AP Help.... Please!

[shann0521]

Hi All, Okay so I have a very important choice to make before Friday... My Family is a paycheck to paycheck family but we are all Disney Obsessed! We try to make it down twice a year once after tax time (thank you IRS) and once in Nov during Jersey Week because we have a time share. We will be going in May from the 18th-23rd. My DH, DS(7), DD(6) and myself. I have the option to buy APs from a good friend of mine for a little over 1800, which with as much as we like to go I think is worth it, but they dont tell you on the website what kind of deals they offer to their AP Holders they just say discounts, I called a CM the other day and he said that if we stayed on Property that we could take advantage of the DDP which I want to do, and that there are deals.

That being said WDW is also running kids stay and play free so for the room, MYW tickets anf DDP Deluxe it would be about 2200.

SOOOOO... DO I Take the kids stay and play or go with the APs? I think it should be a no brainer but I hate to lay out all that money all at once even though right now I do have it?? PLEASE HELP ME!!!

 

[RumpleMom]

I don't understand how you can buy an AP from a good friend. APs are nontransferable. You need to show your driver's license when getting an AP.

 

[shann0521]

I understand. Im not buying someones AP I am buying my own thru a CM... Not the debate though the debate is buy the AP or not to?

 

[Marionnette]

Hi All, Okay so I have a very important choice to make before Friday... My Family is a paycheck to paycheck family but we are all Disney Obsessed! We try to make it down twice a year once after tax time (thank you IRS) and once in Nov during Jersey Week because we have a time share. We will be going in May from the 18th-23rd. My DH, DS(7), DD(6) and myself. I have the option to buy APs from a good friend of mine for a little over 1800, which with as much as we like to go I think is worth it, but they dont tell you on the website what kind of deals they offer to their AP Holders they just say discounts, I called a CM the other day and he said that if we stayed on Property that we could take advantage of the DDP which I want to do, and that there are deals.

That being said WDW is also running kids stay and play free so for the room, MYW tickets anf DDP Deluxe it would be about 2200.

SOOOOO... DO I Take the kids stay and play or go with the APs? I think it should be a no brainer but I hate to lay out all that money all at once even though right now I do have it?? PLEASE HELP ME!!!

I understand. Im not buying someones AP I am buying my own thru a CM... Not the debate though the debate is buy the AP or not to?

It really will depend on how long you are staying for the two vacations and whether you would have added hopping to your passes anyway. The cost of two sets of hopper passes can be cheaper than the cost of an annual pass in most cases.

The price that your castmember friend is quoting you is about $220 less than what two adult and two child APs would cost most people. But when you think about it, you could do the Kids Stay & Play Free and then upgrade all of your tickets to APs once you arrive at WDW. Two free kids 5-day MYW hopper tickets would be worth around $570 towards two childrens APs. The drawback is that you will pay the rack rate for your room to get those two free kids' tickets.

So, you need to get out your calculator and do some math. Will paying the rack rate negate any savings from the kids' tickets? Are APs worth spending what little spare cash that you have right now? Will the cost of the APs be offset by any room discounts or food/merchandise discounts that you will get by having them? Those are questions that each family needs to answer for themselves. There is no one size fits all solution.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Your CM friend could aslo help you with a room discount.

 

[Dacky619]

I wouldn't buy the AP for the discounts. I'd do the math on the ticket price and see if it made sense. Since you have the kids stay and play free, I'd consider upgrading your tickets to APs so that would save on your ticket for this November and maybe even next spring if you go before May 18th.

 

[shann0521]

We normally dont add hopping to our vacations, the one is a 6 day, and the other we are looking to spend 10 days and then probably make it back for another 5-6 days early 2012? I am back and forth between it and just wish someone would give me some direction. I stress myself out planning these vacations bc I want everything to be perfect and then they are over and do it all over again. If it were you what would you do? LOL

 

[shann0521]

I also had her check the room discount and she said that I could get All Star Sports for 307 for 5 days. Not too bad all and all trip would cost me about 4000 with the AP, and 1900 with kids stay and play... but I would have the AP for Nov, and early 2012?

 

[worm761]

If you are making three trips within 365 days of each other, then it is most likely cheapest to get the AP. There are room discounts but you won't find out what they are until they are released. You can also add on the dining plans when you book an AP room without having to buy more tickets.

 

[mom of princessx2]

I would say get the AP especially if you can swing another trip next spring before they expire. That would be about 21 days of parks and that is much cheaper than buying regular tickets. You do get 10% off at a lot of stores and you could take advantage of the AP rate at a resort for your trips. Sometimes the discount is better at stores like when we were there last December AP holders got 20% off. Of course, that just made me spend more $$$$.

 

[shann0521]

LOL I was pretty sure that was the way to go, I just have a hard time parting with it all at once... but there is nothing my family loves more then WDW so I guess I should suck it up! SMH the things I do for the Mouse! hahhahahah

 

[Marionnette]

We normally dont add hopping to our vacations, the one is a 6 day, and the other we are looking to spend 10 days and then probably make it back for another 5-6 days early 2012? I am back and forth between it and just wish someone would give me some direction. I stress myself out planning these vacations bc I want everything to be perfect and then they are over and do it all over again. If it were you what would you do? LOL

I also had her check the room discount and she said that I could get All Star Sports for 307 for 5 days. Not too bad all and all trip would cost me about 4000 with the AP, and 1900 with kids stay and play... but I would have the AP for Nov, and early 2012?

You need to figure out what the total cost for all of the trips would be and compare them using both the APs and with buying the tickets each time.

Personally, I would do the Kids Stay & Play Free deal. Then, if I had the extra cash, I would upgrade those tickets to APs before leaving WDW. I would only do it if I had the extra cash to throw towards the cost of the APs. I wouldn't put it on a credit card because that can negate any savings you would have made if you don't pay it off when the bill comes in.

 

[shann0521]

You need to figure out what the total cost for all of the trips would be and compare them using both the APs and with buying the tickets each time.

Personally, I would do the Kids Stay & Play Free deal. Then, if I had the extra cash, I would upgrade those tickets to APs before leaving WDW. I would only do it if I had the extra cash to throw towards the cost of the APs. I wouldn't put it on a credit card because that can negate any savings you would have made if you don't pay it off when the bill comes in.

See but if I do the AP I have CM pricing on my room too which is like 307 or something for the 5 days the only thing I would be paying full price for is DDP. I really think I need to take advantage of having the money now and use it for the next 3 trips, cause Im going to go regardless! I know I am!

 

[Marionnette]

See but if I do the AP I have CM pricing on my room too which is like 307 or something for the 5 days the only thing I would be paying full price for is DDP. I really think I need to take advantage of having the money now and use it for the next 3 trips, cause Im going to go regardless! I know I am!

I don't think that CM room only discounts can have the dining plan added. For that you need a package plan.

AP holders can get and AP room + dining plan package. DVC members can add the dining plan onto their stay. And military members can add it to the special military room discount without having to buy tickets since Disney offers military families a special ticket as a thank you.

 

[shann0521]

I figured I would let everyone know I went with the AP considering I would be back @ least 2 times after this trip. I priced it out and its saving me 900 on tickets. I also booked my room and DDxP for a total of 1200. Not to bad considering my room would have been that had I not bought the pass all together it cost me about 3k but to have the tickets for the next 3 times we go puts me at ease. We'll also be able to Park Hop for the first time since 2003 and thats SO exciting! Thank You all for all the kind advise!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The price for the four APs using the cast discounted price is about $1,820 including tax. If the CM is making reservations for you at the Friends and Family rate that is also a good discount.

And for a total of about 22 days in the course of 12 months it will work out to about $20 per person per day, which is a very good price.

 

[shann0521]

That's exactly what I paid! This probably sounds crazy but I am so excited to be an AP holder! Can't wait to pick them up in May!!