DVC AP - Renewal Question

[wls23]

How does a dvc member know whether it makes sense (financially speaking) to renew his/her ap or start fresh? Has someone done the math to determine the breakpoint? For instance, an ap expires 10/26/08...next trip to the world isnt until 12/6/08.....thoughts?

 

[dcfromva]

How does a dvc member know whether it makes sense (financially speaking) to renew his/her ap or start fresh? Has someone done the math to determine the breakpoint? For instance, an ap expires 10/26/08...next trip to the world isnt until 12/6/08.....thoughts?

wls23,
It doesn't make sense to me to renew an AP unless you are going to go back within 30 days.
What I would do is buy a brand new voucher and then hold on to it until the next visit thereby extending the valid period and possibly the opportunity to use it.

 

[VLee]

It helps if you know your future plans sometimes. For example, my AP expired end of May 08. I know the next trip I had coming up was first week of July 08, but did not renew.

Because I also knew that I was going to be there the end of May 09 through almost all of June 09. So in my case, it made better sense to wait and get a new AP in July 08 that would last me through my Dec 08 visit and all of my trip through June.

If I had renewed, it would have expired and I would be having to renew again for the June trip.

It just depends on your plans; I would tend to wait and get another one than let part of one go to waste.

 

[Anal Annie]

Our first AP started in mid-August '07. We went again in January '08 and July '08 but knew we probably woudn't have a chance to go again until mid-August '09 so we let them expire. I think you really have to have an idea about your travel plans for the rest of the year. I would renew them for the savings if I knew we were going back within 2-3 months of the renewal. Otherwise I would just wait & buy new passes later.

 

[disneynutz]

We space our trips, getting two trips using the same card. Doing so, it is usually cheaper to let the card expire a get a new card to start the cycle again.

 

[Dean]

How does a dvc member know whether it makes sense (financially speaking) to renew his/her ap or start fresh? Has someone done the math to determine the breakpoint? For instance, an ap expires 10/26/08...next trip to the world isnt until 12/6/08.....thoughts?

IMO, it depends on your situation. The first question is whether an AP makes sense for you at all, then you should look at when your next few trips are. As a rule, I wouldn't renew unless the AP makes sense for the next year or so and my next trip were wtihin a month or 2 of expiration. Even if I didn't have a current trip planned, I might later add a trip that I could use the pass for by waiting and getting a new one rather than renewing. The price difference between renewal and a new one for DVC is really very small.

 

[colonialtinker]

Thanks for posting this we have been trying to decide if we will renew our AP in June or wait until our trip in September. Our last trip on the AP is in May. After reading the replies, I think I'll wait until September. Doesn't make sense to let something set for those few months.

 

[skunk]

The following is based on taking 2 trips/yr, and 3 trips/pass. We go every year for F&G and F&W. I will purchase AP for first week of May 2009, 2nd trip in Oct/Nov 2009, and 3rd trip the last week of April 2010. So using a basis of $393 for AP and $345 for renewal, buying new AP vs. renewal every year:

2009 = $393 May vs. $393 May
2010 = $393 Oct vs. $345 May
2011 = $0 vs. $345 May

No need to purchase pass in 2011, as May and one week earlier in Oct 2011, are covered by Oct 2010 AP purchase. Savings over first 3 years is $297, and $249 every 3 yrs after that.(pays for DDE ea yr)

Is this calulation correct?

 

[marlogood]

If you do want to renew your annual pass, do you have to do it prior to it expiring or can you renew once you get to the parks? The reason I'm asking is that our annual passes expire on November 23 and we will be there on November 26. Can we wait and renew and get the renewal price when we get there on the 26?

 

[JaxFLBear]

If you do want to renew your annual pass, do you have to do it prior to it expiring or can you renew once you get to the parks? The reason I'm asking is that our annual passes expire on November 23 and we will be there on November 26. Can we wait and renew and get the renewal price when we get there on the 26?

Yes. You can renew up to 30 days after it has expired.

 

[marlogood]

Thanks, JaxFLBear...

 

[JaxFLBear]

Thanks, JaxFLBear...

If you renew on 11/26, it will not expire on 11/26 of the next year. It will expire one year after the original expire date.