Benefits of an annual pass?

[Son of Gadsden]

I've been considering getting annual passes for a while, but we live in VA. We normally take a couple trips a year and buy 5 day hoppers. Doing the math, we would save some money in the long run if we go with annual passes, plus could possibly slip the first trip of our next year in the year of our pass and really save a lot of money. We never do short trips to WDW, because we cant justify driving 10 hours down and 10 back for a few hours at the parks....and we can't justify paying for flights then another 1500 at WDW for just a weekend. So annual passes may allow us to visit a little more frequently...and would also cut out the weird limbo days when we arrive after a long drive or a flight and don't want to waste money on park tickets for just a few hours.

So, I'm trying to make a decision. I've read up and all, but just in case I missed anything...what would be all the benefits of an annual pass for an out of state visitor? Are there any drawbacks to being an annual pass holder vs MYW tickets? And is the Tables In Wonderland a big benefit?

Thanks in advance.

 

[myjourney]

We also go either twice a year or for 2 weeks so AP is best for us. You also get discount rooms, food and shopping or if you rent something like watercraft. And if you stay off-site then you will still get free parking with your AP, I think that is about $14 a day in the parks.

I do purchase TiW because we usually have about 6 to 8 of us and like to eat once a day at table service restaurants. Also if you have a reservation at a resort restaurant you can get free valet parking, which is about $15. Somewhere over in the restaurant forum someone has done the TiW math and it seems like you save around $20-25 per hundred. Someone will find you that link I am sure

 

[LSUfan4444]

is the Tables In Wonderland a big benefit?

Absolutely.

Putting the included AP room discount aside...if you drive, it really opens up the options on where you can stay and save add'l money. Please like Buena Vista Suites that offer full breakfast every morning included in a rate under $100/night for a suite.

 

[DVCFan1994]

The shopping discounts can add up when you and the family are in a shopping mood. My kids both had saved all their Christmas and other money before our February trip and saving 10% everywhere we bought something added up fast. But you are still paying WDW starting prices You get early entry into runDisney events if that ever matters. I don't use any other benefits. There are some dining benefits, but TiW is better for dining so we use that.

We make good use of TiW. You need to look at a few of your favorites and price out if the savings is worth it, everyone is different. It costs $100 so you need to save at least that. If you enjoy alcohol, it can add up fast because its 20% off that as well. There are a few excluded table services and not too many CS are included. The website spells it out well, lists all included restaurants and lounges. Tablesinwonderland.com

I don't think to use the other benefits so can not comment on them much.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We have been getting AP's and doing two 11 day trips within a year period....so clearly the cost on tickets is a huge benefit.

We also use TiW, which we love....so much better for us than the DDP.

The discounts in the stores, kids clubs, etc all add up to being a nice benefit.

The room discount is nice although we haven't used it because we usually do military discount (although this year we went with a TA discount instead).

For us, there are many benefits of having the AP.

Be careful though, those things can burn a hole in your pocket and make you book extra trips...

 

[rpk1951]

If you go enough days to save money, you cannot lose. Any other discounts are just extra benefits at that point.

 

[WillAustin]

Be careful though, those things can burn a hole in your pocket and make you book extra trips...

This. I think we ended up spending 25 days in the parks last year, and that's coming from Texas.

 

[MHSweb79]

For us, the best part of having an AP is the room discount. It's allowed us to stay at the Yacht/ Beach Club for very little more than our standard rate at POFQ, which remains the only way we can afford to stay there! Also, the one year we needed a 2 bedroom unit (brought MIL with us.. LOL) we stayed offsite and didn't have to pay for parking.

Also, it DOES kind of burn a hole in your pocket. We fly from R.I. and we seem to always have to squeeze in that extra trip before the AP expires, just because it's "free." So we get more WDW time than we would if we just purchased regular park hoppers.

I'm not a souvenir buyer, but I have used the AP discount for the small things that we do buy, and some restaurants have offered AP discounts in the past as well. But I agree with the PP, if you are saving money on admission, then you are already ahead of the game. Why not?

 

[dawnhaze]

I had an AP from October 2012 through October 2013, living in DE and then NY, and I took 3 trips - two 7-day and one 11-day. I'm in a similar position - flying down for short trips is too expensive to justify.

The AP room discount was a bit better than the public one for each of my trips, so that was a small help. I used the merch discount quite a bit, since I buy pins, but I also found that I forgot to ask for it sometimes. What I did before the MagicBands was put little round stickers on my KTTW card and Disney Visa and write "AP" on them with a Sharpie, so when I took either one out to pay I'd think of the AP card.

I came out ahead just on tickets with my AP. The discounts were just an extra. Keep in mind that Disney does change the discounts/benefits sometimes, and it's often without warning.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

Thanks for all the great info, I think it's definitely in our best interest to get the DP. We normally book through Orbitz though and end up with a 20% off room only discount. So AP wouldn't help me out there, would it? Or does it take more off the "spring discounts" and such that Disney offers?

If you enjoy alcohol, it can add up fast because its 20% off that as well.

REALLY!? I didn't know the discount was on alcohol. That's awesome. I figured for sure it wouldn't count for alcohol.

 

[Luscien]

We knew we were going to have at least two shorter trips in a year: this May and next February for the half marathon. Even given those two shorter stays, the math worked in our favor to get APs.

All the other discounts like TiW and room discounts will just be a bonus over the money we were gonna spend anyway. We already spent 50 dollars less in our room over 4 days in May due to the AP discount.

The park tickets were money we were gonna spend anyway, so why not get the other discounts too?

 

[TDC Nala]

You have to count up whether the AP will save you on park admission. That's the big one. If it will save you on park admission, everything else is gravy. If it won't, THEN you have to decide if other perks which could be taken away or reduced at any time will make the difference.

We normally book through Orbitz though and end up with a 20% off room only discount. So AP wouldn't help me out there, would it? Or does it take more off the "spring discounts" and such that Disney offers?

Sometimes the Orbitz/other third party broker discounts are better than the Disney AP discount or any other Disney room discount. That was true for me in April. AP does free you up from having to buy packages, giving you the option to book third party (unless you want a dining plan, then you would have to get a ticketless package)

 

[Mome Rath]

For me, I have to sit and do the math and at least try to figure out my plan for 2 years. It also depends on who you travel with. I have family that has AP's so, for me, I can get the discounts (even on rooms) by planning with my family. I tend to go several times a year but for short trips; hence for the past few years, for me, getting a 10 day park hopper no expiration has saved me money, bought through UT saves me more.

I know it is a small thing, but AP holders also get small perks like special pins they can buy, t-shirts, etc.. however, for me it is always "just" a matter of days spent in the parks, and when my trips are planned for. Truly the only drawback doing it my way that I've found is that if we get to Dis late in the day, I don't "waste" one of my ticket days on several hours, meanwhile my fam goes right on in to the parks with their AP's.

My fam also does Tables in Wonderland, and it really does save if you remember to use it everywhere it can be, and you plan several sit-downs for your trips.

 

[heybravo626]

We get an annual pass for all the reasons that have been mentioned. We try to make 3-4 trips year for a about a total of a month it makes sense Someone else mention it but I agree to take a you look at the Tables in Wonderland dining card you can get once you get the AP. It’s a great savings and allows you to eat how you want without feeling like you need to eat an entrée, desserts, & drink at every meal. Sometimes we will just get salad and appetizers and you get that all at a 20% discount. It is good at almost all Sit downs and a few Counter Services (AK park and POFQ come to mind).

 

[DVCFan1994]

REALLY!? I didn't know the discount was on alcohol. That's awesome. I figured for sure it wouldn't count for alcohol.

Really. Anywhere that takes TiW it works for alcohol too. Bottles of wine get more reasonable quick.

 

[PaulaVonSchweetz]

It's always worth it to me if I know I'll be spending at least 10 days in parks in a 12 month period.

If I lived only a 10 hour drive I'd be there 6 times a year!!!! *jealous

 

[Mousemommy1]

This. I think we ended up spending 25 days in the parks last year, and that's coming from Texas.

We come from NH, so certainly not close by any means.

Thank goodness for Southwest and Jet blue!!!

 

[Son of Gadsden]

What really gets me considering it is this trip we're taking in a few weeks. It's always been on my mind, but we planned on this trip being cheap and it isnt turning out to be. We go for a week every 6 months, but this one is just a weekend and is our first short trip. But, because these MYW tickets are so frontloaded, we're basically paying the same for three day tickets as we would for our normal 6 days. It's like a 50 dollar difference. So, I feel like it's just a freakin waste. If I get annuals though, It can count towards the two trips we haven't taken yet, and by the end of the year, this trip's tickets will turn out to have been free, basically.

Honestly, I think I'm sold.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

So does anyone have a Disney Visa AND participate in DiW?

Does the 10% off on the Visa go on top of the TiW and make it like a 30% discount?

Figured I'd ask. haha.

 

[Mousemommy1]

What really gets me considering it is this trip we're taking in a few weeks. It's always been on my mind, but we planned on this trip being cheap and it isnt turning out to be. We go for a week every 6 months, but this one is just a weekend and is our first short trip. But, because these MYW tickets are so frontloaded, we're basically paying the same for three day tickets as we would for our normal 6 days. It's like a 50 dollar difference. So, I feel like it's just a freakin waste. If I get annuals though, It can count towards the two trips we haven't taken yet, and by the end of the year, this trip's tickets will turn out to have been free, basically.

Honestly, I think I'm sold.

Enjoy!!!