Do annual passes really save you money?

[Trekker]

LOL! We went to WDW in Nov 2001 and because we were going to be there for 12 days we bought APs. This was the less expensive route to go.

Well in the long run did this really save me money?

I think not....

Since then we have gone:

Mar 2002 for 11 days
May 2002 for 5 days
and I'm scheduled again in Oct 2002 for 6 days

There is no way we would have made any of these trips if we did not have the APs. It was kinda like I felt obligated to get more use out of those tickets because I had them.

ROFL - my "savings" on the Nov trip has cost me $1000s - LOL

How about the rest of you that buy APs to save money on a trip. Do you end up doing the same thing?

 

[merryweather's twin]

Yes we do !
We went last Oct, Dec, June, Aug, And now we are debating a trip in Dec or Feb..... We have saved a little but spent a bunch!We love WDW so that helps!

 

[WDW2002]

My AP's are costing me too but in a different way. Since we will be there 15 days we got AP's. Because we have the AP's and could get such GREAT deals on rooms, we upgraded half our stays from ASMo to 3 nights at GF and 3 nights at AKL. But I figured this is a once in a life time trip since the cost of the airline tickets alone could take us to DL 2 or 3 times, so I wanted to get teh most out of this trip. HEY its ONLY money. right?

 

[milmore104]

Oh Yeah! We usually go to WDW for at least 10 days. This year we are going for 16! I decided it would be better to get AP's rather than length of stay. We would save around $300 this way. BUT.... I decided since we were saving why not stay at a Moderate instead of All Stars! You see it goes against my grain to pay more than I have to for a room. I like to spend less on a room and more on fun things to do and things to bring home! Anyway I picked to stay at CBR and of course we all know where that landed me. I ended up taking the AKL deal w/ sav.view. So insted of paying the $750 fro the 15 nights I'm paying $1400. It's a good thing I saved all that money from buying those AP's! LOL!I ended up spending $350 more. Oh well it's a vacation right! It's all worth it. My DH will love the upgrade to AKL. He doesn't even know we are going yet. i'm surprising him for his Birthday. But I know once he finds out we have AP's we'll be saving even more money when we plan our next trip! LOL!

 

[tileman]

Well they save us money cause we live about 70 min to WDW
but I can see what you are talking about
trying to get your moneys worth out of them.

I beleave last yr 01 we went about 31 times just for a day trip
and we stayed on site for a about a total of 14 days
So total for 01 was about 45 days.

This yr not gone as much been busy at work and the oldest
is in high school 1st yr so busy there to.

But going over on the 31st for 3 or 4 days
then about the 29 of dec for about 5 or 6 day stay.

 

[veraletta]

We saved with having our AP, last year we stayed at All Stars Music for $49 a night in Oct, In April we stayed at CS for $79 a night, And we are going again to stay at ASM for $64 a night in Oct.

I like the fact that we had the AP, as each time
we left we would plan our next trip. So my DM, DD and Me would put Away $20 a week each to pay for our room, and save change for Food. We drive from Ohio to
save money..

After this trip we have no plans on going back to disney,
as it will take us another year of saving change to pay
for AP again.

but yes you do save having AP but you do like taking little trips here and there as you dont have the cost of tickets.
So yes it could end up costing more money as you will take more than one trip.

But look at all the fun you will have.

 

[KarlainKY]

We bought our APs back in Dec 01 with plans for another trip in Oct 02. However, we decided to "save" even more and took another trip in April. Now that we feel we've already gotten our money's worth, we are free to spend all the money we've "saved" over the past ten months on our upcoming trip. Ain't life grand?

 

[jbthi]

From Nov. 3rd this year to April 6 we are going to be spending 45 days in WDW; and we are in our 60's. 2 weeks will be in TS off site and the rest will be at BWV and BCV.

This is our 1st year for AP and I love having them, even though we wouldn't spend all this time and money there without them. We find we relax so much more with them, not feeling like we have to spend the entire day in the park to get our money's worth.
June

 

[followme2disney]

We bought our AP's in Jan 2002 because we were going to be there 12 days. We thought we were definitely saving $....but now we have planned a Dec 2002 trip just so we can get the most out of our passes. We were lucky to get the CBR relocation upgrade to Poly for $105/night 12/20-12/26. Also, the only PS we have is for CP...we are going to try to save $ on food. We need to save the $ because we are thinking about doing the AP thing again in 2003...May...for Flower and Garden Festival and the beginning of December. We are definitely spending more $ with the AP's but we love WDW.

 

[WDWalways]

YES!! I had an AP for 2 years in a row and I went down to WDW every chance I got which I would never normally do -- I go 2x a year normally but with the 2 years of AP status I literally went approx 5 times per year!! I did not renew for a 3rd year because that is when they started with the pass being valid 1 year from date of issue and not from date of first use and I thought that wasn't a good thing. I am a new DVC member and I was considering getting that AP again but I can not believe how much it has gone up!!

 

[bobcat]

My name is Lisa and I'm an AP holder...



We bought Aps this year and they are calling my name! Our trip in August was 10 days and our next scheduled trip is next summer so Aps were a savings. Well now I keep thinking I shoud visit WDW again, and again, and again. I am thinking of going to DISCON in Dec., a suprise trip for the kids in January and I am now thinking of camping over spring break. It's madness I tell you!!

I'm just glad I'm not alone.

 

[montessori]

We could never go as often as we do without the APs! So, I guess we would save money if we didn't have the APs.

But I can't imagine not having them and not going as often as we do. I start feeling down if I don't have a trip coming up in the next month or so.

It's getting a little scary!

 

[erikthewise]

Whenever I save money at Disney I find another way to spend it!

We are going to play the "annual pass gambit", where we make a return trip one week earlier the following year. If everything goes according to plan, we will save several hundred dollars. Now if I can just avoid watching air fares for other times of the year...

 

[PatriciaH]

We got AP's last August so we went again in February 02. This year we renewed them and are going again in November. We are so crazy for WDW that we are moving to Orlando in March 03! And guess what the Ap's will get a real workout then.

 

[snowwhitemom]

Oh, yeah!! There is no way that we could pay each time and I would still be the person trying to go 3 to 4 times a year...no self control, none.

 

[eeyore0062]

Yes, actually! We bought AP's in August...used them for 4 days, already had a planned trip for 8 days in October before we decided to get the AP's... so we are up to 12 days. We are moving to the Orlando area, and have to go to house hunt, so we will probably use them at those times... and we will be down their 2 months before they expire... at which time we can renew for Florida residence rates.

I get discounts on our accomodations through my job (travel industry), which is sometimes better than the AP rates... and my husband uses the discount to play golf. Also, we take advantage of the discounts offered at certain eating establishments.

So yes, for us, the AP's definitely made a lot of sense!