Annual Pass advice?!

[pattipiek]

Hi I want to get an annual pass for the room discounts and restaurant discounts, but I cannot see what the discounts will be on the website without already having a pass (number). Does anyone know if purchasing an annual pass will save enough to justify? Thank you so much for your help!

 

[tassma]

It probably depends on how long you are going and when. For a limited time, AP holders get 20% off almost all the merchandise. The AP discount at restaurants isn't significant (I think it is about 10% when available), but you are eligible for a reduced Tables in Wonderland, which saves you 20% (but they add gratuity). We eat at least one table service a day with a party of eight and it saved us a bundle!

 

[pattipiek]

Thank you so much! I have been researching and researching for my trip, but there does not seem to be much info out there published about what an annual pass can actually do for you!

 

[GOLFDISNEY72]

The way I look at it if you go at least once a year for a week it is worth it. If you go the 2nd week in Nov then go the 1st week the following year. The discounts on the rooms are out there but it seems like you can find other room only codes also. This is the second year we got the annual pass and it is great for us. We get the tables in wonderland card and it pays for itself after a few meals.

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

Whether or not an AP pays off depends on many factors:

• how many days you visit the parks
• do you stay at values, mods, or deluxe resorts?
• do you golf or use the rental boats?
• how much merchandise do you buy?
• many other intangibles

Here is an example, using some past visits for us. When we stayed at Pop during free dining, you could not combine FD with any other offer. So, it took more days at the park to break even.

This year, we are taking advantage of AP room rates, 45% off deluxe stays, so it is paying off very quick.

Lastly, consider we bought our AP's last September, when they offered the 15 month promotion. Our May trip will be our third, totalling roughly 20 days of park visits. We will stay one or two more visits after that, before we renew our passes. By then, our APs will have paid off roughly 3 to 4 times the cost.

 

[jaydhelms]

I heard the guy who write the Unofficial Guide say that it depends on the type of resort you're staying at. For a deluxe it's about 5/6 nights. For a moderate it's 10/11, and for a value it's about 14...I think.
I know mousesavers.com has a page dedicated to the specific details of the currently available discounts for AP holders. You should be able to get a reliable, accurate answer using math for yourself from the numbers listed there.
I would recommend not taking the food discount into consideration in your first round of math to check and see what's worth it. Then add in the expected food discount numbers.
Either way, only one AP is needed per room rented, which you probably already know.