Don't understand how AP rates save money if you only go once a year. Pls explain

[rngclick]

Please pardon my ignorance. I see so many people waiting for "AP rates" and if I understand them properly, this is a resort rate for guests who hold annual passes. Does the discount on the resort actually save you money when the AP is more than a PH and you only go once in a year? Again if this is a typical newbie question I apologize. Thanks for any clarification.

Robin

 

[Nette]

My understanding is that AP rates are often upto a 40% discount off rack room rates. That could be a significant wad of cash!

Also, many people only go once a year, but stagger their trips so as to get two trips out of one annual pass. We plan on doing this by buying APs in Oct one year, and using them the next year in Sept.

Make sense?

 

[SuBeat]

The discount on the resort is really more of a secondary benefit, and one that isn't guaranteed. An AP makes sense if you are going to be visiting the parks a certain number of days, I think 8 days is the break even point. At that point it becomes the most cost effective way to tour the parks.
You can also stagger your annual vacations in such a way as to benefit from the AP's. For example, if you activated your AP on June 21st of 2003, you could plan your 2004 trip for the week before that (or however long) and still use the same AP until June 21st of 2004.

And don't apologize for asking questions. Most of us weren't born knowing all this stuff.

 

[missypie]

There is a chart on mousesavers.com that compares the price of APs with other passes.

Even if you aren't staying long enough (over 8 days) to make it less expensive to buy APs, the AP discount could still save you money. If you get an AP rate of 40% off rack rate, where the rack rate is $349 a night, you would save $140 a night with the AP discount...if you stay 5 mights, that's a $700 savings, which would more than pay for the AP...remember that if you are buying the AP only for a room discount, only one person in your party needs to have an AP.

 

[Daisie]

We usually only go once a year, the annual passes are good for a year from the first date you use them.......the following year we plan our trip a week or so earlier, making sure to end on the first day of the last year!! Does that make sense? So, we really get two trips with the same annual pass!!! We always go in January/February. It just takes some planning. The price of the annual pass is about the same as a 7/8 day hopper. So two trips for the price of one! And the room discounts are terriffic!!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

An AP can, but won't always, save you money if you buy it just for AP resort rates. The availability of other discounts and package specials is a wild card. Let's look at an apples to apples comparison and see how you might save.

Let's assume you are going for 6 nights, you need 7 days admission, and you will visit Disney Quest once and a water park once. You buy an annual pass ($392.99) and the other two admissions ($33.02 each) for a total of $459.03. A 7 Day/6 Night Ultimaye Park Hopper would have cost $333.35 (advance purchase). You have spent $125.68 more on the annual pass. Keep in mind that only one person in the party has to have an AP to get the discount.

Now let's look at the hotel room. I'll use the Poly as an example as we are staying there with an AP rate. Rack rates for our dates is $299. Worst case you pay that. AAA member? Maybe you get a 10% discount and pay $269.10. Let's assume there are no other discounts available and go with that. Our AP rate is $189. That is a savings of $80 per night. Multiply by 6 nights and the AP saved you $480 on the hotel. Subtract the extra $125 you spent on the AP and your net savings is $354. Compared to rack the savings would be $533.

The question becomes whether that is a bigger savings than you could get another way. Back when there were available room only discount codes this AP strategy might not have worked...........but those codes aren't out there now. The Fairytale package probably was a better deal...........but that was an extraordinary discount. Not sure what kind of savings the current Visa 'Kids Play Free' promotion might get you..........depends on how many kids you have.

So an AP can save you money overall if you buy it and get an AP resort rate. Then again, if other better promotions are offered or you miss the AP rate, it might not. Personally, I think the "buy the AP just for the resort discount" strategy is sketchy. Of course it is a no brainer if you can get two trips out of the pass, but for just one trip it is hit or miss.

 

[robinb]

You need to stay about 10 days for a Premium Annual Pass (which includes water parks and Pleasure Island) to break even with a Park Hopper. As for the room rate savings, you'll have to run the numbers youself and compare the additional cost of an AP v/s Park Hopper and the amount you would save. If you are staying for less than a week at a Value or Moderate and don't plan to return next year it may not work out for you.

One more thing ... an Annual Pass is good for 366 days. So, if you go to WDW for a week in late November you can return in early November the next year on the same passes .

 

[FloridaCat]

AP Discounts are in most cases equal to our FL resident discounts, the only way to fly if it matches the dates you want to come down.

 

[jdads2]

We don't use the AP's for discounts on rooms, well we ussually don't. We did during a Feb trip when it was about $45 a night. We do use it to plan multiple vactions during the year for which the AP's are good.


Example: We went to WDW in late Oct/01, Feb/02(just DW and myself) and finally Sept/02. Original cost of AP's was about $1800. My DW and I put 23 days on each of our passes and the kids had 18 days on each of their's.

We then skipped a year and are returning this December. We are planning to do the same thing as we did the first time and visit 2 or 3 more times within that year.

The cost of the passes is what would stop us dead in our tracks when we consider a vacation spot. If it wasn't for the AP's we would visit WDW once every 2 or 3 years.

 

[missypie]

Yes, unfortunately for those of us who are math-challenged, you have to do the math to see if an AP would save you money.

Also be aware that the "savings" could cost you a bundle. There was another thread on this topic recently. People who might normally visit the World every few years may plan an extra trip during the year they have their AP to get more days for their dollars ... but of course, the cost of admission is "free" ... but nothing else is ...

 

[DisneyKidds]

Also be aware that the "savings" could cost you a bundle.

You can say that again! Add DVC to our AP's and all our Disney "savings" are costing us a fortune..................but on a dollars per day basis it is downright cheap . Of course our two year old son just took to saying "I want t'go to Di'neywuld" in the cutest way. You can't put a price on that .

 

[rngclick]

Thanks guys. You have really cleared things up for me and given me a lot to think about. We have ressies for Feb at POR and already have our PH passes in-hand. It sounds like it wouldn't pay for me to get an AP in addition to the passes we already have.......unless the DH and I go again later in the year for our anniversary. Hmmmm. Does the POR ever offer AP discounts?

Thanks again for all the help.

Robin

 

[CamColt]

LOL, missypie! Thats what we did. We got APs with the plan of doing a trip Aug, 03 and then another sometime in the summer of 04. In doing so we would have gotten 2 years of vacations with these 1 passes, essentially saving us money(even with no discounts). Then we had a family fight last Christmas, DH forgot my birthday, and the weather for the entire winter was horrible. Finally during one of the snow storms we broke down and decided we would do a Christmas/birthday trip this year. The trip has grown and grown and now we are up to 10 days/9 nights...4 at the Swan, 5 at the Poly. However, with the APs we are saving so much off rack rate at the Poly that the savings there equals just about what all 4 of our APs cost. Before AP rates for both those resorts came out, we were planning to stay at ASMO.

 

[Ted and Holly]

Two years ago we saved enough money with an AP discount at AKL to "pay" for our passes. We got our AP money back before we even got to a park! We used the AP discounts on a couple more trips that year and put 25 park days on our passes. I don't see how that can NOT save you money. Heck, even if it gives you the urge to go more than you might usually go without and AP.

Ted

 

[rngclick]

Wait a minute...........Can I upgrade one of my 5-day PHs to an AP????

Still figuring it out,
Robin

 

[DisneyKidds]

We have ressies for Feb at POR and already have our PH passes in-hand.

Did you book a package, or did you buy the PH's and reserve the room seperately? Either way, you could take a wait and see approach.

AP rates for the moderates usually run about $89 a night.

If you booked a package and AP rates become available and it would be cheaper than your package and you haven't passed any cancellation deadlines...........you could reserve a room with the AP discount (you don't have to have the AP until you show up at POR), cancel your package, and then buy an AP and whatever other passes you need. Just make sure you get the discounted AP rate (if available) reserved for your dates before you cancel anything.

If you bought the PH's and booked the room seperately and AP rates become available and it would be cheaper than your current reservations......................you could call and have them apply the AP discount to your existing reservations and then upgrade one of the PH's to an AP. Again, you could make the AP reservation before you upgrade the PH and just upgrade the PH before you check in.

It may take some work and some watching but you can still try and avail yourselves of the best discounts offered.

PS - We posted at the same time.................and if you didn't get the PH's as part of a package the answer is yes, you can upgrade one to an AP.

 

[rngclick]

Oh, man. And I thought I was excited before!! Yes DisneyKidds, we booked separately. I made the POR room ressie 1 1/2 years ago and I have purchased our PHs at our local Disney Store over the past year. A couple more questions if you all don't mind. Again, thanks.....

Exactly how do I go about getting my rate changed to the AP rate? Call the 407-W-DISNEY number or what?

Exactly how to I go about upgrading one of my PHs to an AP?

My next anniversary is looking better and better !!!! Thanks so much,

Robin

 

[Aisling]

Personally, I think the "buy the AP just for the resort discount" strategy is sketchy.

I don't know what "sketchy" means, but we only plan on going to WDW once in 2004 and will buy one AP just for the room discount. Rack rate for AKL-c for July is about $425 plus tax. AP rates have been $277. For a 6 night stay, that AP is going to save me a bundle.

 

[Ted and Holly]

[

Originally posted by Aisling
I don't know what "sketchy" means, but we only plan on going to WDW once in 2004 and will buy one AP just for the room discount. Rack rate for AKL-c for July is about $425 plus tax. AP rates have been $277. For a 6 night stay, that AP is going to save me a bundle.

I agree, if sketchy saves me hundreds of dollars legally, I am all for sketdhy!

Ted

 

[DisneyKidds]

Robin......................

To change your reservation to an AP rate (if it is offered, and if they come out jump QUICK) all you have to do is call that Disney reservations number. Tell them you want to check the availability of AP rates for your dates, and if available have them modify your existing reservation.

As for upgrading one of those PH's to an AP...........I'd call the Disney Store to see if they can do it there. If not, you can do it when you arrive at WDW. I'd call the hotel and ask to speak to guest services and find out if they can do the upgrade at the hotel. If not I'm sure they can tell you what to do. I know you can do it at guest services at the parks. I'm sure someone here will know exactly what you should do.

Aisling....................

"Sketchy" means "iffy" or uncertain, and here is why I think that. First off there are no guarantees that AP rates will be offered for your dates. Secondly, even if they are, those discounted rooms can book up very quickly (as they did for this fall) so you really have to be on top of things. Lastly, if AP rates are offered AND you secure one, there is no doubt it will save you a bundle over rack rate. However, will that savings be greater than whatever other packages Disney is offering at the time? For instance, the Fairlytale Package that was offered was an exceptional deal. The current Visa promotion can save you a lot if you have more than one child who "plays free". Who knows what packages are offered in the future. If you have an AP you really can't take advantage of those package and all your eggs are in the AP rate basket. As I see it there is a lot of uncertainty there to say it is a no brainer that you will save more money with the AP strategy. Sure, if everything falls into place and there are no other discounts it is great, but a lot has to happen to make it the most cost effective means. AP rates are great for those who will benefit from multiple uses of the pass. They CAN BE great for someone who buys it just for the discount on one trip, but they MIGHT NOT BE if other/better discounts are offered. Make sense?