DVC AP + 3 day hopper or 5 day hopper

[KayW]

We have the PAP from last year's special. They expire on the 2nd day of our Feb 2014 trip. I am contemplating 2 ideas:

1. Link the PAP to our Magic Bands and then buying the 3 day park hopper when I get to Florida. Could be a challenge linking the two. My fear is that the 3 day hopper would be used first in the system and then come day 4 we wouldn't be able to go to any parks.

2. Scrap the PAP and just purchase the 5 day hopper.

WWYD?

~Kerrie

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Are you going back in the next 12 months?

 

[KayW]

We go every February (President's Day week).

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I don't know. I would just renew the AP and be done with it but that's just me. We go more often than once per year so that's probably not a fair assessment of your situation.

I guess what I'm really unclear on is why you would "scrap"the AP for the first couple of days of your trip. The tickets are good then. I'm confused. I can't follow your logic.

If I were in your situation, I would renew my APs and go a week earlier next year but it may be that President's Day falls differently next year. What is the impact of that. Do you have to go that week? Can you go a week earlier?

These AP questions are hard when you go once per year. They're a heckuva lot easier when you go +2 per year or are willing to go at least one week earlier the following year. For us, for example, the "special" never came into play at all. We needed APs anyway.

I guess you should just look at the sale price on your original APs as a gift. Use them until they expire, and buy park-hoppers for the duration of your trip. You can work all the numbers and figure out exactly what makes more sense financially, but without knowing exact dates you can travel, it's impossible for someone else to do this for you.

As for the effect on the FP system, it shouldn't matter which tickets you use when. They are both linked to you so it should work anyway. You just won't be able to book anything past the expiration of the APs until you get the PHs and get them tied to your MDE.

 

[KayW]

We always go President's Week because that is our school vacation week. My husband and I are both teachers. We don't have the flexibility to go a week earlier. February is typically that Blah month for us.

We decided to go with option 1-link the APs now and then buy the tickets when we get there. That shouldn't be a problem right? I can buy the Park Hoppers at the hotels, correct? Or do I have to go to Guest Services at the parks? We are staying at VGF so a quick trip to the MK isn't too hard.

 

[JamesA1]

You should not have any issues buying a ticket once there. My thought is that they will also link the ticket to your band at that time.

I personally would also consider an AP renewal purchase if it would still be valid for a portion of my next trip. PAP can be renewed as an AP. The cost of a DVC renewal might be close to the cost of a three day hopper assuming you are a DVC member.

 

[KayW]

I personally would also consider an AP renewal purchase if it would still be valid for a portion of my next trip. PAP can be renewed as an AP. The cost of a DVC renewal might be close to the cost of a three day hopper assuming you are a DVC member.

I suggested that, but my husband brought up a good point. What if we opt not to go next Feb., but instead go during our April break?

 

[rkold]

We always go President's Week because that is our school vacation week. My husband and I are both teachers. We don't have the flexibility to go a week earlier. February is typically that Blah month for us.

We decided to go with option 1-link the APs now and then buy the tickets when we get there. That shouldn't be a problem right? I can buy the Park Hoppers at the hotels, correct? Or do I have to go to Guest Services at the parks? We are staying at VGF so a quick trip to the MK isn't too hard.

Just remember the monorail is going to be down between 11-7:30 pm in Feb. (we're staying at BLT, so it's something we've been thinking about too.) Though you can buy tickets at your hotel from Guest Services. We tend to do that for DH since he doesn't go as often as I do. If you live near a Disneystore you can also buy them there too.

 

[KayW]

Thanks for the tip on the Disney Store.

I saw that about the Monorail. Looks like it is just the resort loop.

 

[bumbershoot]

I suggested that, but my husband brought up a good point. What if we opt not to go next Feb., but instead go during our April break?

Definitely need to think about the future plans!

 

[KayW]

And now he is talking about doing the Disney cruise again. I have already linked my annual pass to MDE so I will probably purchase the park hopper with in the next few days. Fingers crossed that all will go well, we can get our FP+ choices, etc. Am looking forward to at least one afternoon of sitting by the pool with a cocktail (or two!)

 

[rkold]

And now he is talking about doing the Disney cruise again. I have already linked my annual pass to MDE so I will probably purchase the park hopper with in the next few days. Fingers crossed that all will go well, we can get our FP+ choices, etc. Am looking forward to at least one afternoon of sitting by the pool with a cocktail (or two!)

I think we're going a similar time as you? (We're arriving on Friday the 21st) We've not had any problem with most of the FP+s we want. Our biggest problem is what FP+ is tiering. Some choices make sense to me, like Soarin, Illuminations, and Test Track, while others, the Epcot Character Spot and Maelstrom, make less sense.

Personally, if it were me, I have been told that April (Easter break) tends to be a lot more crowded than February break and the resorts use even more points. Though I still think in your case, you are probably better off not doing APs. DD+I (the park goers) get APs because we go 2-4x a year. My Mom and DH, tend to get regular tickets.

 

[KayW]

We check out on the 21st. For us our spring break does not go along with Easter. We always have the 3rd week of April off. It goes along with Patriot's Day (a Massachusetts holiday). We thought about April this year, but with Easter being that week we knew it would be crowded.

Another benefit of April for us is that the weather both here and there is better. February is nerve wracking with the chance of snowstorms. We have been very lucky so fingers crossed for this year.