Out of state passholders?

[GrimGrinninAnna]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before, so I apologize if it has!
My boyfriend and I are planning our THIRD trip to WDW this year- a roadtrip from NY with two stops between (he's a foliage guy) for thanksgiving and I added up the total of our collective park tickets and realized it would have been a great idea to get annual passes. It's just about the priciest part of every trip!

The thing is, I don't know how good of an idea this is being out of state. I'm sure it's a fantastic value for Florida residents. Does anyone who lives out of state have an annual pass?

 

[DisneyJoe]

MANY annual passholders are from out of state.

Usually when you get up around 12-14 or more park days per year, it makes sense to get an AP - UNLESS you love to have the Disney Dining plan on every trip, since AP holders can't get the AP room discount and the DDP.

 

[disneyrockz]

I'm from columbus Ohio and have had an annual pass for 4 years. If you go twice a year and stay on property its easy to get your moneys worth using discount codes from mousesavers.

 

[ZapperZ]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up before, so I apologize if it has!
My boyfriend and I are planning our THIRD trip to WDW this year- a roadtrip from NY with two stops between (he's a foliage guy) for thanksgiving and I added up the total of our collective park tickets and realized it would have been a great idea to get annual passes. It's just about the priciest part of every trip!

The thing is, I don't know how good of an idea this is being out of state. I'm sure it's a fantastic value for Florida residents. Does anyone who lives out of state have an annual pass?

I live in Chicago and have been a passholder since 2003. Since I go to WDW at least twice a year, it is definitely cheaper to get an annual pass.

Zz.

 

[FBullock]

We live in Ohio and wife and I both have AP. With the kids grown and out of the house, we go for 8/9 days in the spring for wife's b-day/Mothers Day (same week) and then rotate every other year between Christmas (early Dec) trip and Halloween (October) trip. We save enough on our room on site and other stuff to justify the tickets. Also, when I look for training opportunities for work, if I can justify it, I take my training in the Orlando area.

Besides the room discounts, you also get discounts on the after hour special parties.

:sohappy:

 

[Monty]

I was going every February and getting a 7-day hopper each. By going later one February and earlier the next, APs saved me money... :lookaroun

That is, until I got tempted because I had them and added two more trips! :brick:

I'm not only from out of State, I'm from out of country! :lol:

 

[yankeevttch]

We are out of state and have AP. We tend 3 or 4 long weekends and also for a week out of the year. I think it is worth it since it basically pays for it self when we go down there for a week.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

New Jersey checking in....AP for the last three years.
Generally speaking, if you spend over 10 days a year it about breaks even. Then if you factor in access to AP discounts on goods and lodging, ability to purchase a dining experience card....the savings are even bigger.

 

[Eyekimore]

Another Jersey person here! I got my first AP in 1998. My DH and his mom have had theirs longer. We go to Disney 2-3 times a year (on a good year- 4). It really does pay for itself. Especially if you take advantage of discounts. Buy 1 get one free mini golf, 10% discount at World of Disney, restaurant/recreation discounts, etc. Additionally- if you are DVC memners- you get a discount. It really pays for itself.

I know you've heard that before - but do the math based on your family's WDW visitation habits...........

 

[jcraycraft]

Another from Ohio.... We had debated getting AP in pass also. But we try to get 2 summer vacations out of 1 year’s APs. Take a July trip year #1 and a June trip year #2 before it expires. We average 25 to 30 days per AP. Works out real well like $18 per visit.

 

[Laura]

I have an AP and live in NC. It's worth it if you go 12 or so days a year. Especially when you buy the Disney Dining Experience.

Add up the savings on the room, the tickets, the parking, and the food, and you save hundreds.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I have an AP and I am from NJ. As long as you are going to use it and get your money's worth then you should buy it.

 

[scorp111]

I have had annual passes 3 of the last 4 years, two of which, I lived outside the US.

So as long as you will use it, do it!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

For our last trip I ran out the budget to include the cost of buying 1 annual pass, the dining experience card, and figured in the discounts, etc. Then I ran out the budget with a package deal with all park-hopper passes and no dining experience card. Our trip was 9 nights. We saved several hundred dollars by investing in the annual pass for my DH and we lived in Louisiana at the time. The Dining Experience Card makes a big difference if you eat a lot of sit-down dinners. I also got the AP discount at POP which saved a lot of $$. I think I got our rooms for $59/night. There are so many AP discounts out there. If you do your homework and run out the numbers you'll see if it's right for you.

And we're still racking up on the AP perks! We're going again this year which means to cost for admissions for the DH! Yaaaaayyy!!!

 

[GrimGrinninAnna]

Interesting- seems to be all good news! I don't get too many long trips 'cause of work, but I manage to sneak in a couple of shorter trips and you don't get much savings on 3 day park hoppers.

I'm still debating between this or DVC. I won't do both, and since I'm a travel journalist, I sometimes get deals MUCH cheaper than any discounts DVC offers- but their adventures still look so good! Ah! What to do?
Thanks!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Out of State? Im out of country and I used to have an AP. It was worth it because of room discounts and the way we visited.
The only reason I stopped renewing is I joined the DVC and the 14 day tickets on sale in the UK were such good value.

 

[RiversideBunny]

If you go to WDW more than once a year, starting from the time you activate the AP, then the AP is worth it because it saves money over buying separate tickets for each trip.

The DDP can complicate that logic a little these days.

It has always seemed that FL residents who buy an AP do defintely get a big bargain, particularly if they live close enough to WDW to get there in less than half a day, or so.

Have fun.

 

[lilclerk]

I'm definitely going for the AP next year. With the discounts, I can easily swing a couple trips, especially since I like going alone as well.

 

[mouselvrmom]

Interesting- seems to be all good news! I don't get too many long trips 'cause of work, but I manage to sneak in a couple of shorter trips and you don't get much savings on 3 day park hoppers.

I'm still debating between this or DVC. I won't do both, and since I'm a travel journalist, I sometimes get deals MUCH cheaper than any discounts DVC offers- but their adventures still look so good! Ah! What to do?
Thanks!

Just to let you know, in case you decide to go with the DVC, you actually get a sizable savings off of an annual pass.

 

[maelstrom]

I live in New York and have been a Passholder since 1993.