Busch Platinum Pass v. Super Grover

[bigmama67]

So we are planning to go to Florida in 2012 (everything-but-Disney) and 2013 (WDW for DD's 5th birthday)...hopefully! We would like to be able to go to Sea World and probably Busch and Aquatica on each trip.

I just crunched the numbers and it is actually LESS expensive to get the 2-year Platinum Pass for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, than it is to buy the Super Grover Passes for 2 years at the current 25% off discount...plus they will probably be more expensive next year and the PP price is stable.

We need 4 of these now. For Busch, the total would be $1319.96 and it would come out in 24 equal installments of $53.96 per month. Like Super Grover, this gets us free parking and 30% off meals/merchandise (including the Sea World luau!)

For Super Grover, the total would be $675 for this year and would probably go up next year (minimum would be $1350 for the two years). Additionally, to get the special pricing you can't do EZ Pay.

Granted, we have to activate the passes in Williamsburg (we will probably plan a trip for late May) but other than that, it seems to make much more sense. Am I missing something obvious here?

Thanks!

 

[swilshire]

I guess it depends on whether you really want to do parks for two years or only one. I find myself leaning toward trips to places with Busch Parks when I have the passes, like now. Also the scheduling could make a difference.

We bought four of the Busch Platinum passes in Williamsburg last July. I ordered one Super Grover pass so my daughter could join us in Orlando last week. We went to Sea World four times (once only to catch one show we'd missed) and twice drove over to Busch Gardens.

The Super Grover passes go through the whole season next year, so she sort of got this December at no extra cost. The Platinum passes run out two years to the day from first use. If you aren't doing any parks until May, you will only get seven months for your Grover pass.

I didn't try to use her pass for parking, but for all practical purposes, they treated her just like a Platinum member.

With Disney annual passes, we get them one year, then skip a few years.

Sheila

 

[momto2inKC]

Are you sure you get a 30% discount? We have 2 year platinum passes and the discount is 20% on tours and food/merchandise. We do get free parking at all the SW/BG parks, which is a nice perk too
Our 'home' park where we purchased our passes is SW San Antonio. We bought them last July and have already used them enough for entry and discounts to pay for them. We also did EZpay, which is nice since it breaks up the payments. Especially when you have to buy for your whole family.

 

[SandrA9810]

If you plan on visiting year after year, locking in on the EZ payment plan now will be much cheaper in the long run.

Once you've paid off the initial two years, you go on a month to month basis, until you cancel. There's some with passes bought in Florida at a $10-$15 a month rate, and continue to pay that. Meanwhile, the current platinum pass rate is about $24 per month.

If you live close enough by, it's easy to decide to go there for the day/weekend when you already have a pass handy.

 

[ilovemk76]

If you plan on visiting year after year, locking in on the EZ payment plan now will be much cheaper in the long run.

Once you've paid off the initial two years, you go on a month to month basis, until you cancel. There's some with passes bought in Florida at a $10-$15 a month rate, and continue to pay that. Meanwhile, the current platinum pass rate is about $24 per month.

If you live close enough by, it's easy to decide to go there for the day/weekend when you already have a pass handy.

We bought the platinum pass when it came out. We have FL. We pay $11/month for an adult pass. We visit every time we go to WDW. We do not have aquatica, since it was not open when the pass was activated. To add it we would have to go to the current price. It is cheaper to just buy the tickets if we want to go.

We get free preferred parking. Very nice when you arrive later in the day. We also get food and merchandise discounts. In addition we get reserved seating at all shows. They do check for passes and will ask those without to leave. It is nice to have a seat just out of the splash zone that is in the very center and not crowded. Plus we don't have to arrive as early. We also get to go up the sky ride for free. We love our passes.

 

[SandrA9810]

I had the four Florida parks pass. It was only $14 a month. We were given the upgrade option shortly after we got the passes, since Auquatica wasn't open yet. I think it was about $2 more to add it. Now that pass is $17 or $18 a month.

If I go back to Florida, I'll go take a visit to San Antonio first and pick up a platinum pass there. I do realize some perks are home park perks only. But the savings is much greater.

 

[momto2inKC]

The San Amtonio platinum 2 year are definitely cheaper than getting them in Orlando. We pay $12 a month for ours.

 

[borgthe]

I bought my tix at San Antonio, too. They are cheapest there. Just call and have them mailed. BTW, I only got 10 percent off food and such at Sea World and Busch Gardens.

 

[echip]

I bought my tix at San Antonio, too. They are cheapest there. Just call and have them mailed. BTW, I only got 10 percent off food and such at Sea World and Busch Gardens.

Good idea to have them mailed the ticket to you. But don't you have to activate it in San Antonio first?