AP or Park Hoppers?

[PPFDDisneyLover]

My wife and I are currently scheduled for a trip at the end of August. We already have our reservations and chose an 8 Day Park Hopper pass. My in-laws have recently moved to the Orlando area which means a couple trips a year to visit them also. I'm thinking I would be much better off purchasing her and I AP's. Here's my questions though:

1. Can I keep my current reservation that includes the dining plan if I switch to AP's?

2. Are the AP's still 365 from the day you arrive to activate it at a park? I thought I read somewhere that they now activate when purchased.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[mousehappync]

We did something similar in October 2013. I reserved a room at POR for 7 days with hoppers and we got free dining. When we arrived, we visited Guest Services before we entered the first park, and upgraded our tickets (7 day hoppers) to AP's for the whole family, and paid the difference in the ticket price and the AP price AND we got to keep our free dining. That was really the way to go-- we will save a TON of money over the course of the year the AP's are valid as we are taking 4 week-long trips in 2013/14.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Common logic used to be to use the tickets first and then upgrade them to APs later. Its a way to "price- bridge" (get the APs cheaper but getting a higher value for the hoppers). This rule does not apply if you purchased your package after the surprise ticket price hike though. We have done this numerous times and never had a problem.

 

[cruisingkat]

My wife and I are currently scheduled for a trip at the end of August. We already have our reservations and chose an 8 Day Park Hopper pass. My in-laws have recently moved to the Orlando area which means a couple trips a year to visit them also. I'm thinking I would be much better off purchasing her and I AP's. Here's my questions though:

1. Can I keep my current reservation that includes the dining plan if I switch to AP's?

2. Are the AP's still 365 from the day you arrive to activate it at a park? I thought I read somewhere that they now activate when purchased.

Thanks for the feedback!

AP are activated at the time the actual AP is issued. If you buy online or at a Disney store, you receive a confirmation number or voucher. When you exchange that voucher or confirmation number for the actual AP, it is active from that time of exchange (and time starts counting down from then) - even if you don't go to a Disney park that day.
If you buy your AP at a Disney park or DTD, then it is active at the time of purchase - again even if you don't enter a park that day.
Most people will use their AP the same day they get it, but some people will pick up their pass the day before they go to the park to avoid the will call or ticket lines.

 

[Shaden]

If you are going to upgrade to APs, you might also consider killing your dining plan.

With APs you can get the Tables in Wonderland Card, which saves you 20% off your food an alcohol at almost all the restaurants in WDW.

Unless you are very good at maximizing the Dining plan, you are likely to save some considerable cash using the TiW instead of the dining plan.

 

[PPFDDisneyLover]

Thanks for the input, I'm gonna have to sit down and do the math with what meals we have planned to see if its worth the Dining Plan or TiW instead.....