Early entry - is it worth our $$$???

[Misskitty3]

We are trying to keep our Disney trip well under what we have spent the last few times.

This trip we will stay at Hojo's for $60 bucks a nite.

I was only planning on getting 2 day park hoppers but now I see to get the early entry we need to have 3 day park hoppers. I LOVE early entry and am a big believer in how great it is! However, it would cost us an extra $108 for our family of 4 to do the early entry. Our 2 days in the park right now are Sunday and Monday. However, we are flying down on Saturday morning so we could head over to DL for the late afternoon and evening. And we are planning to stay until Thursday at Hojo's with Tues/Wed devoted to Legoland and the beach.

Given our schedule, would you spend the extra $108 to get the early entry (and extra time at DL) or would you keep a lid on the spending and not buy another day?

P.S. This will be our 4th trip to DLR in 5 years so we have definitely done almost everything possible. The key is we have a 3 yr old the LOVES the Dumbo ride and her 5 yr old brother likes it a lot too. That darn line is always soooo long!!


P.S.S. I forgot to post we will be arriving Mother's day weekend - May 9th thru the 14th.

 

[BettyBoopAngel]

I think it's worth it, but that's just me.

 

[Canyon girl]

I think it is worth it, too!

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it would be worth it for the extra day, but I generally don't feel like MM is worth huge sums of money. BUT you're going on a busy weekend, which could up the value of the MM.

And of course, noticing how often you're going, I might upgrade those hoppers to APs and create another trip within the year from your first day in the parks...

 

[Misskitty3]

Really????

I am used to staying on property and I just realized that if we go with the 3 day pass we will only get one day of early entry anyway..... Isn't that right?

We could all go to Goofy's kitchen for $100 bucks! I have got some thinking to do....

 

[bumbershoot]

Wait, what did I say? Nothing should have been upsetting in what I said....


And yes, you get ONE day MM with a 3+ day hopper.

But with the days you're planning on going you'd only get that Sunday anyway even if staying onsite.

 

[Misskitty3]

DS's birthday is May 9th ....can I buy a 2 day park hoper for him and get the 3rd day free for his birthday AND get MM?

 

[Misskitty3]

Wait, what did I say? Nothing should have been upsetting in what I said....


And yes, you get ONE day MM with a 3+ day hopper.

But with the days you're planning on going you'd only get that Sunday anyway even if staying onsite.

We were posting at the same time!

I upset myself with my realization!!

 

[bumbershoot]

DS's birthday is May 9th ....can I buy a 2 day park hoper for him and get the 3rd day free for his birthday AND get MM?

Ooh, I don't think so.

But if you got the extra day on your tickets, he could get the Birthday Fun Card that would be worth the cost of a one day one park ticket for him so he could buy some souvenirs. You just have to have valid admission on that day...


Or you could wait to buy his ticket, go to the gates the day you get there (his b'day), get a one-day one-park ticket for him, upgrade it to a 3 day hopper, and that might get you that MM for Sunday...

We were posting at the same time!

I upset myself with my realization!!

OH of course, now I see the time of our posts. Silly me.

 

[pixiewings71]

I don't think the ticket booths will be open early enough to get him in for MM. I think I'd get 3 day hoppers, then you've got your MM and you can decide from there. But, for our family, no MM is not important to us at all. Of course we wouldn't spend that money at GK either, we would spend it at Ariels or at Minnie. Good luck with what you decide but honestly for our family, MM is not worth the extra $108.

 

[Princess_Couture]

Well it depends on how you want to look at it. In my humble opinion I do enjoy it as I feel special getting that extra "Perk". Is it worth it, YES & NO! It's ok, if I skipped or missed it, I wouldnt be totally crushed. If you plan your day right you can basically feel like you didnt waste any time.

Pros
- You get an extra day at Disneyland (If you actually agree for a 3 day hopper)
- You get that magical "I am sooooo special that I was given a Disney perk" feeling
- You get on certain rides a lot faster then if you went on them in the pm
- Gives you an early start against everyone else to book it to another area of the park when it opens to be one of the first to grab a popular FP and still get on another popular ride with minimal waits.
- You can have pictures taken in front of the castle with few people around

Cons
- Extra money
- Having to get up early to be at the gate

 

[abouley]

It sounds like your son's b-day is the day you arrive so I think that'd make it worth upgrading to go to the parks on that day. You can either buy the 3 day PH ahead of time and then get the $59 fun card to use on stuff or upgrade his free one day ticket to a PH and save $59 so then it's really only $49 more?

I don't think that the MM is really worth $108, but I do think the extra day in the parks is worth it (especially if it really is only costing you $49).

 

[Misskitty3]

I know nothing about the $59 fun card...what is it all about?

 

[abouley]

I know nothing about the $59 fun card...what is it all about?

Here's a link with the terms: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/birthdayFunCard/index

In short for 2009 if you go ON your birthday you get either a 1 day ticket, fun card for amount of 1 day ticket or special fast pass deal. The card does not expire but sounds like it can't be used on food. We have annual passes and will be going on my son's b-day so plan to get the card to use on souveniers. Maybe let him buy himself a present!

Hope this helps.

 

[Gisele]

While a two day park hopper is very nice, a 3 day is especially so. Hence, my vote goes for the 3 day park hopper ticket.

 

[bumbershoot]

The birthday celebration allows for a few options beyond just getting in on that day for free.


If you do not have a ticket, you can get in free that day.


If you have tickets, you can get a "fun card", which is a limited gift card (can't be used on food, for instance) in the amount of a one day, one park, admission for that person. So if it's for a child, it would be in the amount of the child's ticket; if for an adult, it's a bit more.

This is the thread about all the options.

But basically (from the thread)....other than getting the one-day one-park ticket if you do NOT have a ticket that day, "you have several options which are available for you to select once you arrive at the Park with your confirmation message and your proper ID. You can receive:

* A birthday fun card in an amount equal to the price of a 1-day One Day/One Park base ticket ** for you to use on your birthday ## for merchandise, recreation or fun activities at select participating locations at Disneyland® Resort;
UPDATE: Visitors with APs have reported obtaining the card at City Hall.
or

* A special birthday FASTPASS® ticket+ for certain attractions at the Theme Park you visit on your birthday; or

* A 1-day One Day/One Park base ticket for you to use any time until your next birthday."

 

[Echie]

Early entry is 100% worth it in my opinion! When we went to early entry we did 11 rides in 2 hours, and usually we average 4 rides in 2 hours. There were no lines and we were able to walk onto every ride. Later in the day those same rides all had 30+ min waits! I say it's worth it!

 

[ballarinamom]

I agree! Time is money. You are paying all that money to get there. What is another $27 a person when you can ride so many rides. First on you arrival date and then for 2 full days PLUS the MM. The San Antonio Rodeo begins next week. DD LOVES the carnival rides which are NOTHING like DL. But for the 3 of us to ride the ferris wheel one time is $20. We could spend $108 in ride tickets in about an hour and half. And that's for yuk rides.

GO FOR IT!!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

If you have the tickets definitely get him a fun card! I hadn't heard that kids got fun cards at a lesser value? I wonder if that will be the case with my girls, we have APs so their passes were as much as ours...hmmmm

 

[Misskitty3]

Thanks for all the help.

DH is definitely on board with getting an extra day at DL so I think we will do the 3 day park hopper and get the fun card when we get there.

Anyone know if I can apply it to the birthday party just off main street? I think it runs $15 a person the last time I checked. If not, no big deal but that would be a nice bonus!