Annual Pass - When is it worth it?

[cassi06403]

Not sure if I'm posting this in the right spot - sometimes it's so hard to figure out where to post different things...

I notice a lot of you buy the annual pass. So I went out to do some research of my own!

Annual pass = $415.
One Day Park Hopper = $103

So first I thought - if you are spending 4 days or more in the parks in a year it totally pays for itself. But then I noticed:

10 Day Park Hopper = $242.

And THEN I noticed:

10 Day NO EXPIRATION = $377 - still less than the AP.

So does that mean the AP only pays for itself if you spend more than 10 days in the parks in one year??

What's your reasoning for buying the AP?

Thanks!

 

[loriandmatt]

with the old tickets (before MYW and it's base ticket option) the break even point was 8 days. if you were going to be at WDW for 8 or more days in a 365 day period it payed to get the APs. PAPs had a different break off point, but i am not sure about that as we never went the PAP route.

with the new tickets (and all the options) it is harder to do the math. for us the AP's are still the way to go because:

we generally go at least once per year and each trip is generally 7-10 days. the first trip on new APs we activate our passes (say we activated then on Sept 28th for example - as we did last year), the next year we schedule our trip so that it ends before Sept 28th so our passes are good for that full trip. It is almost like getting in for free.

we don't do the water parks or other (plus features) often, maybe once ever other trip - or not even that, so we wouldn't be buying passes with pluses anyway (if we were buying MYW tickets)

for us, hopping is a priority, so if we were buying MYW tix, we would have to buy the options package that included hopping - that is a pricey option. APs allow us to hop to our hearts delight with no extra charge.

for us, mathmatically it still makes good money logic to buy the APs. perhaps in few years it won't but for now it still does.

 

[100AcreWood]

Yes, exactly. If you visit more than 10 days in a year the AP is worth it. The advantages are the Disney dining experience card - you can buy it for $50 and receive 20% at most sit-down restaurants. You also get invited to AP only events. The disadvantage is you can't use the Disney dining plan or get free dining since you have to buy a package with tickets. Also if you like staying on site some AP holders complain about the deals Disney gives to AP holders and some think they're awesome. I guess it depends on what you're looking for.

Have fun!

 

[jjbescher]

We have gotten the AP a couple of times and both times we saved money. Also being DVC members, the MYW does not apply to us. We like the AP because it gives some discounts at some of the places and since we probably go down twice a year it saves us money. We also like to Park Hop so we would have to add the Park Hopper option.

This upcoming trip we are getting the PAP because we are staying right by Downtown Disney and plan on going to Disney Quest and plan on going to Typhoon Lagoon. Since both are included in the PAP it will also save money.

jon

 

[jjbescher]

Forgot to add that with the DVC discount, the # of days are less for us to make it break even.
jon

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Don't forget about the room savings, assuming they are available! In our case, AP room discounts were offered for our time period and resort level, and we're saving $100/night. Even though we only have this one trip planned over the next 12 months, for the 5 nights at the Poly, it's saving us $500. Got DH, DS and DD park tixs from undercover and I'll buy an AP for me.

 

[Jalva22]

I bought it for the room discount. 4 people in our party last year so I bought 3 6 day hoppers and 1 ap. the ap was roughly $200 higher than the hopper we would have bought, but i saved $100/night for each of 6 nights at a deluxe resort. so i was about $400 ahead.

 

[Lindy Loo]

Do you get free parking with an AP please?

 

[mill4023]

We bought one AP on our trip just for the discounts. We just got back from 2 weeks in Orlando. We spent 4 nights offsite, 6 nights at ASMo(2 rooms) and 4 nights at POR. We spent 7 days in Disney parks.
Here is what my AP saved us:
$292 at POR($122/night vs. $195/night)
$480 at ASMo($90/night vs. $122/night)
Probably $100-$150 from the Disney Dining Experience membership.

With that kind of savings, it was an easy decision. The fact that we will probably go back within a year is a bonus.

 

[jswalker1981]

It is worth it if you plan on going to four parks in three days, and then hope to return several more times in the future, especially when you quit your second job and then are able to have weekends off. Well, I hope this is right, because I'm doing it this coming weekend!

P.S. You do get free parking with an AP.

 

[skprmiss]

If you live in FL or plan on traveling at least 2.5-3 weeks that the pass pays for itself!!!! When I worked in the MK we went to the parks on our days off just to play - so if DH and I lived down there we would use the annual all the time.