Annual Pass questions

[jimmiej]

DW & I visit WDW once or twice a year. Going for 8 days over Thanksgiving 2015. Never had an annual pass. When I did the math, it just didn't seem worth it. I understand the potential discounts, but still never pulled the trigger. Considering upgrading this trip (purchased 7-day base plus MVMCP), because we'll likely go for at least another week within 365 days.

If I upgrade, how does that affect our Magic Bands? Anything/nothing? Do AP holders get Magic Bands or cards? Slightly confused...

Thanks for you help.

 

[hakepb]

When you upgrade, your existing Magic Bands will work with the new AP

In addition, after becoming a pass holder, you can login and customize an additional set of bands to be sent to your home.

On your 2nd trip, you could use all 3 sets of bands (1st room, AP and 2nd room) for your room and AP.

 

[loves to dive]

You will also get a cute little slider to put on your MB that shows you are an AP holder. Absolutely no benefit from having it, you still have to carry around your physical card if you want to get discounts but it's cute. You can also buy the TIW card if you are an AP holder, if you spend $500 out of pocket for food during the course of 13 months normally, it might be something to look into. After $500 (the card costs $100) you starting seeing results from your 20% discount. It covers alcohol when other discounts don't.

 

[Drusilla99]

You will also get a cute little slider to put on your MB that shows you are an AP holder. Absolutely no benefit from having it, you still have to carry around your physical card if you want to get discounts but it's cute. You can also buy the TIW card if you are an AP holder, if you spend $500 out of pocket for food during the course of 13 months normally, it might be something to look into. After $500 (the card costs $100) you starting seeing results from your 20% discount. It covers alcohol when other discounts don't.

How do you get the AP slider? This is my 2nd year with the premier pass & I've never heard of that...would love to know.

 

[LumosQ102]

How do you get the AP slider? This is my 2nd year with the premier pass & I've never heard of that...would love to know.

when you order your AP magic bands, the slider(s) comes in the box with them.

 

[pmaurer74]

You can get AP rates on rooms too. We have done those twice this year because they were "last minute trips" being only a few months out. Also discounts on party events too. I think if you go for two week long trips you get use of them. Also the renewal rate is lower if you renew your APs too.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Some place I saw the math that you need to go 11 days to make the AP equal out. i figure once I get discounts on merchandise and there will probably be a ticket price increase I'm going to upgrade my package ticket to AP in Oct. Going back in March for another 5 nights.

 

[loves to dive]

I would not base the decision as to whether or not to get one on any discounts, they are an ever moving target. I have a trip coming up next week and the general room discounts available to everyone were much better than the AP discounts, I'm not even sure there was one. I have another trip I'm thinking about for December and again the general discounts are better. I have gotten AP discounts on occasion that were better than the general one but I wouldn't base the decision on that happening. The restaurants that offer the food discounts change so one trip there might be one that does and the next they may not. Having said that, I've saved a lot of money with mine but some of it was blind luck and some of it just took time. I based my decision strictly on how many days I knew I was going to need tickets for during the year and compared prices of buying them versus the AP. I always get park hoppers so that factored in. Yes, the renewal is $100 less than the first time you buy the tickets, but again you have to know how many days worth of tickets you are going to get in the upcoming year to see if it's worth it. I feel sorry when I go into shops because I go through the what discounts are offered dance, I am a member of AAA and have an AP so I normally get one somewhere.

 

[Happy_2_B]

I have another trip I'm thinking about for December and again the general discounts are better.

My AP rate at AKL CL this December for 9 nights is almost $500.00 less than the Fall Promotion. I don't know if it is across the board better at all hotels- but we usually stay at a deluxe, and the GP promo has never been better than the AP promo in my experience. AAA no longer has any significant discounts- I am pretty sure their 'preferred relationship' with Disney no longer exists- and has gone the way of AmEx's 'White Glove Treatment'- and other relationships Disney has had. Like you said, discounts are moving targets.

IMHO, you will want to base your AP decision on number of days in the park (10-11 minimum), as your bounce back offer in November will probably be as good- or better than- the AP rate depending on when you go back (you will obviously have to compare assuming an AP offer is out on your return trip). The TiW card pays for itself pretty fast if you drink alcohol and eat a few meals at nicer TS restaurants. The other discounts, although they are nice to have and add up to a decent chunk of change- aren't very good. As an example, we saved 7 dollars each on MVMCP tix- better than nothing, but there is no 'woohoo' factor there. Free parking if you are off site adds up, but we never stay off site.

 

[smiths02]

DW & I visit WDW once or twice a year. Going for 8 days over Thanksgiving 2015. Never had an annual pass. When I did the math, it just didn't seem worth it. I understand the potential discounts, but still never pulled the trigger. Considering upgrading this trip (purchased 7-day base plus MVMCP), because we'll likely go for at least another week within 365 days.

If I upgrade, how does that affect our Magic Bands? Anything/nothing? Do AP holders get Magic Bands or cards? Slightly confused...

Thanks for you help.

The other thing to consider is that only one of you needs the Annual Pass to buy TiW, qualify for discounts, free parking etc (as long as you are both together when you want the discount). So you can just upgrade 1 and play it by ear for the other one.
The other thing to consider is that some discounts that Disney has offered at certain times of year require a ticket purchase. Being only two people, I'm guessing that room discounts are the best for you anyhow, but Stay,Play and Dine as well as Free Dining have required a ticket purchase, so those would not be good deals if you already had an AP (unless you used the tickets later)

 

[DisneyMandC]

AAA no longer has any significant discounts

I'm glad someone else said this too. Everyone kept telling me to book with AAA before our last trip. When I priced it out, it was the exact same down to the penny as it was to book online. I don't know what the advantage to booking with AAA is.

 

[Drusilla99]

when you order your AP magic bands, the slider(s) comes in the box with them.

Thank you...I've always just used old bands or gotten the ones with the room. I just ordered my actual ap bands so I'm looking forward to my slider!

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

when you order your AP magic bands, the slider(s) comes in the box with them.

Wow...I'm calling Disney. December will be our second trip after upgrading in May to APs and going in September and we don't have a slider for being AP holders. I was just really glad I got the magnet for the car

 

[LATJLP]

I'm glad someone else said this too. Everyone kept telling me to book with AAA before our last trip. When I priced it out, it was the exact same down to the penny as it was to book online. I don't know what the advantage to booking with AAA is.

AAA and Disney parted ways at the beginning of 2015. Used to be that AAA offered a lot of nice perks....there used to be a AAA VIP lounge (I think it was in MK).....booking through AAA got you a parking pass, it wasn't free parking, but you got to park up near the Handicap Parking spaces so it was a nice perk to not have to deal with the tram.....AAA was one of the few places you could buy discounted park admission.....you got a goodie bag (changed often but things like stickers and keychains and luggage tags).

No clue why AAA is no longer around, but they're gone and I imagine most of the discounts through them would be gone as well.

 

[LATJLP]

Wow...I'm calling Disney. December will be our second trip after upgrading in May to APs and going in September and we don't have a slider for being AP holders. I was just really glad I got the magnet for the car

Look in your MDE and click on the Magic Band.....after I activated my AP the chance to choose an AP MB was there and it came with the year slider. Still have never gotten a magnet, so I'd rather have that then the MB I don't wear, lol.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Wow...I'm calling Disney. December will be our second trip after upgrading in May to APs and going in September and we don't have a slider for being AP holders. I was just really glad I got the magnet for the car

The slider only comes with your AP-related MBs, not any you're given on a complimentary basis for your resort stay. When did you upgrade? Did you check MDE for your MB order that comes complimentary with your AP?

Our AP bands came with the sliders and with the "gold" AP discount cards, but everything extra was placed under the MBs in the box. The AP boxes are also blue instead of the usual white.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thank you...I've always just used old bands or gotten the ones with the room. I just ordered my actual ap bands so I'm looking forward to my slider!

If they aren't obviously in the box, take the box apart. They slide down.

Wow...I'm calling Disney. December will be our second trip after upgrading in May to APs and going in September and we don't have a slider for being AP holders. I was just really glad I got the magnet for the car

Did you customize/order your AP MBs after your first trip with the APs? If so, did you look through the MB box thoroughly?

 

[DemonLlama]

To pile on . . . we're thinking of bridging our daughter's 7 DAY MYW with PH ticket when we are there in December to an AP for her (as her Christmas gift) since she's attending school in Florida and has already shelled out $$ for two visits to the MK since we moved her there 6 weeks ago!

Am I correct in understanding we would just have to use the 7 day once on the first day and then visit Guest Services to request and pay the difference in that and the cost of an AP?

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Did you customize/order your AP MBs after your first trip with the APs? If so, did you look through the MB box thoroughly?[/QUOTE]

We did for the September trip. I think we still have the box. I'll make sure and tear it apart and check more thoroughly when the next set arrives for our December trip. Thanks for the heads up.