Annual Pass, an enhancer or detractor to the DVC experience?

[Geyser Gazer]

Part of what we love about DVC is just hanging out and exploring the resorts as well as other non park attractions. Do you think an annual pass enhances your vacation by adding flexibility or detracts by putting on added pressure to focus on the parks?

 

[KimOhio]

1st year as DVC members 1998 bought annual passes next 3 visits power vacation have to get to every park see everything when they expired we did not renew next 6 trips bought 1 day passes nice and relaxed vacation checked out all the resort pools really nice this time 7-1 bought annual again was I on vacation because I felt like I needed another one when I got home LOL already planning which parks to hit in Oct

 

[GCM13]

I think annual passes make us relax more because we know we can come back. If the lines are too long, we skip them. If we don't do much, it doesn't bother us. If we bought one day passes, then we would feel like we have to get our money's worth and probably try to spend most of the day at the park. Our annual passes expired in May, so our trip to BCV a couple weeks ago was intended to be just a no parks trip. Well, we couldn't do it. With two full days left, we bought 5 day park hoppers. We didn't want to buy the one day passes since we didn't feel like we'd get our money's worth (we have to take afternoon naps). Once we bought the passes, I was back to planning our strategy for the rest of the trip. It was at that point that I truly felt like I was at WDW!

 

[jdpk]

We are planning to get APs for our October trip home to BCV. I think this will add to the feeling that we can do what ever we want whenever we want. Of course it doesn't hurt that we have firm plans to return in June, '03 (wife has convention in Orlando), or that we have tentativley planned a studio/BWV then on to VB trip in September '03. I think we will 'get our money's worth'!!!!!

Cheers,

JDPK BCV June 2002

 

[Laurabearz]

For us the APs took off a lot of pressure.... We feel like we can come and go as we please.... somedays only spending 2 hours at the parks and we dont feel like we are BLOWing a whole day on our Hopper....

I should also note that we will have used overs 15 days on it, before all is said and done. Most of those days will be short 1 or 2 hour trips to the park.... We love to pop into AK and see Lion King, Eat at Rainforrest then head back to hotel.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Without a doubt it enhances our trip. We try and plan our Disney trips so that we get the most out of our AP. Our next two trips will be covered by the ones we purchased last February. We won't need to purchase a new on until New Year's 04.

HBC

 

[DebbieB]

I've had one since 1998. I get 3 or 4 trips out of each one (20 to 25 days), it doesn't make sense to do anything else. I plan our 2 trips a year so that we get 3 trips out of one pass. For example, second week of December this year, first week of May next year, first week of December next year right before it expires. Then I sometimes throw in a long weekend in February or March with friends.

I can't imagine having a park hopper and worrying if we should use a day or not for example by going to the outlets during the day and to a park at night. We usually arrive mid-afternoon on a Saturday, go grocery shopping and go to MK just for Spectromagic/fireworks because that is the only night while we are there. It would kill me to use a day on a parkhopper for that.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I could not go without our PAP.

It is complete freedom to be able to run into EPCOT for an hour to get that gift you saw the other day.

I look at it as an annual expense, and I don't complicate it with a lot of math to see if I'm making a good financial decision. Of course, before DVC, the deals on Disney hotels were great.

Have Fun!

 

[Love Tigger]

In the past, DH & I have always bought 5-7 day hopper passes, but felt that we had to make the most of every day we spent in the parks. We could only have dinner in a park if we had spent some time in the parks that day. For our upcoming trip in November, I've gotten us APs. We'll use them for our trip next May also. Since we'll be staying at BVC & BWV for these two trips, we'll be able to pop into EPCOT for lunch or dinner even if we don't do a park that day without feeling like we spent an extra $50 per person on the meal.

 

[slc224]

I also feel the APs take the pressure off. With the AP you do not worry about hanging out at the resort (OKW ) all day and then going to a park after 6:00 pm or so to catch the fireworks, etc. With a park hopper you would have just wasted a whole day.

 

[BounceyOne]

We love our AP's. We agree with all the positive comments made above.
The fabulous discounts on hotel rooms always add an extra night or two to our trip! We usually book a room for the first 2 nights before moving on to our DVC resort. This way we get to explore all WDW has to offer.

GO for it

 

[BounceyOne]

sorry, double post.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

APs give more flexibility. As others have posted, you don't have to worry about blowing your park passes on a half day. If you get tired at a park, just go back "home" and relax. You can always go back whenever you want to.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I got an AP in December to get a good room rate for a 3 day weekend, but got APs this last trip for DH and the 3 kids. So next July (when we go a week EARLIER) we will only need a hopper for me. We went to the parks 9 of 10 days, so if we use them 4 days they get 13 days out of them. I got 12 days out of mine! I wish we lived closer!
The only downside compared to UHP passes was that to go to TL, we paid $130 (3 adults, 2 kids with DVC 10% discount). But we only went once, and we don't go to water parks enough to justify PAPs. Paying for TL tickets was cheaper. And TL is great!
Robin M.

 

[ceejay13]

I can't imagine buying anything else after having our AP's the last 3 years. The flexibility and discounts are worth every penny. We, too, sometimes just go in the park for a meal for a couple of hours and never feel we have to do the commando touring. As a DVC members who usually get two visits out of a pass, they are actually more economical than getting the hopper passes.

Also, for any of you who may visit DL you might check into AP's there. We usually go to California yearly for business and visit DL for 4 or 5 days as an extension to our trip. The last 2 years we have purchased AP's there, as well. What we saved on rooms alone was well worth the purchase price. In addition, this year they sent a 20% off coupon for each pass that can be used in almost any of the shops both in the parks and at DD. For us, we usually spend a lot of money at both the World of Disney and occasionally find something collectible at the gallery. Those coupons were a God send.

 

[baileybrad]

as long as you are getting multiple stays out of your AP thus bringing down your park daily visit costs...enhancer. But if one isn't doing this why would you pay for an AP to begin with. Obviously, if you choose to pay for a park visit by going a day at a time or buying a 4 or 5 day pass, then, that is where I would really feel the need to stay in the park longer thus taking away the resort time enjoyment that you are talking about relishing.

 

[PamOKW]

One result of the "free" pass program DVC offered early on is that I am completely spoiled. As Maistre Gracey said, I need to feel free to come and go throughout WDW at will.

I really don't make that much use of the water parks so I think I'll bump down to the AP vs. the PAP. I might look into the PI annual pass.

I like the idea of thinking of the pass as just part of the annual expense of my vacation. My WDW trips are almost always at least 7 days or more so the AP does make the most sense. I don't "have" to go to a park every day but I like the flexibility to grab a bite at Epcot. If I primarily stayed at BWV/BCV I'd consider it a necessity to get in and out of Epcot for fish & chips and French pastries.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I have 150 points so the hotel discounts are an incentive to me to get the pass. That said I won't be renewing because I bought an annual pass to...Universal!!! My trips next year will take me there... The year after that...who knows...if my finances are good enough to get me to DWorld multiple times I will definitely get another AP. At the same time I love the Hoppers!!! I have the discipline to plan my trips to get the most out of Hoppers...plus it encourages me to relax altogether on a non-park/waterpark day.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

AP's definitely enhance our WDW experience, especially since we have young kids.

We basically just do the parks in the morning for about 2 hours and when the kids get tired we head back. Afternoons are filled with other activities like swimming, etc. Sometimes, we head back later in the day to catch the fireworks, etc., but DD was scared of the noise last trip and we are usually pretty tired & lazy by then! If we were using PH, we wouldn't go into the parks on those days. What! $50/pp to ride Dumbo 2x's and the Carousel 4x's?!!!

DH & I bought AP for our trip last Nov/Dec. Older DD was under 3 at that time. I took her down (left baby with Grandma & DH) again to meet up with cousins for a few days in March. Our family of 4 are going for 13 days in September.

We were originally going to skip next year and plan a big trip in 1/2004 to start up our AP cycles again. But then I have to buy an AP for my 3 1/2 year old DD this trip. She's tall for her age. No way was I going to try to pass her off as under 3 as many have suggested. (For 13 days!!! ) Even if the CM's let me, I would be too nervous to enjoy my trip. So, my DH o'kayed a quick trip next May - because 16 months between trips seem too long and DD will already have the AP.

So, we may only go to the parks 2 days next May to use up leftover PH from before we started buying AP's. Or maybe we'll just wind up getting AP's again since we are going again the following January. This way we can go into the parks everyday in May. Not sure what we're going to do yet. It would just be nice if all our AP's start & expire together instead of overlapping. Ahhh,... but my 15 month DD will be 3 soon enough!

Another great thing about AP's that enhance our DVC experience is that last minute, spur of the moment trips are a great possibility. There's nothing like finding cheap airfare ($110/pp rd.trip LGA-MCO) for planning a last minute Disney trip. Admission and accommodations are prepaid so we only have to worry about transportation & food.

3 of my TOP TEN things I would hate to live without - my TIVO, my DVC, & my AP!!!