AP or Park Hopper-experts please

[KJMAX1]

OK, I dont know all the 'new' names for the tickets, so bear with me here. We are planning a trip for sometime in July. Probably our anniversary date which is around the 20th. We will have my husband, myself, possibly a newly adopted 2 year old, my 63yo mom, my husbands 49yo mom, and his sister who will be 24.

We will want access to the water parks, Disney Quest, and of course, I would like at least one AP to get the room discount. Which tickets for everyone else? Im guessing the two year old wont need a ticket. BTW, if the rate is good we will stay at a Deluxe, however, if it turns out to be too much we will want to stay at a moderate. We will be there at least 8 days.


Thanks in advance!

 

[ditzoyd]

I am no expert, but the rule of thumb I go by is that 7 days of going into the parks is the break even point for a Annual Pass...

Now, You can buy a 5 or 6 day Hopper, and go to the parks only some days out of your 8 days, and maybe do a WaterPark day with a Disney Quest evening.

Also, Personally I never count my checkin day or my checkout day in my "Park Days" usually I find that my family is to tired from the flight, so we just do a character dinner (usually Chef Mickey's.. this also allows you to introduce your 2 year old to the characters... they either LOVE THEM or HATE THEM... or like my niece, like them at a comfortable distance, just dont come to my table please....) This leaves us refreashed for the next morning and a day at the parks... If we arrive super early, and want to get a touch of Disney, we will go to Downtown Disney.

The last day you have to pack, check out and head for the airport... suddenly before you know it it is time to leave.... I usually visit Down Town disney this day.... It gives me a last chance to pick up anything I may want.


So... If your 8 days is including both checkin and check out, you are down to 6 actual park days, then subtract your Waterpark/Disney Quest day, and you can reasonably buy a 5 day park hopper plus....

Also, consider, how much are the older people of your party going to want to tour the parks?
Are they going every day, or would they like a slug at the pool day? My mother always spends one or two days shopping the outlet malls, and just slugging... then again, she too is a AP holder

Or, if you are like me, you justify the Annual pass anyways..... It usally will mean that I have to plan at least ONE MORE trip to the Mouse House within the next twelve months........

laura

 

[catwho]

ditzoyd gave some good advice. The one thing I would add is if you know you are going to make it an annual vacation, then go for the AP's. Then plan your next year's vacation 11 months (or 11 months and 2 weeks LOL!) from your first. That is what our family did. We went to WDW last year in February and bought AP's and are going back in January. Also consider your "crowd tolerance" The water parks in the summer can be quite crowded even when they stop letting people in (capacity met) If you are the type that doesn't like large crowds, you might be better off staying at your resort and enjoying the hotel pool than going to the waterparks.

 

[Caskbill]

The general rule of thumb has always been about 8 PARK days justifies an annual pass. You can also get the premium annual pass which includes the water parks and Disney Quest. (And I think PI also, but you should check on this). This would be justified if you were to do 2-water parks and 1-Disney Quest day, so the total would be about 11-days total.

As others have said, the secret is if your next visit can be made within the same 12-month timeframe, then the AP or PAP would be best. (Two 8-day trips within 12 months equals 16-days total). Be sure you only count actual days you would be going to one of the attractions. If you would not be doing so on either your arrival day or your departure day, then be sure not to count them. If you get 8-days (or 11-days for PAP) total, then one of the Annual Passes may be your best route.

Don't forget, AP's also have a discount for Disney Club members. (DC was formally known as the Magic Kingdom Club. Do not confuse DC with DVC which is the Disney Vacation Club, the Disney timeshare program) If you're not a DC member, be sure to get that first (I think it's about $30 to join). Only one person would need to join and that person can purchase all the passes. The savings alone would more than pay for the membership. (About $21 for each adult, $18 for each child)

You can check out ticket prices at the DIS site: Click Here

 

[jtopp]

8 days is the cut off for park hopper vs AP. If you can plan to go back
within a year, you get two vacations (or More) for the price of one.
If close enough, we buy AP for the family one year and drive, and then the other trips
in that timespan we fly.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Last January we were there eight days and used UMP. (2 adults) It was very convenient.
This January, we are buying AP's. It is actually a little (not much) cheaper and we really don't care about going to DQ. We are hoping air fares remain low and we can sneak a short trip in sometime before they expire.

 

[KJMAX1]

OK Im back from visiting our daughter we are preparing to adopt. She is like GO GO GO all the time, and her foster mother said she loves to be out and about. She sure kept us moving on our feet the entire time we were there. The reason I was thinking of an AP was so that with at least one AP we could get the discounted room rate. On top of all this, we want to be able to get into the water parks, and DisneyQuest. So since only one of us really needs an AP, what should the others have? I dont think we will got to WDW twice in one year. Also I should add that we will probably go to a park the first day, even if it is for dinner because we will probably all be arriving at different times.

The way we work water parks is we get there in the morning before it fills up, and leave by lunch time, then off to a park in the afternoon. We also fly on the latest flight out and go to a park in the morning to finish shopping or an extra ride, and we pack the night before so we can take off for the whole day. This will also allow our runabout toddler to sleep on the airplane.