12 Day Stay - Ticket Options

[maddiezoots]

Good morning! We are going for 12 days in January. We plan on going to the parks every day we are there, including the day we arrive and depart. I know they only allow you to buy parkhoppers for 10 days now. We don't want to be stuck buying a 10 day and a 2 day ticket, because it just isn't worth the extra cost for a two day ticket. We don't go more than once a year, so AP's are out. Is there really no way around buying a 10 day and a 2 day ticket? I would hate to have to shorten the stay, but we may if we can't make this work. It will be Jan 7-18, so it would probably be too cold for the water parks, and we have no interest in golf! Any other options for us?

From the website for our stay - 10 day ticket w/tax is $604.77, 2 Day is $332.85 or a 2 day Base is $258.30. AP $1191.74

Thanks!

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I would just not go to the parks on 2 of those days and plan to hang around my resort, visit other resorts, or visit Disney Springs.

 

[stewart715]

Since you are going in January, the AP break even point will be more than 12 days. Through Undercover Tourist, a 10 day park hopper and a 2 day park hopper is $849.66 after tax.

 

[Jo-Anne]

I agree, 10 day park hopper - i find four days in a row exhausting LOL - but love a couple of down days - swim, disney springs, outlet shopping!! Enjoy!

 

[stewart715]

I would likely do the 10 day as well, but definitely purchase from Undercover Tourist.

 

[Robo]

Start with the 10-day. If you decide you DO want more time, you can buy an additional 1-day or 2-day ticket while you are there.

 

[DWillowBay]

I'd do some math on the AP, if you're committed to the 12 days. It will be less expensive to buy the AP than to buy a 10-d and then add a 2-d. I understand that you won't be in the parks more than 1x /year, but if it's less expensive, it's worth considering.

 

[mamamelody2]

I would just buy the 10 day tickets. Maybe have arrival and departure days as non-park days. Swim, Disney Springs, another local attraction? Also, they may do a Disney After Hours event while you're there, and you could buy those tickets for an evening instead of a day ticket.

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

Personally I'd go with the 10 park day option, but i'd still get an AP for one person in my party. All of the discounts it gets you over a 10 day period can easily add up to the cost difference or more.

 

[maddiezoots]

Thank you for all of your replies. While I think we could manage a 1/2 day of staying at the resort, I know my kids will be completely bored by evening and want to go to the parks. Are there any tours that have park admission included? I've looked at mostly everything and they all require admission to the park to attend. An after hours ticket may work also, but thats if they continue that into next year.

 

[GillianP1301]

I had the same issue with my 11 day trip and wanted a park ticket for each day. I ended up just getting the 10 day ticket and planning a resort day (fishing excursion and poolside cabana) on a day where I have an After Hours ticket in the evening.

If you can get After Hours, that is a good option. It still leaves full days open though. What about other area attractions? Although if you are doing that, the cost would be the same just to add a 2 day ticket. Honestly, with pool time not being an option and needing to fill 2 more days, I would probably just suck it up and buy the 2 day tickets. My family is like yours, we are not the type who can sit around all day at the resort without at least something else of an activity planned, we are go go go types.

 

[Kerriowl]

How old are the kids? We sent our boys 7 and 9 on the pirate adventure a few years ago. You could also Pirate and Pals for the fireworks at MK, no park admission required. If you need parks every day, you might also look into the other parks in Orlando. Since you would be purchasing an extra two day pass anyway, maybe do Universal instead those two days?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I would just plan 10 days in the parks, then have 2 days where you sleep in, go to Disney Springs, and do activities at the resort or other resorts. You don't say how old your kids are. There are several things at Fort Wilderness they might enjoy if they are the right ages. The archery experience, rent a canoe, or Chip n Dales campfire come to mind. Schedule a character meal at a resort. Rent a surrey bike at the Boardwalk or Port Orleans resort.

 

[AJT607]

Let me start by saying, we are 100% Disney people... we don't love Universal (or even really like it that much). That being said, we have an upcoming trip similar to yours and we are currently debating whether to start an AP year or go to Universal for two days. I think we are going to end up going to Universal for two of the days... it is a nice change of pace to see something different.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

Of course, math crunching the ticket options is the simple option to meet your 12 days, but I agree that looking at other ideas is worth considering. For example:

You said you are including “day of arrival and day of departure”. How late will you arrive, and how early will you depart? If it’s only a few hours each way, then maybe a character meal at a resort on the way home, and fireworks on the Poly beach on arrival night. Now you only need 10 days.

Or, consider Universal or Sea World for two days.

Or, add the water parks option to your 10 day ticket. Even in January, you will usually get a few warm days, and a day or two at a water park will still feel like Disney.

Or, plan an event like Hoop De Doo to keep a resort day fresh.

I understand not wanting to sit around the resort all day, especially with kids. But I think there are a lot of other options to consider. Of course, you can still just plan for 12 days in the park. That’s the joy of a place like WDW.

 

[maddiezoots]

Kids are 20, 18, and 14, so most of those activities would not work for us anymore! They just want to be busy all the time. We will be at Riviera for the first half, and then Bay Lake Tower for the rest.

 

[maddiezoots]

Universal is a good option with a comparable price to the extra two day ticket. My kids have never been either. Definitely will consider this!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We also like to go to a park everyday. I learned my lesson in 2015 when my kids were 9 and 15. Got some TA tickets for our 10 day trip. I could only get 8 day hoppers with them so I went for it thinking we would need some downtime since this was our longest trip yet. The "resort" day was fun but by 5 pm the kids were over it. I'm not a big shopping person and I have tons of malls here in NJ so we don't do DS. My kids would be bored there too.

For all future trips I make sure we have a park day each day. We don't go all day but we may just stop into a park around 5-6 pm and do our 3 FP+. It's so worth it with FP+ now.

If I was in your situation I would either do Universal or add on WPM and do each of the water parks if they are open.

 

[No.1000]

IF you did AP, you could plan next year's trip a few weeks earlier and get 2 trips in one year. Don't forget your discounts and photos add up.

 

[gtpoohbear]

Definitely consider Universal! My kids like it better than Disney, and since it won't change the cost much, it's a perfect opportunity to try it out this time!