Annual Pass

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Thanks for all the help on this. I guess I didnt realize that it was that much cheaper without the food. We have never done a trip that didnt have free dining, but this sounds like a better deal.

It's not always cheaper without the food, if you are staying value or mod and have more than 1 person in the room then the free DDP is usually a better discount. Figure DDP is $46 a night, a moderate room in off peak season let's say September at POR rack rate is is $159 a night. So $46 savings a night is about 29% off. 2 people a savings of $92 a night is 57% off, you will not touch that kind of savings with an AP. add in 2 kids over 10, charged as disney 'adults' and you are 'saving' more on food than you are paying for the room.

Deluxe is the only case where 'free' DDP usually doesn't work out to save you any more off the room.

This is why its important to run the numbers on the scenario for your group, see what you would normally spend on food and decide which discount is best for you.

 

[skater]

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

The "free" dining is not free.

They jack up hotel cost and then tell you the food is free.

Sit down and do the adding and subtracting. You'll probably find that you can do it cheaper when it isn't "free." I know I do.

You can save a lot of $ on hotel rates with the AP and you don't have to pay parking fees when entering the parks. This is why people prefer them to "free" dining and why loads of people buy just one to get the basic discounts.

I've done the math and as long as my family of 5 stays at a moderate in value season, it is still the best deal for us. Now, for my trip with DD, the free dining was not as good a deal as the room discount - but that's with 2 people. For 5, its defiantely a better deal.

 

[kswm30b]

Are AP holders still getting a 10%/20% discount on all merchandise purchases? I got 20% off in October with a premium AP- hoping they are still doing that for March trip!

There was an email that went out the other day that said it is extended through Dec 2011!! We got APs in Sept. We usually go twice a year and finally decided it was worth it (upgraded from our 7 day park ticket.) We didn't even know about the 10% discount until about 2 days later we were in a store and they told us. I'm pretty sure we saved what we paid in the upgrade to AP on discounts that trip, lol. Having an AP, I was able to take a quick 3 day trip in Oct (with a great AP room rate, the trip cost practically nothing) and a week long trip in Dec. I don't know when my next trip is, but I have 3 or 4 times I'd *like* to go, and having an AP now, makes that possible!