AP Holders Dining Discount?

[minniemous]

HI I was trying to crunch the numbers to see if it is worth it to purchase an AP for my family of 3.

We have a Free Dining Deal booked for October/November for 10 nights at CBR. We will be going most likely next year around the same time.

I thought if I changed our reservation to November for 10 nights and then went next year in October for 10 nights it may work to save us money. There are two adults and 1 child.

I really need to know if there is a discount on food that AP holders get in order to determine if it makes sense for us to go ahead and go this route and give up our free dining. It would also enable us to stay at our first choice of POR as well.

My guess is we would have to make at least 3 trips in order for it to pay off but perhaps not. Thank you for any information you can supply regarding AP deals. Even what kind of room discounts are generally given. I did find that they are offered a % off the room rates but I was wondering if the room deals are any better that the general offer. Thanks!

 

[missnic]

There is a 10-20% discount at certain restaurants, on certain days. Check out this link https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/p...lder-benefits-and-discounts/dining-discounts/

Honestly, we got so frustrated trying to figure out who accepted it and who didn't that we sort of gave up even asking and bought Tables in Wonderland. There is also a 10% discount at some merchandise locations - Emporium, MouseGears, etc.

I've found that hotel discounts are usually (always?) the same as FL resident discounts, so you may be able to price those out by using a FL zip code to see if works for you. If you'd like an exact rate, post your dates and I'll be happy to look it up for you

 

[HopperFan]

You can look here to find out more about Tables in Wonderland. After years of doing Free Dining, when our party shrunk, we opted for discounted rooms and using TiW.
http://tablesinwonderland.com/

 

[minniemous]

There is a 10-20% discount at certain restaurants, on certain days. Check out this link https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/p...lder-benefits-and-discounts/dining-discounts/

Honestly, we got so frustrated trying to figure out who accepted it and who didn't that we sort of gave up even asking and bought Tables in Wonderland. There is also a 10% discount at some merchandise locations - Emporium, MouseGears, etc.

I've found that hotel discounts are usually (always?) the same as FL resident discounts, so you may be able to price those out by using a FL zip code to see if works for you. If you'd like an exact rate, post your dates and I'll be happy to look it up for you

That is so nice of you. I will do as you suggest though and see if I can figure it out with the Florida resident discount. My guess it is not really worth it if I am only going twice within that 1 year period. I think it would be worth it if I was not usually getting the Free Dining Offer. The savings on the tickets and room discount still does not make up for the food.

Thank you so very much for your information!

 

[pumba]

we like the AP rates usually on our resort and then get the TIW card...we try to either go to Port Orleans French Quarter (where the ap rates are not usually good) or go to the value resorts...we get a good rate and then the Tiw card for anything we buy at the food court...and then our sit down restaurants...we got our ap in May this year...so we will go again in April into May and get another room discount and use the TIW card again...we save

 

[minniemous]

we like the AP rates usually on our resort and then get the TIW card...we try to either go to Port Orleans French Quarter (where the ap rates are not usually good) or go to the value resorts...we get a good rate and then the Tiw card for anything we buy at the food court...and then our sit down restaurants...we got our ap in May this year...so we will go again in April into May and get another room discount and use the TIW card again...we save

This is very interesting perhaps it will pay off. It will also give us an excuse to try and squeeze in another Winter visit. Thank you for all that information.

Does the 1 year start from Date of Purchase for the AP? or is it from when you first use a ticket at a park?

 

[minniemous]

There is a 10-20% discount at certain restaurants, on certain days. Check out this link https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/p...lder-benefits-and-discounts/dining-discounts/

Honestly, we got so frustrated trying to figure out who accepted it and who didn't that we sort of gave up even asking and bought Tables in Wonderland. There is also a 10% discount at some merchandise locations - Emporium, MouseGears, etc.

I've found that hotel discounts are usually (always?) the same as FL resident discounts, so you may be able to price those out by using a FL zip code to see if works for you. If you'd like an exact rate, post your dates and I'll be happy to look it up for you

So you purchase the TIW? Oh so that is not what comes with the AP discount. How much is the TIW? Never mind I found it on the link to TIW.

 

[nherbert]

The AP starts from when you first Use it to enter a park.

 

[pumba]

we got ours (because one year we went and it expired the last day)...so we bought our voucher a few months before ..calling Disney, and then it came in the mail...we activated it at the first park we went to that day....usually Epcot...at the guest services at the front of the park..so that is the day it starts...TIW card at the same time if it had expired..and it is good from that day and one extra month..so if we go and our AP is gone ..we still can use our TIW until it expires...almost forgot ...the ten percent at the stores was pretty good too..with the AP ...and also Earl of Sandwich was a ten percent off..because of the AP...more perks then some people know

 

[purple figment]

Does the 1 year start from Date of Purchase for the AP? or is it from when you first use a ticket at a park?

If you purchase an AP voucher, the AP will be active from the moment you exchange the voucher for an AP. For most people this will be the first time you enter a park, but...some like to save time by exchanging the voucher for the AP the night before in which case it will be active from that night even if you don't enter a park. If you purchase the actual AP at the park it will be active immediately.

 

[loves to dive]

I think I read somewhere if you planned on being in the parks more than 10 days in one year, the AP was a better deal. I wouldn't get one just for the discounts and Disney offers room discounts throughout the year to the general public. Having said that, I go twice a year so an AP works for me and since I have it anyway, I do then save money on the discounts, I also have the TIW. You will need to spend $500 on food to break even on that but it also covers alcohol so DS, DIL and I broke even after our 3rd day, we eat a lot of TS restaurants and 3 adults at a TS each with at least one drink and it adds up fast.

 

[bumbershoot]

TIW math info thanks to Cheshire_Figment:

Tables in Wonderland - entire bill?

We are a family of 3. Vegetarians (so we aren't eating the most expensive meals on a menu), not really into character meals anymore unless the food is REALLY good (which leaves Tusker House, in our opinion), and DH and I aren't huge eaters while at WDW. (DS used to be the same but now he's 11 and eats the earth) We like to have on TS each day and will make or bring food or eat QS for another meal. I'm the only one that drinks alcohol and I don't do that every day.

We rarely eat 3 "proper" meals a day at home, and don't at Disney, either. We generally get to "discount land" on the TIW card inside of about 5 days. If we had (and we have had) two 10 day trips? Oh we would be loving those TIW discounts.


Great breakdown of what discounts are given at what restaurants (for this year):

http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf


It's good to know where you'll be eating, and to match it up with the best discount you can get. If we don't get TIW for one trip because an AP or DVC discount works better, we still check on the next trip, because maybe tables will be turned.



Video and available calculator to figure out if the dining plan works for you:

http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0


If you haven't figured it out already, maybe go through menus (wdwinfo.com, allears.net) and think about what you might want to get. If you would be sure to match it exactly to the dining plan entitlements, do that. If you will get hwat you want no matter what, be honest. Compare what you think you would eat to dining plan and to other discounts.

Look at any discounts you can get for the room this year and tickets, and compare it to what you're paying for your FD trip. See if it actually makes sense for this year to stick with FD, if you want to get an AP and have to change your trip dates.



I use APs for admission. The other benefits they give are extra.

You said you have a trip this year that's Oct and going into Nov. You want to change this year to Nov so you can go in Oct next year? This means giving up this year's Free Dining deal. Is that a good synopsis?

My question is if the dates for this year and next year really don't work for keeping your trip as it is? If you, say, get there Oct 20th and enter the parks with ticket and upgrade to AP at some point during the stay, your AP will be good THROUGH Oct 20th next year. So rather than moving this trip, you could make sure the next trip ends on/before the last day of your AP. So if FD does work out well for *this* trip, you could keep it, upgrade your tickets during this trip, and then not do a FD trip next year.

 

[minniemous]

TIW math info thanks to Cheshire_Figment:

Tables in Wonderland - entire bill?

We are a family of 3. Vegetarians (so we aren't eating the most expensive meals on a menu), not really into character meals anymore unless the food is REALLY good (which leaves Tusker House, in our opinion), and DH and I aren't huge eaters while at WDW. (DS used to be the same but now he's 11 and eats the earth) We like to have on TS each day and will make or bring food or eat QS for another meal. I'm the only one that drinks alcohol and I don't do that every day.

We rarely eat 3 "proper" meals a day at home, and don't at Disney, either. We generally get to "discount land" on the TIW card inside of about 5 days. If we had (and we have had) two 10 day trips? Oh we would be loving those TIW discounts.


Great breakdown of what discounts are given at what restaurants (for this year):

http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf


It's good to know where you'll be eating, and to match it up with the best discount you can get. If we don't get TIW for one trip because an AP or DVC discount works better, we still check on the next trip, because maybe tables will be turned.



Video and available calculator to figure out if the dining plan works for you:


http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0


If you haven't figured it out already, maybe go through menus (wdwinfo.com, allears.net) and think about what you might want to get. If you would be sure to match it exactly to the dining plan entitlements, do that. If you will get hwat you want no matter what, be honest. Compare what you think you would eat to dining plan and to other discounts.

Look at any discounts you can get for the room this year and tickets, and compare it to what you're paying for your FD trip. See if it actually makes sense for this year to stick with FD, if you want to get an AP and have to change your trip dates.



I use APs for admission. The other benefits they give are extra.

You said you have a trip this year that's Oct and going into Nov. You want to change this year to Nov so you can go in Oct next year? This means giving up this year's Free Dining deal. Is that a good synopsis?

My question is if the dates for this year and next year really don't work for keeping your trip as it is? If you, say, get there Oct 20th and enter the parks with ticket and upgrade to AP at some point during the stay, your AP will be good THROUGH Oct 20th next year. So rather than moving this trip, you could make sure the next trip ends on/before the last day of your AP. So if FD does work out well for *this* trip, you could keep it, upgrade your tickets during this trip, and then not do a FD trip next year.

Wow thanks so much for all this great information and analysis. I will look this all through carefully.

Yes that was a good synopsis of our ideas for this coming trip and next years trip.