Annual Passes

[mgroshans]

What is the best/cheapest way to get DVC annual passes? We will need 4 adult ones. We've always just purchased them thru the member website, but I've read there is a "cheaper" way to get them. I'm a little confused on how to do it. Thanks!

 

[hakepb]

The ticketing FAQ #7 explains the rules:
disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684

The art of the deal is buying the MYW ticket with the biggest discount vs gate price, as long as that ticket costs less than the AP (it is pointless to upgrade a 10 day NE Hopper because it is already more expensive than a DVC AP)

You get a bigger discount if you buy before a ticket price increase.

Or you may want to consider buying Disney gift cards instead if you can get a 5% Target red card discount.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

There is a loophole in Disney's ticket policy that you can take advantage of if you want to save a little extra on annual passes. Specifically, the policy has to do with the value Disney assigns to your current ticket when doing an upgrade.

If the ticket has never been used, Disney will give you credit for the actual amount at which that specific ticket was purchased from them. However, if the ticket has been used, Disney will give you credit for the amount they're selling the same ticket for at the gates that day (aka the gate price). So, the trick then is to get a higher credit for your Magic Your Way tickets than you paid for them by exploiting this policy and upgrading used discount tickets.

About the best discounted price you'll find for MYW tickets is through Undercover Tourist. But to get their best price, you need to use a link that comes in a monthly newsletter from MouseSavers.

The trick is to find the ticket with the best discount that has a gate price that's less than the value of the DVC annual pass to which you want to upgrade. (This last part is important because Disney won't refund you the difference if the annual pass to which you're upgrading costs less than the MYW tickets you're trading in.)

So, to summarize the process, you need to purchase MYW tickets from Undercover Tourist (or another discount ticket broker), use them at least once to enter a park, and then take them to a Guest Relations location to upgrade them to DVC annual passes.

You can upgrade a MYW ticket for 14 days after it's first use so long as there's at least one day left on it. However, because you get perks for being an AP holder (10% or 20% merchandise discounts at all locations being a biggie), you'll probably want to upgrade immediately. We usually go through the gate with our MYW tickets on our first morning, and then head immediately into the in-park guest services location to do the upgrade.

 

[DizDaD7]

This may be a stup*d question but, with the price that you pay for the MYW pass , and then use it that 1st day, then proceed to guest relations, Do they just turn that into an AP. So therefore getting an AP for like $250 or so. Or do you pay the difference from the 2, which therefore would negate any savings that you woud reap...<---

 

[hakepb]

You pay the difference between the gate price of the MYW ticket and the DVC AP.

The savings is buying a discounted (less than gate) MYW ticket. Generally in the $20 range/ticket. It may not be worth it to some, but it adds up for a family

 

[DizDaD7]

so I can get a AAA rate for it. ANd then pay lets say 285 for a 7 day. use it to enter the park go to guest relations, then they give me the AP for the DVC price minus the 285 I INITIALLY Paid?

 

[mgroshans]

Sorry to be dumb (lol), but which ticket should I buy from Undercover Tourist (hopefully I can say that)? MYW base ticket, MYW hopper? And how many day one should I buy?
I'm so confused

 

[DebbieB]

so I can get a AAA rate for it. ANd then pay lets say 285 for a 7 day. use it to enter the park go to guest relations, then they give me the AP for the DVC price minus the 285 I INITIALLY Paid?

No, minus the non-discounted price for a 7 day. So say a 7 day gate price is $300 and AAA is $285 (just made up numbers). You use it to get into the park and then upgrade to an AP. They will charge you the price of the AP minus $300. So you save $15.

 

[mgroshans]

Ok, I think I have it. Please correct me if I'm wrong:
4 annual passes from DVC: 4 x $419 + tax = $1784.96
4- 7 day MYW tickets from UT: 4 x $261.95= $1047.80- buy these
Gate price for above w/tax= $1132.00
Deduct the $1132 from $1784.96 and that's what I pay to do the upgrade after I use them?
So, I'll pay a total of $1700.76 for 4 adult DVC annual passes instead of $1784.96?
Correct?

 

[hakepb]

so I can get a AAA rate for it. ANd then pay lets say 285 for a 7 day. use it to enter the park go to guest relations, then they give me the AP for the DVC price minus the 285 I INITIALLY Paid?

That is if you do not use it first.
(I'm not familiar with AAA tickets, just UT, make sure AAA is a normal ticket)


The savings works like this: once you enter the park. If, say, the gate price is 305 then you pay the difference between the DVC AP and 305. (Which saves you $20, because you paid 285 for a ticket worth 305)

 

[hakepb]

Sorry to be dumb (lol), but which ticket should I buy from Undercover Tourist (hopefully I can say that)? MYW base ticket, MYW hopper? And how many day one should I buy?
I'm so confused

The one with the biggest savings (they usually list that) with a Disney gate cost lower than the DVC AP
. that may or may not mean hopper. Smaller non-expiring may work, but a 10 day is too expensive.

I would not confuse it with Water parks unless you plan to get the PAP.

 

[hakepb]

Ok, I think I have it. Please correct me if I'm wrong:
4 annual passes from DVC: 4 x $419 + tax = $1784.96
4- 7 day MYW tickets from UT: 4 x $261.95= $1047.80- buy these
Gate price for above w/tax= $1132.00
Deduct the $1132 from $1784.96 and that's what I pay to do the upgrade after I use them?
So, I'll pay a total of $1700.76 for 4 adult DVC annual passes instead of $1784.96?
Correct?

That looks like the correct theory (I did not recheck calculations ).

Chesire says that taxes or credits may be calculated a little differently by CM so be prepared for a minor rounding.

 

[mgroshans]

That looks like the correct theory (I did not recheck calculations ).

Chesire says that taxes or credits may be calculated a little differently by CM so be prepared for a minor rounding.

Phew!
Thank you for everyone's help.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Sorry to be dumb (lol), but which ticket should I buy from Undercover Tourist (hopefully I can say that)? MYW base ticket, MYW hopper? And how many day one should I buy?
I'm so confused

It's not a dumb question, because it is a complicated comparison. (I didn't have time to do it at work, earlier.)

The cost of an adult DVC annual pass is $419 + 6.5% sales tax = $446.24.

Look at the discounts on the Undercover Tourist site to find the ticket with the biggest discount (the orange column), but at the same time has a gate price less than $446.24.

With the MouseSavers discount, the best ticket is the 6-day Park Hopper. ($29 off the gate price.)

Here's how it works, this time with the numbers.

Buy the 6-day adult park hopper ticket from UCT using the MouseSavers discount and pay $304.95. (This price includes the tax and the shipping.)

Use the ticket at WDW at least once, and then upgrade it to a DVC Annual Pass.

WDW will give you a credit of $334.41 for this ticket toward your upgrade. ($314.00 + 6.5% sales tax)

You should pay $111.83 for the upgrade. ($446.24 - $334.41)

So in the end, you've paid a grand total of $416.78 for your DVC annual pass, and saved $29.46.

 

[mgroshans]

It's not a dumb question, because it is a complicated comparison. (I didn't have time to do it at work, earlier.)

The cost of an adult DVC annual pass is $419 + 6.5% sales tax = $446.24.

Look at the discounts on the Undercover Tourist site to find the ticket with the biggest discount (the orange column), but at the same time has a gate price less than $446.24.

With the MouseSavers discount, the best ticket is the 6-day Park Hopper. ($29 off the gate price.)

Here's how it works, this time with the numbers.

Buy the 6-day adult park hopper ticket from UCT using the MouseSavers discount and pay $304.95. (This price includes the tax and the shipping.)

Use the ticket at WDW at least once, and then upgrade it to a DVC Annual Pass.

WDW will give you a credit of $334.41 for this ticket toward your upgrade. ($314.00 + 6.5% sales tax)

You should pay $111.83 for the upgrade. ($446.24 - $334.41)

So in the end, you've paid a grand total of $416.78 for your DVC annual pass, and saved $29.46.

Ok, I understand. I didn't have the special discounted link in the monthly email from UT.
Thanks!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Just saw that you're buying 4 adult annual passes.

4 x 6-day adult park hopper ticket from UCT = $1,219.80

Value of used tickets at time of upgrade: 4 x $314 + 6.5% sales tax = $1,337.64

Cost of 4 DVC annual passes: 4 x $419 + 6.5% sales tax = $1,784.94

Amount to pay at guest services to do the upgrade: $447.30

Total savings: $117.84

 

[mgroshans]

Just saw that you're buying 4 adult annual passes.

4 x 6-day adult park hopper ticket from UCT = $1,219.80

Value of used tickets at time of upgrade: 4 x $314 + 6.5% sales tax = $1,337.64

Cost of 4 DVC annual passes: 4 x $419 + 6.5% sales tax = $1,784.94

Amount to pay at guest services to do the upgrade: $447.30

Total savings: $117.84

Ok, now it's even clearer. I just needed someone to show me the math to understand it better.

 

[hakepb]

There is a loophole in Disney's ticket policy that you can take advantage of if you want to save a little extra on annual passes. Specifically, the policy has to do with the value Disney assigns to your current ticket when doing an upgrade.
.

Fyi, I honestly believe Disney purposely created this "loophole". When people pre-pay discounted tickets from UT, Disney gets money earlier and guests are "locking in" a certain # of days @ WDW instead of Universal.. And then Disney wants to make it easy to add additional days (I think they are $5 each) otherwise you might be paying $29+5 to add 1 more day

I suppose you could say that dis'ers are pushing it a little more than they prefer, but we are still pre-paying and giving them more when we arrive (and Disney loves both of those transactions).

 

[hmillerbarilla]

What about the Target 5% discount? Is that better than the UT figure? Can someone help me figure that out?

Thanks!

 

[Kathymford]

Is there a similar kind of loophole for renewing a DVC annual pass?