WDW - Trying to justify an Annual Pass...

[cdd89]

Hi,

I live in the UK, but like taking short trips to Disney. So far I've been buying Magic Your Way tickets, but having taken 3 trips in the last 365 days, I'm really starting to wonder if an A/P would be the way to go.

I already own one for Disneyland Paris, which is beyond 'good value'. But it seems a little more tricky with WDW. $675.21 is a large outlay per year. But maybe that's what I spend anyway; I like to take a couple of 3-day trips per year, plus maybe one day on a weekend. (I often end up in the US for work, so it's easy to swing by!).

A 10-day no-expiration park hopper is $755, 7/10ths of which is $528.50. So on a strict analysis it sounds like I'd be better doing that. But I'm just wondering if there are other things I may have forgotten that may make it 1) cheaper in practice (I guess I could add up parking fees etc for staying offsite, which I do - any other discounts?), or 2) worth the extra money?

I guess there's the thought that I might visit more, but then I might visit less as well, so it's a gamble either way. The other thought is that sometimes I don't visit the park at all on days when I'm in Orlando, as it doesn't make sense to use a day for a couple of hours' access. But maybe that's worth the extra? What do you folks think?

Thanks! And sorry for a probably highly unoriginal thread!
-Cdd89

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

But it seems a little more tricky with WDW. $675.21 is a large outlay per year.

A 10-day no-expiration park hopper is $755

The UK 14 day pass currently sells at around £300, but this expires 14 days after first use and so is of no use to you (I only mention this as an alternative). The US 10 day no expiration pass in sterling (assuming $1.6 = £1) sells at £472, which is of more use to you than the UK hopper. So what you need to work out is - how many days above the 10 are you going to be able to visit ? Additionally, if you're offsite you obviously have to pay for parking where as with the AP you don't.
On the face of it all, 10 visits in a 12 month period, staying offsite makes the AP extremely attractive

 

[Monty]

If you're not sure you'll make the trips within the year, then a ten-day no-expire is probably your best option. No chance of wasting days. If you're doing two or more trips within a year, an AP is usually worth it. Cost, discounted shopping and eating and free parking add up savings quickly.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

If you're not sure you'll make the trips within the year, then a ten-day no-expire is probably your best option. No chance of wasting days. If you're doing two or more trips within a year, an AP is usually worth it. Cost, discounted shopping and eating and free parking add up savings quickly.

This is what I was going to say as well. You'll save on the following:

- no parking charge ($15 per day, I think, so assuming you don't stay on property for a 10 day that's 10 X $15 = $150)
- discounted room rates
- discounted food and merchandise

In addition to this, you can go to the parks anytime you want. For example, say you get to The Disney area late in the afternoon, say 3 - 4 pm. More than likely you would wait and not waste a day of your 10 day pass as you would only get 4-5 hours of park time in. With an AP you wouldn't have to worry about that, you could just go. And if there is a day that you're going to fly back to the UK, typically those flights are late in the afternoon. You could go to the park for the morning and early afternoon before you head to MCO. Just my thoughts anyway.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

Also, you'll save on the AP if you renew the following year, which that is usually about an $70-$80 savings.

 

[mergatroid]

We have AP's and live in the UK. We have a 3 week holiday in Orlando but time it so we only get an AP every 2 years. So for instance we bought our AP's last Oct 9th 2013 on the first day of our 3 week trip. This year we left England on the 17th Sep 2014 and returned 8th Oct 2014 so even though both trips seemed about a year apart, they were both within 12 months so we got 6 full weeks from our AP's. We saved on parking and visited I'd guess on about 25 occasions.

Next year we'll return in Oct 2015 and buy an AP again and return in Sept 2016 getting 6 weeks out of it again and repeat the cycle in 2017.

 

[@ladyclegg]

We have AP's and live in the UK. We have a 3 week holiday in Orlando but time it so we only get an AP every 2 years. So for instance we bought our AP's last Oct 9th 2013 on the first day of our 3 week trip. This year we left England on the 17th Sep 2014 and returned 8th Oct 2014 so even though both trips seemed about a year apart, they were both within 12 months so we got 6 full weeks from our AP's. We saved on parking and visited I'd guess on about 25 occasions.

Next year we'll return in Oct 2015 and buy an AP again and return in Sept 2016 getting 6 weeks out of it again and repeat the cycle in 2017.

We also live in the UK and find the AP best value for money , especially when the exchange rate is favourable. We tend to go 2/3 times a year for short stays also, but we did the sums and it works for us, as well as the free parking and the discounts you can get by having one

 

[cdd89]

Thanks for the replies... Tends to confirm what I thought (i.e. It's marfinal!). To be honest, anything has to be better than my current system of buying Magic Your Way tickets (but that's because I keep deluding myself that it's my last trip to WDW).

The renewal bonus isn't nearly as good as Disneyland Paris (which gives you 6 MONTHS free upon renewal...). It's also a shame that Extra Magic Hours isn't included (like Paris). And you have to pay extra for substantial dining discounts. but I guess we can't keep comparing the parks to that!

And as has been rightly pointed out, if I took my disney days consecutively then that'd be a nice cheap 7 day park hopper at £259... But sadly I just can't bring myself to do that (when I had a week in Orlando, I ended up splitting it between the other stuff there).

I guess it comes down to whether I want to be counting the days or not, and the benefit of partial days that wouldn't have been viable otherwise (e.g. Evening of arrival days) is very tempting.

 

[@ladyclegg]

Thanks for the replies... Tends to confirm what I thought (i.e. It's marfinal!). To be honest, anything has to be better than my current system of buying Magic Your Way tickets (but that's because I keep deluding myself that it's my last trip to WDW).

The renewal bonus isn't nearly as good as Disneyland Paris (which gives you 6 MONTHS free upon renewal...). It's also a shame that Extra Magic Hours isn't included (like Paris). And you have to pay extra for substantial dining discounts. but I guess we can't keep comparing the parks to that!

And as has been rightly pointed out, if I took my disney days consecutively then that'd be a nice cheap 7 day park hopper at £259... But sadly I just can't bring myself to do that (when I had a week in Orlando, I ended up splitting it between the other stuff there).

I guess it comes down to whether I want to be counting the days or not, and the benefit of partial days that wouldn't have been viable otherwise (e.g. Evening of arrival days) is very tempting.

Yes to wander into one of the parks on arrival evening for your first meal is my favourite way to start my holiday !

 

[mergatroid]

We also live in the UK and find the AP best value for money , especially when the exchange rate is favourable. We tend to go 2/3 times a year for short stays also, but we did the sums and it works for us, as well as the free parking and the discounts you can get by having one

Indeed I get 30% off renting watercraft at Disney which is great value along with a few bucks off the AMC24 cinema at DD and of course Disney shopping.