AP's with an 8 hour drive??

[kaybird]

24 hour drive for us, and yes, we usually drive. If we go twice in the same calender year, it always more than pays for itself. If we were 8 hours away, you can bet we'd hold an annual pass every single year!!!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

8-9 hours for us. We bought APs and used them for 2 or 3 trips. Will buy the special DVC PAPs next week for our now January trip.

 

[TwoCortWort]

Has anyone purchased AP's who have a long drive to Disney? We are around 8 hours away and I'm considering purchasing them. We ALWAYS drive...flying is not an option for our family. I haven't gotten into comparing costs yet, but I will do that before I decide for sure. I need to see how many times we might go and compare free dining vs. room discounts to see if it's worth it. We already have SeaWorld annual passes and they definitely have worked for our family, but of course they are a lot cheaper than Disney World's AP's. Just curious to hear who drives multiple times a year and how far you drive.

I live in North Carolina also and we got an annual pass this past March. We found it cheaper especially since we spend 2 weeks alone at Christmas time. We have been down 5 times already this year and I think you pay it off within 8 trips to the parks. Worth it if you plan to go multiple times a year.

 

[auprincess]

I love this thread ~ really enjoy everyone's responses! I almost wrote one just like it about a month ago. We also live 8 hours away, and I wondered if APs were worth it. Sounds like they are! We won't get them anytime soon. My girls are too young and it is a hard drive, and I know DH isn't ready yet, lol. But when they are old enough that I feel comfortable taking them by myself I think we will definitely get them for our family (not that DH wouldn't come with us, but I would like to do as pp mentioned ~ 51 weeks apart with my husband coming, and then maybe a few long week-ends in between, would love for him to come, but not really his thing).

 

[disnut8]

Has anyone purchased AP's who have a long drive to Disney? We are around 8 hours away and I'm considering purchasing them. We ALWAYS drive...flying is not an option for our family. I haven't gotten into comparing costs yet, but I will do that before I decide for sure. I need to see how many times we might go and compare free dining vs. room discounts to see if it's worth it. We already have SeaWorld annual passes and they definitely have worked for our family, but of course they are a lot cheaper than Disney World's AP's. Just curious to hear who drives multiple times a year and how far you drive.

We have annual passes and live about 35 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. Takes us about 7-1/2 hours for the drive but we usually break it up by leaving after work on a Friday and going to the Florida border, stopping for the night and then continuing the next day.

As far as frequency, we do every three day weekend we can, usually Thanksgiving and every other year, a week for the Food & Wine Festival. We don't do the dining plan for two reasons - (1) we can't eat that much and (2) it takes too much planning and figuring out the credits. So that has never fit into our decision on annual passes.

One thing to consider with annual passes since you always drive - even if you stay offsite, you don't have to pay for parking.

 

[momtotwoteens]

All the responses make me want to go ahead and get them. We're pretty spontaneous. Our last trip (last month) my DH called me at the grocery store at 10:30am, asked me if I wanted to go to SeaWorld (of course I said yes) and we left at noon, got there at 8pm and drove back home the next day. Total 16 hours driving and 19 hours in Orlando. That's how we roll! Lol! Of course we still made a trip to WL to have their yummy chili at The Roaring Fork. Love it.

 

[momtotwoteens]

Our trip in March was Free Dining and we upgraded our tickets.

So you can upgrade and still get Free Dining? How does that work?

 

[Tinkh]

16 hours give or take and we have APs for the third time

 

[CarolineB]

I bought APs when I lived in Houston, TX and drove 3 times for 4 day trips each time about 5 years ago. It seemed to be cheaper than buying tickets each time and I saved the parking fees (like PP mentioned.)

Even if you're only making one trip, APs are sometimes worth it -- my SIL bought APs when she brought her kids since they stayed enough days to make it worth it.

 

[RachaelA]

17 hour drive and we have PAPs.

Don't forget you get a 20% discount on most merchandise with Premium Passes and a 10% with regular APs.

 

[justakrazymom]

Has anyone purchased AP's who have a long drive to Disney? We are around 8 hours away and I'm considering purchasing them. We ALWAYS drive...flying is not an option for our family. I haven't gotten into comparing costs yet, but I will do that before I decide for sure. I need to see how many times we might go and compare free dining vs. room discounts to see if it's worth it. We already have SeaWorld annual passes and they definitely have worked for our family, but of course they are a lot cheaper than Disney World's AP's. Just curious to hear who drives multiple times a year and how far you drive.

If it was only an 8 hour drive I'd have AP's and be there once a month!

 

[catherines_mama]

It's more so based on how many days you'll spend at WDW in that year. If its more than 8 (I think), it is worth it. We live 10hrs away and always drive (family of 5) and have APs that we renew annually. We spend 2 trips a year - 1 long weekend and 1 full week. The kids and I try to go or DH and I try to go solo at least once a yr also

 

[AlohaAnnie]

We live in Indiana. We got the DVC PAP but we have had annual passes in the past.

It was cheaper than buying tickets. We are going for 15 days in June this is when we will activate them & then we are going for 7 days spring break 2014. Totally worth it to us!

 

[Luvchefmic]

used to live in NY and had AP pretty much since they first came out With a government job there was a lot of overtime that could be banked as time off so I always came for 2 weeks twice in a calendar year & utilized every possible AP discount On the second tri I always felt smug like the Cheshire Cat feeling surely Mickey was losing money on me
whether I flew or drove still paid off BIG time

 

[danceintherain]

24 hour drive for us, and yes, we usually drive. If we go twice in the same calender year, it always more than pays for itself. If we were 8 hours away, you can bet we'd hold an annual pass every single year!!!

Me too! I keep telling my husband that I really want to get stationed in Georgia, not because my sister lives there, but because we could get annual passes and go to Disney regularly.

So you can upgrade and still get Free Dining? How does that work?

You can upgrade the tickets that come with Free Dining to Annual Passes. You cannot already have an Annual Pass and get out of buying tickets with Free Dining. You can use unused Free Dining tickets to renew your Annual Pass.

I got an annual pass a few years ago, because my first trip in the year was 10 days, and I had another trip planned. I think I got 17 days of park time out of it.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We're 10 hours away by car - just a stones throw north of Raleigh. We've gotten APs for 2 years now and LOVE them!

 

[momtotwoteens]

You can upgrade the tickets that come with Free Dining to Annual Passes. You cannot already have an Annual Pass and get out of buying tickets with Free Dining.

I wasn't thinking I could get out of buying tickets, I was more thinking maybe you paid an extra amount or something if you already had an AP and could get free dining. I get it now. So I guess I should wait and book a trip with free dining and upgrade before we leave to come home. (If we decide to do it...and I hope we do!)

 

[momtotwoteens]

We're 10 hours away by car - just a stones throw north of Raleigh. We've gotten APs for 2 years now and LOVE them!

I was looking at all the trips you've made! I love it! Do you always drive?

 

[disnut8]

All the responses make me want to go ahead and get them. We're pretty spontaneous. Our last trip (last month) my DH called me at the grocery store at 10:30am, asked me if I wanted to go to SeaWorld (of course I said yes) and we left at noon, got there at 8pm and drove back home the next day. Total 16 hours driving and 19 hours in Orlando. That's how we roll! Lol! Of course we still made a trip to WL to have their yummy chili at The Roaring Fork. Love it.

We've done that a couple of times. We really wanted to see an act at Flower Power or Eat to the Beat concerts so we've left here Friday after work, got to Valdosta, stayed the night, arrived at Disney around noon on Saturday, saw the concerts, stayed the night, drove back Sunday. I called them our Mouse Suicide Runs. Very easy to do that kind of thing with Annual Passes.

 

[stmize]

We've done that a couple of times. We really wanted to see an act at Flower Power or Eat to the Beat concerts so we've left here Friday after work, got to Valdosta, stayed the night, arrived at Disney around noon on Saturday, saw the concerts, stayed the night, drove back Sunday. I called them our Mouse Suicide Runs. Very easy to do that kind of thing with Annual Passes.

Wow I'm in north ga. I could so do that.