Anyone regret buying an AP?

[FINFAN]

Just thinking ahead a year or 2....I of course would book 2 trips, spen the $ on flights etc to get 2 trips out of an AP, but DH would fight those travel costs every step of the way. I know 8 days is the break even point...but has anyone bought them figuring to get their $ worth at the gate just to end up only going once during the years time? ( I am really working the room discount angle w/DH, but he is a tough sell since we have always gotten a good code in the past w/out AP...and kids loved the access we had w/UH for Fairy Tale Pkg last summer...they are spoiled!

Pam)

 

[dgaston]

Not really a regret, but you have to watch out for those "extra trips" that sneak in because, "well we already have the APs." That led to my extravagant birthday trip, and even the April one we leave for on Friday.

 

[FINFAN]

That's one of my DH concerns....adding in the travel expenses of a 2nd trip down....I worked the #'s for us and it would actually be more cost effective to do UPH'S and do the trip in the freedom we like 1 time a year, than to push it and travel down 2 times, for 2 shorter trips. I guess I just want to go more than once each year! Plus, we stayed at the Dolphin for a few nights over Xmas, while traveling and did not go to the park since we had used UPH tix the summer earlier. We were sure wishing we had the AP's then...it was SO HARD to not go into the parks, but at $200 for 1 day, no hopping, we stuck to our guns and enjoyed the non-park things to do.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by dgaston
Not really a regret, but you have to watch out for those "extra trips" that sneak in because, "well we already have the APs." That led to my extravagant birthday trip, and even the April one we leave for on Friday.

Ditto!
We bought our APs last year with the plan to go the last week in August, 2003, and then take another trip in the summer of 2004, therefore getting 2 years worth of vacations on 1 ticket. We would drive once, fly once and stay value once and split the 2nd stay. Great money saving plan, right?
Well, somehow we ended up throwing in a Christmas/birthday trip, flying down with 9 nights, split between 2 deluxe resorts. So much for saving money. But I definitely dont regret it since we have had a blast on the first 2 trips and we have 1 more coming up in July. We will get APs again, but probably not for a couple more years, as we are doing the cruise next year.

 

[PattnFmly]

We recently went the AP route and totally loved it! We had it planned our trips perfectly. Our first trip was Halloween 2002 and was just me, DH and our 2 boys. We went for 10 days and the convenience of the AP was awesome - we'd go for 3/4 day and not feel we had to be there sunup to sundown. (We'd only ever done park hoppers before and the commando thing doesn't work well with toddlers.) Our second trip was for Columbus Day timeframe, was 14 days long and was with extended family: brothers, cousins and grandparents. So we got 24 days of vacation with probably only 2-3 days totally out of the parks each trip which makes it like 18 days on the AP. Well worth it in my opinion. I did have to be hard-hearted around March, when we wanted another trip, but I stuck to the plan and it worked great for us!

 

[Colestat]

AP's are the best! We have bought them twice and each time made 3 trips on them.

It gives you the flexibilty to come and go as you please. You can go to the parks on your arrival and departure days without feeling guilty that you wasted half of a park hopper pass day.

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

The APs also give great discounts on other stuff, like 50% off mini golf, discounts on the water parks, discounts at lots of restaurants, up to 20% off.

I booked the segway tour at epcot and they gave us a discount- went from $80 pr person to $68 pr person. Discounts at World of Disney and other shops as well.

I haven't even been to the parks yet and I know I have made it worth it already, just with the 45% off my room as well as the food and shopping and mini golf- stuff I know we will do and only 1 person needs to have it.

UPH arent any good after you finish your trip, PH and PHplus are both non-expiring.

 

[clutter]

Last May, we went down for 9 days, which was our second trip on the APs. For two of us, it was around $1,100 for air, CBR and car rental. Unfortunately, we came home after 3 days because of a death in the family. I appreciated the AP, because we were able to go back again before they expired without the cost of additional park tickets.

 

[DisKim]

I'm laughing. The thread was supposed to be about what you don't like about AP's and it turned into all the positives. That makes me happy b/c we just purchased AP's for the first time. The "extra trips" does seem to be a problem though. I liked the idea of the freedom it gives you. I don't like the feeling of having to make the most of a day on my pass.

 

[xmatt0926x]

I know its already been said 3 times now, but I cant emphasize enough that the temptation to go beyond your planned trips when you already have the AP pass is just overwhelming. The first time we got our AP's, we went about 2 times more than the original plan. It starts like this..... "hey, we already have the park tickets paid for with the AP's, why not just go for a quick trip to get away from it all and we will stay at a value resort to save money"...... then it quickly turns to 'hey, since we are going anyway, lets just stay at the hotel we really want...and I guess we might as well add a few days onto that". Trust me, it will happen!!! I swear that this year though, it won't happen to us again now that we just purchased new AP's!! Wait a second, our original 5 night trip to Boardwalk has somehow turned into 12 nights at 3 different resorts and now we are planning a halloween trip too. Oh well, but I swear it wont happen again next year!! I swear it wont!

 

[jennymouse]

AP's are good and bad at the same time. AP's + DVC is even worse...or better. However you want to look at it.

 

[tjmw2727]

No regrets but I understand your concern. I make sure that on the first trip we will use the pass enough to breakeven or benefit as opposed to other admission media. After that everything else is a bonus, we do love the lunch discounts!

What we try to do is plan the next years trip a week or two before the current trip - just as the AP is about to expire for maximum days usage.

I have been pretty lucky with AP discounts at the resorts but for me that's just another bonus.

TJ

 

[eleanor]

The first trip was 14 days and the second was 9 days. We got our money's worth and more. If you plan to go 2 years in a row they are worth it. Also we got great resort rates for both trips.

 

[FINFAN]

Man...my arm is starting to tingle from all this twisting... it's a good thing I am just in the thinking stages...you guys state a VERY strong case, will you all back me up on this when I approach DH?

 

[QJ411]

I have to agree too, I love our APs. We got it last trip in Dec. and now we're heading back in May (b/c we said...well, we have the APs...so.... "those extra trips" ). But I think it's worth it for the stay. And we got some discounts off for the tours and at DTD.

Every little bit counts. And plus the airfare is apprx. $190. As much as I'd love to sneak in a couple of extra trips, it's tough sometimes...but it is VERY tempting to say...well...we have the APs...

We'll TRY to squeeze in another trip at the end of the year for MVMCP, but we'll see...everytime I say that I get scared I'm gonna get "Disney'd out"...but...we have the APs...

 

[FINFAN]

QJ411, I am afraid DS will get WDW overload as well....he complains that he only gets to go to Florida(ingrate)and wants to go other places. We can only afford 1 "real" trip a year and I have family in Fl so that is where we go. If I made him go 3 times in one year he'd freak...but DD, DH and I like going there just fine, if the $$$ allows.

 

[QJ411]

Originally posted by FINFAN
QJ411, I am afraid DS will get WDW overload as well....he complains that he only gets to go to Florida(ingrate)and wants to go other places.

LOL...I know, but once you're in Disney, how could he NOT appreciate the MAGIC of it all!?! Ppl laugh at us when we say we're going back to WDW for our vacation...and they look at us like we have 3 heads..."AGAIN?! DO YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHER PLACES BESIDES DISNEY?!?!" Hmph...

I think APs are great, honestly...but maybe you should skip the AP for DS.

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

i can say that I was a bit upset when I first bought my AP- they are very limiting on information, they told me, that I would get info in the mail- I got a "voucher" which looks a lot like a floppy credit card stuck to a basically plain piece of paper- pretty lame if you as me.

i had to dig to find discount information and it wasnt until afterwards that i realized that I dont have access to the water parks or Disney Quest- bummer. So you have to tack those on.

Lucky for me DH doesnt really have a budget- I mean Im not about to do a $120 tour more than once a trip, but hes not worried about paying for the water park.

Also, by doing the AP, vrs UPH you cant return to the water parks on a different day. For ex: you go do a day of TL, but then one day at MK you are really hot and feel like changing the days plans with half a day to a water park- well Ill probably skip the water park, and head to my resort pool- cause I would have to pay again, for only a half a day. If i had the UPH I would just jump right over to that park. UPH lets you go to do DQ whenever you want to, we skipped it last time (can only cover so much ground) but were thinking of checking it out- i know I would have to pay, but if DH has to pay with is PHplus too, we may skip it again, an arcade is something I can do for maybe an hour- 2 at the very most.- If I had the UPH we would probably add that on before dinner a couple times.

I only have the voucher, haven't even been there to use it yet, so I have not been bitten by the "AP bug" yet as far as booking multiple trips. We are talking about a second trip, for a few days around our birthdays in November, but the AP has little bearing on that. The room and airfare still get ya.

 

[buckeye]

I'm glad someone started this thread, because I have some questions also. I have pretty much decided to get the AP's because we'll be there 10 days in June. That makes it worth is already. Can someone back me up on that??

Also, I can't seem to find any other information about benefits. People have mentioned discounts on mini-golf and lunches, but I can't find that info. I tried Mousesavers and the Disney site, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

Can anyone guide me to a place that tells ALL the benefits?
Thanks so much!!

 

[abline]

If your planning to go to Disney World two years in a row its a no brainer as long as your trips are long enough. Secondly the AP rates this last quarter were outstanding in my eyes so you save even more. I am very pleased I got the AP.