I buy vouchers from AAA then do not expire and don't count as being used till you turn them in for the real tickets at Disney. That way I buy a little at a time. No big expense all at one time. I buy gift cards during the year too when I have extra money that month. Just remember if you are going to do the dinning plan they will require you to purchase at least a one or two day ticket for each person in the room. We have no problem because we get an AP and reserve room only.

 

[Disnee4Me]

yes but free dining or a 30 percent room savings would still be less than 4 one day park tickets so that would be worth it. AAA and a few other places offer discouted tickets

We'd be going Christmas 2014 instead of 2013, so I very highly doubt they'd be offering free dining or any other kind of discount. Once in 2002, we forgot our one day Univeral Park tickets home. We didn't get back down to Florida until 2007 and used those tickets then, even though my son went from 7 (in 2002) to 12 (in 2007), we got him in in the child's ticket.