Confused about Trip Planning

[SJSJ4]

We just purchased 210 pts at SSR. I am confused on a few items and I am hoping someone can help. We (2 adult, my kids ages 20 and 22, and possibly my nephew 10) are trying to plan a WDW trip the 3rd week of Jan, 06.
We want to stay at SSR from Fri until Mon or Tues, then switch to the FW cabins (our favorite resort) and stay unitl Sat.
1. Do I book my entire trip through DVC or do I cal WDW Vacation #. Will they split the trip for us? OR do I book the pts through DVC and the FW Cains, tickets,air, rental car etc., through AAA
2.I only have enough pts for the SSR, so I will need to pay cash for the FW Cabin - do they just charge my credit card?
3. During all of our last trips, we purchase the Length of Stay tickets so we can bounce to any of the theme parks or water parks at any time. Do they have a ticket like this still?
Any help and suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks - JT

 

[tjkraz]

We want to stay at SSR from Fri until Mon or Tues, then switch to the FW cabins (our favorite resort) and stay unitl Sat.
1. Do I book my entire trip through DVC or do I cal WDW Vacation #. Will they split the trip for us? OR do I book the pts through DVC and the FW Cains, tickets,air, rental car etc., through AAA

DVC can handle your hotel reservation at SSR (using points), and they can also book airfare and rental cars. However, it's entirely possible you will get better rates through AAA or another TA.

2.I only have enough pts for the SSR, so I will need to pay cash for the FW Cabin - do they just charge my credit card?

You'll have to go through the 407-W-DISNEY number to book the cabin. However, looking at your plans above, you may want to consider Friday and Saturday night in the cabin, and then Sunday to Thursday at SSR. Your points will go MUCH further at DVC resorts on the weekdays.

To illustrate, One Bedroom Villa at SSR in January costs 41 points on the weekends but only 20 points on the weekdays. You'll save a lot of cash on that FW Cabin by just spending the two weekend nights there, and then switching to SSR on your points for the remainder of the trip.

3. During all of our last trips, we purchase the Length of Stay tickets so we can bounce to any of the theme parks or water parks at any time. Do they have a ticket like this still?

Disney eliminated Length of Stay tickets earlier this year.

Your best option may be an annual pass. That gives you unlimited admission for 366 consecutive days, and DVC members get a handsome discount on APs. If you'll be taking another trip to WDW before the 2nd week of January '07, chances are the AP is your most economical option.

If not an AP, you'll want a Magic Your Way ticket. That's Disney's replacement for the old Park Hopper tickets. You can buy the MYW pass in any number of days from 1-10. And, features like Park Hopping (entering more than one park in a day), pass expiration (if you don't buy the non-expiration feature, your ticket expires 14 days from first use) and PLUS features (waterparks, Pleasure Island, DisneyQuest.)

Here the most economical pass (and most comparable to a LOS pass) would be the 10-day MYW with no expiration, Park Hopping and the PLUS pack. Any theme park days you don't use or Plus visits could then be used on your next trip. Or, if you'll only be in the theme parks 8-9 days, buy a pass for the exact length you will need and bypass the non-expiration option.

Tickets are pretty confusing these days. If you want to share more specifics about your trip (number of days you'll be in the parks, usage of waterparks and the like, other trips planned in the next year) it will be easier to make a concrete recommendation.

Good luck, and Welcome Home!

 

[MStepelton]

We've done this ( in reverse ). We did POR cash then BWV on points. We booked BWV with DVC and did the cash reservations on-line.
Hope this helps

 

[byoung]

I agree you should go to the cabins on the weekend nights.

 

[SJSJ4]

Thank you very much, you have really helped. I definitely will look into the AP. I can get that for my kids also? If so, they could fly down, and that is another expense they wouldnt have to think about. Also, if we go agin next Jan (the second week of Jan) it would work for us too. Thanks again!!

 

[Caskbill]

Thank you very much, you have really helped. I definitely will look into the AP. I can get that for my kids also? If so, they could fly down, and that is another expense they wouldnt have to think about. Also, if we go agin next Jan (the second week of Jan) it would work for us too. Thanks again!!

I presume you own the points at SSR in your name, so the two of you are definitely eligible for the DVC Annual Pass discounts.

Do your two adult children still live at home with you? If so then they would be elibigle for the DVC Annual Pass discount. If they live elsewhere then they're not eligible. Assuming your nephew doesn't live with you, then same there, he would not be eligible for the DVC annual pass discount.

 

[tjkraz]

Yes, you can get APs for your kids, however they may not be eligible for the DVC discount. According to the rules posted on the member website, children do qualify, but there is also a residency requirement. If Disney administers this part of the rules correctly, you'll have to present your DVC member ID card and your driver's license when buying the discounted APs. Your kids will also have to be present and produce a driver's license with the same address as your license.

Again, that's "letter of the law." Actual processes are likely to vary from one Disney Cast Member to another.

I forgot to include a link to a great ticket info site:

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

Look toward the bottom for AP and DVC AP prices. We get about 25% off the price, which is substantial. Annual Passes are good for unlimited admission to the 4 theme parks. Premium Annual Passes add unlimited admission to the waterparks, Pleasure Island and Disneyquest.

 

[Ali and boyz]

Would an annual pass benefit you if you were just going for 2weeks in total in the year

 

[Caskbill]

Would an annual pass benefit you if you were just going for 2weeks in total in the year

That all depends on how many park days you actually plan on doing. In the past (not today), it was around 8-days was the break-even point. That's when we had to pay full price for an AP (no discounts then), compared to Park Hopper tickets.

Today we get a discount, but WDW now has the MYW ticket system which really makes a difference depending on how many days you purchase and what options you get.

To decide you'll need to estimate how many park visits you would do during your 2-weeks and compare the price of a MYW ticket for that itinerary, then compare that specific MYW ticket's price to an the discounted DVC - AP price.

 

[tjkraz]

Would an annual pass benefit you if you were just going for 2weeks in total in the year

A 10-day Magic Your Way ticket with Park Hopping, no expiration, is $366 when purchased in advance from Disney. The DVC discounted annual pass is $315.

Unless you only plan on spending a fraction of those 2 weeks inside the parks, it looks like the AP is the way to go.

 

[SJSJ4]

Thanks for that comparison and pricing. It makes more sense to buy the AP or PAP, than to go with the tickets. Both my kids still have their address here so I could buy those for them also. THANKS!!

 

[SJSJ4]

It's confusing when you are new but you all have helped so much - THANKS