Annual Passes vs Regular Passes

[StirlingSilver83]

Ok so I have done the math, for our family of 4 to buy Annual Passes and get the best of the best Annual Passes it would be about $1000 more expensive than just buying regular passes. Now we usually go only down to Disney once a year, but if we have annual passes we might want to go down more than once a year. Tell me the benefits of having annual passes? Does the expiration of Annual passes automatically expire on 12/31 or is the expiration from the time you buy the passes? Also it says that if you have annual passes you get discounts on resort stays and dining plans plus discounts with merchandise. Can anyone tell me what those discounts are like? How does it work if I book a trip for 2017 when they release the rates for it and then as the trip gets closer if I decide I want to upgrade to annual passes can they apply any resort discount rates to my current reservation? Or if I book a magic my way package can I purchase annual passes through that? This is all new to me and just trying to see if it would be cost beneficial or not. Thanks so much!

 

[AngiTN]

They expire one year from the day you activate them, or on the day you first use the ticket if you upgrade a multi day ticket
AP resorts discounts are typically about 5% more than the general public discount but does pull from it's own set of rooms so there may be different availability
There are dining and shopping discounts also. (vary from 10-20%)
There is free parking and all photopass downloads are included
And you can purchase a Tables in Wonderland card by being an AP holder
But do not purchase one for the benefits that come with the card. Those can go away at any time

 

[OKW Lover]

One other factor to consider when deciding on an AP is the timing of your visits. If you only visit once per year for a week each time, can you time next year's vacation to come 51 weeks after this years? That effectively gives you two year's worth of tickets on one AP.