Premier Passport, help me decide

[Iggipolka]

My wife & I have gotten the Premier Passport for the past couple years and have thought it worth the money given the 20% discount on merchandise and b/c we visit WDW & DL pretty often.
However, with the recent price increase, the thought of paying $2000 just for park admission alone, seems ridiculous.

We don't have any DL trips planned at this time, but we tend to go for 4 days in Aug, Nov and March, so 12 days total.

We have two WDW trips planned. One In Aug for 9 days and one in Feb for 7 days, 16 days total.

We'll get park hoppers for our 4 yr old, but I'm wondering if it still makes financial sense to get the Passport. Anyone better with math than I am and can figure this out?

Expensive no matter what, that's for sure.

 

[mytripsandraces]

My wife & I have gotten the Premier Passport for the past couple years and have thought it worth the money given the 20% discount on merchandise and b/c we visit WDW & DL pretty often.
However, with the recent price increase, the thought of paying $2000 just for park admission alone, seems ridiculous.

We don't have any DL trips planned at this time, but we tend to go for 4 days in Aug, Nov and March, so 12 days total.

We have two WDW trips planned. One In Aug for 9 days and one in Feb for 7 days, 16 days total.

We'll get park hoppers for our 4 yr old, but I'm wondering if it still makes financial sense to get the Passport. Anyone better with math than I am and can figure this out?

Expensive no matter what, that's for sure.

A 4-day park hopper ticket to Disneyland is $285. Three of those will cost $855. A 7-day park hopper ticket to WDW is $392. That's already over $1200, not including the 9-day trip. Without the park hopper option, the cost is $750 ($250 x3 for Disneyland) and $330 (WDW), which is well over $1000. No matter how you slice it, even with just the admission costs factored in, not taking into account the discounts, special merchandise, special events, etc., the Premier Pass is a bargain with your park schedule.

 

[Iggipolka]

Wow. I guess we really do spend a lot in tickets. Disney is an expensive hobby!

 

[mytripsandraces]

More so for us visitors who aren't local, because we can't pay in installments. For locals who can visit every week or even every other week, the cost is pretty low per visit.

 

[Iggipolka]

I so wish I could do installments. That would make it so much easier and I'd have no hesitation about getting the Premium Passport.

I'm also looking into military discounts for tickets, but sadly the Premium Passport isn't included in the discount options.

 

[itradehilton]

Well it is not an installment but we bought 10 PH with WP&M online from undercover tourist early. Next we will enter park & when we leave we will upgrade to premiere pass. This way I broke down the purchase into 2 payments.

 

[CarrieR]

Another way to break it down:

At 16 days, you're in the range that a WDW AP is your most logical option. I don't know what the cost on that is but there's your baseline. Subtract the cost (it's gonna be in the upper 600s I would guess) from the 1k for the premiere and you get say $400 (or less.)

If the lowest level of DLR AP that is valid for all of your dates is greater than that price, the Premiere is your best bet.

For us, a WDW AP + a single 4ish day DLR trip was pretty much even. It might have cost us a couple of bucks (not more than $20, I suspect less than that) over the separate tickets but we will more than make it up between dining discounts @ DLR & a single day at mini-golf (we've been talking about doing it anyways.) I would suspect any way you run the numbers, the Premiere will be the winner for your family. Possibly including the 4yo.

 

[disney777]

You can split the cost if you want to go through a little bit more trouble. Buy the AP that works for your visit(s), and then when you go to the park on the other coast, upgrade it to Premier then. That splits the cost up into 2 payments.
I feel your pain. I've gotten the Premier ap since they first put it out. My current one expires in September and I'm not looking forward to paying the $1010+. I'm close to DLR, and will go to WDW in January. I've got a few months to decide whether I will bite the bullet or split the cost. At least I only have to buy 1.

 

[doconeill]

Does the PP still get 20%? I thought when they reduced the PAP to 10%, the PP went with it...

 

[disney777]

With the Premier AP, you get 10% discount on merchandise at WDW, and 20% discount on merchandise at DLR.

 

[ADP]

I see you are a DVC member. Not sure myself, but would it be cheaper to buy WDW annual passes with the DVC discount and then the Disneyland APs separately?

 

[disney777]

Good question. Is there a DVC discount for DLR APs as well?

The DLR Premium is $669, so the WDW DVC AP would have to be $341 or less to come out ahead. (I'm assuming you want to get Premium)

 

[doconeill]

Good question. Is there a DVC discount for DLR APs as well?

The DLR Premium is $669, so the WDW DVC AP would have to be $341 or less to come out ahead. (I'm assuming you want to get Premium)

Looks like DVC gets $20 off Deluxe and Premium DL APs.

But still, $361 is a stretch...the recent offer for the WDW PAP was $399 and that was a GREAT offer.

What might be considered is the expiration dates of separate passes, vs. a single expiration date for the PP.

 

[Turbanator]

A 4-day park hopper ticket to Disneyland is $285. Three of those will cost $855. A 7-day park hopper ticket to WDW is $392. That's already over $1200, not including the 9-day trip. Without the park hopper option, the cost is $750 ($250 x3 for Disneyland) and $330 (WDW), which is well over $1000. No matter how you slice it, even with just the admission costs factored in, not taking into account the discounts, special merchandise, special events, etc., the Premier Pass is a bargain with your park schedule.

That puts it into perspective, well outlined mytripsandraces

 

[mytripsandraces]

That puts it into perspective, well outlined mytripsandraces

Thanks, Turbanator!