Renewing AP vs. letting expire and buying again

sgrap · Apr 19, 2015

We have AP's that expire 5/10, but aren't planning on another trip until November. It seems to me that letting it expire and buying again (or buying hopper alone, or buying hopper and upgrading to AP) makes more sense that taking advantage of the $60/$40 discount (we have one Premium and the rest Deluxe) but not using them for 6 months. We are new DVC members, but it appears that the DVC discount on DLR AP's is minimal. Any thoughts I am missing? Opinions? Thanks!

707MickeyGirl · Apr 19, 2015

I had the same dilemma - 2 Premium APs (one for me, one for my DGD) expiring 5/2. I'm not taking my DGD again until Christmas 2015, but I am doing an adult trip in May, so I renewed my AP with the $60 discount and I'll let hers expire, then get her a new one when we go at Christmas. I couldn't justify paying for hers and then not using it for 7 1/2 months. If we do manage to squeeze in a summer trip, I'll just get hers then.

figment_jii · Apr 19, 2015

I would also let the APs lapse if you know you aren't going until November. That way, you new APs would have a November 2016 expiration, giving you more of a chance to use them again.

OKW Lover · Apr 19, 2015

As a recovering bean counter I reduced the decision to a fairly simple calculation:

Divide the cost of your AP by 365 to get an average cost per day.
multiply that daily cost by the number of days between the date your AP expires and when you would next visit a park
If the result is greater than the renewal discount then you should just buy new.

sgrap · Apr 19, 2015

figment_jii said:
I would also let the APs lapse if you know you aren't going until November. That way, you new APs would have a November 2016 expiration, giving you more of a chance to use them again.

Thanks, that what my thought was. Wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. :thumbsup2

sgrap · Apr 19, 2015

OKW Lover said:
As a recovering bean counter I reduced the decision to a fairly simple calculation:

Divide the cost of your AP by 365 to get an average cost per day.

multiply that daily cost by the number of days between the date your AP expires and when you would next visit a park

If the result is greater than the renewal discount then you should just buy new.

Awesome, will do that . . . or maybe have one of my homeschooled children do it! :goodvibes

Real life math, right?

sc426 · Apr 19, 2015

I just renewed my premium pass last month before it expired. I got a 20% off the renewal price. So instead of me paying $779 I paid $623. Thats ahuge benefit in my opinion. I also go minimum once a month.

jkolkemo · Apr 19, 2015

hmmm, I think it really has to do with when and how much you will use it. I have one and we went August of last year, I go down for 24 hours and then go again for 10 days August of this year, running out the day we leave. Likely won't go back until next year, for the 24 hour and maybe summer. I would totally hold off getting them until I need them, so that I get the full year use out of it, rather than just one trip.

sgrap · Apr 19, 2015

jkolkemo said:
hmmm, I think it really has to do with when and how much you will use it. I have one and we went August of last year, I go down for 24 hours and then go again for 10 days August of this year, running out the day we leave. Likely won't go back until next year, for the 24 hour and maybe summer. I would totally hold off getting them until I need them, so that I get the full year use out of it, rather than just one trip.

We usually only go once a year or so because we in in WA, so requires a flight for us. We had never had AP's until we got the awesome deal with ebates in early 2014 for our May trip, and decided to upgrade. They gave us the full value even though we got the 5-day for the 4-day price with orbitz and then 20% back with Ebates. I was shocked! So we went again in October for Halloween time, which was lots of fun. It we get AP's in November, we might get another trip out of them within a year. Otherwise it's probably best to just get the hopper passes.

CassieF · Apr 19, 2015

In less you have a SoCal pass and or added on parking which she would not be able to purchase if you let it expire, I would just let it lapse and renew since you have such a long gap

sgrap · Apr 19, 2015

CassieF said:
In less you have a SoCal pass and or added on parking which she would not be able to purchase if you let it expire, I would just let it lapse and renew since you have such a long gap

Nope, just deluxe + one premium. Thank you--that is the type of thing I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing. But doesn't apply to us.

Thank you everyone for your input, very helpful! :goodvibes

707MickeyGirl · Apr 19, 2015

sc426 said:
I just renewed my premium pass last month before it expired. I got a 20% off the renewal price. So instead of me paying $779 I paid $623. Thats ahuge benefit in my opinion. I also go minimum once a month.

How did you get a 20% discount? I just renewed my premium pass and only got $60 off.

sgrap · Apr 19, 2015

707MickeyGirl said:
How did you get a 20% discount? I just renewed my premium pass and only got $60 off.

Good question, would love to know that, too!

bumbershoot · Apr 20, 2015

sc426 said:
So instead of me paying $779 I paid $623. Thats ahuge benefit in my opinion. I also go minimum once a month.

That's a weird discount you got; have they started something new?

But you're going every month. If you were in the OP's shoes, with 6 months after expiration before they go again, it wouldn't be the same situation.

tarheelalum · Apr 20, 2015

How did you get a 20% discount? That is huge!

colormegreen · Apr 20, 2015

I think certain people get that offer. I've only received the dollar amount discount, but my sister received the 20% discount after she let hers expire. I personally never received it even after mine expired.

Ryan120420 · Apr 20, 2015

sc426 said:
I just renewed my premium pass last month before it expired. I got a 20% off the renewal price. So instead of me paying $779 I paid $623. Thats ahuge benefit in my opinion. I also go minimum once a month.

Are you a DVC member?

Also the renewal rate for the Premium pass is $719. The $779 price point is for NEW Premium AP holders.

So in reality you only got a 13% discount, up from the normal 7.70% ($60) discount.

sgrap · Apr 20, 2015

Ryan120420 said:
Are you a DVC member?

Also the renewal rate for the Premium pass is $719. The $779 price point is for NEW Premium AP holders.

So in reality you only got a 13% discount, up from the normal 7.70% ($60) discount.

Yes, thx. Will have to look at that.

sc426 · Apr 20, 2015

I am not a DVC member. Although when my financial situation changes later this year, I definitely will be. I got the 20% discount rate as a flyer in my annual renewal paperwork that was sent to me at my mailing address. I guess I didn't know how valuable it was. I renewed exactly 2 months before it expired online. Not through the mail.

707MickeyGirl · Apr 20, 2015

sc426 said:
I am not a DVC member. Although when my financial situation changes later this year, I definitely will be. I got the 20% discount rate as a flyer in my annual renewal paperwork that was sent to me at my mailing address. I guess I didn't know how valuable it was. I renewed exactly 2 months before it expired online. Not through the mail.

That's such a great deal! I didn't receive anything like that... nothing in the mail but a postcard reminding me to renew.

Renewing AP vs. letting expire and buying again

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