Disney premier passport

[mousefan1972]

You didn't say when you're going to WDW. But it's probably not worth a Premier, or least not a Premier for everyone. The DVC renewal is around $350 and you can get a 5 or 6 day DL hopper for around $200. That's $550-$600 for the WDW DVC non-premium AP + DL hopper vs. $700 for the Premier (no word on the renewal rate for the Premier yet, no DVC discount).

We're in a similar boat - it's not quite worth the price difference with a DL park hopper. But I think we're going to get 1 Premier for the additional 5% on food and 10% on merchandise - we think that will at least cover the cost gap. The others in the family will get DL hoppers.

We'll be visiting WDW 2-3x over the course of the next year, so the WDW AP is definitely a must. You confirmed what I was thinking; the Premier likely isn't worth the extra cost. I didn't consider getting one for the discounts, though. That's a really good idea... thanks.

 

[Snurk71]

We'll be visiting WDW 2-3x over the course of the next year, so the WDW AP is definitely a must. You confirmed what I was thinking; the Premier likely isn't worth the extra cost. I didn't consider getting one for the discounts, though. That's a really good idea... thanks.

If you get the WDW AP for the WDW trips - you can decide on upgrading to the Premier when you go on your DL trip in another year. Upgrading won't lose any value (except for a possible price increase) - so there's not much incentive for you to buy the Premier now.

 

[M&C]

I am still debating purchasing the Premier Passport.

I am terrible at math, so if anyone wants to help me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

We are family of 4, 2 adults and 2 kids (both kids under age 9) We currently have WDW APs. (non-premium) Our APs expire August 14th. Since we are DVC members we will get the DVC renewal price if we choose to renew them. In early August 2012, we are going to DL for 5 nights/6 days.

So... do I renew our WDW APs this August and just buy DL admission separately? Or do I buy Premier Passports rather than renewing our WDW APs this August, which will then cover our admission to DL next summer. Help!

Sometimes being terrible in math is a good thing. I find that it's really not about math at all.

We are a family of 4 also (kids 8 and 15), but passholders at DL. We upgraded to the Premier Pass for our trip to WDW. Our justification is the Premier Pass is probably $30 more per person than getting passes, but it allows us more freedom than park hoppers. The benefit was the ability to use the pass at Disneyquest and water parks although we couldn't use it for the water parks - this December was waaaay too cold!

We are now squeezing a trip to WDW for easter because we passes already. So, in the long run, we should come up way ahead. This to me is the biggest benefit.

The benefit of using the premier pass at DL is the dining discount. At DL, practically ALL resort/theme park venues offer an AP discount. You don't have to get a TIW card to get the discount. Also, since you have young kids, the merchandise discount comes in very handy as well.

If there is a possibility that the math adds up close, go for it. There will be benefits that will come throughout the year that will make the decision worth it. Good luck!

 

[mousefan1972]

Sometimes being terrible in math is a good thing. I find that it's really not about math at all.

We are a family of 4 also (kids 8 and 15), but passholders at DL. We upgraded to the Premier Pass for our trip to WDW. Our justification is the Premier Pass is probably $30 more per person than getting passes, but it allows us more freedom than park hoppers. The benefit was the ability to use the pass at Disneyquest and water parks although we couldn't use it for the water parks - this December was waaaay too cold!

We are now squeezing a trip to WDW for easter because we passes already. So, in the long run, we should come up way ahead. This to me is the biggest benefit.

The benefit of using the premier pass at DL is the dining discount. At DL, practically ALL resort/theme park venues offer an AP discount. You don't have to get a TIW card to get the discount. Also, since you have young kids, the merchandise discount comes in very handy as well.

If there is a possibility that the math adds up close, go for it. There will be benefits that will come throughout the year that will make the decision worth it. Good luck!

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback. I did look into the dining discounts that we'd get with the Premier Passport at DL. But then it also looks like there is also a DVC discount at the DL restaurants, no? So I'm not sure how much more we'd come out ahead. The merchandise discount would be a biggie. This will be our first Disneyland trip, ever. And given how far the trip is, it may be many years before we get back there. What % is the merchandise discount for AP holders?

 

[mousefan1972]

Sorry for completely hijacking your thread, OP.

 

[aan1701]

The dinning discount at DL is 15%. I believe most places with DVC is 10%. Also tge merchandise discount with the Premier is 20% right now

 

[mousefan1972]

The dinning discount at DL is 15%. I believe most places with DVC is 10%. Also tge merchandise discount with the Premier is 20% right now

How likely is it, do you think, that the 20% merchandise discount will stick around?

 

[aan1701]

How likely is it, do you think, that the 20% merchandise discount will stick around?

Well they said it was going to end 12/31/10. They extended it at both resorts till 12/31/11.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I believe there is still a discount with a regular AP, perhaps 5% less. Point is, don't figure an additional 20% discount because you have a Premier vs deluxe DLR annual.

MG

 

[aan1701]

All DL passes get 10 on food and merchandise except the Premium and Premire. Both those passes get 15% on food and 20% on merchandise. If you get the Premire you also get 20% off merchandise as well.

 

[mousefan1972]

Well, if I don't get the Premier Passport, I won't have a DL AP at all, just a WDW one. We'd buy regular DL admission. Our trip will be in August, so I'd assume only the Premium DL AP isn't blacked out then. It wouldn't be worth it to buy a DL annual pass for a 5 night trip.... right?

 

[d-r]

last year our wdw aps were under 400, and 6 day hoppers at disneyland wre under 200. so for us, one week at disneyland wasn't worth it to have this, but we haven't been using the water parks, that may be the tipper.

 

[toocherie]

I'll be 14-15 days at WDW this year and probably 20 days or more at DL (I live 15 minutes from DL). So for me it makes financial sense, not even including the dining and merchandise discounts.

 

[Tinkerbell Wilson]

My husband and I are thinking about getting the premier passes, but I have a question. I know you can not buy the ticket online but have to go to the parks. We live really close to Disneyland and were thinking of taking a trip just to buy the passes, but would not actually use them untill November. Is that something that can be done or do the passes become active when you purchase them? Any help would be appricated.

 

[arthur06]

My husband and I are thinking about getting the premier passes, but I have a question. I know you can not buy the ticket online but have to go to the parks. We live really close to Disneyland and were thinking of taking a trip just to buy the passes, but would not actually use them untill November. Is that something that can be done or do the passes become active when you purchase them? Any help would be appricated.

I think if you purchase them at the parks, they are activated on the spot.

 

[puntagordabob]

That's 15% at pretty much every restaurant in the parks.

Yes...we were shocked (as WDW locals) to be getting a discount on all of our CS location meals at DLR.... wish WDW would do that!

 

[puntagordabob]

Yeah we are local to WDW so naturally we bought our ticket at WDW when we ran the numbers to see whether upgrading our WDW Premium pass to a Premier pass was the way to go....

At DLR they were a number of CMs (this was in oct 2010) who seemed unfamiliar with the pass...but for the most part there were no issues...except for one time at the gate on our last day at Disneyland......

The CM read us the riot act like as if we were using some conterfeit ticket or something... she said there is NO WAY you can have this ticket with no picture, its simply NOT Possible.... I was like "we are from Florida and local to WDW...we purchased it there".... she was in our faces that all WDW passes have pictures on them so what are we trying to pull? We told her that WDW we use biometrics and that info was stored on the card. She called over security (sweet we are going to get arrested!) and a manager.... my wife and I were PISSED by this time..... we told them the same thing. The CM demanded we go to their Guest Relations to get a picture...I asked how long this line was and one replied that a lot of So Cal Locals were in the line (not sure why) and the wait would be a hour or a little more. I told them the park closes in two hours and you want us to waste our last two hours in line for a picture? I told them our tickets are valid (we had already had them scanned by the CM), you have seen our valid florida Drivers ID with our photo, your behavior is rediculous.... then I proceeded you either let us pass or get the main manager of the park here. Finally we were allowed to pass.

Freaking rediculous....we had already been there an entire week and not ONE CM ever said a word about a picture...sometimes they did is ask for a photo ID, but never any reason why.... Had this been an issue on day one or something we would have happily complied... But to be treated like we were criminals sorta makes you annoyed! Obviously WDW and DLR do things their own ways and that is fine... but to trash on a Guest who is clearly from Florida for only knowing WDW proecedures is quite STUPID! There was quite a crowd gathering too...my DW actually complimented me for not screaming at them the way they were raising their voices at me...

I did get one little poke in though as I recall when they berated me on the picture thing saying "well then WDW needs to put pictures on their passes" I replied "Well NO you need to put Biometrics on YOURS" lol

Sure hope that this was a bad apple of a CM at the gate that night.....there were definitely some really awesome CMs working at the DLR so over time I have sorta blown this off...but that one CM was in mind someone who needed "Retraining"....

 

[aan1701]

Now I am in no way condoning the way you were treated by the CM here at DL, but the CM was right. You do need to go to the AP center and have your pic added. It will not show on your pass but on the CM screen at the turnstiles. Again the CM was right, just really went the wrong way of aproching you about it and I am sorry that happened. You are right, you get a bad apple in every bunch.

 

[bumbershoot]

...but that one CM was in mind someone who needed "Retraining"....

Sounds like she just needed *training* in the Premiere passports. But it was hard on DLR CMs, for some reason they just didn't understand the Premiere for ages.

Now I am in no way condoning the way you were treated by the CM here at DL, but the CM was right. You do need to go to the AP center and have your pic added. It will not show on your pass but on the CM screen at the turnstiles. Again the CM was right, just really went the wrong way of aproching you about it and I am sorry that happened. You are right, you get a bad apple in every bunch.

I actually don't think that's true. People who have DLR APs first will default to having that pic on file, but I haven't heard tons of people who had WDW AP's first saying they had to go get a pic taken. I've heard of it as being an *option*, but not a requirement. I could have missed some posts, though.




I was trying to make a Premiere needed, but especially since we got the DVC discount on the WDW AP, and since DLR doesn't bridge the price, I figured that we would need to pay the whole way from the DVC basic AP price up to Premiere, which would mean we would need one VERY long DLR trip or upwards of 3 few day DLR trips to make the cost worth it. And since neither of those things are happening this year, I just can't justify it. Sigh.

 

[aan1701]

I actually don't think that's true. People who have DLR APs first will default to having that pic on file, but I haven't heard tons of people who had WDW AP's first saying they had to go get a pic taken. I've heard of it as being an *option*, but not a requirement. I could have missed some posts, though.




I was trying to make a Premiere needed, but especially since we got the DVC discount on the WDW AP, and since DLR doesn't bridge the price, I figured that we would need to pay the whole way from the DVC basic AP price up to Premiere, which would mean we would need one VERY long DLR trip or upwards of 3 few day DLR trips to make the cost worth it. And since neither of those things are happening this year, I just can't justify it. Sigh.

when I renewed mine in Jan at WDW the CM asked if I had a pic on file at DL as it was needed. I told her I did. I have overheard Main Gate CM at DL tell other Premier Pass holders nicely that they need to go to the AP center to get a pic so they don't have to hold up lines checking ID's. I have gone on record that I could care less about the fact their is no DVC discount for the pass. At 700 it is still cheaper for me to buy this than my discounted WDW pass and DL pass.