Difference in Renewing VS Buying new AP?

[MacMama0930]

My family's APs are expiring Oct 8th, mine Nov 9th. I'm not so sure I'm willing to renew my families, but I know I'll want one, as I like to ability to go with friends or my mom. We are planning a trip this December at the beginning of the AP blockouts, December 17th if I remember correctly - because we're hoping to try the approach of less crowds at peak times but when APs are blocked. There's nothing that would stop me from letting my current AP lapse, using regular tickets during our December trip and then upgrading mine to an AP on my last day? I don't know if I'm over thinking this but it seems like I'm doing something sneaky and shady??

 

[MacMama0930]

I should clarify - I certainly don't expect LOW crowds in December, I know it'll be busy but based on some numbers I looked at last year, the crowds decreased slightly once the APs were blocked.

 

[kristabelle13]

Spitballing - not really doing math - If you add in photopass and maxpass + the discounts(and a higher discount if you were just going to get deluxe) and parking during those blackout days you're buying tix for - is it worth the sig+ pass for at least you during your trip? Your AP will be back dated to the first day you used your ticket anyways. (At least that's my understanding )

I did similar math recently. I went with Sig vs Deluxe because I saved about $500 staying out by Honda Centre but then drove everyday to parks so saved $140 on 7 days parking + then 15% + 20% on food and merch+ photpass. 7 days of purchases saved me $60. So that $200 savings almost accounted for the more expensive pass in that one trip. #disneymath

 

[MacMama0930]

Oh good call - I didn't think about that. I will have to figure out the math on that one...There isn't ever AP hotel rates during that is there??

I was planning on doing DAP...but it may make sense to do Sig +. Thank you!

 

[SMD]

If you're not going between Nov 9th and your next trip I'd lapse and buy a new AP. You'll lose the $40-$60 renewal discount depending on the level of AP, but not paying for 5-6 weeks you won't use the AP is worth more than that discount, and you get the additional days next year.

 

[az4boys]

Currently, if you get a 4 day PH from LMTClub, then upgrade to a DAP, you save $44 on the DAP because Disney gives you full credit for the PH, not the discounted rate. I believe you can upgrade to an AP before even using the PH if you want.

 

[MacMama0930]

If you're not going between Nov 9th and your next trip I'd lapse and buy a new AP. You'll lose the $40-$60 renewal discount depending on the level of AP, but not paying for 5-6 weeks you won't use the AP is worth more than that discount, and you get the additional days next year.

Currently, if you get a 4 day PH from LMTClub, then upgrade to a DAP, you save $44 on the DAP because Disney gives you full credit for the PH, not the discounted rate. I believe you can upgrade to an AP before even using the PH if you want.

The DAP (which was what I was going to get would be blocked my entire trip, so that's why I was going to do it on my last day. But I may just buy the Sig + before my trip now

 

[kristabelle13]

Currently, if you get a 4 day PH from LMTClub, then upgrade to a DAP, you save $44 on the DAP because Disney gives you full credit for the PH, not the discounted rate. I believe you can upgrade to an AP before even using the PH if you want.

This is also what I did! I bought a 5 day hopper - it was $295ish but was credited $350. Thus, I also saved $55 on my Sig annual pass.

Do a quick calculation on what you might spend and then the discount difference between the two - it's also great to have no blackout days - makes trip planning easy. Last year with my Sig AP, I tracked my discount. I saved $620 in merch, food and hotels and only paid $543 for my AP (I had a free 5 day ticket purchases with miles that I upgraded). So the pass paid for itself. Again, #mousemath lol

 

[SteveMP]

I am SoCal Select AP the past couple decades on and off. Theres never much,if any ,incentive for us low life peons to renew before expiring, so i pretty much always let them lapse then buy new next trip.

 

[MacMama0930]

This is also what I did! I bought a 5 day hopper - it was $295ish but was credited $350. Thus, I also saved $55 on my Sig annual pass.

Do a quick calculation on what you might spend and then the discount difference between the two - it's also great to have no blackout days - makes trip planning easy. Last year with my Sig AP, I tracked my discount. I saved $620 in merch, food and hotels and only paid $543 for my AP (I had a free 5 day ticket purchases with miles that I upgraded). So the pass paid for itself. Again, #mousemath lol

Are the hotel discounts any different for Signature + APs? I have taken advantage of the AP rates at onsite hotels and while they're good, they don't seem to offer them very often.

 

[kristabelle13]

Are the hotel discounts any different for Signature + APs? I have taken advantage of the AP rates at onsite hotels and while they're good, they don't seem to offer them very often.

No, I believe all APs are the same hotel discount.

So, I figured i saved $107 on a 3 night stay (sun-tues) for Halloween last year. Plus I also got a $20 dining voucher plus 3 fastpasses for any ride. HOWEVER, I also saved 14% on my stay at Grand Legacy at the park.

 

[l4dyj8]

I have only renewed my passwithin renewal time because it always seems to fall during their price increase period lately. March renewed with price increase inFebruary.Which is when we normally go before spring break crowds. Had there not been price increase rumors before our visit, I would do your plan. One year it worked out because it was a block out day on our Saturday visit, and was able to renew and enter the parks that day.

The rumor earlier this year was that they were getting rid of monthly payments. It didn't happen at the time.

 

[MacMama0930]

I have only renewed my passwithin renewal time because it always seems to fall during their price increase period lately. March renewed with price increase inFebruary.Which is when we normally go before spring break crowds. Had there not been price increase rumors before our visit, I would do your plan. One year it worked out because it was a block out day on our Saturday visit, and was able to renew and enter the parks that day.

The rumor earlier this year was that they were getting rid of monthly payments. It didn't happen at the time.

I'm going back forth between Signature and Signature Plus. If I did Signature Plus I could get it at the beginning of the trip and enjoy the discounts, but otherwise it'll make no difference than the regular Signature in terms of other block out days. The regular Signature will get me in every other day of the year anyways. My Signature Plus would expire before the next Signature block out (Christmas Break). So...do I upgrade to Signature on my last day? Or buy Signature Plus before the trip? Ahhh! Decisions, decisions. Parking doesn't matter since when we go we stay onsite. And Signature does include photopass, but not maxpass, right?

 

[Tasscrapper]

I've let mine lapse twice now. I live in Utah and there are months between visits so it doesn't make sense to just renew when it expires. This past time I bought the 5 day ph from LMT club and was able to upgrade at a ticket window and also get the extra months they were offering at the time. I was given full credit of a 5 day ph even though I got it for a discount. However, it was a bit of a pain. It's possible it was because of the older cast member that was helping us . . . he seemed much more interested in chatting than finishing the transaction. If you do buy tickets first make sure they don't just 'renew' the old pass. Our cast member did that originally and it was going to back date to the date my old one expired which would have cost me months of entrance. It took about 45 minutes to process two ap's that already had all our information in the system. Be prepared to spend a little time at the ticket counter.