Annual Pass Trip Explosion

[DisneyRegulars]

Anyone else experiencing an annual pass trip explosion phenomenon? We bought the premium annual passes anticipating that we would activate them this September, and then use them again the following year a week earlier in September. Well since purchasing the passes they have sort of 'burned a hole in our pocket' and we now have the following 5 trips booked/or will be booking once the 11 month window arrives:

July 17-20th 2013: Anniversary Trip, Rented SSR points studio (activate annual passes)
September 21-28th 2013: Original Trip, DVC Points AKV Value 1BR
January 3-8th 2014: Grandparents wanted to go, Family Suite AoA
February 6-9th 2014: Post Disney Cruise, DVC Points AKV Value 1BR
July 9th-12th 2014: Anniversary Trip, (DVC Points planned AKV Value Studio)

I think part of this madness is an excessive amount of Southwest Miles that will allow us to fly for free for all these trips. Otherwise 5 trips to Florida would be insane. A tiny part of me thinks this is crazy, but the other 99% is crazy excited.

We bought into DVC about 2 years ago thinking that going every year may end up being too frequently. Ha! I don't know why or how it happens, but the more I go, the more I want to go back.

So anyone else have their annual pass cause trip creep?

 

[myxdvz]

Yup! We have

June 3-10: BCV/BWV Split Stay
Nov 24-28: Pre Cruise (Magic)
Dec 4-7: Post Cruise and MVMCP
April 1-5: Spring Break 2014

I want to do a MNSSHP as well, but I'm all out of points!

I wish I have enough SWA points coz this IS crazy We were lucky enough to have UR points to transfer to SWA to get our Nov tickets free. Still saving up points for our April Trip. Flying a family of 6 is $$$$!

 

[DisneyMama21]

We are just wrapping up our trip crazy year this June!

July 7-13 2012
Dec 26 2012-Jan 5th 2013
Mar 23-39 2013
June 23-29 2013

We just couldn't resist using our APs as much as possible!!

 

[mjc2003]

We made a trip last November 4th-11th as a last minute getaway from storm Sandy, and decided to buy the premium passes in anticipation of using them again this upcoming October. Well, after pricing out a few other vacations we decided to again make a last minute trip that we just returned from, 4/21-4/28 at BCV.
We go back October 18-27, again at BCV.

So we will have 23 days, and probably 20 park visits with the pass including two waterpark days. At least one trip was made because we had the passes.

For what it's worth, I was told by a little birdie that its better than 50/50 that the offer will be made again this year.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

This proves that Disney was smart to offer the $399 AP deal to DVC Members. People are booking more and more trips, and that means more $$$. Airfare is the killer for our family, but I could see us taking some smaller trips...maybe DD & I one time and then DH & DS another. Although, I have to admit if they offer the AP deal again, I will buy one and that will be me too. (We didn't buy DVC until Feb of this year, so couldn't take advantage of the deal, but I can see how it would lead to more and more trips.)

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Well, after pricing out a few other vacations we decided to again make a last minute trip that we just returned from, 4/21-4/28 at BCV.

This is exactly what happened to us, every time we priced out other trips it was always waaaaaay cheaper for us to go back to Disney, and since it's an easy fun vacation with a 3 year old it was a simple decision for us to plan more trips.

Sent from my phone using DISBoards Ap, please excuse any typos and autocorrect mistakes.

 

[brertoad]

This proves that Disney was smart to offer the $399 AP deal to DVC Members. People are booking more and more trips, and that means more $$$.

Bingo.

They should continue to offer the $399 PAP to DVC members, it's such a win-win for them. I keep reading about people planning additional and unexpected trips that weren't originally part of their vacation plans. Having the pass does seem to burn a hole in the pocket. It definitely effects us as well, we're Florida residents, DVC members, and PAP holders, we can't stay away from WDW. I'd rather eat at home/cook all week just so we can go to WDW once or twice a week.

 

[Lakeview]

Well add me to the party list. I had planned two trip one week in Feb 2013 and one week in April 2013, booked last year in 2012. Then I saw a deal on Airfare for Dec $100 round trip from Philadelphia. We had never been in Disney for XMAS so bingo I book it as well (4 day trip). I ordered up my tickets just before the December trip and got the good news about getting the PAP.

I just booked November (8 day) before my ticket runs out. Love this past year, it's been crazy fun. That's a total of 24 days on this years tickets. Now that was money well spent.

 

[disfanforlife]

I was only planning one trip for November so I didn't get the AP. But, now our plans have changed and for the first time we are going to to go twice! So, we are buying an AP when we go in November. I already have 6 day MYW tix - so I plan to use them until the last day and then convert to the AP. That way, I am hoping we might go again the next year a week earlier in November. But, if not, we are planning to go in March so we will have at least two trips out of it. I also just got a SW visa card since there was a promotion with some bonus miles. I booked our flight with the card and am saving the miles for the trip in march. Hopefully, I build up enough for four because we are bring our daughters on that trip! Do they ever have bonus purchase to enable you to get more SW points do you know?

 

[myxdvz]

I also just got a SW visa card since there was a promotion with some bonus miles. I booked our flight with the card and am saving the miles for the trip in march. Hopefully, I build up enough for four because we are bring our daughters on that trip! Do they ever have bonus purchase to enable you to get more SW points do you know?

Not sure which card you got. The premier one ($99 annual fee) has a 50,000 mile bonus. The regular one ($69 annual fee) only has 25,000 I believe.

If you also have Chase cards (Freedom, Sapphire, Sapphire Preferred, Ink Bold, Ink Plus), the last 3 offers 40,000 - 50,000 signup bonus points, you can transfer those to SWA. I've dropped my SW Premier CC after the first year and now concentrate on all our UR cards.

 

[disfanforlife]

Not sure which card you got. The premier one ($99 annual fee) has a 50,000 mile bonus. The regular one ($69 annual fee) only has 25,000 I believe.

If you also have Chase cards (Freedom, Sapphire, Sapphire Preferred, Ink Bold, Ink Plus), the last 3 offers 40,000 - 50,000 signup bonus points, you can transfer those to SWA. I've dropped my SW Premier CC after the first year and now concentrate on all our UR cards.

I got the one with the 50,000 mile bonus. The only other Chase card I have is the Disney Visa.

 

[disfanforlife]

Not sure which card you got. The premier one ($99 annual fee) has a 50,000 mile bonus. The regular one ($69 annual fee) only has 25,000 I believe.

If you also have Chase cards (Freedom, Sapphire, Sapphire Preferred, Ink Bold, Ink Plus), the last 3 offers 40,000 - 50,000 signup bonus points, you can transfer those to SWA. I've dropped my SW Premier CC after the first year and now concentrate on all our UR cards.

What is an UR card?

 

[luckyman_apd]

Got me. We bought them and planned a 3 day Christmas trip to do the MVMCP with the kids again, and activate the passes for next summer trip. Now we are considering using my father in laws military discount for 4 days at Carribean beach in August and getting 4 more days out of the pass. We are even considering renting points to a 2br at SSR instead go CBR.

 

[myxdvz]

I got the one with the 50,000 mile bonus. The only other Chase card I have is the Disney Visa.

What is an UR card?

UR is Ultimate Rewards - it's Chase's rewards points system. It's very flexible and can be transferred to partner programs (hotels, air miles, etc) immediately for a 1:1 ratio.

I still have my Disney VISA, but rarely use it unless I want to use a discount or the 6 month no payment plan.

Almost all Disney purchases earn 2% on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card (2% on Travel and Dining) so I use it instead.

 

[adminjedi]

YES! Although we are west-coasters, we prefer WDW. We added a Disneyland trip (Grandvilla at VGC) due to the PAP.

 

[myxdvz]

YES! Although we are west-coasters, we prefer WDW. We added a Disneyland trip (Grandvilla at VGC) due to the PAP.

The PAP doesn't work on DL though right. So you'd have to purchase separate tickets for DL.

 

[luckyman_apd]

The PAP doesn't work on DL though right. So you'd have to purchase separate tickets for DL.

Yes....it is not the PAP for DL....it's the premier pass that works for both. I hope the poster knows this....unless they offered something different for DL

 

[adminjedi]

The PAP doesn't work on DL though right. So you'd have to purchase separate tickets for DL.

All These Parks–and Perks–Included
A Disney Premier Passport grants you admission, with no blockout dates, to the following theme parks, water parks and special locations:

In California:
Disneyland Park
Disney California Adventure Park
In Florida:
Magic Kingdom theme park
Epcot theme park
Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park
Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park
Disney's Blizzard Beach water park
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park
DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park
ESPN Wide World of Sports® Complex (valid only on event days; some events require an additional admission charge)
Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course (greens fee only; tee time reservations are required and are subject to availability)

 

[lmjbrb]

We did not start our use of our DVC 399 passes yet .
We are doing BW 2 BR for W&F, BLT LVS for Thanksgiving and AKL C August 2014
Our Family is trying to decide one more. I will need to payout of pocket for the 4th trip. Hopefully a good AP discount will show up.

 

[myxdvz]

All These Parksand PerksIncluded
A Disney Premier Passport grants you admission, with no blockout dates, to the following theme parks, water parks and special locations:

In California:
Disneyland Park
Disney California Adventure Park
In Florida:
Magic Kingdom theme park
Epcot theme park
Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park
Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park
Disney's Blizzard Beach water park
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park
DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park
ESPN Wide World of Sports® Complex (valid only on event days; some events require an additional admission charge)
Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course (greens fee only; tee time reservations are required and are subject to availability)

That's correct for the Premier Passport. The December sale offer though was for the Premium Annual Pass (PAP). They are different products. I just want to make sure you know and are talking about the right one!