People with APs

[PeeplMoovr]

my wife and I are in the minority, usually go twice a month. Some times we go more, some times we go less... so I guess it averages out to twice a month, it just depends...

It also depends on what time of the year it is...
Spring, close to our average, every other weekend (twice a month)
Summer, we have to be forced at gun point (except the water parks)...
Fall & Winter, smaller crowds and cooler weather means we are there almost every weekend (except second week of Dec through New Years)...

I'm about 85 minutes away in Pinellas County and average about the same as you, although a bit less than you in the Fall & Winter. We usually spend 3 or 4 Saturday night sleepovers on property per year as well - so that we can drink in adventurer's club or raglan road without the driving home worries. For us the AP is worth it.

 

[ThreeCircles]

I've read a thread about going to WDW too much. Well, it seems like people who have APs go much less than I thought they did!

For some reason, I pictured Florida Residents with APs living within an hour of the park or so would be going 2 times a month or something, but they only seem to go a few more times a year than someone from say New Jersey would go.

So how often DO people with APs usually go? This is very interesting...

I've averaged at least twice a month over the years that I've had an Annual Pass.

 

[joshwill]

I've averaged at least twice a month over the years that I've had an Annual Pass.

i wish i could get there that often.

 

[scpergj]

We live up in the Jacksonville area, and we bought Florida resident AP's (not seasonal) last year. We bought them in November of 2005, went the week before Thanksgiving for 5 days, then for the AP preview for Expidition Everest in January (2 days), a long weekend in March (three days), one day in April, adults only weekend in August, and a final long weekend in October - 6 trips in all. (we would have stayed away in August, but it was just my wife and I for our anniversery)

We found we really, really don't like single day trips (we live about three hours away), because the drive hope in the evenings really, really stinks. We like to stay on property when we go (we stayed off property in the spring of 2001 when our son was three, and have stayed on property 8 times since), and the AP's have helped with room discounts a few times.

We are taking a year (almost) off, to recharge our Disney obession (and our bank account!), but are planning a trip for Epcot's 25th the beginning of October (suprise for the kids, too). Don't know if we'll buy AP's or just florida resident tickets for that weekend.

One of the things that we found we enjoy the most is park hopping. We have started the day at MGM, and moved to Epcot for the food and wine festival in the evenings, start at Epcot and move to MK later with a rest in the room in between, that sort of thing. I know you can buy regular tickets that are park hoppers, and we have, but we really like the flexibility of the AP...for instance, if we wanted to leave say at 1PM on Sunday, then we don't 'waste' an entire day's ticket for the few hours we'd be there - or if we arrive late the day we get there, we can still catch one of the evening celebrations (Illuminations, Fantasmic, Wishes...)

When we're closer to retirement (15 years or so...), we'd like to move down to the Orlando area...and we definitly use AP's more then!

Kevin

 

[Pongo]

I've read a thread about going to WDW too much. Well, it seems like people who have APs go much less than I thought they did!

For some reason, I pictured Florida Residents with APs living within an hour of the park or so would be going 2 times a month or something, but they only seem to go a few more times a year than someone from say New Jersey would go.

So how often DO people with APs usually go? This is very interesting...

I'm a local resident who lives within an hour of the parks and I have an AP. I go AT LEAST every othe weekend, sometimes every weekend.

It's funny because I have one friend with an AP and the parks have sort of become out hang out spot. We're going on Saturday and I was just there last friday, and I went twice the week before that (spring break).

So I go very often. I make sure I get use out of my AP.

 

[crazydaveh]

I live in Winter Park, which is about 20 miles north of WDW. I have the Seasonal Pass because I really don't want to go during the busy times or when it's hot.

I go several times a month, mainly on Friday. During Food and Wine Fesitval, my wife and I are there almost every weekend. The only catch, we go to ESPN while UGA is playing and then head back to EPCOT after the game.

I see a lot of AP'ers during F&WF. I think it's the best time to visit EPCOT. We count down the days until it kicks off each year. It's the only reason m wife goes to WDW. If we go to another park, she'll stay at EPCOT.

 

[Jekyll_Baker]

I'm from Brunswick, GA (just a little bit further away than our Jacksonvillians, Master Yoda & scpergj) and I think I've been averaging 4 or 5 trips a year, with 2-3 "vacations" (at least 2 nights stay), and 2-3 day trips. On my day trips, I'll usually leave the house around 6-7 am, drive the 220 miles, visit 1 or 2 of the parks, and leave for home between 4pm and 6pm. The free parking is helpful for these trips. For the vacations, the room discounts are nice, as are the DDE discounts - especially since I like Jiko and Artist Point.

 

[Lare & Eldeny]

I live 90 minutes away and go to the parks about 30 times per year. We usually do two or three long weekends (three or four days of park hopping at a time)

 

[jedimaster1227]

I go at least three times a month- if not more... I love my annual pass dearly!

 

[PhotoDave219]

I've read a thread about going to WDW too much. Well, it seems like people who have APs go much less than I thought they did!

For some reason, I pictured Florida Residents with APs living within an hour of the park or so would be going 2 times a month or something, but they only seem to go a few more times a year than someone from say New Jersey would go.

So how often DO people with APs usually go? This is very interesting...

The first year of my Annual Pass, 144 times in 365 Days.

 

[LucyintheSky]

Hmm, last year, I was at Epcot 3-6 days a week. For a very specific reason, not just wandering around riding rides and stuff.
Before I discovered BI, I would usually go to a park once, maybe twice a week to ride stuff, or just to walk around.
I know the 6 days a week thing seems odd, but it's not just me, there are others out there just like me!! I definitley got my money's worth out of my AP!

 

[DisneyChik17]

Hmm, last year, I was at Epcot 3-6 days a week. For a very specific reason, not just wandering around riding rides and stuff.
Before I discovered BI, I would usually go to a park once, maybe twice a week to ride stuff, or just to walk around.
I know the 6 days a week thing seems odd, but it's not just me, there are others out there just like me!! I definitley got my money's worth out of my AP!

I wish I could do that. It's about as close to seeing John, Paul, George, and Ringo as possible.

 

[Kman101]

New here ...

And perfect thread for me. I live about an hour and a half or so away. Honestly, as a kid, we never went much although we probably could of, and should of.

I was debating getting a Florida Resident Annual Pass only because to me, an hour and a half isn't that bad and I'd like to start going more and ride the rides I never did as a kid. Plus, I just got a brand new digital camera that I'm dying to use at a theme park.

LOL.

So ... I also have a question ... I like the idea of a Seasonal Pass, because I won't be going like every week but I'm not crazy about some of the blackout dates (Although I doubt I'll be setting foot in them during the holiday seasons, except for Super Soap Weekend).

I'm a little torn. I'm saving up to get the annual pass. I'm going to Animal Kingdom (first time since 1998, when it opened) May 1st to use up a three-day play pass I got back in November while attending Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM. I should have enough by then so I guess I can just go to Guest Services, right, and get it there, or would I have to go through the ticket window? But I'm thinking of not doing that cause then wouldn't it take effect right then and there ... hmm ...

And is it weird of me to want to go alone? I'm going with my Mom (since I took her to SSW for her birthday) to Animal Kingdom, and yeah it's fun to go with friends ... but our schedules are so different it's just easier for me, myself and I to get in the car and go ...

 

[Piebald]

There are people who go every single day. Not exaggerating either. I'm sure Disneyland has more regulars than WDW, but who knows. They know all of our names and stuff.

 

[sknydave]

my gf and I have annual passes for WDW and USF/IOA and we visit a different park once a week as long as it isn't Holiday/very crowded time of the year.

 

[skubersky]

I go to WDW about once a week, and to Universal about as often. But I rarely go to the park for more than a few hours at a time; often, I'll ride one or two rides (or none) and leave.

On the subject of seasonal passes, I can't understand why anyone would buy one. Forget blackout dates, what about parking? Half a dozen daily parking fees and you've eliminated any price advantage to getting a seasonal vs annual.

Seth

 

[sknydave]

Yes, the parking and unlimited water parks + Pleasure Island is why I went for the premium annual pass.

 

[Matpez]

I live just over an hour away. I go to Orlando almost weekly and visit somewhere in WDW about twice a month.
This is my 1st year being here in FL, and it hasn't gotten old yet, and I can't believe I will be renewing my AP again so soon!

 

[Jekyll_Baker]

New here ...

And perfect thread for me. I live about an hour and a half or so away. Honestly, as a kid, we never went much although we probably could of, and should of.

I've often thought about why my family only went to WDW once (in 1976) while I was a kid and a second time in 1986 when I was in college - considering that we visited my dad's parents and family at least once a year, often for a week at a time, and my grandparents only live about 35 miles away.

 

[Master Yoda]

I go to WDW about once a week, and to Universal about as often. But I rarely go to the park for more than a few hours at a time; often, I'll ride one or two rides (or none) and leave.

On the subject of seasonal passes, I can't understand why anyone would buy one. Forget blackout dates, what about parking? Half a dozen daily parking fees and you've eliminated any price advantage to getting a seasonal vs annual.

Seth

I buy 5 seasonal passes every year (myself, wife and 3 kids). If I was to buy regular AP's family wide it would cost me an extra $580 per year. The black outs are rarely an issue as we we don't care for the increase in crowds or the June-August heat wave. Also we always stay on property so parking is never an issue. It would take 11 day trips that did not involve a resort stay just to make up for the increase in price of 1 AP let alone 5. So for me I have 580 reasons why I do not buy full AP's.