Anyone buy a preferred annual pass just for the discounts

[Hemlock]

I am thinking of buying a preferred annual pass for $219 (rather than a 3 day park-to-park) for $144. The way I see it for $75 ($219-$144) more than the 3 day park-to-park, I can get up to 30% off my hotel room for our 3 night stay, plus 15% savings on park tickets purchased for my family (I will need to purchase 3), 10% savings at most merchandise stores and savings of up to 10% at all restaurants.... To me this seems totally worth the $75. It almost seems too good to be true. Am I missing something???

I should mention that I will only be using this AP for this one trip, as we will not be travelling to Florida for a few years after this trip. But, it still seems like a really good value.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Maybe you should go for it. You appear to have done your homework on the discount percentages. Have you checked to see if you can get a discount on the room rate without the AP?

 

[Metro West]

I agree...plus you will get free parking and park discounts off food and merchandise.

 

[mjohnson96]

That is what I do, I have an AP for myself that we use for the hotel discounts as well as food and merchandise discounts. I have not used it for ticket discounts or free parking since we stay onsite and I have ended up finding tickets that are less than the discounted ones with the AP.

I also went ahead and renewed it since currently it is only $149 to renew and that is about the same as the 3 day ticket. I don't know what it will look like next year but I do know they have let people have their AP passes lapse in renewels but still let them renew at the 149 rate this year.

We usually save more money on just the hotel room becuase we often stay 4 or 5 nights and the AP rate has been better for us than any of the other rates the last couple years.

 

[DCTooTall]

Make sure you are looking at the non-resident cost for the AP since it's not extremely obvious on their site which one you are looking at.


I think when you first click the AP link, you need to look on the right side for the non-resident passes link to get the proper pricing if you aren't from Florida.


the price difference isn't extreme, but it may impact your numbers a little.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I too am thinking of getting the AP for our upcoming trip in February. We would be going to the parks for 2 days and staying at the hotel 3 nights. I posted a few days ago about this subject but nobody responded.

My main question was when are the AP hotel rates for March released? Should I buy my AP when they are released? OP I see you are going in 6 months so you are even farther out on your hotel rates being released. I would hate to get the AP and then find little to no discount on my room!

 

[Metro West]

I too am thinking of getting the AP for our upcoming trip in February. We would be going to the parks for 2 days and staying at the hotel 3 nights. I posted a few days ago about this subject but nobody responded.

My main question was when are the AP hotel rates for March released? Should I buy my AP when they are released? OP I see you are going in 6 months so you are even farther out on your hotel rates being released. I would hate to get the AP and then find little to no discount on my room!

You can purchase the AP now...the clock doesn't start ticking until the pass is activated at the gate.

I would think March rates would be released by mid-November.

 

[Hemlock]

Make sure you are looking at the non-resident cost for the AP since it's not extremely obvious on their site which one you are looking at.


I think when you first click the AP link, you need to look on the right side for the non-resident passes link to get the proper pricing if you aren't from Florida.


the price difference isn't extreme, but it may impact your numbers a little.

You were correct the non-resident AP is $229. It is a little confusing on the website.

 

[Hemlock]

Maybe you should go for it. You appear to have done your homework on the discount percentages. Have you checked to see if you can get a discount on the room rate without the AP?

The only other offer that I can find is the "stay more save more", which only offers 10% off for a 3 night stay for my dates.

 

[EmJ]

Do the food and merchandise discounts work on Harry Potter merchandise and food at the Three Broomsticks? How about Mythos?

 

[damo]

Do the food and merchandise discounts work on Harry Potter merchandise and food at the Three Broomsticks? How about Mythos?

Yes, yes and yes.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

You can purchase the AP now...the clock doesn't start ticking until the pass is activated at the gate.

I would think March rates would be released by mid-November.

Is there any advantage to purchasing the AP ahead of time? Do you have to purchase the AP before you can book the room rate? I have a room booked with a AAA discount but it's a sad discount and would much rather have a good AP rate. Once the March rates are announced can I just switch my current reservation or do I have to cancel and rebook? Sorry for all the questions but thanks for your wisdom!

 

[mjohnson96]

Is there any advantage to purchasing the AP ahead of time? Do you have to purchase the AP before you can book the room rate? I have a room booked with a AAA discount but it's a sad discount and would much rather have a good AP rate. Once the March rates are announced can I just switch my current reservation or do I have to cancel and rebook? Sorry for all the questions but thanks for your wisdom!

No, you don't need the AP to book the AP rate. If you want you can buy the AP pass the day before you go and let the front desk know that you need to activate it first. The first time I used mine I checked in and then had to just come back that afternoon to show them the AP pass. No problems

 

[Hug the Mouse]

Great thread as I had the same questions.

A couple more questions...

Is the free parking applicable to parking at the onsite hotels?
Does Universal still offer 10% AAA discounts for merchandise and food? If so, then the AP discount isn't an added benefit to me.

I've already acquired four 3-day passes from Airmiles points. The benefit of AP will come down to the room rate discount on a 2 night stay.

 

[Metro West]

Is the free parking applicable to parking at the onsite hotels?
Does Universal still offer 10% AAA discounts for merchandise and food? If so, then the AP discount isn't an added benefit to me.

I've already acquired four 3-day passes from Airmiles points. The benefit of AP will come down to the room rate discount on a 2 night stay.

No...the onsite resorts are not owned by Universal so you still have to pay to park. Yes...10% discount on most food and merchandise.

Is there any advantage to purchasing the AP ahead of time? Do you have to purchase the AP before you can book the room rate? I have a room booked with a AAA discount but it's a sad discount and would much rather have a good AP rate. Once the March rates are announced can I just switch my current reservation or do I have to cancel and rebook? Sorry for all the questions but thanks for your wisdom!

Well...if you purchase it now, the price won't change. If you wait there's always a chance of a price increase between now and when you're going. I believe you can change to the AP rate once the AP is activated.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

No, you don't need the AP to book the AP rate. If you want you can buy the AP pass the day before you go and let the front desk know that you need to activate it first. The first time I used mine I checked in and then had to just come back that afternoon to show them the AP pass. No problems

Well...if you purchase it now, the price won't change. If you wait there's always a chance of a price increase between now and when you're going. I believe you can change to the AP rate once the AP is activated.

Okay so I am officially confused. One says I need to activate the AP in order to book the AP hotel rate, other say I can activate once I get there? Which is it???

 

[Metro West]

Okay so I am officially confused. One says I need to activate the AP in order to book the AP hotel rate, other say I can activate once I get there? Which is it???

I don't stay at the resorts but I could have sworn I've seen people say you can get the AP rate as long as you show the AP sometime during the stay. But the AP would activated by that point since you've gone to the parks so it's not a big deal. One of the more qualified resort goers can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Rip]

I don't stay at the resorts but I could have sworn I've seen people say you can get the AP rate as long as you show the AP sometime during the stay. But the AP would activated by that point since you've gone to the parks so it's not a big deal. One of the more qualified resort goers can correct me if I'm wrong.

You can book it without having an AP, and they will honor the rate as long as you show them your AP once it is activated, even if you don't have it at check in. Though honestly, I can only remember being asked to show mine twice, and we go 1-2 times a year.

 

[mdb78]

My visit and stay last week was the first time I used the AP rate. When I checked in to the hotel, I didn't have my AP since I still had to pick it up at Guest Services. I had my voucher ready to show at hotel check-in that I purchased the AP, but he didn't ask to see anything. So I guess it depends on who is checking you in. Just make sure that if you are going to use the AP rate, make sure you are going to purchase the AP because if they ask for the AP and if you don't have it at all during your trip, you will be charged with the rack rate and it can be pretty high.