Annual pass strategy

[Reginak]

Has anyone tried this annual pass strategy?

When renewal time comes up, I am planning to only renew one. On our next trip, buy the other passes and when their renewal time is up only renew one of those. I figure that in this manner I can stagger the renewal dates throughout the year so my pocketbook isn't hit as hard at renewal time (three passes at once - ouch!!!) and I still will get the renewal discounts.

I would have just bought them each at different times throughout the year originally, but I seem to remember that they aren't effective until they are activated at the front gate of one of the parks.

Thanks a lot,

Regina

 

[Pa@okw95]

Reginak--bad news-A few years back they changed the renewal policy. The renewals are now effective on the date of the anniversary of your AP, not like it used to be when you first used them then the one year count-down starts. When you renew you will get the discount but the one year count-down starts right at the end of your previous one. Sounds crazy but it is true. So unless you are going to use your AP close to the time of the renewal it really does not make much sense to renew. What a lot of DVC people do is buy there AP the first day they go to the parks and make reservations again for the same year, so you can use your AP more then one trip in the same AP year.

 

[drusba]

Unlike new AP's, a renewal takes effect on the same day as the prior pass expires(not when you first use the renewal pass) and you must renew by your anniversary date to get the renewal discount. Thus to do what you suggest means you would have to buy a new AP at new AP price for that suggested renewal of the second and third pass.

 

[lenshanem]

I bet it was nice when you could renew and activate for a later trip. We're going a bunch this use year - June, July, February and then in April to make the most of our APs. Then we're taking some time off. We'll probably use this strategy again, but after we try out VB, HH and the DCL.

 

[tjkraz]

The approach we took was to look at our vacation schedule and figure out if there are "dead" times where we would wasting money by even renewing. The renewal rate gives you about 2 months "free" via the discounted pricing. However, if a pass comes up for renewal in January and you don't plan to visit again until May, why bother renewing? You'd probably be better off letting the pass lapse and then paying full price for a pass that would give you a year starting in May.

We're planning three trips under the set of APs that will be activated this coming May, and then we definitely won't renew because it will likely be the better part of a year before we go back again.

 

[DebbieB]

We go twice a year but get at least 3 trips out of each AP by planning our trip the next year a week earlier before it expires. That way we only have to buy them about every 18 months.

Example:

May 10 to 17 2003, buy new AP eff May 10.
Dec 6 to 13, 2003
May 2 to 7, 2004, AP expires May 10
Dec 4 to 10, 2004, buy new AP eff Dec 4

 

[GILTPRDSDM]

For years We would go to WDW in March. One year the second 10 days in March. The next year the first 10 days. That way I would get two March trips and a December trip off one year of renewals. Then it happened,they changed the policy. The renews all start at the same time every year. If U don't renew by a certain date you wouldn't get the lower renew rate.