Annual Passes or Not?

[gap2368]

Does this count the Free Dining Package? Because that's what we usually do in Fall but I'm guessing, no?

I have not read all the post so sorry if someone has said this.

but in general the AP dose not offer free dining, but last time I went ( less the 2 weeks ago) they had no more bounce back deals instead they had if you stay for at lest 7 night you got free dining. so you could go on your first trip and then when you are there call about the free dining ( even if you have a trip booked you can still do it,) so this way you can get the free dining. you also do not have to get the AP early you can get it when you are down there.

and remember disney dose not have to offer free dining every year so it is not 100% you will get it with or with out an AP.

but if you are going for 3 weeks I would get an AP

 

[Disneylover99]

but in general the AP dose not offer free dining, but last time I went ( less the 2 weeks ago) they had no more bounce back deals instead they had if you stay for at lest 7 night you got free dining. so you could go on your first trip and then when you are there call about the free dining ( even if you have a trip booked you can still do it,) so this way you can get the free dining. you also do not have to get the AP early you can get it when you are down there.

and remember disney dose not have to offer free dining every year so it is not 100% you will get it with or with out an AP.

but if you are going for 3 weeks I would get an AP

What you describe was the free dining BB deal. You can book it with a minimum three night stay (if you're currently staying at a DW resort) til the end of October.

When the OP goes on her trip in the New Year, there will be a different BB offer. It will probably be a room only discount, but it's definitely worth checking into for a fall trip.

 

[loves to dive]

My rule for whether or not I renew my AP, and when I initially got it, all boils down to $. If it's less to buy the AP than the ticket cost, I do it, if not I get tickets. I never take any discounts into consideration because you never know when they are going to issue room discounts and they aren't always less than the general public discount. The merchandise discounts are nice but again, they are a moving target as to where you get them, the same with the restaurants. Would you get a park hopper and would you get memory maker? If so, do the math and which ever comes out best, that's what you do.

 

[china mom]

I think people are citing the old math when they quote breaking even at 10 days. Prices did go up last year.

An adult Annual Pass costs $749

Two week long trips in one year would cost $878 in tickets

(comparing ticket with PH option to keep apples to apples) Since you cannot purchase more than 10 days worth of tickets at a time, any single trip longer that ten days will require a separate ticket purchase. So, the 10 day ticket is $469 but to add a 2 day ticket, you have to spend an additional $257.

You can see, the break even point is between 12 and 13 days for a continuous trip.

Number of days Cost
10 $469.00
11 $569.00
12 $726.00
13 $814.00

This does not take into consideration memory maker, free parking or any other discounts.

 

[Music City Mama]

The thing that really bothers me about the AP price increase from last October (which increased the price about $90 per AP if I recall correctly) is that one of the perks is the "free" Memory Maker that comes with it. However, why on earth would all 4 of us need MM? If this perk wasn't included, we'd only be purchasing 1 MM entitlement for the family (and that's only if we CHOSE to get it -- because we don't even get it every trip) -- so the price went up $360 for APs for our family of 4, although the pre-purchase price of the MM is only about $150 (and again, that's if we chose to even get it).

Also, while park-hoppers are included with the AP, if that's not something you'd normally opt for, then you may actually be better off buying regular base tickets on separate trips (of course, this depends on how many trips/days you'd be going).

 

[china mom]

Same math as above - without Park Hopper Option

AP $749

two 7 day stays $740

10 days $400
11 days $510
12 days $602
13 days $690
14 days $727
15 days $740
16 days $755

So, you save $9 by buying regular tickets for two one week vacations (not including discounts and perks) and it would take you 16 days to break even for one long stay. But, since tickets are priced higher for smaller sets, and Disney has eliminated the no expire option, you would see a huge discount if you planned on taking 3 small trips. For example, three four day trips would cost you $981.

Again, this does not take into consideration AP room discounts (which seem to be harder to find than unicorns right now) or food and merchandise discounts.

 

[Accident]

@china mom I'm not looking really close but does the math factor in that you can't have over 10 days on one ticket so day 11 is a new ticket at a higher per day cost and it starts over? (some exceptions as uk can buy longer than 10 day tickets)

edit: it seems like you did but confusing in that format to see when the ticket price jumps up.

 

[alliecat523]

We don't live close and aren't fans of long trips. So we made out well on the AP last year. I think it was the end of our second trip (grand total of 6 park days) and we already broke even. Add in the room discounts (biggest additional savings for us) and it was well worth it.

It really depends on your WDW vacation style.

 

[china mom]

@china mom I'm not looking really close but does the math factor in that you can't have over 10 days on one ticket so day 11 is a new ticket at a higher per day cost and it starts over? (some exceptions as uk can buy longer than 10 day tickets)

edit: it seems like you did but confusing in that format to see when the ticket price jumps up.

Yes, that is exactly what I did. I started with a 10 day and then added a 1 day and then a 2 day etc. OP is in Canada so I don't believe that they could get any thing longer than a 10 day.

 

[china mom]

We took a 6 day trip on November which would have cost us $355 pp. We attended a Disney wedding in April which would have cost us $340 pp (5 days) and we are headed back next week for 6 days - $355 pp. I also flew in for two separate random Saturdays during F&G at $104 ea. I paid $749 for my annual pass and would have paid $1258 for tickets otherwise.

I didn't find AP hotel rates for ay of these trips and I don't spend much on souvenirs or food but the two Saturdays were with a rental car so I saved $40 on parking.

I'm happy with my AP.

 

[Minniekins]

What you describe was the free dining BB deal. You can book it with a minimum three night stay (if you're currently staying at a DW resort) til the end of October.

When the OP goes on her trip in the New Year, there will be a different BB offer. It will probably be a room only discount, but it's definitely worth checking into for a fall trip.

Is there likely to be BB offer available for guests on trips in November? Or are they over for the year after end of October?

 

[Disneylover99]

Is there likely to be BB offer available for guests on trips in November? Or are they over for the year after end of October?

I thought I read on another thread that someone has booked a room only bounce back this week, even though free dining is still being booked til the end of October. I believe that the dates are for various times next year. Just dial ext. 8844 from your hotel room to find out what the current bb is if you don't see info. in your brochure.

 

[PrincessPaczki]

Thank you so much for all of this information. We are also trying to decide on if we should get AP or not. We will be taking 2 trips that I know and staying at least 6 days each trip. We do stay on property. With AP's we will just have to get that extra trip in.

 

[Mome Rath]

When looking at the math, it's best that each family do the calculations on their own because there are so many factors involved. For example, if someone in the family already has an AP, it is cheaper to renew it the next year. It can also be cheaper to get chunks of day tickets from places like Undercover Tourist and save money on daily passes that way. The break even point is different depending on circumstances and the math has to be redone every year.