saving money question

[bears163]

i have quesion for anyone. i have been doing alot of research on annual passes and any type of discount out there i can find. we are taking our children in sept of 2004. one will be 4.5 and the other will be 2.5. we can not wait. now as far as dicounts with the annual passes. can i save money if i buy one annual pass and book a room at animal kingdom lodge in september for 6 nights. this was i will get the discount for the room rate plus have a pass to the park. is this possible. i know the dicount rates are not out yet but on average over the past few years do you think this is worth it. i would buy other annual passes but we are not ready to goto disney yearly write now. another thing is that we might go with some other people. could i also book their room or just book two rooms with the annual pass discounts. thank you for your help

steve

 

[Mitzer]

OK, please tell me if I miss something. You can book a room only with an annual pass. Only one person in your room has to have the AP to get the discount. The others can have regular passes. I believe that you can book two rooms with an annual pass, but it would have to be on one ressie under the passholders name (I haven't done this before, so I am not sure...but I think I am right). The annual pass has to be presented at time of check-in. So you could realistically book it now under the passholder special and get your pass when you get there...you just have to have it when you check in...to prove you have an annual pass. It does cost a bit more, but with the additional savings, it usually comes out to your advantage. If you book a PH special rate, you can not add LOS passes on for the rest of the group. You would have to have Park Hopper passes. Atleast this is what I have been told by Disney. That is the way we did it last May. I was the only one with a pass, so I booked the room. The rest of the group got Passes from Pam (Kingdom Konsultants). Hope this helps. Have fun Steve and I hope you get a PH rate for then...they are the best value.

 

[crazygirley]

If you all are planning on spending alot of time at the parks, then you all should get annual passes. You don't know now, but it is so convienient to be able to just go to the parks as you wish. We got the annual passes and only planned on going that one time, but after we realized how much fun we could have with them, we are going again in June. They cost alot, yes, but it is so cool to be able to go to the parks anf not worry about anything, you can just go! We would go out to the Florida Mall somedays, and eat out someplace, and then go back just for the fireworks or parades. It was neat. If you are planning on staying a short time only, you might be better off with hoppers, so you can hop around, something you can't do with a general ticket, or a legnth of stay pass. These are some suggestions!!!

 

[Figaro]

You need only one AP to check-in with the special rate, but you don't need it until that time. If you are flying into Orlando Int'l, you can buy an annual pass at the Disney Store in the terminal. We did this last Sept 2002 and had no problems.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Despite being a Brit Idid get an annual pass cause of the timming of our visits. I booked a room at POR with an annual pass discount at no time did anyone ask to see that pass even though it said I had to have it at check in.

 

[wannabeBelle]

as far as rooms go..you can book up to three including your own on any given trip but you must be present to check in all parties to prove you are an AP holder. Also as of last year they would allow you to do length of stay passes for the other people in the room. I know this because I was offered this option when I went in October with my mom, sister and brother inlaw. I declined as for us the hopper passes did work out cheaper but I do believe that both are still available. Just be very cautious about booking rooms, Some room only packages have gotten a LOT stricter on the cancellation policy. Ill post that under it's own thread!!!! Good luck and try breakfast at Boma's in the Animal Kingdom Lodge! It was awesome!! Belle

 

[Mitzer]

I didn't know you could do the LOS with a AP special. I was always told that if one person was on the LOS, everyone had to be on it. I would think that they could add it to your room upon check-in, snice the resort can do about anything...but I didn't know the reservationists could also. You learn something new everyday. Thanks Belle

 

[bears163]

ok this is for wannabebelle. you have booked two rooms with one annual pass before? i have been told you can and can't. we are goingt o try to go this fall but more than likely it will be the fall of 2004. our kids are still a little to young(3.5 & 1.5). i am just trying to find anyway to save money.

steve

 

[wannabeBelle]

Absolutely did it in October. And to make things even more complex my sister booked a different resort ( Yacht Club) from the resort I did(Riverside). My sister was even able to check in WITHOUT me being present to show my AP. I wouldnt exactly bet on that happening again, but there was NO problem at all with me booking two rooms. Hope this helps. Belle

 

[Eljay]

I booked 2 rooms at the AKL for next month with my AP, even though not everyone staying is an AP holder.
As for producing the pass on arrival, all that info is computerized. They know more than we would ever think they do!

 

[KathyG/poohbear]

Yes, I never had to show my annual pass at AKL last September when we had the discount....but if you call to make more reservations...they can pull you up....see you are an AP and a member of the Disney Club and tell you when you have used your AP. They know.

 

[Eljay]

THEY know!

They see all, they know all. This is kind of off topic, but I was told by a CM that they even know what we ride by our using our APs to get fast passes. Also, when a family gets separated, they can tell if someone has entered another park. "He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake...." Whoops sorry, back on track now.