APs when you live flight distance away

[JPKnapp]

Hi all. I am really close to deciding that 2017 will be year of Disney. But unless we stay a full week, it doesn't make sense to drive (Charlotte, NC).

My fear is spending $8k a year in flights to justify a $3k annual pass expense.

Anyone out there that still got value while living flight distance away?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Beer cheap tonight?

MG

 

[BigAlsGal]

Looks like you're only 7 1/2 hours away. Im 12 hours away and I have an AP. Warning: once you get it you'll go more often.

 

[kaybird]

Hi all. I am really close to deciding that 2017 will be year of Disney. But unless we stay a full week, it doesn't make sense to drive (Charlotte, NC).

My fear is spending $8k a year in flights to justify a $3k annual pass expense.

Anyone out there that still got value while living flight distance away?

We often have AP, in fact more often than not. We live 1500 miles away, and still find value if we are to go at least twice in the AP calendar year. Plus, it makes a quick spontaneous trip more affordable.

 

[DebbieB]

I live about 18 hours driving distance, have never driven, have over 50 trips in 22 years, the last 18 years with annual passes. I plan my trips to get 3 trips out of one pass. My current one was activated last December, went again in May and am going next month. Next year I plan to go to DL in July for D23, then WDW in December, I'll buy a new pass then.

 

[Accident]

Once you have the AP, it's going to burn a hole in your pocket and your going to see some opening dates, long weekends, special events, ap events and reasons to come down. A big one is sudden cheap airfare when a great last minute ap room deal happens. It's easy to justify jumping down quick when your tickets are handled.. and yes there is always some sudden great airfare rates time to time if you can handle quickly coming down with no time to plan anything.

I'm not going to say if 7 1/2 hours is far or not, you know your needs and how to keep the family safe on the road or if a week is really needed to feel worth it. You know yourself and family. I wouldnt' have an issue napping to a middle of the night leave and get in about noon. home is where it gets interesting as I hate driving home where I live now and there is some resorts on property that is further than my house depending on what park I'm in.

 

[kappyfamily]

I live in Oregon and had a WDW AP. Went 3 times that year....

 

[bumbershoot]

Anyone out there that still got value while living flight distance away?

Sure. Longer flight than you deal with, too. WA. We try to put our WDW trips so we have two inside a year, and the AP has worked in the past.

However, I seem to be very good at getting good flight deals AND DH traveled for work half the year from '09 until this January, so we had miles galore.

 

[smcabee]

We are right below you in Columbia, SC. We drive though minimum twice a year. We cant Justify the flights as it really doesnt save us much time at all.

 

[Disneylover99]

Drive and stay for a full week whenever possible.

 

[PopGirl26]

We have our first APs. 16 hours away in drive time. We've somehow managed to plan four trips for the year, and we'll fly next-to-free for all of them thanks to Southwest credit card rewards!

 

[NH-to-FL]

Anyone out there that still got value while living flight distance away?

Absolutely! We got AP's once we started to take two 1 week trips a year. We always flew, the 20++ hour drive was too long for me.

But then there are only two of us and we had flexibility on travel dates so we could minimize the cost of flying.

 

[RachaelA]

Our drive is 16ish hours with no stops. We have APs (gold APs since we are dvc members). We get 2 trips usually out of them. I do think having APs makes us plan the occasionally extra trip.

If I lived in NC, I'd go every other month. I'd just go with my kids and drive by myself. It's probably better I don't live closer lol

 

[dkrauss]

My wife and I live in NJ...........we've got an 8 day trip planned for this November. Also have another 8 days planned for Oct 2017. Throwing in a 5 day trip in August 2017. Maybe one more long weekend. The 2 long trips have been planned for a long time, they drove our decision to become AP holders. If you plan on more than 10 days at WDW I'm not sure why how you get to WDW matters. We always fly too.

Doug

 

[Imagineer5]

I live in Massachusetts. My 4 yo DD and I have AP's and go anywhere from 3-5 times per year. Flights are pretty cheap (usually less than $200) and the AP's with TiW save a ton of $$ over time. Even with a new 10 month old DD and another on the way, I plan to renew my AP - even if I use it twice in a year it will pay for itself. (But I hope to go more than that lol).

 

[AngiTN]

We have AP and are about 8 hours away. We don't drive if we can help it. The only time we've driven was in January when we went for a bowl game, just not enough notice for flights that time of year.
Used to drive to Atlanta and fly for about $50 each way on SW. Then we realized we could fly out of our local airport for about $100 more than Atlanta. Since we value our time we decided that when we can fly from here for about $250 RT/each (there are 2 of us) it is in our comfort zone so now we fly out of our local airport. Makes trips even easier. This year we've gone at least 1 day every month, till Sept. We were there 8/31 and will be back 10/7.
Anyway, flights are not as expensive as you'd think. We love that we can decide to head down for any 4 or so day stretch where we can find reasonable flights. Plus we do at least 2 longer trips each year, of anywhere between 7 and 10 days.

 

[Meriweather]

We have APs and live in AZ.
But we go a lot every other year. Have been on 2 trips so far for a total of 3 weeks with 2 more trips planned (4 weeks for those)
Flights are the major expense but to us it is worth it.

 

[IrishNYC]

If I lived as close as you do and bought APs, I'd go for a week, then for a few shorter trips. Our family does a lot of long weekend trips that are a few hours drive away, so if we had APs for a year, that would be our weekend trip "thing" that year.

 

[china mom]

I'm not the typical APer but DH works for an airline so we fly free. I have flown in just for the day on more than one occasion and any long weekend is an excuse for a trip (as long as we can find discounted rooms) Sadly, our passes expire in November and I am not sure we will be renewing due to a combination of my mother's health and our finances.

 

[Belle5]

I guess perspective is everything! Years ago DH's company gave him a temporary assignment in Greensboro, NC where we moved our young family to live for a couple of months. We were so excited to be within a quick driving distance to WDW that we drove there one Friday after work and returned to Greensboro Sunday evening. We thought it was GREAT to be so close that we could easily drive...