AP vs DDP vs OOP- am I missing anything?

[kkbrig]

I know there is a lot of discussion about which of these to do, and I've read through many. My situation has a couple of variations to the standard and I want to make sure that I'm not missing anything.

My DD15 is going to Orlando in June with a friend. They are not planners and can not even tell me how many days that she might be going to WDW. From our conversations, my best guess is 2-3 days in a park and 1 at a water park. Then in August, I am taking the same DD15, along with DD13, and DS20 to WDW where we will vacation for either 7 or 9 nights along with my cousin and his family, my other cousin, and their parents. We are all trying to determine if we want to do DDP or not, but I also have the added complication of needing two sets of tickets for DD15.

My cousins are staying at Art of Animation in August so we would like to stay there as well. Since there are only 4 of us going in August, we could fit into a Little Mermaid room. However, all the promotions- free dining, AP room discount, a code my cousin has, the summer package- are for the suites. I am currently booked in a package for 9 nights in Lion King suite with 4 x 8day PH+ tickets and DDP with the Visa free dining special. I will need to buy a separate ticket for my daughter to go in June.

I have been looking into a few other options. 1)stay in LM and pay OOP for meals, 2)LM and get DDP, 3)get DD15 an AP which she will first use in June and then again with us in August, stay in LM and pay OOP for meals, using the AP for dining discounts, 4)get DD15 the AP and use it for an AP discount for Lion King room and pay OOP for meals, using the AP for dining discounts.

I have picked out the specific restaurants that we either currently have ADRs for or would like to have, and have used those average prices to figure out the numbers. For the AP discount, I took the 10 or 20% off and then figured the tax, but figured the tip on the whole amount. For the DDP totals, I added in a tip. For all options that did not include an AP, I counted in the price for the June ticket (3 day + water park).

The other complication is that our whole group in August is booked for a Lunch at Sanaa with a Naturalist- an event that we are all excited about but which does not use any dining credits. So when working up this scenario, I needed to add an "extra" meal to use that last TS credit (I added Hoop de doo for a 2 credit meal). All my DDP numbers have this extra meal at Sanaa, which will be an OOP one, added to them.

My cheapest option is to get the AP, pay OOP with AP discount for the meals, get 8 day PH+ tix for the rest of us, and to stay in the LM room. Before I change my reservation (because I won't be able to switch it back to the free dining offer), I want to make sure that I am not overlooking anything and if this will actually work. This option is $838 less than the free dining one, but the free dining one does include the room upgrade to LK. I was thinking that I'd rather spend that $800 staying the two extra nights (cousins are staying 7) vs a bigger room since I do not anticipating being in the room very much at all.

If I buy an AP online, will my DD15 have any trouble activating it on her own? Is there any trouble with us not being ticketed the same when we stay there in August- DD15 with an AP and the rest of us with 8 day PH+? Can we get the AP discount on our dining even though she will not actually be paying for the meals? Can you think of anything else that I should consider?

Thanks!

 

[Faldred]

If you're going this year, the AP with it's 20% discount at most restaurants is going to be the best deal financially. I generally recommend against buying DDP or QSDP out of pocket unless you have multiple kids age 3-9, but DxDP out of pocket can work (though the 20% AP discount is better more likely) and free dining totally changes the math.

Aside from that, you have to decide if the subjective parts of the dining plan (prepayment, not worrying about prices, etc.) outweigh any cost advantages and the risks of getting a dining plan (prepayment is a double-edged sword if a situation arises where you're less likely to use your credits).

 

[kkbrig]

Yes the AP does seem to be the best deal financially, even better than free dining, because of the room upgrade with free dining. Although it seems to be 10% at most and 20% at only a few.

I'm just wanting to make sure that doing this will work. Mainly the questions I asked above- since my daughter will be there without me in June, how hard is it for her to do whatever it takes to activate her AP? Can we get the discount for all our meals (that offer it) if I am the one paying and not her? If we are billing it to the room that has an AP holder is that good enough?

When I originally called to make the reservation, the CM steered me away from this AP option saying if we did it that way, we'd have to book the room and buy the tickets separately, and she thought that was not a good way to do it. So my third question is if this will actually be a problem or not? Fourth question is are there any other logistics like this that I have not thought of that either might be an issue or an advantage if I get DD15 an AP?

 

[srwarden1928]

Activating the AP should just be a matter of going to Guest Services with the voucher. Buying tickets separately is NOT a big deal, nor is linking them to your MDE account. As I recall, an AP holder's discount applies to up to four?? I suggest checking that one, but it would seem that charging back to the AP holder's room would be good enough. Personally I do not like DDP. It just is so different than the way I like to eat. I used a calculator on a website, sorry I don't remember which one, that determined that OOP would save me $170 over the DDP that was the best deal for me. (It actually checked all three levels.) I truly hope these comments are helpful to OP and that their family has a magical trip.

 

[brittanidp]

I am pretty sure she would just need the voucher and her ID to get the AP sounds like a fun summer for her!

 

[ShellieMimi]

She will have no trouble activating the AP. Make sure she takes ID.

Phone CMs generally don't know what they're talking about & this is yet another example of such. No problems booking room and tickets separately.

If she charges to the room on her MagicBand, yes, you can use her discount.

 

[uccats97]

No problem activating AP without you.

No problem with her having AP and no one else having one.

To get an AP discount on food or merchandise, AP card and ID have to be shown at point of sale. It doesn't matter who pays though.

CM was correct in saying you can't book a package unless everyone buys the same components. I don't know why CM would discourage that though. You will need to book room only then buy park tickets for everyone who needs them separately. You can buy them directly from Disney on their website and link them to your My Disney Experience account.

I have an AP but the other 5 in my family don't. I use it for all of the room, dining, merchandise, and other discounts.

AP includes Memory Maker so that will save your family $150 and you will get all of your PhotoPass photos, and ride photos and videos from every visit during the AP year. The photos stay in your AP account for 13 months which gives you plenty of time to edit and download.

 

[leebee]

You seem to have everything covered. Just wondering.. I know you chose AoA because your cousins are there, but if you need to save more money, did you consider a room at POP? I know the resorts are connected, but don't know how conveniently. Just a thought...

 

[alex9179]

I'm pretty sure that the AP holder has to be at least 18 in order to be eligible to book a room under the discount. I had assumed that would apply to any of the additional benefits that come with being a passholder but never checked into it.