Annual Passes or Not?

[Disneylover99]

Indeed... soda and popcorn are fine.
Point is the savings are minimal, and likely do not sway the difference to an AP. Especially if you have one of the many other discount devices.

MG

What discount devices are you speaking of?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

What discount devices are you speaking of?

Chase Visa mostly.... also I guess many are DVC Members. At one point AAA had the offer, but I believe that's long gone.

ETA: TiW for food

MG

 

[Accident]

Indeed... soda and popcorn are fine.
Point is the savings are minimal, and likely do not sway the difference to an AP. Especially if you have one of the many other discount devices.

I've seen some crazy merch horders lately but for the average person I agree, it's not much of a factor especially if you have another discount like disney visa. DVC has options without getting an AP. The non-disney owned and operated places generally have their own discount programs.

 

[Accident]

What discount devices are you speaking of?

disney visa, dvc without an ap has options, club 33 members at disneyland can use their discount card at wdw. you can get tables in wonderland as a florida resident or dvc member without having an ap. Then you have the companies that operating things at disney that you may not know is not disney like Landry and their restaurants. starbucks can take some of their stuff and you get their points even if you can't use them for discounts there. joffreys has their thing.. a lot of springs is not disney operated and they may or may not have their own discount options and loyalty programs.

 

[Disneylover99]

Chase Visa mostly.... also I guess many are DVC Members. At one point AAA had the offer, but I believe that's long gone.

ETA: TiW for food

MG

No Chase/Disney Visa for Canadians, not DVC and why would I want to buy TIW for a 10 day trip? Not sure, but don't you need an AP to buy TIW? I'd just use the 10-20% off with the AP discount.

 

[Accident]

why would I want to buy TIW for a 10 day trip? Not sure, but don't you need an AP to buy TIW? I'd just use the 10-20% off with the AP discount.

TiW works in more places than the AP does and is the only discount that does alcohol. Also AP is only 10% where tiw is 20%. basically it makes the check tip included unless your being generous for an amazing time. You need to be a dvc, florida resident or ap holder to get it. It depends on where you eat, how many people are with you, if you get alcohol at the meals. It's very blurry if it'll save you money or you'll even break it even when you ahve other discounts to factor in that your saving less. a larger group together eating at fancy places and getting a drink or two each and you'll save money on the first meal with it and then you have the rest of the vacation.

There is also free valet parking at resorts for tiw holders so if you happen to have a tiw without an ap you could get your free parking that way. note it's only free if you come back with a dining receipt so you still have to use it for dining at the place you parked.

 

[Disneylover99]

disney visa, dvc without an ap has options, club 33 members at disneyland can use their discount card at wdw. you can get tables in wonderland as a florida resident or dvc member without having an ap. Then you have the companies that operating things at disney that you may not know is not disney like Landry and their restaurants. starbucks can take some of their stuff and you get their points even if you can't use them for discounts there. joffreys has their thing.. a lot of springs is not disney operated and they may or may not have their own discount options and loyalty programs.

I know people get deals in the States as well on Disney gift cards, but that's not something available to us either.

 

[Miss Frankie J]

I am also deciding on if i should upgrade to the platinum pass since i know i will be going to disney next year for at least 5 days. I currently have 5 day park hopper tickets and purchasing another set is more expensive than upgrading to an annual pass. If i upgrade to the platinum pass the value of the 5 day park hopper ticket will go towards the cost of the annual pass and i pay the difference correct?

Also i stay offsite, 5 days worth of parking is $100. Times two trips thats $200 id be saving. Add in the dining discounts and the photopass it just seems like the better smarter thing to do. Yet im still on the fence about it because I dont want to feel compelled to make multiple trips because i have an annual pass.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

As I said in earlier posts, I am not against an AP. I just think one needs to be realistic about the savings. If you have no other means of discounts than indeed you should figure out how much you will save with the discounts. For us it's near zero.... For you if you stay on site room discounts *may* actually pay for the entire pass.

Everyone is a bit different, but my point is some say "10 days in the park is break even", and that's generally not the case.

MG

 

[Disneylover99]

TiW works in more places than the AP does and is the only discount that does alcohol. Also AP is only 10% where tiw is 20%. basically it makes the check tip included unless your being generous for an amazing time. You need to be a dvc, florida resident or ap holder to get it. It depends on where you eat, how many people are with you, if you get alcohol at the meals. It's very blurry if it'll save you money or you'll even break it even when you ahve other discounts to factor in that your saving less. a larger group together eating at fancy places and getting a drink or two each and you'll save money on the first meal with it and then you have the rest of the vacation.

I know about the perks of TIW, but I was responding to @Master Gracie who doesn't see the value in upgrading to an AP for ten days in DW. Certainly, I'm not going to purchase TIW when I can get almost the same restaurant discounts at the moment (minus the alcohol) just using my AP.

 

[Accident]

I know about the perks of TIW, but I was responding to @Master Gracie who doesn't see the value in upgrading to an AP for ten days in DW. Certainly, I'm not going to purchase TIW when I can get almost the same restaurant discounts at the moment (minus the alcohol) just using my AP.

sorry, I missed that but agree, I think i'm going to skip tiw next year when I need to renew in feb and the price goes up because i'm a florida resident now. i'll decide in sept if I want to get it again (and hopefully this isn't a way to get everyone to stop having it and remove the program)

 

[Disneylover99]

As I said in earlier posts, I am not against an AP. I just think one needs to be realistic about the savings. If you have no other means of discounts than indeed you should figure out how much you will save with the discounts. For us it's near zero.... For you if you stay on site room discounts *may* actually pay for the entire pass.

Everyone is a bit different, but my point is some say "10 days in the park is break even", and that's generally not the case.

MG

I agree. I was just showing you how it can be break even for some of us.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I know about the perks of TIW, but I was responding to @Master Gracie who doesn't see the value in upgrading to an AP for ten days in DW. Certainly, I'm not going to purchase TIW when I can get almost the same restaurant discounts at the moment (minus the alcohol) just using my AP.

The AP discount may work for you on food, and that's great. For us, we drink so TIW is an easy decision.
We also use valet parking quite often so that's also a huge savings.

Still, look what a 10 day base ticket costs (assuming you don't need to hop)?vs an AP. If you don't need to park the price difference is huge. If you do, keep in mind only one AP is required for your party to park and discounts.

MG

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

As I said in earlier posts, I am not against an AP. I just think one needs to be realistic about the savings. If you have no other means of discounts than indeed you should figure out how much you will save with the discounts. For us it's near zero.... For you if you stay on site room discounts *may* actually pay for the entire pass.

Everyone is a bit different, but my point is some say "10 days in the park is break even", and that's generally not the case.

MG

One does need to be realistic and run the numbers. I totally agree.

Since that is your view, I am surprised you value the AP room discount so much. In all of our five trips last year, the AP room discount price was more expensive than booking the general public discount through Orbitz or Cheap Tickets and taking their 10-20% additional discount. A few hundred less actually, with our 6 night April stay at BWI and YC.

Of all of the perks of being an AP holder, the room discount seemed to be one of the least valuable for us. It was nice to be able to book the AP discount earlier and later (AP discount usually bookable for last minute stays) than the public offer, but we usually ended up cancelling our AP discount booking through Disney and going with Orbitz or CT for the same room at a lower price.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

One does need to be realistic and run the numbers. I totally agree.

Since that is your view, I am surprised you value the AP room discount so much. In all of our five trips last year, the AP room discount price was more expensive than booking the general public discount through Orbitz or Cheap Tickets and taking their 10-20% additional discount. A few hundred less actually, with our 6 night April stay at BWI and YC.

Of all of the perks of being an AP holder, the room discount seemed to be one of the least value for us. It was nice to be able to book the AP discount earlier and later (AP discount usually bookable for last minute stays) than the public offer, but we usually ended up cancelling our AP discount booking through Disney and going with Orbitz or CT for the same room at a lower price.

I have never seen a discount with Orbitz to be honest. I've seen small discounts through our company but nothing worthy of the 30% seen with AP. Not doubting you, apparently I'm looking at the wrong time. Anyway I'm a FL resident so I look for resident deals as well. There's nothing for quick trips so I'm out of luck.

 

[Disneylover99]

The AP discount may work for you on food, and that's great. For us, we drink so TIW is an easy decision.
We also use valet parking quite often so that's also a huge savings.

Still, look what a 10 day base ticket costs (assuming you don't need to hop)?vs an AP. If you don't need to park the price difference is huge. If you do, keep in mind only one AP is required for your party to park and discounts.

MG

We are a party of four. If we are only there for ten days, only one of us would consider upgrading. To be honest, we have this discussion every other trip, and in the end, we all upgrade because it forces us to book another trip before our year is up.

 

[Disneylover99]

sorry, I missed that but agree, I think i'm going to skip tiw next year when I need to renew in feb and the price goes up because i'm a florida resident now. i'll decide in sept if I want to get it again (and hopefully this isn't a way to get everyone to stop having it and remove the program)

We always consider purchasing TIW, but we just don't go to enough TS restaurants and I just don't drink enough to make it worth it.

 

[Accident]

We always consider purchasing TIW, but we just don't go to enough TS restaurants and I just don't drink enough to make it worth it.

before I moved here, I started to stay in the resorts without table service to get the 20% off at their counter service. all stars, pofq, saratoga springs, pop, aoa and I'm forgetting somewhere else.. if you find enough places it might be worthwhile but again that AP discount really changes a lot of things.

I'm finding being a local that maybe monthly we're doing dinner or lunch on our way into the park or some event going on. not spending the type of money on food like we did when vacationing but it's adding up. Also being our first year here, tons of family and friends keep coming to visit so the card is getting a workout right now. I was warned by everyone that lives here before I moved that people are going to come out of the woodwork because you moved here and it's coming true.

 

[Disneylover99]

before I moved here, I started to stay in the resorts without table service to get the 20% off at their counter service. all stars, pofq, saratoga springs, pop, aoa and I'm forgetting somewhere else.. if you find enough places it might be worthwhile but again that AP discount really changes a lot of things.

That is a very good point. I tend to forget about the discounts at counter service locations with TIW.

I'm finding being a local that maybe monthly we're doing dinner or lunch on our way into the park or some event going on. not spending the type of money on food like we did when vacationing but it's adding up. Also being our first year here, tons of family and friends keep coming to visit so the card is getting a workout right now. I was warned by everyone that lives here before I moved that people are going to come out of the woodwork because you moved here and it's coming true.

I would definitely get a TIW card if I lived near the parks. And, yep, I can't say I blame those visitors for showing up on your doorstep. That's what I would do if I knew someone near the parks.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I have never seen a discount with Orbitz to be honest. I've seen small discounts through our company but nothing worthy of the 30% seen with AP. Not doubting you, apparently I'm looking at the wrong time. Anyway I'm a FL resident so I look for resident deals as well. There's nothing for quick trips so I'm out of luck.

You should check them out. Sometimes it is not obvious on their home page. I usually google "Orbitz (of CheapTickets) current discount." Last year, they had them for every time period. Usually come out 3-6 months before the travel dates. Last year, for every given time period, they had discounts of 10-20% on top of the offered resort rate. So, if the public rate was 25% off, then the Orbitz or CT rate would be 25% off PLUS 10-20% off of that. Sometimes they would have a limit of $150 max discount per reservation, so people would book split stays to maximize the discount. That was better than the additional 5% or so that the passholders got over the general public discounts.

Their codes may not be as good this year, but keep an eye out.