DVC vs AP discounts

[wscato]

Has anyone done a comparison chart of discounts that the DVC and Annual Passes gets??? I'm still trying to decide if I should get an AP or not. Does the AP give you the same discounts as the DVC or do you get more or diffrent discounts with the AP? We just bought at SSR and are trying to make up our minds about the tickets.

 

[CarolMN]

We only get APs or PAPs if it is the best deal for us on park admission. IMHO, APs/PAPs are not worth getting for just the discounts. The only exception might be if you stay for weekends on cash and can make use of the AP-discounted rooms. We generally do not do this.

The AP/PAP discounts are comparable to those for DVC but there are some differences. For example, DVC membership currently gives you a 20% discount on meals in most of the Swan/Dolphin restaurants. APs/PAPs do not.

The link below compares discounts, but I am not certain that it is 100% current. The discounts do change.

WDW discounts

HTH.

 

[InstImpres]

I agree with Carol. I bought an AP because it made sense for the number of days I was visiting. Though I did in the long run save on some additional things because of my AP. (An unplanned Saturday night BWV stay for example). Also, keep in mind only one person has to have the AP. I have one as I usually do a solo trip and my DD does have one. If you feel you only need it for a few discounts, a child AP has the same benefits for less money up front.

JMHO
Sandy

 

[wscato]

We are planning to come down twice a year for 5 nights each trip. What we were talking about doing was buying two 6 day UPH from AAA for $290 each and use them for 3 days each trip. Go to Dowtown Disney the first night, then parks, in the Middle of our stay we talked about hanging around SSR and going to the spa and use the pools. But with the AP we could go to any park our whole stay. Decission, decissions. The main reason for this question was to look for any extras benefits of the season pass over buying the UPH.

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by wscato
The main reason for this question was to look for any extras benefits of the season pass over buying the UPH.

Understanding were you are coming from now, I don't think you will see a savings. You will however, see much greater flexibility in your trip...you can "sneak in" just for Illuminations one night or just for a few hours one day without feeling wasteful. I too go back and forth between AP's and stretching hoppers. For me it changes the mood of my trip but in the long run, probably costs me more $$.

Sandy

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by wscato
...(snip)...... The main reason for this question was to look for any extras benefits of the season pass over buying the UPH.

Keep in mind that an AP only includes admission to the four major parks. If you go to PI, WWOS, the waterparks or DQ, you will have to pay for admisssion. UPH tickets include those options. The plus options of PHP tickets do not include DQ, but do include waterparks, WWOS and PI.

If you want the PI, WWOS, waterpark and DQ options included in an annual pass, you will have to buy PAPs. Those are significantly more expensive than the "plain" APs.

 

[BWVDee]

I agree with Sandy, for only a 10 day usuage of an AP you will really not see a savings but you will get way more flexibilty and freedom to just hop in and our of all the parks whenever you want.
Where an AP saves you big time is when you are in the parks for a lot of days per year,and of course the more days you use it the cheaper it becomes. We had one year that we were in WDW parks so much the AP ended up costing us less than $5.00 per day for entry into 4 parks!
Another area that an AP can save you substantially is if you book WDW resorts through CRO with an AP discount. We have gotten some unbelievable AP discounts over the years on WDW rooms. Our best to date though is still the Poly and YC both for $116.00 per night including tax! That was a couple of years ago and we were displaced POFQ guests and then they still gave us the AP discount in addition to the already discounted rate for being displaced from POFQ! I was in my glory, with those rates, let me tell you!! LOL!
AP also gets you a 10% discount on purchases of $25.00+, at the World of Disney store,which is also a nice feature.
For your trip the actual money savings will not be there but IMO the freedom and flexibility to the major parks that an AP will give you vs a hopper will be well worth it.
Carol, is right though regarding DQ, PI and the waterparks. If you plan to visit these places then a UPH may be your better way to go. A PAP is approx $100.00 more than an AP.
Good luck and have a wonderful trip!

 

[FLYNZ4]

For many years we received lagoon view rooms at the Poly and Y&BC for $99/night + tax using our APs. Sometiems they were Concierge level rooms too (Poly and Yacht Club). This was in the 1989 - late 90's timeframe. The AP discounts are still good... but not as lucrative as they were back then.

/Jim

 

[BWVDee]

Originally posted by FLYNZ4
For many years we received lagoon view rooms at the Poly and Y&BC for $99/night + tax using our APs. Sometiems they were Concierge level rooms too (Poly and Yacht Club). This was in the 1989 - late 90's timeframe. The AP discounts are still good... but not as lucrative as they were back then.

/Jim

Boy you were lucky! We also have been staying at Poly, YC/BC for yrs and in the 1989 - late 90's we were thrilled when we would snag a room with an AP rate of less than $150.00 per night including tax! So that is why I was so thrilled to get both Poly and YC in '02 for $116.00 per night including tax. That will probably always be my biggest "WDW deal" of my many, many WDW trips. I am someone that LOVES to get a deal, especially on WDW resorts, so that one, really just made my day! LOL!

 

[JimC]

As others have said, AP and PAP make the most sense for heavy park use in one 12 month period. Although if you are using AP resort codes, one pass can save you money on a single four night stay.

We get APs because we go often enought that the park use is sufficient for the investment. THen we layer on top the discounts and the resort codes (usually one per year) and it gets even better.

 

[ceejay13]

We always get APs, just like the other posters, for the days used not the discounts. We always get at least two trips in on our passes. Conversely, we also get APs at DL and only for the discounts as we generally only visit CA yearly but the AP discounts make it worth at least one of us getting one.