Annual passes w/ DVC discount...

[nitsirk987]

morning,

So DH and i are heading "home" (SSR) in october, and were thinking about purchasing annual passes. Can anyone tell me any pros and cons, the prices w/ our discount, and where do i purchase them? I would prefer to have them in my hand before we leave for vacation, so i didn't know if i can get them purchased before we leave or have to buy them at the resort or at the park.
Is it too late to purchase them and have them shipped if that is an option?

thank you for any info, i know nothing about this subject, and i know i can count on you guys for guidance.

kristin

 

[CarolMN]

You can purchase the DVC discounted APs/PAPs online (through the members' website) or by calling MS. My advice is to call MS - that's the easiest. It takes about 7 -10 days to get the voucher in the mail. There is a $3 shipping and handling charge to purchase online or over the phone.

This website will give you all the info you need on the benefits/perks of APs/PAPs, and it also will tell you the DVC-discounted price:

WDW Annual Passes

Best wishes -

 

[dianeschlicht]

We ordered ours on-line 10 days ago and had them in less than a week.

 

[MagicalFun]

We just got back from Disney and bought our annual passes for the first time. We bought them at the entrance of MGM. There were not any lines so we got them really quick. We loved having the annual passes since it gives you so much flexibility. There were days we went to the parks for only a couple hours. Usually, we would go to the parks for three days and stay all day long. It's hard to do that especially since we have three young children. I am so glad we bought the annual passes because our vacation seemed more relaxing. We weren't pressure to do everything in one day. It is nice knowing you can come back everyday to the parks on your vacation. Also, we are going next March so we will use them again. We can't wait to go back again!

 

[ccw]

With the DVC member discount and taxes, the adult AP is about $315. For me, one of the reasons I finally bought one is to get the Disney Dining Experience (DDE) card for $50. Now I iwll get 20% off my bill for food and "adult beverages" at most Disney restaurants for the next year. I am going with a large group so it will MORE than pay for itself. Might not be all that attractive if you are just going as a couple and/or not too often. The flexibility of park visits afforded by the AP will be wonderful, too, of course!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

We saw the value in APs as soon as we purchased DVC. We have owned since '97 and have never been without an AP since then. I have been jumping for joy ever since they announced the DVC AP discount!

 

[Uncleromulus]

I think the DVC savings are $100 per each AP. Then, if you get and use a DDE card, there are even MORE savings. WE plan 3 trips to WDW with our current AP/DDE cards--that's a LOT of $$$$ saved and a great deal.
We too ordered online and got the vouchers less than 1 week later. Called DDE the same day and hope to get those cards in a week or two--.

 

[Cinderpals]

I just renewed our PAPS at the MK entrance. No lines either. Except for my lousy attitude and a few glitches, it went really well. When I had called, they said that all I needed to bring was my renewal form filled out etc....then I was told when I got there that I needed my Credit Card in hand. I didn't think that I had it with me since I usually leave it locked up and use my room key for charges. CM had to redo our cards because he didn't look and renewed them as reg. AP when we needed Premium. I was in my 'perfectionist mode'--not a good attitude to bring to the Park!
Reason I chose to renew:

1. DVC discount allowed me save more $ off each pass
2. DDE saves us tons of money (pays for itself, plus another $100 or so in savings)
3. AP discount off of rooms allows me to save points with huge savings
at the front end of a long stay or the tail end-don't think we could
ever go back to reg. deluxe room for a whole stay though
4. kept Premium status because Disney Quest is a nice place for my son
and DH to hang out while I shop at Downtown Disney, or during a rain
storm. We go to the
waterparks during our Spring and Summer visits a lot, but only stay
2-3 hrs.

 

[walter]

If I purchased the AP's now, could a validate them in Jan. 2007?

 

[SEC]

We have had annual passes for several years and are very thankful for the new DVC discount. I just ordered ours for our October trip today and I paid a lot less for these passes than I have previously! The main reason we buy annual passes is because we always go for at least two weeks during food and wine festival and it is cheaper. We are going for 18 days during food and wine this year and the annual passes are cheaper even if we do not get two trips out of them. The other reason we buy annual passes is that we can go in November one year and October the next year and not have to buy annual passes for the trip in October. One year we squeezed 3 trips out of our APs!

 

[grumpyswife]

The last two years we purchased APs at International Gateway entrance to EPCOT. There was no line/ no problem, just needed to show member ID this year. For us APs are great because DH and kids play a lot of golf which takes up big chunks of time. I would never use daily tix to go to park just for dinner and fireworks afterward or for a couple of hours in the morning before playing. Its nice to not to have to think of how and when to use multiday tix.

 

[FreeTime]

We love getting APs. We had them for about 3 years until we purchased hoppers for our trip this past Dec. This is because we knew they wouldn't be a value to us. We only went into the parks for 2 days, 1 night for MVMCP (not included with AP-wouldn't it be cool if these were included with the premiums!), and then went in 1 day in May. We have 2 days left on the hopper and are planning on going in two days in Oct and MNSSHP. However, that being said, I would love to get an AP for Oct because we will be returning next June for 9 nights. But, our upcoming trip is paid for and I am struggling to come up with the money for the AP's, so we will pass. I am sure it will work out, maybe we will got to US in June now! Anyways, for me the pros are:
Spend a few hours in the park
No rush mode
Have an excuse to take an extra trip (Honey, it will only cost us in points )

Cons are:
Once you have one, you will always want one
Spend too much money because you will want to make room for an extra trip
When taking extra kids with us, we have a problem, since we can't bounce as much

 

[bavaria]

I wholeheartedly agree. Having an AP allows you the ultimate flexibilty. If you feel like leaving a park for awhile, or just visiting for an hour or two, you don't need to worry about 'wasting' a ticket.

It does encourage more visits to WDW, but I like having my AP in my travel wallet as I am always on the road, and can easily pop down for a few days at a time. I wouldn't do that without an AP.

A note on the DVC member rate: I purchased an AP in April and used it extensively for a week. A very short time later, I purchased a DVC resale. Based on feedback from this board, I asked during a July visit if I could upgrade to a PAP (I don't really use the PAP add on's, but I had read that several board members had been offered this on previously purchased AP's) The CM was a little grumpy, so I didn't expect much, but I was shocked when he asked for my credit card so that he could refund me $106! This was much more valuable to me than a PAP, so I was pleasantly surprised.

There have been some reports of similar credits in past, but based on the three month delay from when I purchased the AP and asked for the discount, I did not expect anything at all.

I also plan to purchase a few more AP vouchers before the end of 2005, just in case the discount disappears in future. This will also protect against future price increases...

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip)....
A note on the DVC member rate: I purchased an AP in April and used it extensively for a week. A very short time later, I purchased a DVC resale. Based on feedback from this board, I asked during a July visit if I could upgrade to a PAP (I don't really use the PAP add on's, but I had read that several board members had been offered this on previously purchased AP's) The CM was a little grumpy, so I didn't expect much, but I was shocked when he asked for my credit card so that he could refund me $106! This was much more valuable to me than a PAP, so I was pleasantly surprised........

You were lucky. Disney's official policy is not to give refunds on ticket upgrades. And not only did you get a refund, the CM must have done some very weird calculations. The difference between a full price AP and a DVC-discounted PAP is no where near $106! It's more like $5!

Best wishes -

 

[Cinderpals]

You were lucky. Disney's official policy is not to give refunds on ticket upgrades. And not only did you get a refund, the CM must have done some very weird calculations. The difference between a full price AP and a DVC-discounted PAP is no where near $106! It's more like $5!

Best wishes -

I agree. The CM must have thought you had purchased a PAP originally, and now were asking for the DVC discount.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

I also plan to purchase a few more AP vouchers before the end of 2005, just in case the discount disappears in future. This will also protect against future price increases...

You know, I didn't even think of that. Our current AP expire in June 2006 and I was dreading the bill for the next time we purchase them (5 of us), but I can start purchasing the vouchers throughout the year to spread them out and then just not activiate them until we start our Disney cycle again. How long are the vouchers good for and can you purchase a voucher for yourself even if you currently have an annual pass?

Thanks.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You know, I didn't even think of that. Our current AP expire in June 2006 and I was dreading the bill for the next time we purchase them (5 of us), but I can start purchasing the vouchers throughout the year to spread them out and then just not activiate them until we start our Disney cycle again. How long are the vouchers good for and can you purchase a voucher for yourself even if you currently have an annual pass?

Thanks.

That's a tactic we have used for many years, even before the discount.

 

[LakeAriel]

If you bought a one day pass to get free dining you can go to guest services and apply that toward your discounted (DVC) AP! Deduct any Visa Disney dollars, Amex membership rewards etc and whoola! Nice fat discount!!!!!
I'll use them in October AND next August!

 

[bavaria]

You were lucky. Disney's official policy is not to give refunds on ticket upgrades. And not only did you get a refund, the CM must have done some very weird calculations. The difference between a full price AP and a DVC-discounted PAP is no where near $106! It's more like $5!

Best wishes -

Sorry to go off topic again - Oh, I know that I was lucky! It was totally unexpected, and for the next week I kept my head down while going past Gst Relations at the Friendship entrance in fear that they would ask for the money back! (I felt like the time I went to add AK entrance onto my AP shortly after it opened, and was charged $2!!! even the CM couldn't figure that one out)

Actually, this was about a month ago, and the Dis'er I was with suggested that I post here so that other DVCers might benefit. I was too worried that my $106 would get back into the mouse's hands at the time.

But back on topic now. I highly recommend buying the vouchers at this years discounted rate, to lock in the 2005 discount price. They don't expire, and it's a good way to spread out the cost.