Do You Buy APs?

[JLS]

Living in Southern California, we just do Orlando once a year - usually Memorial Day weekend. We buy 7 day park hopper plus passes (discounted from Ticket Mania) every other year. We have found that this is enough for us to use for 2 trips (maybe 3-4 days per trip in Disney parks, plus water parks. We also buy a 2 day Universal park hopper pass every other year, so we spend one day per trip at Universal). I am very tempted to buy an AP (and then have an excuse to go again sooner), but in case that doesn't work out, I don't want to be locked into something that will expire in case we couldn't go back within a year. We are trying to conceive, and also planning to move next Spring, so its just too risky for us to buy an AP. Love the fact that unused time on the PH passes doesn't expire!

 

[poohj80]

We don't necessarily buy APs every year as we don't automatically renew due to lost time, but we do buy APs when we travel to WDW but we may take 6 months to a year off.

 

[KathyR]

We do AP's every other year. This way we get passes for 2 years trips for one price. We stay for a total of 5-6 weeks (2.5-3 weeks/trip) w/our AP's each year, so it is a bargain!

 

[jacksmom]

We buy AP's every year! We usually go twice for 7-10 nights each trip, occ. we slip in a 3rd trip too! I think its easier just to buy the AP than to worry about which ticket option to use for each trip!

 

[JVL1018]

We buy APs every other year-just bought them(first time having to buy 4 of them-ugh! LOL) and will use them the last week of Oct. '04 and either late Sept or early October 2005.
Then we'll buy them again for our 2006-2007 trips. and so on...

 

[BWVDee]

We have been AP holders for years, way before the DVC concept was even thought of. We get at least 50+ days use per year out of our APs, so to not buy them would be very foolish. We stay in an Epcot resort (mostly BWV) 90% of our trips, so access to 2 of 4 major parks is very convenient. We go to the parks a lot. We never stay at the parks for long, extended periods of time but we hop into parks all the time. We love being able to just stroll into Epcot to see Illuminations, or eat in WS, or have a drink at the outside patio of Rose & Crown and just people watch, etc., or go to MGM for fantasmic and a ride on RNRC or eat dinner at one of our favoirte MGM restaurants. When we are at WDW we want full major park access on an unrestricted basis, and with the amount of days usuage we get per year from our APs--they are truely the cheapest and most enjoyable travel expense we have.
When the kids were younger we got PAPs for years, but now that they are adults we only go to a waterpark maybe once every 7-8 trips, so it is not worth it. We do go to PI a lot but it is still cheaper to buy a PI AP and a park AP, so that is what we do. We most definitely get our money's worth, and then some!
I also forgot to mention the fantastic savings on WDW rooms we have gotten over the years with our AP. We have gotten some unbelievable rates at WDW resorts. I have not paid rack rates for WDW rooms in over 20+ years. We love our APs.

 

[Lhargus]

We buy Annual Passes when it makes sense. Some years we end up taking the Disney Cruise and spend less time in the parks. If we plan on spending 8 days or more in the parks we buy the AP.

 

[timC]

PHP for us. We go twice a year, staying about 12 nights in total. Since we usually want a few non-park days each trip, we find the PHP the best option for us.

 

[BWVDee]

Originally posted by Lhargus
We buy Annual Passes when it makes sense. Some years we end up taking the Disney Cruise and spend less time in the parks. If we plan on spending 8 days or more in the parks we buy the AP.

I totally agree and would even extend the annual usage to the 10-12 day range. APs are really for people that will be in a WDW park at least 10 days or more per year. Fewer days than this is really not enough of a savings to make the trade off of losing the never expiring park admission days that a park hopper pass provides. For those that go to WDW parks on a regular basis, an AP is the only sensible way to go---the more days of usuage, the more the cost of admission per day becomes a HUGE savings to the point it is almost a joke. But for someone only going to the parks less than 10 days per year--stick with a park hopper. You will not use an AP enough to make it a financially wise choice. Especially when you take into consideration that a park hopper ticket comes with the add on/perks (whatever they are calling them now) that will allow you to choose a set number of accesses to all the waterparks, PI, mini golf and DQ. These would all be extras with a regular AP and the additional cost of a PAP is REALLY not worth it for a 10 day trip. For PAP the breakeven pt is somewhere around a 12-14 day trip.

 

[poohj80]

Originally posted by BWVDee
I totally agree and would even extend the annual usage to the 10-12 day range. APs are really for people that will be in a WDW park at least 10 days or more per year. Fewer days than this is really not enough of a savings

I have to disagree especially when you factor in the added savings on rooms when not staying on DVC points. 8 days is the break-even point when compared to a single day park pass.

 

[disneycrazed139]

Pretty much shows why we don't get a discount on APs - with 60+%
already buying them why discount it.

Echoing the sentiment...again!

 

[msdis]

We have had AP's (that expire this month) for 8 years with a few months break in between. This year due to lack of interest and the price, we are taking a long break. Maybe by this time next year, maybe longer.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Posted under other: We purchase the Florida Resident Seasonal Pass, also use Florida Residents Specials for non-dvc stays a few times a year.

 

[Lora]

I voted other, but you may consider this "AP's every year".

We buy them every other year and use them twice within 12 months.

Bought Sept. 2000 - used again May 2001
Bought Oct. 2002 - used again Sept. 2003
Bought for our Oct. 2004 trip, will use again for Sept. 2005.

That way, we don't renew them and we get the most out of the passes we buy.

 

[mikayla'sMom]

I chose AP every year. Since we have become members we have bought AP's and used them for 2 trips. This year I am buying AP's and using them in Dec 04 and Nov. 05. After this we will be going every Nov. for about 5 to 6 nights so we will switch to hoppers. By that time I feel we won't be in the parks every day. Time will tell.

 

[zalansky]

We bought the seasonal florida resident annual passes this year as well. After our trip next month, we will have definitely used our money's worth! And they are good thru next April!

 

[patsal]

Buy AP's ever other year and squeeze about 25-30 days of uses out of them.

Bought AP in 2002--Went 2 weeks over July 4th, 10 days over Easter, 4 days in May and 6 days in June.

Didn't buy Ap's in 2003

Have bought vouchers for AP's to activate July 16th, will go in February and possibly one other unknown as well as July1-16 2005.

Will not buy again until 2006.