Better to buy annual passes?

[hotdiggetydog]

Hi all, I'm thinking of a christmas break again this year, 3 nights, 4 days probably. We usually go in between Xmas and new yr, looking at prices I'm wondering if we would be better buying annual passes and booking hotels separately?
I'm happy to stay off site but hubby is adamant he would rather book as normal and stay in Dcr! We usually stay there so that's fine but I'm grudging paying in the region of £1400 to go once when I know I can get annual passes lol. I've seen some people say they've bought annual passes and added people to hotel on arrival, how does this work.
There's five of us aged 11 upwards.

I'm so confused! Help lol!

 

[DLPdaft]

so none of your children are free on an onsite deal now?

If thats the case, you book the DCR for one adult only on a package with park tickets included, then get annual passes for the other 4 of you, and when you arrive at the DCR, you add the 4 other names to the cabin at check-in. You pay local tax only to do this, which is around 2 euros per night per extra person added (so for 4 of you for 3 nights that would be around 24 euros total).

You don't need to have the APs before you check in at the DCR, if its most convenient for you you can go get them in the park after you check in.

 

[DLPdaft]

Our Annual Pass thread might help too -

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3094378

and if all 5 of you are immediate family living at the same address, you might be just as well buying 5 APs at the same time instead of 4, because you get the family AP discount which is 20% off each pass when buying 5, so your 5th one would in effect be free.

This could work out better for you if find a great deal for offsite but nearby rather than onsite later in your AP year's validity, as you wouldn't then need to buy your 5th AP, as you'd already have it.

 

[hotdiggetydog]

Thank you, I've been following the ap thread and have learnt a lot.

I priced up Dcr for 1 person, comes out at just under £870. So I could book that then buy 5 aps and pay taxes for the other four of us to stay at Dcr?
Sorry if I'm being a bit dim, have been dlp 9 times so should know what I'm doing but have always booked direct and stayed on site!
Any other tips would be great

 

[hotdiggetydog]

Sorry should have said, kids are. 11,13 and 17. All at same address.

 

[BabyAriel]

Have you looked on the French site? I'm getting a price of €891 (premium) or €839 (non-premium) for one person at DCR, arriving either on 27th or 28th December with free under 12s

 

[hotdiggetydog]

Thats brill thank you!
So am I better booking Dcr for hubby and 11yo daughter then buying annual passes for the three of us left over?
I was wondering about buying the five annual passes then pricing up room only as we would get the discount from the passes which would be 35%.
Has anyone done it that way?

 

[princessjodiebo]

What about blackout dates ? Am I right in thinking if I arrived on a monday and got annual passes for the 4 of us as long as the date I was arriving wasn't a blackout date I could use them straight away ?
I'm sure I saw a post about not being able to use it for the forat 2 days but that could be a specific annual pass . Not sure if its worth us doing similar or to just book as the free half board offer looks tempting !

 

[DLPdaft]

Thats brill thank you!
So am I better booking Dcr for hubby and 11yo daughter then buying annual passes for the three of us left over?
I was wondering about buying the five annual passes then pricing up room only as we would get the discount from the passes which would be 35%.
Has anyone done it that way?

don't buy annual passes thinking you'll get a good deal on hotel-only prices at 35% off. It doesn't work that way - you will be way better using the French deal with free under-12s then buying 3 annual passes when you get there and adding the 3 to your cabin when you get there .

 

[DLPdaft]

What about blackout dates ? Am I right in thinking if I arrived on a monday and got annual passes for the 4 of us as long as the date I was arriving wasn't a blackout date I could use them straight away ?
I'm sure I saw a post about not being able to use it for the forat 2 days but that could be a specific annual pass . Not sure if its worth us doing similar or to just book as the free half board offer looks tempting !

you can't use Francilien APs for 2 days after the date you buy/activate them at DLP, but you can use Fantasy APs straightaway and consecutively, apart from on blackout dates if you are staying offsite.

 

[hotdiggetydog]

Thanks for the advice
Have seen on expedia the explorers hotel for £887 for 4 nights so may grab an extra night and go for the annual passes!

 

[DLPdaft]

Thanks for the advice
Have seen on expedia the explorers hotel for £887 for 4 nights so may grab an extra night and go for the annual passes!

wouldn't that end up being just as expensive as the DCR when you add in the APs?

 

[hotdiggetydog]

Yes would work out about the same cost but I'd have an extra night for this trip and the annual passes for the rest of the year, I'm sure we would use them again

 

[DLPdaft]

Yes would work out about the same cost but I'd have an extra night for this trip and the annual passes for the rest of the year, I'm sure we would use them again

true, and the Explorers is a good choice for a family of 5 or more . Have you had a look on other online agents? I quite often find other agents like travelrepublic or ebookers etc are cheaper than Expedia.

 

[frozengirl82]

Def price travelrepublic we got a great price for the explorer with them

 

[hotdiggetydog]

I love this forum, lol, just found same dates for £731
Thanks again! X