AP and black-out dates

[northshoremama]

i'm guessing this question may have already been asked, but i couldn't find anything on it.

i'm entertaining the thought of upgrading to APs...but for our trip next year, i noticed that the saturday i wanted to go to the park is a black-out day. so what happens here? how do i go into the park? do i pay extra for a blackout day? if so, how/when? at the ticket booth on that saturday?

 

[Disneylvrforever]

My friend was blacked out on Saturday when I went, so she paid $40 to get in. It was really easy. We just went to a ticket booth, she told them what she wanted to do, showed her pass, paid, and that was that.

 

[DangerMouse]

Bock out passes are $40 and can only be purchased from the ticket booths or Guest Services (and probably the resort front desks) on the day of use. You need to show the pass as well as your AP when entering the turnstiles.

Just a little note: Last time I used a block out pass, I was able to use it, as well as my AP in order to get double FP's. Not saying it works all the time, but it worked for me. Neat trick!

 

[northshoremama]

so here's another question....i've been seeing some older threads about not having MMs if you have an AP. is this true? do i HAVE to stay onsite in order to have MM(s) if i have an AP???? i was hoping to upgrade to an AP during my LAST day in october. so does that mean in order for us to have MMs next april, we'd have to stay onsite?!

 

[bumbershoot]

so here's another question....i've been seeing some older threads about not having MMs if you have an AP. is this true? do i HAVE to stay onsite in order to have MM(s) if i have an AP???? i was hoping to upgrade to an AP during my LAST day in october. so does that mean in order for us to have MMs next april, we'd have to stay onsite?!

True, you do not get MMs with your AP. And the only way to get Magic Morning access without it being on a ticket is to stay onsite.

 

[northshoremama]

True, you do not get MMs with your AP. And the only way to get Magic Morning access without it being on a ticket is to stay onsite.

interesting...i may have to rethink upgrading to APs. the extra cost to upgrade was going to be worth it if we do head back to DL next year...BUT i was thinking we'd stay off site again. i guess if MMs are really important to me, then i have to really think about this.

 

[bumbershoot]

For me, the "not having to pay admission again" is worth so much more than an hour of extra time in Fantasyland or Nemo that it's hard to fathom what you're saying!


But yes, take some time, look at the cost of two sets of tickets multiplied by those going that you have to pay for, and see if that hour (or two, if you buy the tix through GAT) is worth the difference.

I have gotten to the point where if I want to go to FL or Buzz (I'd include Nemo but I had good luck getting on at twilight, and it was only about a 10 minute longer wait than on the MM we had) I just go there on a non-MM day. Of course part of that is b/c hubby and DS like to sleep in on vacation (we all switch waking up personalities while at DL) and I have to be drastically loud or obnoxious to get them up in time for MM and that bugs me.

To me that's one of the perks of the AP; that you know you'll go at least twice in a year, which gives you more days to experience things, and you don't have the driving NEED for MM after spending at least two trips.

Not saying MMs are bad, or I would say "no!" if granted one, LOL, but to me the admission benefits weigh more to me than an extra hour.

 

[northshoremama]

For me, the "not having to pay admission again" is worth so much more than an hour of extra time in Fantasyland or Nemo that it's hard to fathom what you're saying!


But yes, take some time, look at the cost of two sets of tickets multiplied by those going that you have to pay for, and see if that hour (or two, if you buy the tix through GAT) is worth the difference.

I have gotten to the point where if I want to go to FL or Buzz (I'd include Nemo but I had good luck getting on at twilight, and it was only about a 10 minute longer wait than on the MM we had) I just go there on a non-MM day. Of course part of that is b/c hubby and DS like to sleep in on vacation (we all switch waking up personalities while at DL) and I have to be drastically loud or obnoxious to get them up in time for MM and that bugs me.

To me that's one of the perks of the AP; that you know you'll go at least twice in a year, which gives you more days to experience things, and you don't have the driving NEED for MM after spending at least two trips.

Not saying MMs are bad, or I would say "no!" if granted one, LOL, but to me the admission benefits weigh more to me than an extra hour.

good points. thank you...but if i decide to upgrade to APs and stay onsite next year, isn't there a discount for AP holders for onsite hotels???

 

[bumbershoot]

There is indeed a bit of a normal discount, 10%, I believe. And on occasion (though I doubt in April) they have special AP discounts for much more, like the current AP7 from now to some point during holiday-time.

 

[JaneJetson]

which AP are you thinking about getting?

 

[northshoremama]

which AP are you thinking about getting?

deluxe without parking.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Uh-Oh... Watch out for DangerMouse... DM is gonna get on your case because you called it a "Black" out when it is actually "Block" out!

Edit.... My Bad I initially accused Avalon of being the "Black-Out" Nazi... when it was infact DangerMouse!

 

[JaneJetson]

Roughly how many days in a year do you plan on visiting the parks?

 

[northshoremama]

Roughly how many days in a year do you plan on visiting the parks?

not sure yet i was going to see how our october trip goes first. it'll be our 1st family trip to DL. and i thought if all went well, i could upgrade to APs on our last day there...and we'd plan to be back next april to celebrate DD's bday. i think to really reap the benefits of the AP, we'd have to head back to DL at least one more time after april (and before the AP expires in October...if we upgraded next month). but for our april trip, i was looking at 4 days in park. IF we go again after next april, it'll probably be another 3 or 4 days. can't afford to have DH miss work too much (he doesn't get paid when he doesn't work )

 

[JaneJetson]

Well, if you'll have to drive to the parks...buying parking on at least one of the passes, is usually money well spent.

Also, if you end up going on 3 or more block-out days...I think it ends up costing the same as a premium pass. (The premium pass comes with free parking and merchandise discounts.)

 

[northshoremama]

Well, if you'll have to drive to the parks...buying parking on at least one of the passes, is usually money well spent.

Also, if you end up going on 3 or more block-out days...I think it ends up costing the same as a premium pass. (The premium pass comes with free parking and merchandise discounts.)

no, we won't be driving...we'd be flying out of seattle.

 

[JaneJetson]

no, we won't be driving...we'd be flying out of seattle.

That's good. Parking is so expensive. When we had APs we had premium. Now that we live in Nebraska we only go maybe once a year so we just get 2-day or 3-day hoppers. And we stay at a hotel within walking distance. If we were able to go a couple times a year...I'd definitely still have an AP.

 

[northshoremama]

That's good. Parking is so expensive. When we had APs we had premium. Now that we live in Nebraska we only go maybe once a year so we just get 2-day or 3-day hoppers. And we stay at a hotel within walking distance. If we were able to go a couple times a year...I'd definitely still have an AP.

yeah, i guess i'll just have to wait and see how our october trip goes. heck, after our october trip, we may not even want to head back so soon. DD is going thru her terrible 2s (emphasis on the TERRIBLE!)....OR we may have such a great time (despite her terrible 2 phase) and decide to upgrade to APs on our last day there.

thanks everyone for your input! just about 6 weeks left til our 1st family trip!

 

[JaneJetson]

Hmm...now you've got me questioning if we should get APs...haha.

I ran the numbers and if we end up going to Disneyland twice in 2009 (we're already going in January for 3 days) then we'd actually save money by getting Deluxe passes.

 

[northshoremama]

Hmm...now you've got me questioning if we should get APs...haha.

I ran the numbers and if we end up going to Disneyland twice in 2009 (we're already going in January for 3 days) then we'd actually save money by getting Deluxe passes.

decisions, decisions, decisions! the only reason i am contemplating getting APs is because i would LOVE to celebrate DD's bday at DL next april. BUT after doing some math, we'd only be saving about $50 or so by getting APs because we'd have to pay $80 ($40 each for me and DH) to go on a saturday that's blocked-out.