Annual Passport Renewal Question

[Padres19]

My family has annual passports, we live in Southern California and our Passports are set to expire on October 30th. We usually get to Disneyland 3 or 4 times a year, for at least two days each time, so the annual passports make sense for us.

Here is my question: Do I need to renew our Passports on October 30th? We may not get back to Disneyland until December or January, so, if possible, I would prefer to allow our Passports to expire, and then get new ones when we return in Dec/Jan. No sense in paying for a month or two, when I know I'm not going to use them during those months.

If you have any insight or information on this, I would truly appreciate it.

THANKS!!!

 

[skiingfast]

If you renew, you can recieve a $20 discount to do so. Your pass will expire on the same date in 2012.

If you let your current AP expire and get a new one a month or two later it's fine. But you won't recieve the discount and will be subject to any increase in AP costs.


I would go with the later if it were me.

 

[Padres19]

PERFECT. That's exactly what I thought the case would be. It seems as if the only way that the $20 renewal discount is worth it is if you go to DL every month. Thanks for the speedy and insightful response.

 

[ConnieB]

PERFECT. That's exactly what I thought the case would be. It seems as if the only way that the $20 renewal discount is worth it is if you go to DL every month. Thanks for the speedy and insightful response.

Exactly! Since a new AP costs $379, you can liken it to costing a little over $30 a month....so if your AP exires in October and your renew it to get the $20 discount, you are paying $30 for the month of November when you won't be using it....thus LOSING $10. And if you wait to go until January, then you'll also have paid $30 for December and not used it.

One caveat....if your plans change and you do go back shortly after your AP has expired be sure to tell them that you DO NOT want it as a renewal. If it's within 30 days of expiration they'll automatically "renew" it....but the math doesn't work in your favor unless it's very very close to your expiration date....keep that $30 a month number in mind when making your decision about letting them renew or getting it new.

Typically Disney has raised its prices in the summer and spring, so chances of a price increase in Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan is pretty slim. BUT...fair warning of a price increase is posted on this and other boards a week or two before it happens. If it IS going to go up before your return, simply purchase the AP online at Disney before the price goes up. APs purchased online are NOT activated until the first use, so if you bought it today and didn't use it until January the one year starts in January.

 

[Padres19]

Thanks so much for all of this helpful information. That was exactly what I was trying to find out. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

Just to add you will get one of the new APs with no picture and a Photopass code. They will likely use your picture from your last AP, but it only shows up on the turnstile and not on the card anymore. If your picture is so horrific you don't want even the gate CMs to see, you'll have to specifically ask about that .

I'd wait too. No sense in paying for time you won't use. And I highly doubt there will be a price increase for Jan, though I think we can expect a big one for June when Cars Land opens.

 

[feb30th]

I agree with the point about price increase. They only just raised the prices a few months ago. I don't expect another increase for at least a year.