AP question

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

Hi all
I am not sure if this is the right forum to post this question in so kindly move it or let me where I should post, thank you.

I am considering an AP but I am totally confused on the pro's and con's on having an AP...
can anyone send me in simple terms the pro's and con's
right now we are booked at the POFQ 6 people two connecting rooms with 5 day park hoppers, i am currently paying 4700.00
would it be economical for me to get an AP? the other thing is would i really be able to go back within 365 days? FINANCIALLY, i guess that's the next big question right? lol

alliecat523 · Sep 17, 2015

If you're planning to return within the year, it's definitely worth it. It is very pricey to just buy for one trip, IMO. We did just get them ourselves, but plan to go a few times over the next year. Not necessarily huge trips, but it's reasonable for us when there are some of these fare deals to hop one a flight down for a quick trip.

You also get discounts on resort hotels, some shopping and dining. You can also get limited discounts for guests traveling with you.

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

alliecat523 said:
If you're planning to return within the year, it's definitely worth it. It is very pricey to just buy for one trip, IMO. We did just get them ourselves, but plan to go a few times over the next year. Not necessarily huge trips, but it's reasonable for us when there are some of these fare deals to hop one a flight down for a quick trip.

You also get discounts on resort hotels, some shopping and dining. You can also get limited discounts for guests traveling with you.

That's what i have to ask myself, if we go when we will be able to go back? thank you

Accident · Sep 17, 2015

You should look around the forum, I think your the 4th or 5th person basically asking the same thing in the last day.

In short, if your not a florida resident, the basic AP is a 366 day park hopper ticket with some additional discounts towards some merch, food, rooms and special events. Next tier up, you get waterparks and some other stuff, next tier up you add in WDL and some more discounts on things. Also as an AP you become eligible for tables in wonderland which is a higher food discount at some restaurants. If any discounts come out that are tied to also getting tickets, there might be an AP version without tickets. Generally room discounts are sparse and limited to where and what type of rooms and there can be periods with no discounts on room.

As PP mentioned, with just 1 5 day trip within a year, I doubt you'll see any savings and probably end up paying more. A disney visa card and it's discounts/points/etc would probably work better for you. Around 8 or 9 days is when I found it to be right on the edge of saving money for that 1 trip but it really depends on what your doing, where your eating, how many are with you, what discount you needed for everyone else to have a good ticket price (if your not getting ap for everyone) and how much stuff you buy that would get a discount.

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

Accident said:
You should look around the forum, I think your the 4th or 5th person basically asking the same thing in the last day.

In short, if your not a florida resident, the basic AP is a 366 day park hopper ticket with some additional discounts towards some merch, food, rooms and special events. Next tier up, you get waterparks and some other stuff, next tier up you add in WDL and some more discounts on things. Also as an AP you become eligible for tables in wonderland which is a higher food discount at some restaurants. If any discounts come out that are tied to also getting tickets, there might be an AP version without tickets. Generally room discounts are sparse and limited to where and what type of rooms and there can be periods with no discounts on room.

As PP mentioned, with just 1 5 day trip within a year, I doubt you'll see any savings and probably end up paying more. A disney visa card and it's discounts/points/etc would probably work better for you. Around 8 or 9 days is when I found it to be right on the edge of saving money for that 1 trip but it really depends on what your doing, where your eating, how many are with you, what discount you needed for everyone else to have a good ticket price (if your not getting ap for everyone) and how much stuff you buy that would get a discount.

Gotcha
Thank you for your advice

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

lol......well i called Disney
they said i am WAYYYYYYYYY TO EARLY to even think about the savings for oct. 2016
they generally don't come out till july
he even told me to watch out for fall deals to because the fall deals may work out better then an AP.

so now i have to sit and wait lol

thank you for your help!

smiths02 · Sep 17, 2015

If you are only taking one 5 day trip within that 365 days of activation, it will be very difficult for it to make sense unless it gets you a big room discount that is not offered to Disney Visa holders or the general public.

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

smiths02 said:
If you are only taking one 5 day trip within that 365 days of activation, it will be very difficult for it to make sense unless it gets you a big room discount that is not offered to Disney Visa holders or the general public.

well i was thinking if i can convince my husband lol we would go in august of 2017 since our next trip is oct. 2016
beside i called disney and i am way toooooo early to think about discounts on ap's or on any fall discounts, lol
i am jumping the gun lol

smiths02 · Sep 17, 2015

pixeemom said:
well i was thinking if i can convince my husband lol we would go in august of 2017 since our next trip is oct. 2016
beside i called disney and i am way toooooo early to think about discounts on ap's or on any fall discounts, lol
i am jumping the gun lol

We had a June 2015 vacation, and I just bought a package with room and tickets. A Disney Visa (and then general public) discount came out. Our TA applied that. Then, I waited to see what our money situation was and talked my DH into planning a June 2016 vacation, so while on vacation, we upgraded to AP and bought TiW. Now we have a Feb short adult only vacation AND the June 2016 planned.
Anyhow, you can always wait until you get there to upgrade your ticket to the AP.

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

smiths02 said:
We had a June 2015 vacation, and I just bought a package with room and tickets. A Disney Visa (and then general public) discount came out. Our TA applied that. Then, I waited to see what our money situation was and talked my DH into planning a June 2016 vacation, so while on vacation, we upgraded to AP and bought TiW. Now we have a Feb short adult only vacation AND the June 2016 planned.
Anyhow, you can always wait until you get there to upgrade your ticket to the AP.

ahhhhhhhh good point thank you thank you, did not realize that.....here's a stupid question, do you get an AP sticker??? lol

smiths02 · Sep 17, 2015

pixeemom said:
ahhhhhhhh good point thank you thank you, did not realize that.....here's a stupid question, do you get an AP sticker??? lol

My DH got a car magnet. I'm kind of upset that me, DH, and DS bought APs but only he seems to get the mailings. We also got another set of FP that have a cool AP slider. But we got all of this after we returned from vacation.

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

smiths02 said:
My DH got a car magnet. I'm kind of upset that me, DH, and DS bought APs but only he seems to get the mailings. We also got another set of FP that have a cool AP slider. But we got all of this after we returned from vacation.

thank you!! its the little things that make me happy, i was hoping we can be dvc members but that doesn't look like it will happen oh well

smiths02 · Sep 17, 2015

another set of Magic Bands not FP...ugh

pixeemom · Sep 17, 2015

smiths02 said:
We had a June 2015 vacation, and I just bought a package with room and tickets. A Disney Visa (and then general public) discount came out. Our TA applied that. Then, I waited to see what our money situation was and talked my DH into planning a June 2016 vacation, so while on vacation, we upgraded to AP and bought TiW. Now we have a Feb short adult only vacation AND the June 2016 planned.
Anyhow, you can always wait until you get there to upgrade your ticket to the AP.

stupid question but the day you buy the AP is the day it goes into effect right? or is it when you first book your trip? kwim?
you where there in june 2015 and you upgraded to AP so your going in June 2016 so when did the AP's go in effect? for your Feb. 2016 trip? i hope i am not confusing you lol you can private message me if thats easier

Walt4ever · Oct 8, 2015

The first day you use your AP is when it goes into affect, not when you buy it. As for the original question, only 1 guest would need the AP to get the AP hotel discount. 2 rooms for 6 days at POFQ, might give you around $360 in hotel savings if there are AP discounted rooms available for your stay. You'd have to do the math, but if the difference in cost from a 5 day parkhopper and an AP is less than $360, it would be worth getting yourself one. Then the 10% off on merchandise (you'd have to be the one doing all the buying) would be bonus. If you have already booked the rooms, not sure if you can retroactively get the discount.

If you typically visit once a year, APs could still make financial sense. We got our first ones a year that the Mardi Gras holiday fell late, and the following year it was going to be early. We could work both trips into the same 365 day window. Spring breaks work that way too, if that's when you usually visit. Combine a late with an early, and you've got 2 5 days visits.

pixeemom · Oct 8, 2015

Walt4ever said:
The first day you use your AP is when it goes into affect, not when you buy it. As for the original question, only 1 guest would need the AP to get the AP hotel discount. 2 rooms for 6 days at POFQ, might give you around $360 in hotel savings if there are AP discounted rooms available for your stay. You'd have to do the math, but if the difference in cost from a 5 day parkhopper and an AP is less than $360, it would be worth getting yourself one. Then the 10% off on merchandise (you'd have to be the one doing all the buying) would be bonus. If you have already booked the rooms, not sure if you can retroactively get the discount.

If you typically visit once a year, APs could still make financial sense. We got our first ones a year that the Mardi Gras holiday fell late, and the following year it was going to be early. We could work both trips into the same 365 day window. Spring breaks work that way too, if that's when you usually visit. Combine a late with an early, and you've got 2 5 days visits.

ok so correctly me if i am wrong, and I def. would have to do the math, I don't need AP's for my whole family? I can just buy 1 AP and then everyone can be under my name for a ressie? is that sorta what your saying? mathematically if it works out cheapest right

Walt4ever · Oct 8, 2015

Correct. Annual Passholders can book up to 3 rooms. The rest of your party would obviously need tickets to get into the park, but only one member of the party (the one making the reservation) needs to have an AP to book a room at the AP discount rate. You might have to do your reservation over the phone as your MDE account needs the annual pass to be linked before you can make a AP ressie, and you might not have the necessary info until you actually pick up your AP on your visit. You would need to show them your AP or AP voucher when you checked in, but that's it really.

DisMommyTX · Oct 8, 2015

Since we upgraded to AP'S last summer, I have booked 3 separate trips to Disney and fully priced out two others on alternate dates. Not once was I able to find an AP discount for any of the dates and resorts we wanted (and we were pretty open). These ranged from 3 weeks to 9 months out. The one time I did find a resort on the dates we wanted, Orbitz had the same room for 15% less. Do NOT buy an AP for the purpose of getting resort discounts. If you have an AP and come across a discount that works for you, consider it a bonus.

pixeemom · Oct 9, 2015

DisMommyTX said:
Since we upgraded to AP'S last summer, I have booked 3 separate trips to Disney and fully priced out two others on alternate dates. Not once was I able to find an AP discount for any of the dates and resorts we wanted (and we were pretty open). These ranged from 3 weeks to 9 months out. The one time I did find a resort on the dates we wanted, Orbitz had the same room for 15% less. Do NOT buy an AP for the purpose of getting resort discounts. If you have an AP and come across a discount that works for you, consider it a bonus.

ahh gotcha thank you for your input

Accident · Oct 9, 2015

Walt4ever said:
The first day you use your AP is when it goes into affect, not when you buy it.

This is incorrect. You either get a voucher and the day you go to guest relations to activate it is your renewal date or if you somehow buy one activated right away, it's the purchase date. Once you buy the AP you do have access to all discounts to book a trip before the AP itself is activated.

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