Anyone NOT from CA get an annual pass?

[dewdrinker19]

I would say go for it. If you visit twice in the year that usually more than pays for the pass. Not to mention discounts on food and merchandise.

 

[NVDisMom]

We live in Reno, NV and we have APs. We make an annual trip before Xmas every year, so we knew we could get two trips(5 days each) out of them even if we didn't do any others. But since it only costs us gas(getting to be a hinderance), hotel and food we went for my birthday in Feb and we will be going in June and again August for my 2 girls' bdays. I'd love to squeeze a Halloween trip in there, we'll see. We utilized the AP discount for a splurge on hotel, concierge GCH, last Dec. I can't say that saved us money tho...lol. We won't renew next year, we will take a year off, buy 5 day hoppers at Xmas and upgrade before the end of our stay, so we'll have AP for 2010.
As long as you go more than once a year, its worth it.

 

[cats mom]

We're in CA now, but we had AP's when we lived in AZ too.

Of course the break-even point will differ based on what level pass you buy (for out of state folks that means Deluxe or Premium) and whether/how much you use the discounts (on-site hotel stays, parking, food & merchandise discounts)

It's been awhile since we ran the numbers, so prices may have changed and/or my memory may be a bit foggy, but iirc I think we figured break even for us was about 5 days for the deluxe, 7 days for the premium; or possibly slightly less if we took advantage of some of the discounts, and to what extent.

Of course if you're looking at discounted hopper or city pass prices, you might need to figure more days to break even. But like Hound mentioned above, not everyone in your party needs to get an AP for the discounts.

 

[CandCMommy]

Friendly South Jordanite neighbor with an AP. We make the trip about once a month, sometimes once every other month. Most of them are just for long weekends but we love our little get-a-ways. DS3 has one too. I say, GO FOR IT!!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I'd say compare the price of PH tickets vs. AP price for the length of your stay, and if you might take another trip within the year.

For my family, we planned a trip for last Oct. We typically stay a week (a day or two longer actually.) At the time I was booking everything, the cost of the adult PH was $10 more than the cost of the deluxe AP! No brainer there!

But since there is no price difference between adult and child APs, we debated whether to get APs for the kids. It was a $50 difference per child between the child PH and the AP. We thought we'd probably take a 2nd trip within the year, and went ahead and spent the extra $100 for APs.

The money was well spent. We did take a 2nd family trip already (late April), and in fact my youngest son and I took a short trip in February. When you take into account what we saved in (onsite) hotel rates, food and merchandise, it was a great deal for us.

Now we're debating whether to get a premium AP next time; DH thinks it will work out even better cost-wise. I'm just happy to get to go to Disneyland!

 

[FanaticadeDisney]

I don't live in CA but I have had an annual pass for the last 4 years. It expired on Monday but I won't get another one until my next trip in October. I'm going to WDW in between.

 

[mariezp]

We are in Texas. We will get our annual pass before our trip in November and get in a second trip before it expires in 2009. We usually get in about 10-12 days per trip so we actually get in about 20-24 days per AP. We won't renew in 2009 but will wait to get another AP right before the next year which will get us through 2 trips again. Saves us money on tickets plus we use the discounts when we shop and eat so definetly the best way to go.

 

[DebbieB]

I live in PA and bought an AP for my April trip. I was there 5 days. I'm in Southern CA frequently for business and try to sneak a day or two in occasionally. I like the 10% discount on food.

 

[endy]

We live in Calgary, it's a 27 hour drive. Wish I had bought (upgraded) last summer then I wouldn't have to buy tickets this summer.
This time I have enough airmiles to get free 3 days and will upgrade there. Then we will go if we can find cheap flight in the fall & still have for next summer.

 

[Thistle]

DH and I have them. We live in Florida, yup, right down the street from WDW (have passes there too). DH goes to CA about twice a month so sometimes I go out with him and then head down to the park during the day. I catch the shuttle from the airport. He then leaves work a little early and we spend the rest of the day together at the park.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Hi neighbor ~ the kids and I got AP's during our trip in April. Guess what we have So. Cal AP's and we live in Ogden UT! They just think I live with my cousin in Irvine Had I not been able to pull that off I still would've upgraded ~ we're goin' back in early Dec. and hopefully again in Spring 09 (our AP's are good until 4/20/09)

 

[Disney-Kim]

We used too all the time...even if we only went 1 time a year....because we used to get AP room rates at the GCH for $179 night...oh the good old days....

 

[dmked]

I think I just might spring for them we are flying this time, but most likely would drive the next, my only hesitation in buying an AP is the cost of gas! I don't know how I'm going to afford to drive there, gas is already $4/gallon and just getting higher...so anyway I guess I'll just need to decide by my last day there!

So I read elsewhere that you can only apply the unused portion of your ticket towards an annual pass, but in the replies here it says the whole amount of what you paid for you ticked can be used towards the AP, is that correct? Anyone know who I can call to verify that or anyone who has done that recently?

I sure wish I lived in Southern CA, it is a lot cheaper for AP!

 

[bumbershoot]

So I read elsewhere that you can only apply the unused portion of your ticket towards an annual pass, but in the replies here it says the whole amount of what you paid for you ticked can be used towards the AP, is that correct? Anyone know who I can call to verify that or anyone who has done that recently?

You use the entire amount you paid towards the APs. It's quite lovely of them.

The way you "pay" for that niceness is that the APs are back-dated to the first day you used the hoppers that you upgrade from. You don't get the hopper use and then upgrade and start from THAT date.

In September we had 5 day hoppers with a value of about 189 through our Costco package, and on the 3rd day we upgraded. Paid the difference between the 239 the APs were then and the 189, and we had deluxe APs!

What source is giving that awful information?

 

[party-five]

We are in Utah too, but we have a 13 hour drive where we are! We buy annual passes - and we only go once a year, but we return a week sooner the second year, and then our passes are still valid and then we don't have to buy them for another year!!