Convince me to buy an Annual Pass

[mjamm]

So now that I am seriously looking at all the advantages of having an annual pass I need some good convincing here....
How many people buy annual passes just to receive the discounts? Does disney generally offer deals for annual pass holders through out the year or do you also get a discount because you are an AP holder even if there isn't a current offer? I.E. right now you can get up to 40% off room rates. What other kind of discounts and or incentives are there? Anything in general for January for AP holders in the past? Lot's of questions, sorry! I just need to be loaded with info before I talk to my hubby!

 

[aubriee]

I can't imagine not having my AP. I don't always use it for the room discounts however. Sometimes the other room discounts Disney offers are better deals than the AP discounts. For example, in Dec the free dining is a better discount for us, so I'm using that discount instead of the 40% AP one. However, I'm traveling solo for my Sept/Oct trip and the AP discount beat the free dining in that instance. (I'm staying at a moderate in both Sept/Oct and Dec, but traveling with family in Dec). I usually go to WDW in early May, Sept/Oct, Dec, and sometimes throw in an extra trip in Jan. Thus far, an AP discount has always been available during those times. Again though, free dining is frequently a better deal if you stay in a value or moderate. You just have to run your numbers.

As far as other discounts: there are some restaurants where you can get 10% off your meals at lunch time (and 20% off at Fulton's, House of Blues, or Portobello Yacht Club) and you are eligible to purchase the Wonderland card (former DDE card) which gives you 20% off most meals. You also get 10% off at Ghirardelli, 10% off merchandise at the World of Disney store, Arribas Brothers, the Lego store, the Basin, Planet Hollywood merchandise, House of Blues merchandise, Rainforest Cafe merchandise, 15% off tours, 10% off spa treatments at the GF or Saratoga Springs spas, 10% off Sammy Duvall's Water Sports Center activities, 15% off other WDW marina boat rentals, 30% off golf, $20.00 discount of Richard Petty's Ride Along Experience or $35.00 discount off any of his driving experiences, $4.00 off admission at Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, $4.00 discount off Disney Quest Admission, 50% discount for mini golf, $2.00 discount at AMC Theaters for evening admission, and 20% off Alamo car rentals

 

[mjamm]

Do you know on average what percentage the room discount is? Or is there like a standard 10% off room only discount? And am I correct in assuming this is room only?
Do they periodically announce further deals throughout the year?

This really does seem like a great deal. Between what I would save just with a 40% discounted trip on my room and not buying one adult ticket would practically have the card paid off. And then there is always the arguement that sicne we have the annual pass, we could easily go back....

 

[snykymom]

1) You get free parking even if you're not staying on-site.
2) You get 20% discounts on various tours.
3) You get 10% discounts at some stores.
4) You get discounts on MNSSHP and MVMCP tickets.
5) You can buy Tables in Wonderland card, which gives you 20% off most TS, including adult beverages, with no restrictions on what you can order.

When we went in January, I booked a one-night AP room only before our 4/3 deal. Got POP for $54. Then we ate at V&A. The 20% that I saved there paid for the TiW card. The rest of our food discounts saved more than the cost of the upgrade to the AP. (I didn't do a dining plan - don't like their restrictions.)

This trip, I'm getting AKL for $149/night. Next trip, I'm getting CSR for $89/night. I can add any of the dining plans if I want to.

Now, of course, as you said, I'd save a lot more if I didn't have the AP, since neither of these trips would have happened . . .