Can't decide if we should purchase annual passes

[Havana]

We are on the fence with buying annual passes.
We would be at the break even point, using approx 10-12 days over the next year. Several weekend trips, and a 6 day trip.

I see the Annual pass does offer some discounts. Do YOU find these discounts worth it? Do you find the hotel discounts to be plentiful throughout the year and good deals? Do you really use the restaurant, merchandise and tour discounts?

I'm not sure if we would purchase the TIW card, although that is something to consider vs. buying the dining plan.

Do you find having the AP is inconvenient when it comes to the package discounts that disney puts out? Or are there usually AP hotel discounts out at this time as well?

Has there been any rumors that Disney will extend the 15 month renewal option after Aug?

 

[Robo]

We are on the fence with buying annual passes.
We would be at the break even point, using approx 10-12 days over the next year. Several weekend trips, and a 6 day trip.

I see the Annual pass does offer some discounts.

1- Do YOU find these discounts worth it?

2- Do you find the hotel discounts to be plentiful throughout the year and good deals?

3- Do you really use the restaurant, merchandise and tour discounts?

4- I'm not sure if we would purchase the TIW card, although that is something to consider vs. buying the dining plan.

5- Do you find having the AP is inconvenient when it comes to the package discounts that disney puts out?

6- Or are there usually AP hotel discounts out at this time as well?

7- Has there been any rumors that Disney will extend the 15 month renewal option after Aug?

1- Yes.
2- Yes.
3- Yes.
4- We never do. We enjoy our meals (a LOT) but just pay OOP (there are usually only 2 of us.)
5- We nearly always arrange "room-only."
6- We do go when they are available.
7- No idea, as of now.

 

[BrettS]

We are on the fence with buying annual passes.
We would be at the break even point, using approx 10-12 days over the next year. Several weekend trips, and a 6 day trip.

You might want to double check your math... two trips in the same year will usually wind up at about the break even point between getting an AP or not, but I'm not sure that there's a single scenario where you'll be going for 10-12 days over at least three trips that the AP wouldn't be cheaper.

I see the Annual pass does offer some discounts. Do YOU find these discounts worth it? Do you find the hotel discounts to be plentiful throughout the year and good deals? Do you really use the restaurant, merchandise and tour discounts?

I live 40 minutes from Disney, so I really don't pay much attention to the hotel discounts and I can't offer much personal experience there, but from what I've seen online here there do seem to be some pretty good deals. The merchandise discount is good if you buy a lot of Disney stuff (typically we don't) and the tour discount is nice if you want to take a tour (although you can also get a tour discount if you're a DVC memeber or a Disney Visa card holder). I haven't been at all impressed with the restaraunt discounts... very few restaraunts seem to be included and we don't really seem to go to any of the ones that are.

Of course, any discount is a good discount, but I wouldn't get the AP just for the discounts.

I'm not sure if we would purchase the TIW card, although that is something to consider vs. buying the dining plan.

We have a TIW card and really love it, but as I said above, we really don't stay onsite, so we don't have the option to do the dining plan. If you're trying to make the decision between the two remember that the TIW card doesn't cover counter service restaraunts, so if you're going to be doing a lot of counter service, then the dining plan might be better for you.

 

[pixarmom]

I know the math is different for everyone, but I'll just share our experience. We just used our GAD to upgrade to APs recently.

Room rate discounts: We used the AP discount in March and we're using it again in July. The savings over the general public discounts have been significant so far. (In July, I think it's $50/night less at BC with the AP discount than the summer special rate for the general public.)

Dining: We got TIW (no dining plan anymore) and again, huge savings for us. We did the math based on what we were likely to order, and TIW was a much better deal for us, particularly because we like ADRs and TS, have two pre-teen "Disney adults," we share meals and order appetizers, and we don't eat dessert right away with our meals. It really depends on each family's math, but lots of AP holders have reported that TIW works well for them.

Stores: And the AP discount in WDW stores (10% for regular AP holders) has also been helpful.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I find the discounts really are a good added benefit. The resort discounts are peppered well throughout the entire year, seems like one is almost always going on. Here is a good history from Mary's site.....

http://www.mousesavers.com/historicalwdwdiscounts.html#codetrends

I do use the merchandise and tour discounts every trip. As for the regular dining discounts, I agree with pixarmom and BrettS above regarding the TiW card. I use it quite a bit and it works well, saves some good $'s. The package deals from Disney generally do not provide as much savings as a build it yourself, especially with an AP to work with. Typically Disney will be putting something into the package, at a discount, that you would likely to purchase anyway, if it was not in the package.

I would think it likely for them to extend the 15 month renewal, as long as the economy is soft. And it would appear o remain soft for some time yet.

Enjoy those AP's.

 

[ToyStory Fan]

see the Annual pass does offer some discounts.

1- Do YOU find these discounts worth it?

2- Do you find the hotel discounts to be plentiful throughout the year and good deals?

3- Do you really use the restaurant, merchandise and tour discounts?

4- I'm not sure if we would purchase the TIW card, although that is something to consider vs. buying the dining plan.

5- Do you find having the AP is inconvenient when it comes to the package discounts that disney puts out?

6- Or are there usually AP hotel discounts out at this time as well?

7- Has there been any rumors that Disney will extend the 15 month renewal option after Aug?

1. Dining, Shopping and Mini-Golf discount are always useful (looking forward to utilizing the PAP feature on Oak Trail Golf Course once DS11 finds his swing)
2. N/A usually as we are DVC members
3. Yes to all of the above
4. Yes we love TIW, when we are on vacation we almost always have one sit down meal per day and take full advantage of the 20% food and (yes adult beverage) discount. Especially, with DS11 eating of the adult menu now.
5. Sometimes yes sometimes no - depends on the package - there are definitely some deals to be had, but I love the ability to just "show up" whenever the mood should strike - or the airfare is too low to pass up a trip.
6. N/A DVC (but have inquired about AP discounts on occassion- sometimes limited.
7. Haven't heard if they offered it once they'll likely offer it again...if it was an automatic - I'm sure WDW would factor that into the pricing.

 

[cruisingkat]

I believe the 15 month deal on passes was offered about the same time as the MK expansion was announced. I wonder if it was offered because of the shutting down of attractions and construction for the expansion and remodeling of MK. If so, depending on how fast the remodeling is being completed, they might extend the longer renewal another year. But I wouldn't hold my breath- if attendance numbers start to climb in spite of all the work being done, there would be no need to extend it.

 

[patink]

We have a TIW card and really love it, but as I said above, we really don't stay onsite, so we don't have the option to do the dining plan. If you're trying to make the decision between the two remember that the TIW card doesn't cover counter service restaraunts, so if you're going to be doing a lot of counter service, then the dining plan might be better for you.

I also have the TIW card because we like to do some TS meals (but not everyday so dining plan is not a good option) and mostly QS. TIW does apply at some counter service restaurants. If you do stay onsite I know it works at Everything POP (POP century food court) and I believe it works at the QS at a number of the other food courts. It also works at Flame Tree BBQ and the Pizza place in AK.

We try to have a good breakfast to get us going every morning so the discount at Everything POP helps a lot.

Here is a list of restaurants from allears. http://allears.net/din/dde.htm They are usually accurate in their information.

HTH

 

[dwtraveler]

We have premium annual passes. We live about an hour from WDW but find we use the the hotel discounts all the time for quick over night treats. Last December, we got a concierge room at AKL for a little over $150, what a treat! Of course, for us, it covers the parking, which is a savings. And the PAP includes Disney Quest and the water parks which we love spending an afternoon on the lazy river in a tube! Not sure how you will use yours, but ours gets us everything we could ever want and more!

 

[danceintherain]

Ultimately, the biggest thing you need to look at when deciding is whether or not the number of days you'll be purchasing will cost more with or without an Annual Pass. The other perks are much less important and other than the room discounts take a lot to make up for the cost.

I went to Disney 16 days last year between 2 trips. The Annual Pass was just slightly a better deal than buying the tickets for the 2 trips separately, but it did cost less. My husband, who went on both trips with me, wasn't sure by the end of our first trip if he would be able to come on a second, so we didn't buy him an Annual Pass.

The only "perk" that we used with my Annual Pass was the room discount for our first trip. We went with the Dining Plan for that trip as well. It WAS a fabulous discount though. We stayed in a Pool View Room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for, if I remember correctly, $154/night, which is around $90/night discount. Since we stayed 9 nights, we saved around $800, which was slightly more than what we would have saved by going with the General Public discount available for our dates.

We were unable to make it back for a third trip last year, so I am very glad that I got my money's worth with the Annual Pass on the first two. The third trip actually would have been using Free Dining, because it was the better deal even with buying a 1-day ticket (it seems that this year they've changed it to a mandatory 2-day ticket though)

In your case, it seems like an Annual Pass would be a decent deal, provided that each of your subsequent trips include at least 2-Days in the parks. If you plan to park hop, then the value of an Annual Pass increases.
Even just buying a 6-day+PH ($296) and a 2-Day+PH ($216) would close the difference between buying your tickets separately.
296+216= $512
Annual Pass = $520
I suppose that $8 difference could be closed with some of those extras you're so curious about.

If it matters, should I ever get the opportunity to get an Annual Pass again I would definitely use more of the other discounts. It just so happens that my trips last year didn't include any of those extra activities, because I found plenty to do without paying extra money, and none of the people I was traveling had Annual Passes, so the discounts would only apply to me. (except for miniature golf...and DisneyQuest, which we didn't end up having time to do)

 

[eebadeeba]

I had an annual pass for one year. I originally bought it for a 2 week off-site trip to get free parking and discount on dining. Then when the hotel offers came in January (it was cold where I was) I could not resist the offer and made that unplanned trip and finally had the need to use it again before it expired.

Had I not had it, I would not have gone on the additional unplanned trip. Which I don't regret doing, but it would have been cheaper.

 

[bumbershoot]

We are on the fence with buying annual passes.
We would be at the break even point, using approx 10-12 days over the next year. Several weekend trips, and a 6 day trip.

Just looking without adding taxes and JUST in terms of ticket costs...


2 day ticket, no hopping: 156

6 day ticket, no hopping: 231

Multiplying that 2 day by 3 to get 6 days, to equal the 12 total days max you mentioned, that's 699 (before tax) for all those tickets.


Normal AP: 489

Premium AP: 619


Just from that quick peek, it seems an AP wins no matter what!


But I get that you're looking at packages and whatnot...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The major problem with Annual Passes concerns when they are in a drawer more than 100 miles from Disney World and they whine a lot and scream:

Use Me!

 

[Leota]

APs work well for us every other year. We go to the F&W Fest every Oct., so we get 2 trips out of each one. Usually around 8 days each. Because we like to stay at the Swolphin resorts, the room discounts don't factor in much for us. But we really make good use of the TiW perk. We have tried the dning plan before but it doesn't really fit the way we eat ( we do lots of appetizers & sharing & we like to have wine or a drink with lunch & dinner)

The AP also allows for cheaper spontaneous trips too, if you happen to get an airfare you just can't pass up, room rates seem to be almost always available & your tickets are all taken care of.

Going the AP route has allowed us to take longer vacations too. We used to try to cram in 2 5 Day trips of a 10 day pass, but they were just a little too short. Whenever we can take longer trips, we have the APs.

 

[loveysbydesign]

can you use a GAD voucher towards the purchase of an AP???

 

[MareSINY]

I had considered getting an AP for my trip in April, since I had been there in January and was going again and since I was planning to go again in December I thought I should just bite the bullet and get the AP. On second thought I didn't get it because I would want to get one more use out of it before it expired, and although I want to go back next year I wasn't sure if I'd get there before it expired in April so I didn't do it. I'm now considering getting one for my trip in December, this way I'll have all next year to use it as well. I'd want to use it for the room discount as well, but I wasn't sure if I can get the discount before I activate the annual pass.

Is it possible to book a room with an AP discount and then activate the AP upon arrival at the resort?

 

[BrettS]

Is it possible to book a room with an AP discount and then activate the AP upon arrival at the resort?

Yes, basically. Anyone can book a room with an AP rate and they won't ask to actually see the AP until you check in (and sometimes they don't even ask then). If you haven't activated your AP at check in and they ask about it, just tell them that you'll be activating it as soon as you get to the parks and they'll let you come back and show them the AP the next day.

However, you can't activate your AP at the resort... you need to go to guest services or a ticket window at one of the parks to do that.

 

[richmo]

There is a lot of math to consider when making that determination. What we've found is that it makes sense for us to buy one annual pass. Since we usually stay offsite, the AP immediately saves us $14 a day in parking and we also get a TIW, which pays itself off for a family of four after only two or three full service meals. As a family, we seem to take a long (10-14 day) trip every other year and I'll do a shorter (4 day or so) solo trip every spring. So, I get one AP every other year and time the spring trip so it either is the beginning of the AP or finishes just before the AP expires. That way, I get 3 trips for the one AP, with a total of about 20 gate days.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

can you use a GAD voucher towards the purchase of an AP???

Yes. The GAD ticket will have the full value of a one day, one park, pass and may be upgraded to any ticket you are entitled to purchase.

 

[MareSINY]

Yes, basically. Anyone can book a room with an AP rate and they won't ask to actually see the AP until you check in (and sometimes they don't even ask then). If you haven't activated your AP at check in and they ask about it, just tell them that you'll be activating it as soon as you get to the parks and they'll let you come back and show them the AP the next day.

However, you can't activate your AP at the resort... you need to go to guest services or a ticket window at one of the parks to do that.

Thanks Brett!! I kind of had a feeling that's how it worked, but I figured better to be safe and ask than do the wrong thing.

In November we used a military discount, my BIL is retired Navy, I made him come with me at check in because I was told he'd have to show his military ID, but they ended up not asking for it. So I guess APs can work the same way where they may or may not actually ask.

Thanks again