AP discount - worth it?

[musika]

We're planning on a visit in Feb/23. Our dates aren't blacked out. However we are staying at PB which appears to not have any passholder discounts on food? It's about $30 in the difference to upgrade one of our passes to an AP, but we aren't likely to come back again within the year.

We could in theory wait to buy the remainder of our passes at the gate but would that really be a cost savings over online? It's 15% off at the front gate or we can buy our 5 day tix online for $398 each.

The only other potential benefit I see is maybe getting an AP hotel rate, but we're already booked at PB for 5 nights for 340-360/nt so not sure we're going to snag cheaper.

Thoughts on whether we could save more than $30 with discounts? I could be convinced either way.

 

[georgina]

We're planning on a visit in Feb/23. Our dates aren't blacked out. However we are staying at PB which appears to not have any passholder discounts on food? It's about $30 in the difference to upgrade one of our passes to an AP, but we aren't likely to come back again within the year.

We could in theory wait to buy the remainder of our passes at the gate but would that really be a cost savings over online? It's 15% off at the front gate or we can buy our 5 day tix online for $398 each.

The only other potential benefit I see is maybe getting an AP hotel rate, but we're already booked at PB for 5 nights for 340-360/nt so not sure we're going to snag cheaper.

Thoughts on whether we could save more than $30 with discounts? I could be convinced either way.

You would need to upgrade to at least a preferred AP to get a lot of the food discounts. Power and seasonal passes have some at the resorts but limited. I'm not sure what the $30 was upgrading to.
You could keep checking for AP hotel discounts to pop up, probably low chance.
I haven't checked lately, but in the past the discount for tickets at the gate was not much if any savings over buying them online from a place like UT.
You are correct there are few food discounts at Portofino (only Trattoria del Porto) but with preferred there are numerous Citywalk restaurants and almost all food & merchandise in the parks, including QS and carts.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

You do need a higher level (not seasonal) AP to get food discounts. If it’s really only $30 and you’re going to be in the parks for 5 days, I think you’ll easily make up the difference and come out ahead if you’re eating in the parks and City Walk. If there are only two of you and you’re light eaters and plan to be back at the resort for dinner each night, then maybe not.

I agree that you’re not likely to get a hotel discount lower than what you’ve got.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

If you do happen to spot a lower AP hotel rate, just snag it and then upgrade one ticket to an AP while you're there. You don't need the AP in hand to see or book the AP rates, you only need to have one by the time you check out.

 

[Skywalker3]

I think a lot depends on how many people are going, and for how long. Figure out if any of those resort restaurants would be somewhere you'd eat, and if so, how much would you might spend on the meals, and then see if 10% adds up to 30.
Also, even w the big jump in price, I'd look at one of the higher, top 2 passes though, because those discounts are good for lots of in park dining, snacks, city walk restaurants, and most stores. Premier is 15%, Preferred gets you 10%. One year, the kids had the seasonal, and DH and I each had preferred, and that worked out pretty good, however sometimes, found ourselves separated, and kids couldn't use our preferred discount, since we weren't there.
we had this issue at Dollywood too. Only 1 person had the AP with the discounts, so every time we were shopping/dining, had to make sure they were with us. Not a huge deal, but something to think about.
We used our preferred AP discount ALL around Universal/IoA, worked almost everywhere (excludes alcohol.) and shopping/dining/snacks, can really add up, even if not doing sit down restaurants.

 

[musika]

Thanks for the input so far. The price I quoted was to upgrade to the lowest tier pass (Seasonal). To upgrade to Preferred would be a $160 cost difference per person. So I guess the question is... would we eat enough over 7 days to earn back $160 in discounts?

There are 4 of us going in total - 2 adults and 2 kids (age 7 and 11). We wouldn't be using the parking benefit at all. I doubt we would eat much at other resorts besides our own? We are going for 7 nights with a split stay (5 at PB, 2 at CB). We're average eaters, but will probably be snacking a fair bit to try all the fun stuff.

 

[Brian Noble]

The discount is 10%, so you'd need to spend $1600 in food, or $225/day. Sounds doubtful to me.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

City Walk has a lot more restaurants and so do the parks and it’s all only a boat ride away from Portofino. But if you’re only planning to do sit down meals at your resort, then no, you probably aren’t going to make up the $160 difference unless you get a hotel discount. I would do what @CAPSLOCK recommended and watch for a discount. If you happen get one then upgrade one of you to Preferred when you get there.

 

[Disneylover99]

For an extra $30 per person, I’d do the upgrade for everyone, and plan another trip.
Just make sure to check the blackout dates on the seasonal pass.

 

[musika]

For an extra $30 per person, I’d do the upgrade for everyone, and plan another trip.
Just make sure to check the blackout dates on the seasonal pass.

If only our flights from Canada didn't cost a bazillion dollars!!

 

[Disneylover99]

If only our flights from Canada didn't cost a bazillion dollars!!

I hear you!
We usually drive down to Buffalo and fly from there.
And now that the kids are older, we sometimes drive to Florida.