Annual Pass verus 10 day pass

[smjj]

We are DVC owners but have been buying the 10 day non expire passes for the last several years now. It takes us about 2 years to use them up. Now that the non expire is a thing of the past we are looking into the annual pass. Can all the experts here tell me if this is the way to go or continue buying the 10 day passes. Heck, I do not even know if as a DVC member we get a discount or not. Thanks in advance...smjj

 

[nalajms]

The regular 10 day ticket would expire 14 days from first use. You'd have to buy shorter day tickets. For example if year 1 you plan 2 trips at 3d & 2d, you'd have to buy 2 separate tickets. A 3d and 2d will be about $500.

I'd shoot for longer trips and try to do more in a 12m time frame and get the AP.

 

[richmo]

It all depends on how your trips are scheduled. If it took you two years to use up your 10 day no-expires, it doesn't sound like a 10 day expire ticket would work for you. The 10 day non-expire worked best for those that had multiple (usually 3) trips over the 10 day period. One option for you would be to get length of stay (3,4,5 or whatever) each time.

Another possibility is to do the AP. The breakeven is probably about 12 park days over the duration of the pass. It may even be a little less for DVC'ers, since there is (or at least was) a discount.

Related to the AP is renewing it (or not). For example, I tend to go in March every year and sometimes other times of the year. I'll buy an AP starting in March. Rather than blindly renewing it the following March, I'll make sure I get a second March trip in just before the AP expires and not renew it. Then the following March, I'll start another AP and repeat the process. My "other" trips fall in the period where I do have the AP. If several months pass after what would be the expiration of an AP, its generally better to start a new one.

 

[elgerber]

I bought an AP for myself, and I will be there 11 1/2 park days total. It was a couple hundred cheaper, with my DVC discount, than buying 8 and 4 day hoppers.

 

[smjj]

Thanks, it just irks me they did away with the 10 day no expire. I guess they felt we DVC members were not making them enough money. Our tickets will be used up on our next June trip and we were just trying to see what type of ticket will be best for us going forward...smjj

 

[CMNJ]

We are going for 4 days in May and again for 7 days in Oct-cost for 4 day park hopper for may trip through Disney would be $392.99 vs $563.39 for annual DVC pass. So basically our oct trip for 7 (possibly 7.5) days with park hopper will only be an additional $170.40 per ticket (vs $424.94 for a separate 7 day park hopper)
Obviously AAA or UT ticketsay be a little less than prices I gave but you get the idea-we are saving over $250 per ticket for the 11 days vs direct ticket prices

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks, it just irks me they did away with the 10 day no expire. I guess they felt we DVC members were not making them enough money. Our tickets will be used up on our next June trip and we were just trying to see what type of ticket will be best for us going forward...smjj

Since the non-expire were available to the general public, I wouldn't take it as a shot against DVC members. You really had to take multiple short trips to make it worth it. The annual pass discount for members is now around $125 off.

 

[smjj]

Since the non-expire were available to the general public, I wouldn't take it as a shot against DVC members. You really had to take multiple short trips to make it worth it. The annual pass discount for members is now around $125 off.

Yeah, I know its just one more nice money saver that has been taken away like the DVC perks slowly disappearing and the ones they add not nearly as nice. We are looking at a AP with the DVC discount but I am sure some Disney bean counter is looking at taking that away too....smjj

 

[Geomom]

DVC AP's work for us--we buy one every 2 years and get 2-3 trips out of them. We'll go in April, a fall trip, then February. AP's work very well if you can get 2 trips onto one, if you're able to go up to 11 1/2 months between trips. If you don't think an AP works for you, I'd recommend Undercover Tourist--we've been happy with them. I bought tix for my Dad for our November trip. You basically save the tax amount--and any little bit helps!

 

[disney1474]

We are DVC owners but have been buying the 10 day non expire passes for the last several years now. It takes us about 2 years to use them up. Now that the non expire is a thing of the past we are looking into the annual pass. Can all the experts here tell me if this is the way to go or continue buying the 10 day passes. Heck, I do not even know if as a DVC member we get a discount or not. Thanks in advance...smjj

We are in the same boat as you. I just purchased AP's for the family and we will get 2 trips out of it. It sounds like you get two trips out of the 10 day non exp passes. The AP is actually cheaper when you factor getting two trips out of them compared to 10 day passes.
Heck, it also comes out cheaper then buying 4 or 5 day passes for two trips!

 

[supersnoop]

We are in the same boat as you. I just purchased AP's for the family and we will get 2 trips out of it. It sounds like you get two trips out of the 10 day non exp passes. The AP is actually cheaper when you factor getting two trips out of them compared to 10 day passes.
Heck, it also comes out cheaper then buying 4 or 5 day passes for two trips!

But only if your two trips are less than 366 days apart.

 

[supersnoop]

Thanks, it just irks me they did away with the 10 day no expire. I guess they felt we DVC members were not making them enough money. Our tickets will be used up on our next June trip and we were just trying to see what type of ticket will be best for us going forward...smjj

Sarbanes Oxley killed the no-expiration option. Excessive revenue recognition and accounting requirements made it less desirable. The benefit of getting the cash up front isn't worth the extra overhead requirements.

 

[disney1474]

But only if your two trips are less than 366 days apart.

Yes,of course!

 

[CarolMN]

Sarbanes Oxley killed the no-expiration option. Excessive revenue recognition and accounting requirements made it less desirable. The benefit of getting the cash up front isn't worth the extra overhead requirements.

I've been been told that very few people bought the non-expiring tickets. For the very small number that did, it just wasn't worth the time and effort to keep them in stock and to keep all the CMs trained and informed.

As others have posted, we on this board are not typical, especially as it relates to non-expiring tickets.

 

[smjj]

DVC AP's work for us--we buy one every 2 years and get 2-3 trips out of them. We'll go in April, a fall trip, then February. AP's work very well if you can get 2 trips onto one, if you're able to go up to 11 1/2 months between trips. If you don't think an AP works for you, I'd recommend Undercover Tourist--we've been happy with them. I bought tix for my Dad for our November trip. You basically save the tax amount--and any little bit helps!

I've been been told that very few people bought the non-expiring tickets. For the very small number that did, it just wasn't worth the time and effort to keep them in stock and to keep all the CMs trained and informed.

As others have posted, we on this board are not typical, especially as it relates to non-expiring tickets.

I just don't get that, I wonder if that is their reasoning for stopping them. For us and I think we are pretty typical it means you do not have to worry one bit about using them up in a given time frame, you go when you can and do not need to worry about an expiration date. This also allowed us to avoid 1 if not 2 price increases when Disney raises their ticket prices at least once a year. That is how we used them. We bought and use them at our convenience, what is not to like about that?...smjj

 

[CarolMN]

I just don't get that, I wonder if that is their reasoning for stopping them. For us and I think we are pretty typical it means you do not have to worry one bit about using them up in a given time frame, you go when you can and do not need to worry about an expiration date. This also allowed us to avoid 1 if not 2 price increases when Disney raises their ticket prices at least once a year. That is how we used them. We bought and use them at our convenience, what is not to like about that?...smjj

You are not a typical Disney parks guest. The vast majority of them are only focused on the current (and possibly only) trip. They are only interested in tickets for that one trip. They aren't thinking about a future trip that they may never take. Disney has the data - they know. FWIW, UCT (a major authorized ticket re-seller often recommended on the DIS) also said that the non-expiring tickets were not popular and they sold very, very few of them compared to the other options.

 

[smjj]

You are not a typical Disney parks guest. The vast majority of them are only focused on the current (and possibly only) trip. They are only interested in tickets for that one trip. They aren't thinking about a future trip that they may never take. Disney has the data - they know. FWIW, UCT (a major authorized ticket re-seller often recommended on the DIS) also said that the non-expiring tickets were not popular and they sold very, very few of them compared to the other options.

Ooook let me rephrases that. I think as a DVC member who goes many times I think we are typical, I guess you are right though. As DVC members who go as often as we can, I guess we just start thinking that way..smjj

 

[CarolMN]

Ooook let me rephrases that. I think as a DVC member who goes many times I think we are typical, I guess you are right though. As DVC members who go as often as we can, I guess we just start thinking that way..smjj

It would be interesting to see how many DVC members purchased an AP/PAP vs a non-expiring 10 day vs those who used both. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see a large number of DVC members prefer the NE option.

We are AP people and almost always stay at the BWV. It's too hard for me to be so close to EPCOT and not run in to eat or hang around WS for a couple of hours. I'd be a nervous wreck using a day of admission off an expensive ticket to do that, LOL.

I'm sad to see the NE option disappear, but I can understand why Disney did it.

 

[DebbieB]

It would be interesting to see how many DVC members purchased an AP/PAP vs a non-expiring 10 day vs those who used both. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see a large number of DVC members prefer the NE option.

We are AP people and almost always stay at the BWV. It's too hard for me to be so close to EPCOT and not run in to eat or hang around WS for a couple of hours. I'd be a nervous wreck using a day of admission off an expensive ticket to do that, LOL.

I'm sad to see the NE option disappear, but I can understand why Disney did it.

I have several member friends and most have annual passes. I can't say I know anyone who used a NE. The NE always seemed too expensive, plus we typically stay 5 or 6 nights, so a 10 day wouldn't work for 2 trips. We time our trips to get at least 2 trips out of an AP. For example, I got a new AP before the price increase, will activate it in December (going to DL in August) and am thinking of a spring and fall trip next year.

 

[smjj]

I have several member friends and most have annual passes. I can't say I know anyone who used a NE. The NE always seemed too expensive, plus we typically stay 5 or 6 nights, so a 10 day wouldn't work for 2 trips. We time our trips to get at least 2 trips out of an AP. For example, I got a new AP before the price increase, will activate it in December (going to DL in August) and am thinking of a spring and fall trip next year.

Yes the non expire were a little more but the way we used them we always were able to avoid at least two of Disney's famous price increases if not three plus as I mentioned this way we never had to worry about trying to use them up in a certain amount of time. These made them a great deal for us...smjj