Annual Pass...

[xoSnowWhiteox]

So I've had a look through past posts about these but couldn't find all the info I wanted...hope you guys can help!:goodvibes

please correct me if Im wrong but from what I've read it seems that APs don't really suit people who want to stay on site?as it usually works out more expensive?I was considering maybe getting one whilst in DLP in June but I really like staying on site...so I suppose what I'm looking for is advice...say I manage to go to DLP twice a year but plan to stay onsite, is it worth my while getting any sort of AP?

xoxo

[Cyrano]

We stay at Davy Crockett Ranch and find the AP works for us.
It is usually a case of crunching the numbers to see what is best :)

[DLPdaft]

I've had an AP for the last 2 years, and until this year, I would have said that the onsite room only discounts were big enough to make buying a Dream Annual Pass a good value purchase. Unfortunately, in my experience recently, thats not the case anymore.

However, Dream annual passes especially, have other advantages. You save 20% on almost all your shopping at DLRP with it, you save 10% on your food bill with it, you get free luggage store at the parks, free stroller hire if you need that, etc etc.

If you stay offsite, it means you have access to EMH as well.

I always prefer to stay onsite if funds allow, but I'm finding that DLRP onsite is generally getting more and more expensive, and out of my price range. So annual passes and staying offsite (but very close to The Magic :lovestruc) is the way to go for me, at the moment anyway.

[ghockley1981]

I completely agree with DLPDaft, due to the price increases recently the APs are proving to be less fruitfull than before when comparing just room only prices against packages when booking through Disney. Eurostar and Expedia do Room Only deal as well so you should have a look around.

However with the Disney special offers they seem to be doing every few months for AP holders you may be able to pick up a good deal direct with Disney if your quick and look out for when the Envie Magazine is released. ( The Magazine with AP Holder Discounts )

The extra discounts that have already been mentioned are well worth crunching the numbers for as these alone can pay off the AP cost in one visit, and it does give you the option to stay close to the action off site for a very good price ( which I did last year )

A 5 minute bus ride is not much of a issue when taking into account the extra money you could save to spend in the restaurants and gift shops and if your budget does not quite allow you to stay onsite!

It's not ideal for everyone, but it can prove fruitful as it did with me, I stayed off site last year and purchased Fantasy APs for me and my gf and the money we saved paid them off during the holiday.

Now this year I am staying onsite room only which i booked through Eurostar ( which was cheaper than Disney )

So it has saved me £200 in total so far just from the booking of this trip, it just all depends on circumstances.

The savings really can add up, if you do want to buy APs you can get discount as well by being sponsored by other AP holders ( you probably know this already )

This will save you 10% and give those DISers like me who sponsor you an extention on their current AP. There is a discussion already set up for sponsorship of annual APs and you should be able to find a link in the useful stickys section for more info.

Any more questions just ask away

[Cyrano]

There is a thread where sponsoring request and offers are posted here (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1104480&highlight=sponsoring) :thumbsup2

[xoSnowWhiteox]

Thanks a million for all the info guys!really really helpful!:goodvibes

Ok so it would seem that although they may not be as fruitful as they once were, there are still alot of benefits to be had and saving to be made by having one...and although it may not always be easy to find a good 'room only' deal for onsite hotels, it is not impossible...hmmmm I'm definitely considering getting one because as you menioned glenn, they basically pay for themselves...

I have already booked my park tickets for this stay in June with my hotel so would I be better off waiting until I go next time and book an offsite hotel and buying it then or if I plan on going back anyway and have the extra money now should I just get them in June?

xoxo

[A Small World]

Thanks a million for all the info guys!really really helpful!:goodvibes

Ok so it would seem that although they may not be as fruitful as they once were, there are still alot of benefits to be had and saving to be made by having one...and although it may not always be easy to find a good 'room only' deal for onsite hotels, it is not impossible...hmmmm I'm definitely considering getting one because as you menioned glenn, they basically pay for themselves...

I have already booked my park tickets for this stay in June with my hotel so would I be better off waiting until I go next time and book an offsite hotel and buying it then or if I plan on going back anyway and have the extra money now should I just get them in June?

xoxo

You need to do your sums on that one really - we had the same dilema when we bought our first APs so looked at how much they would cost (with sponsorship) and worked out roughly how much we might save on meals/purchases etc if we had one and decided it wasnt worth getting them that trip but wait til we went again and stay off site.

Since then we have done a mixture of staying on site and have sometimes had some good deals but other times its worked out better to stay off site (usually Explorers/Magic Circus or Kyriad) and as we have dream passes we still get advantage of EMH anyhow

[ghockley1981]

Thanks a million for all the info guys!really really helpful!:goodvibes

I have already booked my park tickets for this stay in June with my hotel so would I be better off waiting until I go next time and book an offsite hotel and buying it then or if I plan on going back anyway and have the extra money now should I just get them in June?

xoxo

This is a tough one to answer as the savings will just be from the restaurants and gift shops. However these really can add up, it all depends on where you would be eating, how many of there are you and how long you are going?

Crunching numbers again would help you here, where you looking at Dream or Fantasy AP's?

You will also need to consider that doing it this way will effectively lose you a few months of possible savings with hotels when your AP runs out, which is where you can really make some savings. If you waited till you went again then you would be able to make more use of this for a longer period. But it all depends on your holiday plans and how much Disney is involved in that, if you were going to go once or twice more in the next year then get them now, if you were planning on going more then i would wait.

You could like im trying to do, sponsor people for their APs as well which will extent your AP by a few months if you wished as we have said before so that may benefit you too.

I have just looked on the eurostar site @ 2 nights 3 days for eurostar tickets and hotel prices and you can get this for £230 for the Kyriad £300 for the sante fe and £350 for Cheyenne for 2 people ( not that i was looking for myself at all ;) )

So the benefits going forward can really be good too

You can become a shareholder too and get simililar discounts on restaurants and giftshop items so that be an option for you too if you decide agaisnt the AP route