18 Days in the parks in 2006, but can't see the AP value... am I wrong?

[Jen D]

For the first time I may actually have two week-long (actually 8 night, 9 day) trips planned for WDW next year. Once upon a time the conventional wisdom was that AP is the way to go, but I'm doing the breakdown and I'm just not seeing it.

For a breakdown on ticket cost alone, AP comes out ahead but not by a huge amount. For 2 adults and one child, the total for regular APs is $1200. The total on premium APs is $1411.

Then I look at 9 Day MYW tickets. A standard hopper for the three of us would be $690. 9 Days with water parks would be $834. A straight analysis shows that MYW tickets without water parks is $180 more and MYW with water parks is $257 more than PAP. But, for my purposes, I would be buying the water park option only for August, not for February, so my cost for MYW would be $1524. which is $113 more than the PAP.

So PAP still comes out ahead... but only slightly more. However, then there are the myriad drawbacks of doing AP.... frankly from where I sit they look like penalties for AP holders but I've never had an AP.... not able to book the dining plan, which I believe offers a great savings, for those who eat table service at least once a day (of course there is DDE but you have to buy into that.) Of course there are the AP room discounts, but then you have to put up with stiff BR policies. The one great thing I think they did for AP holders last year was to allow them to book discounted rooms up until 12/25. But other than that I have been more impressed with discounts and packages available to the general public. Of course you can't depend on anything, but since our second trip is tentatively planned for late August, I think we can expect some "dog days" (code: hurricane) discounts to appear for that period.

This is just the way I see it, maybe some of you AP fans can tell me if I am wrong.

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

of course there is DDE but you have to buy into that.

Cost of DDE to AP holders is $50, and only one person needs to purchase. You get 20% off at many restaurants.

You may also want to do any analysis where only one adult gets the AP for its benefits, and the others get MYW tickets. We are doing this for our December trip. (My son and I did a trip in June also)

Michael

 

[Jen D]

Actually, I just realized my figures for PAP were wrong... I was looking at renewal rates. The total for 2 adults 1 child would actually be $1565... which is actually more than 9 day Hopper + 9 Day hopper w/water parks ($1524.)

 

[lark]

There's even more to the analysis. It appears that many of the current package discount codes offer better savings than room only codes of BRP codes. If you have an AP, you really can't take advantage of these packages, because you don't need the MYW tickets.

I didn't explain that well, but you get the point. I'm kind of going through a similar thing right now -- conventional wisdom is that if you are planning to return, it's good to buy lengthy MYW never expire passes. But if you do that, you really can't take advantage of packages that require the passes in the future (unless you buy a one day pass as part of the package, I guess, or simply stick your unused MYW tickets in a drawer for a later trip).

 

[Jen D]

There's even more to the analysis. It appears that many of the current package discount codes offer better savings than room only codes of BRP codes. If you have an AP, you really can't take advantage of these packages, because you don't need the MYW tickets.

Exactly.

With the discounts available to the general public, the dining plan, and the new affordibility of long term multi-day MYW tickets (costs now are cheaper the more days you buy) I just don't see the AP as providing the value it once had.

 

[DemoBri1]

For a breakdown on ticket cost alone, AP comes out ahead but not by a huge amount. For 2 adults and one child, the total for regular APs is $1200. The total on premium APs is $1411.

Then I look at 9 Day MYW tickets. A standard hopper for the three of us would be $690. 9 Days with water parks would be $834.

I'm a bit confused by your post, so if I'm interpreting it incorrectly please let me know.

You're stating that the total cost for the three of you would be $1,200 for APs. You then go on to say that the 9 day MYW tickets would cost you $690. Doubling this would take you to $1380 for the two trips, which would be a savings of $180. Then put in the fact that if you're staying 8 nights at a Deluxe, with the BRP I believe it was 70$/night off rack rate, which is a savings of another $1120 (70 @ 8nights = 560 x 2 trips). So now you're at a savings of $1300. Now the 1120 might be a bit steep in room savings because we're comparing it to rack rates, but it might not be too far off.

Now add on $50 for the dining card, which will get me 20% off most if not all my meals. Say we have a dinner that averages 60/night and lunch that's 30, which would be the two meals you get on the dining plan. That's a total of 90 for the day taking the 20% off that would be roughly 72 a day x 8 (because you only get the meals for the amount of nights you're staying) this would equal $576 bringing me to a grand total of $1202 for the dining cost.

So it looks as though I'd still be saving roughly $100 in the long run with my APs, even though I couldn't take advantage of a package. Depending on what time of the year you go that savings can shrink or increase with the shrinking and increasing price of the room rate from season to season.

All in all I guess when it all comes down to it, it is relatively even either way you go.

 

[Jen D]

I'm a bit confused by your post, so if I'm interpreting it incorrectly please let me know.

You're stating that the total cost for the three of you would be $1,200 for APs. You then go on to say that the 9 day MYW tickets would cost you $690. Doubling this would take you to $1380 for the two trips, which would be a savings of $180. Then put in the fact that if you're staying 8 nights at a Deluxe, with the BRP I believe it was 70$/night off rack rate, which is a savings of another $1120 (70 @ 8nights = 560 x 2 trips). So now you're at a savings of $1300. Now the 1120 might be a bit steep in room savings because we're comparing it to rack rates, but it might not be too far off.

Now add on $50 for the dining card, which will get me 20% off most if not all my meals. Say we have a dinner that averages 60/night and lunch that's 30, which would be the two meals you get on the dining plan. That's a total of 90 for the day taking the 20% off that would be roughly 72 a day x 8 (because you only get the meals for the amount of nights you're staying) this would equal $576 bringing me to a grand total of $1202 for the dining cost.

So it looks as though I'd still be saving roughly $100 in the long run with my APs, even though I couldn't take advantage of a package. Depending on what time of the year you go that savings can shrink or increase with the shrinking and increasing price of the room rate from season to season.

All in all I guess when it all comes down to it, it is relatively even either way you go.

No, you've got it, thanks for the alternate analysis and particularly the analysis of the DDE. One thing that does appeal to me about the DDE is the fact that it can be used for alcohol. We don't drink much at home, but we are in the habit of ordering drinks or wine when we go out for dinner and that stuff of course adds up and is not included on the dining plan.

The room discount through AP is fine although general room discounts that appear are usually comparable.

Of course, the last couple days a new plan has seized my feverish little brain... take advantage of the new DVC promotion, buy into DVC, use the excellent DVC discount to get the APs, and for my second trip accomodations and are covered by DVC and I already have tickets.

Hmmm, only the DIS can you start the day hunting for a way to save a few bucks on a couple vacations and decide at the end of the day that plunking down $14-20,000 on a timeshare is the way to do it

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Hmmm, only the DIS can you start the day hunting for a way to save a few bucks on a couple vacations and decide at the end of the day that plunking down $14-20,000 on a timeshare is the way to do it

Very true!

I'm trying to decide on the APs as well. Thanks for your post and the other responses that broke things down, because I'm finding the costs about even as well!

 

[Hope73]

This is just our second time but I did a lot of searching and know e want the meal plan so it works better for us to do the package.