best deal on park tickets--bounce back? military discount?

[micmacmissy]

Hi everyone, advice needed! Can anyone untangle the admissions mystery for me? I can't seem to get a straight answer from Disney on what admissions they offer.

We have a party of 9 going to Disney for 4 days in Dec. (5 adults, 4 kids). Since we 2 young children going with us, we probably will NOT be doing more than one park a day. Also, we don't plan on being out much at all after dinner. (Not interested in Dowtown Disney or Pleasure Island or the water parks). We want to see Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom.

In light of this, do we really need park hopper passes? (We are staying at the GF but did not get any packages, just booked a suite only rate.) Would it be cheaper to just buy one-day passes each day? Also, I read something about bounce-back passes that made them seem like a great deal, but supposedly they're hard to get and Disney doesn't admit to selling them unless you're pushy about it?

Also, my husband is in the reserves--can he buy passes for all 9 of us on a military discount? Do they even offer a military discount? Does anyone know what it is?

And could I possibly cram any more questions into one posting?

Thank you!

 

[tjkraz]

The best value would be to pre-purchase either 4 or 5 day hopper passes direct from Disney. The single-day admission will end up costing you more money than a Hopper purchased in advance.

Single day passes and the bounce-back options can only be purchased directly at the gate, so it doesn't surprise me that a telephone operator wouldn't be completely versed in their usage.

You can find a lot of information regarding military discounts at www.shadesofgreen.org.

 

[arizonacolbys]

Yes - they do offer military discounts on many different admission passes thru the shades of green. Check out there website in the post above - I'm not sure if there is a limit to the number of tickets one can purchase with the military ID. My FIL has purchased tickets for himself, my MIL & their 4 children in the past with no problems. My husband is in the National Guard & we will be buying our AP's from SOG in Sept. As someone else stated, you will get cheaper park admission by purchasing the hopper passes, than just individual park passes each day. HTH!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

It just seems funny to me that you are looking for the cheapest tickets when you are staying at the most expensive property Disney has. Not trying to be mean (really) but if you are looking for items at a lower cost, have you thought about staying at Shades of Green? They now have family suites that sleep up to eight. You could reserve two of those each night and still pay several *thousands* less than GF.

Sorry for the unsolicited advice but SOG is such a great benefit for military, hate to see it not used.

 

[micmacmissy]

I see what you're saying (really), but we just booked this trip and Shades of Green is fully booked through spring. For our next trip we will probably stay there when we have the benefit of planning a year in advance.

Also, this trip is a gift from my father, who has his heart set on staying at a suite in the GF. So, since he's paying--he's saying! So the GF it is.

As far as being "cheap" when it comes to park tickets, what you probably didn't know is that we have two small children who will not be able to handle a 12 hour day at the parks, dinner out, and then evening activities. We will have to take frequent breaks, have short days, and return to the hotel for naps (another reason why the GF will be ideal for this trip). So it doesn't make sense to pay top dollar for park tickets when we won't be using them the same way other families do who get their money's worth by doing everything the parks have to offer. There won't be any nighttime fireworks or early morning rides for us.

 

[Fridye]

Read www.mousesavers.com. There are some excellent tips on buying tickets, even from some ticket companies. If you have a AAA membership, call for their prices. Also, Alamo car rental supposedly had a good ticket price if you were renting a car. You'll find several discussions on ticket prices on this board.

 

[Villain Dude]

could someone explain bounce back tickets?

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

micmacmissy -- Totally understandable. You need to do two things. One, talk your father into buying a DVC membership for the next trip. Two, have him adopt me!!!

All kidding aside...you may find that your best ticket option is the Stars and Stripes Pass from SOG just because of the reasons you have stated. You pretty much have access to all the parks anytime during your stay. Maybe spend a few hours in the Magic Kingdom, go back to the hotel for a nap or swim, and then spend the afternoon in Animal Kingdom. And please, please, please...try to get the kiddies to fireworks at least one night. They are so spectacular, they shouldn't be missed. (Actually that might be a good night for Mom and Dad to watch the fireworks and let the Grandparents watch the kids!)

Here's a link to the All Ears website that has a great ticket price analysis:

http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/ticketchart.htm

 

[HookedOnDiz]

Originally posted by calypso*a*go-go
It just seems funny to me that you are looking for the cheapest tickets when you are staying at the most expensive property Disney has. Not trying to be mean (really) but if you are looking for items at a lower cost, have you thought about staying at Shades of Green? They now have family suites that sleep up to eight. You could reserve two of those each night and still pay several *thousands* less than GF.

Sorry for the unsolicited advice but SOG is such a great benefit for military, hate to see it not used.

Is that really any of our business?

If they can afford to stay at the GF then good for them... it doesn't mean that they are not entitled to seek out the best deal they can on tickets.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by Villain Dude
could someone explain bounce back tickets?

http://allearsnet.com/pl/ticket.htm#3

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by HookedOnDiz
Is that really any of our business?

Well, since the OP didn't seem to take offense to the suggestion, the only one who seems to have a problem with it is....YOU!

 

[HookedOnDiz]

Originally posted by tjkraz
Well, since the OP didn't seem to take offense to the suggestion, the only one who seems to have a problem with it is....YOU!

I stand by my comment... they were only looking for advice on the least expensive ticket option... its nobody's business where they stay or what they spend.

 

[disney4us2002]

micmacmissy, since Shades is full, did you inquire as to overflow rates? I don't know if they'd offer overflow for a suite, but it cannot hurt to ask. We got a terrific rate for the Poly this way.

Also, just want to mention that if your dh can buy tickets from your local mwr office, it will cost less than Shades typically. My dh is purchasing our php thru the Pentagon and they are $19 a piece less than Shades. For nine people that really adds up.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by HookedOnDiz
I stand by my comment... they were only looking for advice on the least expensive ticket option... its nobody's business where they stay or what they spend.

Gee, and when did offering a helpful suggestion regarding another way to save money cross the line into inappropriateness?

Posting Police! Alert! Alert!

micmacmissy:

One more suggestion that just occurred to me. Since you're getting a really expensive room, you might want to keep your eyes open for AP discounts for December. Discount codes for Annual Pass holders can be significant, but they aren't offered year-round, they are typically only released a couple of months before the travel date, and they MAY not be available for all room classes.

I've heard of people saving well over $100 per night at the Deluxe resorts with AP holder discounts. The AP only costs about $400, and only one person in your party needs to have an AP to take advantage of a room discount.

Keep your eyes on this site and Mousesavers. If you find out that AP rates have been released for your travel dates, call CRO and see if you can rebook at the AP rate. And, of course, find out how much the AP rate would save you. You don't need to have the AP in your hands to book the discounted rate--you just need to have it at check-in. All that means is a quick trip to Downtown Disney before you arrive at your hote.

Good luck!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Sorry -- didn't mean to get anything started. My only concern when I originally posted was that the OP was spending so much on accomodations that other experiences might be eliminated due to cost constraints. But it appears the thread was instigated due to the age of OP's family members vs. budget concerns.

The advice concerning AP's rates and SOG overflow rates should both be followed up on by OP. Even though DF is paying for the suite, I'm doubt he wouldn't mind saving some money here and there.

micmacmissy -- Have a great time on your trip. December is right around the corner!!!

 

[micmacmissy]

Thank you, HookedonDiz, for sticking up for me and standing by it--I was originally a little offended by the post, since I was asking for ticket advice, not resort advice.

I do realize people are trying to be helpful even when it isn't conveyed that way, so all is forgiven!

And I appreciate the information on the websites that compare park tickets and explain the bounce back thing--so thanks to everyone! I never even thought of checking with MWR office so I will do that asap!

Thanks all!

 

[HookedOnDiz]

Originally posted by micmacmissy
Thank you, HookedonDiz, for sticking up for me and standing by it--I was originally a little offended by the post, since I was asking for ticket advice, not resort advice.

Glad you got the information you were looking for... Enjoy your trip