Do a lot of DVC members buy the AP?

[prncssjas]

Good morning everyone.

I am a long time DIS boarder and DVC member. I tend to spend more time on these boards when I have a trip coming up and this week, I have spent quite a bit of time here. I have noticed with great frequency major concerns about the annual pass price increase/tiered changes/etc....and it has me thinking. Do most DVC members traditionally buy the annual pass? We have been DVC members for 15 years and only once did we buy them--and that was a couple of years ago when the premium annual pass was "on sale" and a great deal--but then I had to strategically plan an additional trip to get the most financial bang for our buck.

I realize that if you live in Florida or travel to WDW often enough, it makes sense financially. Maybe it's because we only get to visit once (and from time to time, twice) a year but we usually do the park hopper only. Our stays are never longer than one week (or less). Sometimes, we don't even do theme parks on the all the days. (We are a family of DH, myself, and a cranky teenager ). I think I have been calculating the costs correctly. Am I missing something? Just curious what other do for their ticket options.

 

[jakespop]

Same thing here. DVC owner for 10yrs and only purchased the AP when they had the sale a few yrs ago. We too strategized how to take advantage of it for that year. Most trips, depending on length of stay, we'll just buy the tickets for that trip. If there was an overwhelming price advantage, we would consider it more often

 

[disneynutz]

Disney uses the AP to get guests to vacation more often to spend more money. The smart DVCer looks at the numbers and buys the admission media that saves them the most money.

We stocked up on 10 day non-expiration tickets prior to Disney discontinuing them.

Bill

 

[TimR]

We buy the pass if we know we'll have at least 2 trips within a 12-month period. It's fairly common for me and DW to have an active pass at any given time, slightly less common for DS7 to have one, although he'll be activating his second in January, and I don't expect to need one for our younger twins until they're at least 5 or 6. Normally we get them so we can do a solo trip or two in the same year as a family vacation. If you avoid Christmas and Easter the gold pass is much cheaper than the combined price of a 6-day and 3-day ticket, and if you are going during the blackouts the platinum pass is about the same price as the tickets would be.

 

[ldo]

we bought them 1X when spring break was a week earlier the next year and we had a summer trip planned. We got 3 days SB, then 4 days June, 10 days Aug., 2 days next SB. I did spend more $, as we made an extra trip down in June, b/c we had "free" tickets. We usually just buy a specific ticket for what we need otherwise, and with black out dates, it's not worth it to us for the Gold unless I "know" I will have another overlapping trip the next summer. Then, it would work for early Aug. 10 day trip, and late July the next year.

 

[DisDadDVC]

If I know I am going twice in a year, I always buy an AP. Which usually leads to a "why not" 3rd trip somewhere in the middle...

 

[ldo]

Which usually leads to a "why not" 3rd trip somewhere in the middle...

exactly--lol!

 

[TimR]

If I know I am going twice in a year, I always buy an AP. Which usually leads to a "why not" 3rd trip somewhere in the middle...

Yup. DVC, AP, and then an email from an airline about cheap tickets to MCO and boom! Another last-minute getaway

 

[lodge]

We stocked up on 10 day non-expiration tickets prior to Disney discontinuing them.

Bill

We too did this but keep putting off their use as theme park tickets- we've been using the waterpark entitlements to supplement APs. APs have altered where we STAY.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Yup. DVC, AP, and then an email from an airline about cheap tickets to MCO and boom! Another last-minute getaway

My wife and I both have Companion Pass on Southwest so our 2 kids fly for free with us. I have tons of miles. So, our own flights are "free". Our park tickets are "free", and being DVC, I can get some cheap studios. If I can avoid eating out much, we can do a long weekend in WDW for next to nothing out of pocket.

 

[DebbieB]

I've always had AP's since 1998. I always get at least 2 trips, sometimes 3 or 4. I have one I am activating in December, I also plan to go in May and October next year.

They can be dangeous. The first one I bought was supposed to be for 2 trips, one late October 1998 and one mid October 1999. Ended up adding December and March. Oh, and bought DVC.

 

[cvjw]

We have been AP owners since joining DVC in 2008. We live close enough to take about 3 trips per year.

We also have lots of 10 day non-expiring tickets, but haven't used any park days yet, since we all have AP's.

 

[drusba]

We go three times a year and have been getting annual passes for years. My best guess is that majority of annual passes are likely sold to Florida residents and DVC members, including because they are the most likely groups to go more than once annually. We never got the premium annual pass in the past except in recent years when Disney did the two DVC discount promotions, the first that made the PAP cheaper than the renewal of the AP and then the second about the same price as the AP. One of the times per year we have often gone in the past is first week of January which sometimes included Dec 30 and 31. The latest changes make that a trip we will likely not do again because the price of the now platinum pass (which used to be the AP) is too high.

 

[disfanforlife]

We have been going annually since 2006. Just started going twice a year two years ago and that is when we became AP holders. If I wasn't going twice a year I would still try to plan my two trips within 12 months to be able to make the AP worthwhile. For us, it has worked out ok.

 

[ustasmom]

I wanted to be able to get the AP discount so I wanted to join with the minimum points (25.) I ended up buying 50 BLT and now another 100 AKV.

We homeschool so I can easily stick the kids in the car (or on a free flight) and head to Florida. With an AP I'm sure that my husband will be suggesting that I take the kids on a trip at least 2 or 3 times each year. Sure, I'll go to Florida in the winter (not summer.) We talked about memories vs stuff at Christmas and we are making the switch.

 

[wdwdano@yahoo.com]

I did by the annual pass but now they jacked the price up and it is not something that makes sense financially. It used to be offered for like 525 or something like that on discount. Greedy they are.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

We always did, but we live in FL an hour from Disney and we own DVC so it made sense. Since they jacket the price we decided to buy Universal instead and to sell DVC.

 

[smcabee]

If I know I am going twice in a year, I always buy an AP.

This is DW and I. Usually we go in the spring and fall for about 20 days total so we get the AP. Some years like next year we go to either Myrtle Beach or Ocean City, MD like we are doing next spring so we will not renew our AP.

 

[pinklotusflower]

we don't get and ap as it works out cheaper for us to get a two week ultimate ticket as we only go for two weeks every year. If the £ $ improves then it may change.

 

[DisDadDVC]

We always did, but we live in FL an hour from Disney and we own DVC so it made sense. Since they jacket the price we decided to buy Universal instead and to sell DVC.

Well, if you don't mind the few blackout dates, the Gold Pass only went up $20. And includes PhotoPass now.