AP discounts ... what's your experience been lately?

[AlexandNessa]

I posted about this in my trip report, but I thought I'd start a thread here and see what others' experiences have been.

May is AP Appreciation month, and although the newsletter says a 20% discount on food at Margaritaville, we only received a 10% discount.

The Spring newsletter also says 2-for-1 lunch entrees at The Kitchen (w/coupon), but I had to fight for that one, even though I had the coupon (they only wanted to give us the usual 10% discount at first).

The AP section of the website lists a 20% discount off merchandise at the Universal Store at City Walk. We got 10%.

Just wondering if we had a string of bad luck or is this par for the course lately?

 

[PlutoLuvr]

AP newsletter? What newsletter? I've been an APHer since 2001 and never got a newsletter! I get postcards from Loews about other hotels, tho.

We were there the same time as you (late April/early May) and received no more than 10 percent discounts anywhere.

We were given a bit of an explanation by a guy working at the Twister store. He said only folks who have the Premier Pass -- as opposed to the Preferred -- get 20 percent off at "select" places. The Preferred passholders have been "bumped" down to 10 percent only.

I'm seriously bummed about this. FL residents are getting such bum deals from WDW, most all of my family, colleagues and friends have been wondering about the "other parks of Orlando." I've been touting USO as really taking care of its APHers by offerering such nice discounts (20 percent off food/merchandise almost everywhere). I mean, sure 10 percent is nice, but I think you can get that with AAA, no?

 

[AlexandNessa]

I am going right from the website, and specifically clicking on links for Preferred APs... plus, the website says "Premier and Preferred Passholders receive exclusive benefits NOW through June 15th!"

For the record, even though they have my address and birthdate, we only spottily receive the newsletter. We never got the Spring Newsletter, but that is online.

And, you're right .. you can do just as well with AAA.

 

[keishashadow]

end of June AP standard rate @ RPR was $209+ vs AAA $191+

 

[damo]

The only place that we got 20% on our last trip was the little store beside the big souvenir store at Port of Entry that sells clothes and some Bali type of artwork. The good thing is that I love that store and buy some cute park-wear there.

We got 15% at Margaritaville because the waiter didn't actually take our annual pass but just looked at it and then went and made up the bill. The discount said it was the premier pass discount when we just have the preferred pass.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I am going right from the website, and specifically clicking on links for Preferred APs... plus, the website says "Premier and Preferred Passholders receive exclusive benefits NOW through June 15th!"

For the record, even though they have my address and birthdate, we only spottily receive the newsletter. We never got the Spring Newsletter, but that is online.

And, you're right .. you can do just as well with AAA.

So this is something that doesn't get mailed? We need to go to the website?

Figures! I never go to the website. Never loads right for this Firefox user on a Mac

 

[AlexandNessa]

Every once in a while we get it mailed to us ... some people get it mailed to them all the time. Call the AP office and make sure they know you're over 18 and that you're checked off for Marketing. I am, but we have yet to receive a hard copy of our May newsletter. But, sometimes, the newsletter is available on the website. I say sometimes because I think until early May, they still had the Fall 2006 newsletter on the site.

 

[drj1950]

I've been a pass holder for years also and this month is the first time I recieved the newsletter at home.I will bring it with me next week to get all my discounts

 

[patster734]

I got the 20% discount at Margaritaville this past Sunday for dinner. When I handed my pass to the waitress, I had her confirm the 20% discount.

Edited to add that I've never received the newsletter. Furthermore, when we used our passes to get the free Citywalk partypasses on Saturday, our names were not on a checklist, and she had to write our names down on another list. I noticed that list had a few names that had to be written down.

 

[goNDmay9]

There is a LETTER?? i can tell you that we have never received a letter. And i know they have our correct address because we get our renewals sent there. i am a bit too passive about this though. I just literally hand over my room key and my ap wherever i go. Sometimes i get my 10%, sometimes i do not. I definitely feel that the discounts are getting less and less. I feel as if less and less places are taking them.

the last couple of times we went down, the aaa rate was cheaper than the ap rate so i agree with PlutoLuvr and the others.