Extra $200 to get a deluxe AP or Salute tickets only- worth it?

Disney Lvr of Old

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 3, 2008
Hi. I'm crunching numbers and wanting to pay for as much in advance as possible for our August trip. The 2020 Salute ticket prices are $181- 3 day and $201- 4 day. They have a Max Pass option for $225 and $260 but I know we don't need to use MP every day. We will be in the parks 11 days ( I know, I know- I can't help it!) For the 11 days for both of us will be $1166 total. I was thinking about getting a deluxe AP for $799 for me only which will be $1382 with my son's 3 Salute tickets. Do you think there would be enough perks with the AP discount to justify paying an extra $216? Thanks for the advice!

PS- already checked- the dates we are going are unblocked for Deluxe.
 
Is there any chance you would do another trip within a year from the date you activate your pass? Do the math on how many days/visits you would need to make a Deluxe pay off or at least break even. Don't calculate discounts on food and merchandise because you won't know for sure how much you'll spend on those until you get to the parks. Don't calculate any on site hotel discounts or even off site (some off site hotels do offer AP discounts, so make sure to ask) unless you know for sure that you'll be receiving that. For a $200 difference over so many days in the parks, it seems pretty certain that you'd cover that. But don't let the temptation sway you Into doing something hasty -- crunch the numbers one more time and see about the probability of doing another trip within a year.
 
I’ve been crunching numbers as you suggest and we will be eating in the parks every day and plan to do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour. And there is a possibility that we would go again within a year especially since I’ll still have 3 Salute tickets available for my son. Thanks for your input as always! 😊
 
You get 15% off the tour, though I am not sure if that is for just your ticket, or both of your tickets. That would save $16, or $32 if they let you apply the AP discount to both tickets.
 


And 10% off your food for 11 days would add up, depending on where and what you two eat. To break even only with the food discount, if you are trying to make up the $200 price difference, you would have to eat $2000 in food. Over 11 days, that’s $181 per day in food between the two of you.

However, if you save on the tour, then maybe you are only trying to save $168 now, so that is $1680 in food, or $152 per day in food.

This is to break even, you’d need to spend more to actually come out ahead (unless you are going to come back and use your AP again later and get value from it that way). If you are going to come back and use the AP again, you would only need to come back for a 2 day visit to be ahead on ticket prices alone. You just have to watch for AP block out dates and also Military Salute block out dates.

Do you plan to buy a lot of merch? That can add up with 10% off.

Lastly, I agree not to count on any hotel AP discounts, but sometimes they are pretty good. We were booked at GCH in this coming January, and the general public offer excluded Friday and Saturday nights (we are staying Friday to Monday). The AP offer was the same % off, but it INCLUDED Friday and Saturday night. That alone saved us $500, so it nearly paid for the upgrade from our tickets to APs for 2 of us. You would be eligible for onsite military hotel discounts, which would possibly be even better than the AP discounts, so something to check.
 
Don't forget about MP on your AP. Even if you don't use it for FPs every day, you might want it for PP every day. That will add about $100 to the cost of your pass -- divide that by how many days you'd be in the parks. At $15/day for MP, the $100 yearly add on fee can be a bargain for PP alone.
 
We do buy a lot of merchandise and plan to build a droid and a lightsaber but I don't think those count for an AP discount. I got the hotel with military rates- 40% off GCH! I don't know if we would make it back before the AP expires but I think we might squeak through with food and merchandise. Can you use the AP for Chef's Counter?

Don't forget about MP on your AP. Even if you don't use it for FPs every day, you might want it for PP every day. That will add about $100 to the cost of your pass -- divide that by how many days you'd be in the parks. At $15/day for MP, the $100 yearly add on fee can be a bargain for PP alone.

This is a brilliant thought- I would break even on MP within a week because I am sure we would use MP more than 6 days over the course of 11. And not having to pick and choose when to get pics would be lovely too.
 


I would only do if of you are SURE you will make another trip before it expires.
 
Doesn’t seem worth it just for AP discounts. But if you will return for another trip of more than two days seems worth it!
 
We do buy a lot of merchandise and plan to build a droid and a lightsaber but I don't think those count for an AP discount. I got the hotel with military rates- 40% off GCH! I don't know if we would make it back before the AP expires but I think we might squeak through with food and merchandise. Can you use the AP for Chef's Counter?



This is a brilliant thought- I would break even on MP within a week because I am sure we would use MP more than 6 days over the course of 11. And not having to pick and choose when to get pics would be lovely too.
Congrats on the Military hotel discount! Thank you/your family for your service! We get this discount when we travel with my parents (fully retired military), and it is a special treat.

Here is the link to all the AP discounts, broken down by restaurant and experience. Napa Rose seems to be excluded unfortunately.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/discounts/restaurants/
Have a great trip!!!
 
Congrats on the Military hotel discount! Thank you/your family for your service! We get this discount when we travel with my parents (fully retired military), and it is a special treat.

Here is the link to all the AP discounts, broken down by restaurant and experience. Napa Rose seems to be excluded unfortunately.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/discounts/restaurants/
Have a great trip!!!

Thanks so much for all the information! I think based on the math it's smarter to skip the AP. I don't think we will make it back in a year. We generally go every 3.
 
Thanks so much for all the information! I think based on the math it's smarter to skip the AP. I don't think we will make it back in a year. We generally go every 3.
Keep your notes for future reference. If there comes a year when you think you may realistically make two (or more!) trips within 365 days, bring out your notes and update the numbers. Then go over everything one more time before deciding. One day, it may really work out in your favor! Good for you for keeping a level head and making the best decision for you and your son for this trip this time.
 

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