What are the pros and cons of an AP

[Darth Grumpy]

We are planning a 14 day WDW vacation and are wondering if it would be to our benifit to get an AP. This will be the longest we have gone for. Normally we go every two years and get the dining plan and park hopper and I was wondering how the dining plan works with the AP? What other pros and cons are there for the AP?

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

I don't believe dining plan works with the AP. You are eligible to get the Tables in Wonderland card which could up working out better

 

[Flippin'Flounder]

I know some people like to do 2 2-week vacations, a year apart, and get an AP for it. For example, I could go this year from June 15-28, and next year from June 1-14, and get an AP for both.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I don't believe dining plan works with the AP. You are eligible to get the Tables in Wonderland card which could up working out better

You can get it with the AP. But yes, I would recommend TIW over the dining plan

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Pros:

• 10% discount on all merchandise
• Access to TIW (you can pay for that and get 20% dining at most locations), otherwise, 10% off dining at select locations
• Ability to come and go as you please without wasting a day on your pass
• Discounts on recreational activities such as mini golf
• Room-only discounts
• Free photopass downloads

Cons:

• Price

Since you're going for so long, depending on how much time you're planning on spending in the parks, I would recommend the AP.

 

[Tuvalu]

If you are planning to go to the parks all 14 days, an AP will be your cheapest ticket option as you would need to purchase a 10 day ticket plus a 4 day ticket to have 14 days of admission.

And yes, you can purchase the Dining Plan.

 

[sxeensweet]

If you are planning to go to the parks all 14 days, an AP will be your cheapest ticket option as you would need to purchase a 10 day ticket plus a 4 day ticket to have 14 days of admission.

And yes, you can purchase the Dining Plan.

^^^This^^^

We always go for about 2 weeks so it's cheaper to buy an AP than regular tickets. And now you get the memory maker included in the AP price as well. So that saves you an additional $150 besides the savings in the park tickets alone. Yes they have all the other perks people have mentioned as well but always go by your park ticket savings to decide if it's right for you or not. For us it is and we usually try to squeeze 2-2 week trips almost exactly a year apart to get even more savings out of it, but even if we don't it was still worth it for 14 days.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I'd say that the best benefit is: You can leave.

It sounds odd but if you're buying tickets for the day(s) you're there then you feel like you have to get your money's worth out of it. With the annual pass, you can go to other parks (which you can with a normal ticket and park hopper, of course) or just go back to your hotel/resort and say, "I'll try again tomorrow."

I've done that before at the MK where I went in, got to the hub, saw it was insanely crowded, and just turned around and walked out.

 

[Phonedave]

Another benefit is you don't feel bad going for a few hours on your first or last day. Lets say you arrive around 5 PM, by the time you get settled, you may not want to go to the parks for only a few hours because it is like "wasting" an admission. With an AP, who cares. Go for 1 hour if you like, it is not as if you are using up any days.


-dave

 

[mergatroid]

I know some people like to do 2 2-week vacations, a year apart, and get an AP for it. For example, I could go this year from June 15-28, and next year from June 1-14, and get an AP for both.

We do this and get 2 x 3 week holidays. Bought our AP October 8th last year on our first day, this year back for 3 weeks in September so we get 6 weeks in total. Parking is free which saves us hundreds of dollars and we don't feel obliged to stay in a park for hours on end to get our money's worth as we would with a 4/5 day pass.

 

[mergatroid]

Another benefit is you don't feel bad going for a few hours on your first or last day. Lets say you arrive around 5 PM, by the time you get settled, you may not want to go to the parks for only a few hours because it is like "wasting" an admission. With an AP, who cares. Go for 1 hour if you like, it is not as if you are using up any days.


-dave

Couldn't agree more. Some days we go in Disney Studios, get an ice cream and leave without even riding anything. Having that option is so very, very satisfying.

 

[LSUxStitch]

If you're going more than 10 days in a year, AP is worth it.

This is the first time we're AP b/c we have two trips planned and it was a no brainer when looking at costs of tickets for both trips separately. The upfront cost is a kicker, but our second trip it feels like we're only paying for room/flights

Plus, I think I'll be more inclined to drive down for a long weekend and maybe stay off property (free parking with AP), since every trip past these two is lagniappe for us.

 

[seafoodbuffet]

If you're going more than 10 days in a year, AP is worth it.

In addition to an AP costing less than a 10-day plus 4-day park ticket, if you do the same thing next year, renewing an AP is less than buying a new one which is even greater savings for next year. Basically, the math works out such that if you do two trips (or one trip longer than 10 days), you might as well get the AP for the ticket pricing alone.

All the other stuff (merch discount, free parking, Tables in Wonderland, AP-only merch) are nice extras.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I think I'd argue against the Tables in Wonderland card.

It used to be a deal at $75.. (I swear that I got it at one time for $50 but I may just be remembering wrong).. When it creeped up to $100 now it's looking like less of a deal and, currently, it's at $150. Yeah, you're getting 20% off and they include the 18% tip which is nice on your meal but with the price of the card and meals going up at a pretty good clip, I'd recommend just skipping it and taking a break and eating offsite.

I'm not big into "buying discounts" but I thought that when it was cheaper that I it worked out well.

Now I find it to be buying a card to get a discount on over-the-top prices of food and service that doesn't really match that.

 

[LSUxStitch]

In addition to an AP costing less than a 10-day plus 4-day park ticket

Keep in mind this is for 2 adults:

I priced out a 7 day hopper with memory maker and a 5 day hopper with memory maker and it was $2104.26. Our AP, which include memory maker, was $1595.38.

Again, no brainer and we're doing 7 days on our second trip, so it's even a sweeter deal imo.

 

[seafoodbuffet]

I think I'd argue against the Tables in Wonderland card.

It used to be a deal at $75.. (I swear that I got it at one time for $50 but I may just be remembering wrong).. When it creeped up to $100 now it's looking like less of a deal and, currently, it's at $150. Yeah, you're getting 20% off and they include the 18% tip which is nice on your meal but with the price of the card and meals going up at a pretty good clip, I'd recommend just skipping it and taking a break and eating offsite.

I'm not big into "buying discounts" but I thought that when it was cheaper that I it worked out well.

Now I find it to be buying a card to get a discount on over-the-top prices of food and service that doesn't really match that.

Personally, we made the same decision to skip TiW this year. We simply don't do enough TiW-covered meals at WDW to make it worthwhile. I know people who like at least one sit-down meal a day, for which DDP is probably the way to go (provided you are likely to order the most expensive thing on the menu).

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

I think I'd argue against the Tables in Wonderland card.

It used to be a deal at $75.. (I swear that I got it at one time for $50 but I may just be remembering wrong).. When it creeped up to $100 now it's looking like less of a deal and, currently, it's at $150. Yeah, you're getting 20% off and they include the 18% tip which is nice on your meal but with the price of the card and meals going up at a pretty good clip, I'd recommend just skipping it and taking a break and eating offsite.

I'm not big into "buying discounts" but I thought that when it was cheaper that I it worked out well.

Now I find it to be buying a card to get a discount on over-the-top prices of food and service that doesn't really match that.

This helped me see that it was worth it for us. This was when the card was $100
http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0

 

[danyoung56]

Another benefit is you don't feel bad going for a few hours on your first or last day.

This is a HUGE benefit. I currently am not buying an AP for Disneyland. I find now that, when I'm there with a 3 or 4 day ticket, I don't want to go in for just the evening festivities, as it'll take such a huge chunk out of my ticket. With an AP you don't worry so much about getting value out of every park visit.

Also, the TiW card gives 20% off of most alcohol in the park. As someone who dines nicely and then heads for the pub, even at $150 there's still value for me (although not as much as before!).

 

[Phonedave]

I think I'd argue against the Tables in Wonderland card.

It used to be a deal at $75.. (I swear that I got it at one time for $50 but I may just be remembering wrong).. When it creeped up to $100 now it's looking like less of a deal and, currently, it's at $150. Yeah, you're getting 20% off and they include the 18% tip which is nice on your meal but with the price of the card and meals going up at a pretty good clip, I'd recommend just skipping it and taking a break and eating offsite.

I'm not big into "buying discounts" but I thought that when it was cheaper that I it worked out well.

Now I find it to be buying a card to get a discount on over-the-top prices of food and service that doesn't really match that.

Exactly how I feel. I had one for the longest time (and when it with the Disney Dining Experience i think it was $50) but no longr find it worth it.