Annual Pass advice

[TaraLovesDisney]

Apologies in advance if this is posted in the wrong area!

I need some advice from annual passholders. In my planning for next year I am strogly considering purchasing annual passes for my family. We usually stay up to 2 weeks and e like to split stay sometimes. Next years plan is a split between AKL and GF. My questions are:

Can I purchase the dining plan without purchasing tickets?

If I purchase an annual pass now or in a few months how do I book with it without activating it...can that be done and if so do you activate it when you arrive for your trip?

And speaking of booking, do you find the annual passholder discounts to be better than regular promotions. I've used free dining before but have found that % off discounts work better for us because we like to stay club level but who wants to pay full price for that!

What type of discounts for lodging do you typically find and are there a lot of blackouts?

Any other advice or information you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Ticketless packages can be booked by phone, for a room + dining plan, if you really feel like the dining plan is a good deal for you - but really crunch the numbers and look into Tables In Wonderland as an alternative. You won't be eligible for free dining promotions - those almost always require a ticket purchase.

If you buy an AP online, you get a certificate. When you activate that certificate at a ticket window, that begins your year's time period.

I've never used APs for room discounts so I can't tell you much about that.

 

[Happy_2_B]

TiW is a way better deal for us than the dining plan- as the 20% discount includes alcohol. My AP rate this Dec for AKL CL was almost $500.00 less than the same room on the GP Fall Promotion during the same days. I have seen on the resort boards that an AP will save you at least an additional 5% on rooms over the GP rates- but I cannot speak to that as a certainty- I can only tell you that we always do better at Deluxes on an AP Rate over an offer to the GP. AP rates are generally released last- so not all room types in all resorts will be available. There also might be an issue with the dining plan- as I think that is linked to MYW packages- so you wouldn't be able to do both the dining plan and an AP room rate- but again, I am not an expert on package rules so will let some one else field that.

 

[chris springer]

I purchased 2 APs over the phone early this month. While on the phone I received a code to link to MDE. I was instructed by the CM to bring the code, DVC ID and photo ID to guest relations/ticket window to activate the AP when we arrive in late October. At that point our AP is good for 1 year +1day. Not sure of the booking discounts, this is the first time for AP! As far as the DDP.....I am going to purchase TIW, I feel it is a better deal than DDP

 

[TaraLovesDisney]

Thanks! What is TIW?

 

[chris springer]

Tables in Wonderland, a discount card for restaurants throughout WDW. check it out..

http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

TIW is Tables In Wonderland. It's a food & beverage discount card you can purchase if you're an AP holder, DVC member, or Florida resident. Many people find it's a better deal than the dining plan, depending on how you eat/drink at WDW.

 

[BridgetR3]

You can use an unactivated (is that a word?) AP for your AP room discount. You will have access to those discounts once the AP is in your My Disney Experience which it will have to be in order to make fastpass reservations.

 

[Accident]

We just upgraded to AP and wish we did it sooner. I ran the numbers a few times comparing past trips with AP discounts I could have used. It appears if your doing about a 10 day stay, and take advantage of all the discounts including food instead of meal plan (and tables in wonderland if it makes sense) you break even so having 4 more days you should see a good savings.. Keep in mind to get the discounts, you just need the annual passholder with you and there is discounts on tickets also so you don't need everyone to have an AP.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

The discounts for an AP are not huge ($14 a night savings off a general public discount at AKL standard, $4 a ticket savings off MNSSHP tics, $8 savings at child center, etc.), but they slowly add up.

Merchandise discount of 10%, but many get that already with Disney Visa when they spend over $50.

For us what is really nice is not feeling guilty about wandering into a park for a couple of hours then leaving, and also having the park-hopper opportunities. I could never do that if I had paid $50-$150 per ticket per day.

We don't look at APs as a way to save money. In fact, since getting them, I have spent much more already because I keep booking return trips!

I look at it as getting the most value for my vacation dollar. And I certainly feel that APs help you do that.

 

[MarkinMA]

It's pretty easy to run the numbers for single stay tickets (regular ones) vs the AP. I think it's generally like 10 days or more between two trips in the year, an AP is the way to go. If you are doing a 14 day trip - which costs more...the 14 day ticket or the AP?

That said, the perks of the AP are nice, but the trick it to remember them. I can't count how many times I forget a discount, or even forget to ask...I've gotten better, but if you are trying to factor in all those perks in price...don't, or at least build some 'oops' into your numbers (for the discounts).

The booking discounts can be good, but are generally around the same time as other promotions. However, they usually stick around a little longer, and don't require advance booking. I've booked a room discount the day before - where as a general discount wasn't available.

Like a previous poster said however - keep in mind...you may actually spend MORE with an AP - a lot more....its so easy to see a room discount for AP come out and think..."Hey, this is a great deal...and I don't need to buy tickets!" Or find cheap airfare AND a room discount with the AP...and you already have tickets...so it's really cheaper right?? I did this so much my first annual pass turned into a DVC membership...and then you even get discounted annual passes, and the cycle continues.

Tables in Wonderland is the best dining plan going...and it's another 'perk' of the AP. I say 'perk' because you pay for it as well...but mine paid off after a large family gathering at Ohana in one night. Much better than dealing with dining credits and all - just simple 20% off the bill...no fuss.

So if the numbers fit - and you're ready to take multiple trips to get the good deals (hey - you have park tickets already...) then go for it and don't look back.

 

[Dannek]

The things that I like most about the full Annual Pass are as follows:

1. Reduced rate for Florida Residents with the ability to pay using a monthly payment plan.

2. No blackout dates. (full annual pass, not seasonal annual pass)

3. Usually an additional 5% off of the general public room only discount. Availability may vary, as mentioned above, on certain resorts and room catagories as AP discounts are usually released last.

4. Discounts on merchandise, food (not all locations), party's, and most tours offered.

5. Free parking at the parks.

6. Access to special passholder only events, which is great if you are a local.


If you consider the Tables in Wonderland card as well, keep in mind that an additional benefit of the card is free valet parking at any resort that you are eating at. Rainy days/nights make it even more sweet..

 

[TaraLovesDisney]

Thanks Everybody! It's funny, most of you mentioned about actually spending more by making more visits...I'm actually planning 3 visits now!
I'm mulling over the TIW, though. We do deluxe dining because we love appetizers and we do at least 2 sit down meals a day. That said the dxdp probably still makes sense for us. There's probably no HUGE savings in any of this but for me it's more about convenience. Even the passes will get me some points buying them with my Disney visa.

 

[basketlacey]

We have APs for the second time right now. Last go round (a little over a year ago) I felt like there was more availability with AP discounts. That could be just difference in timing of our trips though. My advice is not to get the AP for the discount. Get it if it is the better ticket option. And like others have said, be prepared to book more trips! My AP burns a hole in my pocket!

 

[dkrauss]

The discounts for an AP are not huge ($14 a night savings off a general public discount at AKL standard, $4 a ticket savings off MNSSHP tics, $8 savings at child center, etc.), but they slowly add up.

Merchandise discount of 10%, but many get that already with Disney Visa when they spend over $50.

For us what is really nice is not feeling guilty about wandering into a park for a couple of hours then leaving, and also having the park-hopper opportunities. I could never do that if I had paid $50-$150 per ticket per day.

We don't look at APs as a way to save money. In fact, since getting them, I have spent much more already because I keep booking return trips!

I look at it as getting the most value for my vacation dollar. And I certainly feel that APs help you do that.

My hope is to save money...........I guess we'll see (saving now for purchase in November 2016, for the 2017 the YEAR OF DISNEY ) but I've highlighted above the thing Disney loves about AP's

Doug

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

we are on our <gasp> 4th AP! Like others I wish we had done it earlier! If you make one trip a year but can play with the timing you can get a minimum of 2 trips out of one AP - example - buy the AP in late September for one year's trip then make your trip the next year in Early September - thus using your AP for both trips. Problem is it will call to you from the drawer "take a trip to Disney you have an AP"! We went from one or 2 trips per year to 3 or 4 per year - we're getting 4 trips out of this AP - January 2015, May 2015, September 2015 and January 2016. We have TiW and always book the AP room only discount. Also remember your AP has discounts at 'odd' places like Earl of Sandwich in Disney Springs and Giridelli (spelling?). It is worth it to look up the discount locations and keep them in mind. Only place I've found (so far) that doesn't give the merchandise AP discount is the shop in Japan (Epcot).

 

[eliza61]

Apologies in advance if this is posted in the wrong area!

I need some advice from annual passholders. In my planning for next year I am strogly considering purchasing annual passes for my family. We usually stay up to 2 weeks and e like to split stay sometimes. Next years plan is a split between AKL and GF. My questions are:

Can I purchase the dining plan without purchasing tickets?

If I purchase an annual pass now or in a few months how do I book with it without activating it...can that be done and if so do you activate it when you arrive for your trip?

And speaking of booking, do you find the annual passholder discounts to be better than regular promotions. I've used free dining before but have found that % off discounts work better for us because we like to stay club level but who wants to pay full price for that!

What type of discounts for lodging do you typically find and are there a lot of blackouts?

Any other advice or information you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

I find that my AP room discounts are great on Deluxe resorts but I don't think they are much more than what's offered to the GP. I only stay deluxe (I usually use my dvc points for long trips and use the ap discounts on short trips or girls only trips) so not sure how they stack up on other levels.

Never had any blackout dates.

As others have said, we use it for dining perks and merchandise discounts. adds up easily

 

[chris springer]

Thanks Everybody! It's funny, most of you mentioned about actually spending more by making more visits...I'm actually planning 3 visits now!
I'm mulling over the TIW, though. We do deluxe dining because we love appetizers and we do at least 2 sit down meals a day. That said the dxdp probably still makes sense for us. There's probably no HUGE savings in any of this but for me it's more about convenience. Even the passes will get me some points buying them with my Disney visa.

I have found that TIW will save my family between $70-200 when compare to OOP and DDP (not deluxe DDP because we would never use deluxe DDP). I have found a comparison tool on another website that allows you to plug in values of each plan (OOP, DDP, TIW, DxDDP) and look at savings.

 

[dkrauss]

Really looking forward to getting TIW...........think it can save us some cash...........because we love TS meals...........and we're adults so adult beverages are part of the deal too..........right

Doug