Ap's. Anyone do the math on letting them expire?

[eeyoresmom]

We buy the dvc Ap's which are around $95 less if you renew. I do go to DW a few times per year but most of my trips are spontaneous or at least under 2 months. For this reason I havent been renewing and instead I am buying a new AP around every 16-18 months. I think I'm doing the right thing. For example, I bought my current AP in May of 2016 and went in May, March and going again this May. I dont have any plans for another trip but may go back this fall. I'm thinking I'm doing better by NOT renewing and just buying a new AP whenever we go but I'm not sure....

 

[randumb0]

I would let it expire. I would only renew if I was planning to visit within a few months after renewal

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

I did this last year when they had the 13 month promotion, and I figured it was worth it to renew, since I could get two trips out of it. Then I realized that if I let it expire, I could then get the 13 month deal on a new AP and get three trips out of it So I called ticketing and upgraded my renewal to a new (non-renewal) AP.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

We do that alot. We are going beginning of May but won't be back (for a parks trip) until late Oct at earliest. That is the plan anyway. I will just buy a new one then. Two much money to not definately be going.

 

[OKW Lover]

The key to this dilemma is that you need to figure out how long between the date you AP expires and when you will likely go again. Typically if this interval is greater than ~60 days its better to let it lapse and buy new.

The actual calculation is to take the current AP price and divide by 365 (or if the 13 month period is still in effect divide by 395) to get a cost per day. Then multiply the number of days between the expiration of your current AP and the date you will next visit. If that product is more than the savings you are better off getting a new AP when you next visit.

 

[lovethattink]

I'm not DVC, but FL resident. We let ds' expire asked bought new twice. It saved us a few dollars in the long run, since we were out of state for 2 months after his expired.

 

[cindyfan]

This is what I typically do. I rarely renew unless I know for sure I will be going within the next 60 days. And this year I was able to buy a 7 day hopper before the prices went up. So when I go in Sept I will upgrade to an AP. I added it up and it worked out to actually be a few dollars cheaper than renewing it. Then I will have it through Sept 2018 so I know for sure I will be going to the Food and Wine both 2017 and 2018..... and of course a couple trips between!

 

[keishashadow]

We buy the dvc Ap's which are around $95 less if you renew. I do go to DW a few times per year but most of my trips are spontaneous or at least under 2 months. For this reason I havent been renewing and instead I am buying a new AP around every 16-18 months. I think I'm doing the right thing. For example, I bought my current AP in May of 2016 and went in May, March and going again this May. I dont have any plans for another trip but may go back this fall. I'm thinking I'm doing better by NOT renewing and just buying a new AP whenever we go but I'm not sure....

I do the mathematical calculation explained in post #5

Always tried to work in at least 3 trips, often letting 4 - 5 months pass before I'd renew again.

Now, and especially with the 13 month bonus that kicked in (after my date in August last year sigh), will keep ours going this year.

I just hope they continue to offer DVC members the Gold AP

 

[DebbieB]

The only time I ever renewed was when they had the 15 month deal years ago. I time my trips to get the most trips out of an AP. If I do early December and buy a new AP, I do Food & Wine the following year on the same pass.

 

[OSUZorba]

I did this last year when they had the 13 month promotion, and I figured it was worth it to renew, since I could get two trips out of it. Then I realized that if I let it expire, I could then get the 13 month deal on a new AP and get three trips out of it So I called ticketing and upgraded my renewal to a new (non-renewal) AP.

A little off topic: I thought the 13 month promotion was only on renewals? I bought a new one in Feb and they only gave me 12 months on it.

 

[Accident]

A little off topic: I thought the 13 month promotion was only on renewals? I bought a new one in Feb and they only gave me 12 months on it.

The original promotion was between oct and early jan for 13 months on a new pass.. after they kind of screwed up and let renewals get it they extended that (and it's still happening) to get 13 months on a renewal. But if you played your cards right or could have another AP sit in your account for up to 18 months, you could get a new one and you have until mid 2018 to activate it and still get 13 months.

 

[StuckInKS]

I'm trying to determine the same thing. Our APs expire June 3 and its $1,000 less to renew them than get new ones (we have 8 APs). My thinking was to wait until the very last day possible (July 3 I think) and then get the 13 months. So they'd expire August 3, 2018. However, if we did a late 2018, we'd want to schedule it for after TSL opens and I doubt it will be by the end of July.

 

[Accident]

I'm trying to determine the same thing. Our APs expire June 3 and its $1,000 less to renew them than get new ones (we have 8 APs). My thinking was to wait until the very last day possible (July 3 I think) and then get the 13 months. So they'd expire August 3, 2018. However, if we did a late 2018, we'd want to schedule it for after TSL opens and I doubt it will be by the end of July.

renewals don't work like activations, you actually have I think 30 days after the expiration to renew them at a discount but your renewal date doesn't move (exception is it would advance 1 month for the promotion going on right now). it would not be 1 month from when you paid, it'll be 1 extra month from your current renewal date.

 

[StuckInKS]

renewals don't work like activations, you actually have I think 30 days after the expiration to renew them at a discount but your renewal date doesn't move (exception is it would advance 1 month for the promotion going on right now). it would not be 1 month from when you paid, it'll be 1 extra month from your current renewal date.

Oh, I see. We would definitely not get a 3rd trip out of it then.

 

[spankswife]

This is my first year with an AP. Are they cheaper to renew? We are FL Res, silver pass if that matters...

 

[Robo]

This is my first year with an AP. Are they cheaper to renew? We are FL Res, silver pass if that matters...

All APs offer a renewal discount.
That discount is approximately 10-15% off the cost of buying a new AP.

The point brought up in this thread is that saving that small percentage of renewal cost
can be (in effect) "erased" if the guest will not be traveling to WDW within about 60 days following the
anniversary date (end date) of the previous AP.

Because, buying a fully NEW AP when the guest next visits WDW will mean that the new AP will then be good for a full year following that new start date.

 

[North of Mouse]

We buy the dvc Ap's which are around $95 less if you renew. I do go to DW a few times per year but most of my trips are spontaneous or at least under 2 months. For this reason I havent been renewing and instead I am buying a new AP around every 16-18 months. I think I'm doing the right thing. For example, I bought my current AP in May of 2016 and went in May, March and going again this May. I dont have any plans for another trip but may go back this fall. I'm thinking I'm doing better by NOT renewing and just buying a new AP whenever we go but I'm not sure....

We never renew - much better to buy a new one if you space your trips - as we do. Otherwise, we'd probably only get one trip from them - not good!!

 

[IrishNYC]

I don't have a Disney AP, but that's how I typically work any membership that I have. While renewing may save me a few dollars, if I don't use that renewal for 2 months, that's 2 months wasted. We have a zoo membership that I hold off on re-upping when it expires, and then I just rejoin again the day we plan to go.

 

[richmo]

Agree with most of the above, if you're not planning on going back in a month or two window after your AP expires, you're better off letting it lapse and start fresh when you go back.

 

[Orsino]

I think you also have to consider whether or not you will use the final 2-3 months of the AP as well. Using a calendar year (AP expires on 31 December) as an example for illustration, the conventional wisdom is that if you aren't going to WDW in Jan or February immediately after your AP expires, then renewing isn't a good choice. But on the flip side, I would argue that if you also are NOT going to WDW in January or February of next year, then it doesn't really help you to defer renewal and buy a brand new AP. Let's say you are going in March July and December, with no plans for Jan/Feb of next year either. Then I would say renewing is still better since it is cheaper.

Optimal planning requires knowing when your trips are for the next 16-ish months.