I'm going to assume that if (IF) the tix are cheaper, they must be bought IN the
other country and brought to the parks from there (ala the UK 14-day WDW tix.)
Depends on what one buys/books.
If one were to buy a package through WDTCUK, one would get their tickets at check in at the resort printed right on their KTTW-card. Read; the exact same experience as booking through WDTC USA, but with different ticket options and different prices for those tickets.
If one were to buy tickets seperately, that would come with the requirement to have the tickets sent to an address within the valid areas. Allthough it is a standard used name (including by WDTC UK), these tickets are NOT uk-resident tickets. Yes, they can be used by UK residents, but they are actually tickets available to all of us within the EU. They can be bought through WDTC UK but can also be bought through some other options like for instance
Undercover tourist etc. All come with the same requirement; shipping address within the EU when wanting them shipped to home address. Can also do a will call window pick up, but that does require a checking of address etc.
Benefit of
UT over WDTCUK is that with the previous you can sent ticket back if situation changes and get almost full amount -/- restocking fee back within, I believe it's the same year. Been a life saver here before. UT and alikes obviously charge in US dollars, where as WDTCUK obviously in pounds.
In these situations, it will not work getting these tickets for familymembers when yourself being a US resident with US address, wanting to pay with a US creditcard. They'ld have to take care of this themselves, if they do fit the requirements to be able to buy and use said tickets. From there on it would be up to you if you would've wanted to gift them the money for it, but you can't arrange these tickets for them and ask them to refund you.
Depending on length of trip, hotel staying at, spending habits etc. the 14 or 21-day ultimate tickets might not always be the most attractive option financially, but you might find an annual pass can be. And no such thing as a discounted price for them just because of being a EU citizin. Since quite some while now however, we can finally upgrade these tickets to an AP just like you would a MYW-ticket where they just price bridge the price difference. Prices quoted have been found to differ a bit per location and even sometimes per CM's.
Last year I ended up buying a 21-day ticket for the price of a 14-day (very common promotion you'll see coming round yearly) and ended up upgrading that one when plans changed and found myself doing a trip in december 2011 and september/october 2012. It was bridged from the original 21-day price (so not the paid 14 day price, allthough there is discussion about where that was right or wrong). Combined with the multiple exchange rates -am from a place where we use euros- and being offered a relatively very low price bridge and doing some math back in the room I found out I ended up saving a little under $100,- on my AP compared to what it would've cost me if I had gotten an AP directly from WDTC USA without the extra steps involved.
With the 2 trips an AP was a no brainer already, but you will also want to do the math for just one trip. Getting one person an AP can be worth the price difference depending on better hotel discounts it might get you, discounts on merchandise if planning to spent quite some money there, food etc. etc.
