Disney PAP or Universal AP

[weluvpluto]

We've already purchased our AP's for Disney with trips planned in July, December, and June '06. We're debating upgrading our passes to PAP's - we've never done the Disney Water Parks or DisneyQuest - or instead of that, purchasing Annual Passes for Universal Studios/ IOA (we've only "done" US once 6 years ago).

Looking for opinions for my DH, me, and our daughters 10 & 8.

Also, could someone help me on the difference between "power passes" and annual passes?

 

[tinaluis]

Power passes ($119 vs. $179) don't include parking, have blackout dates (peak times -- Christmas, Easter, some weekends in early-mid summer, etc.) and don't give you a discount on food (not 100% sure on this one). See Universal's website for exact blackout dates and perks. As far as US/IOA APs or Disney PAPs, I'd get US/IOA APs. We visit Orlando about 2x a year and have had APs for US/IOA for the last four years. Our daughers, 8, 6 and 3, LOVE IT!!! A visit to Orlando wouldn't be the same without visiting both parks. What we do is get one PAP for Universal (so we have free parking, discounts on food, merchandise, etc.) and four Power Passes. We never visit at peak times so we don't have to worry about the blackout dates. The $60 saved per pass is considerable when you multiply it by 4. I think once you've been to US/IOA a trip to Orlando won't be complete without a visit.

 

[damo]

Power passes also don't give you discounts on the hotels. They are for park entrance and that is it. But you only need one PAP for discounts.

 

[Grand Canyon]

We've already purchased our AP's for Disney with trips planned in July, December, and June '06. We're debating upgrading our passes to PAP's - we've never done the Disney Water Parks or DisneyQuest - or instead of that, purchasing Annual Passes for Universal Studios/ IOA (we've only "done" US once 6 years ago).

Looking for opinions for my DH, me, and our daughters 10 & 8.

Also, could someone help me on the difference between "power passes" and annual passes?

Upgrade you AP to a PAP in June you will get to do the water parks and DQ for 1/12th the cost i.e. you will only pay for the last month difference about $11 per ticket.
We love the water parks and are there for 1 month each year so PAP is our only way

 

[phamton]

Upgrade you AP to a PAP in June you will get to do the water parks and DQ for 1/12th the cost i.e. you will only pay for the last month difference about $11 per ticket.
We love the water parks and are there for 1 month each year so PAP is our only way

That's not true anymore: http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/apass.htm

What if I decide I want to change to a PAP after I already used my AP?

You can do this. It will be handled just like any other pass upgrade. There was a time that you could upgrade your AP to a PAP simply by paying the prorated difference on the remaining time of your AP. (Example: a $120 cost difference translates to $12 per month. If you had 3 months to run on your AP it would have cost you $36 to upgrade to a PAP that would expire when your old AP did.) But there have been reports that Disney will no longer pro-rate an AP for this. If you want to upgrade an AP to a PAP now you will be charged the entire price difference ($120 in the example) for whatever time you have remaining on the AP.