Fairytale vs AP rates

[Disney-Kim]

I just read about the AP's and although we are going in Sept and the rates are not out yet.......

I think the Fairytale pkg is a way better deal for those who need to purchase tickets.
We need to buy tickets this year. our AP's expire this month and we are not going back till Sept. (hey we got 2 trips on those)

But since we have to purchase new tickets....I have the Poly Gard view booked for 7 nights for $1855. that is only $189 more than the AP rate and includes passes for the whole trip.

I just don't see how that can be beat.

 

[DRoseBall]

From what I've seen about the AP rates for my trip time (July 20th-27th) and the type of room I got (Yacht Club concierge water view), the AP rates don't help me near as much as the package does. With the package, I got a 42% savings on the price of the room and tickets separately, and the AP rates for the room only reservation only amount to approximately 25% with no passes or discounts on passes. I know some of the other resorts are showing better discounts, but I'm glad I went ahead and booked the package for our trip.......its a much better deal for us.

Denise

 

[goofy4tink]

I did the math too and came out ahead with the FT package. It's a really great deal.

 

[NJFabFour]

Although AP rates are not out for our trip (8/24 - 8/31), I calculated current WL AP rates and came out ahead with the Fairytale Package. We're only spending $60 more than we would getting the AP and the present discount with 5 day hoppers. Now we'll have UPH tix to go anywhere we want anytime!

 

[AliciaS]

Yes! Our Fairytale package is actually about $20 cheaper than the AP room-only rates! I think we can rest now.

 

[susy]

The only way it wouldn't work out better is if you plan to to use your AP's a few times during the year. We can't go for a week at a time because of DH's job, but we buy the FL Resident season passes which work great for us. We will get a few trips out of them (14 nights last year). FT is great for people who don't know if they would be back in a years time. It looks like most everyone is getting their room and tickets for around 2k. Our season passes alone will run about $600 for our family of three. Disney probably needed to boost their summer bookings and it was a smart plan.

 

[cindyfan]

I have to agree that right now the FT plan is better than the AP rate.
Our passes also expire next month. We had planned on purchasing new ones for our trip in Oct. Then we would use them again next June.
BUT......if we go with the FT plan now and wait til next June to purchase new APs.....If you go later in the month next June....we will still be able to use our APs for Oct 04 and again June of 05!

AliciaS.....I posted a response on the other thread for you......Yes, it looks like you are definitely getting the better deal using the FT plan.

It looks like the FT plan for deluxes is much better than AP rates. But for moderates.....it is a close call.

BUT.....if they come up with AP rates for Oct similar to these for the moderates up til Aug 23....we might go with the APs.....because we will be returning in June 04! I kinda figured that if I can get a moderate for $100 or less "room only" then we will go with APs.

 

[Sammy]

The difference between the two options would be what you are planning to do during your WDW stay. For us, we have two trips planned this year....one without the kids in June, and a family trip in September. The FT package price for the September trip is a good deal, however, the kids really enjoy a day or two of "down time" by the pool; and this year they want to go to Sea World too. Even though the prices of the two options come out to nearly the same for us (moderate hotel), buying the APs comes out to a better deal. Hee hee.....we can also maybe get a third trip next Summer!!!

Sammy

 

[donnamerry]

I believe the FTP is really only good if you are staying 7 or more days! With AP's you can always make more trips throughout the year and still get a pretty good discount on your room!

 

[BillSears]

The AP rate id definitely better for me. If you are staying 7 nights it might be better to use the FTP. I'm staying 11 nights though.

11 nights costs:

AP rate - $1044 for 2 premium annual passes and $1031 for 11 nights at POR - total 2075.
FTP rate - 2 FTP packages at $1233 each - total $2466.

Even if I decided to stay for 14 nights to get the most out of the 2 FTP packages it would be:

AP rate - $1044 for the 2 PAP and $1312 for the 14 nights - total $2356
FTP rate - 2 FTP packages at $1233 each - total $2466.

At 7 nights I'd go for the FTP, AP - $1700 vs FTP $1233. But why would I want to cut my vacation time? Also I'd like to get at least one and maybe 2 more trips out of the PAPs.

 

[Disney-Kim]

I agree that the deal is really better on the deluxes. It doesn't work out as well for the moderates.

I have been an AP holder for all my trips....so I am an AP fan.
I had a hard time deciding on the pkg over possible AP rates.

If I buy new AP's - $740
Poly gard view with current AP rate - $1667 = $2407
and I have AP's

but pkg for Poly gard view w/ tickets = $1889

that saves me $518 towards buying AP's in 2004 and extending my trips to 2005.

oh I don't know........agh.

it doesn't matter anyway......AP rates are not out for Sept anyway

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

We too were better off with the Fairytale Package!!

 

[palmtreegirl]

We're going for 10 days this trip and definitely returning again within the 12 months so the AP's were a much better deal for us. This way when we return we'll have our passes and have a chance at another AP room discount. Where with the FTP it made this trip cheaper but then we'd have to buy passes or another package(which won't be as good as FTP) for the next trip.

For us the AP's can't be beat because it gives us an excuse to take more then 1 trip in the year!

 

[palmtreegirl]

Grrr...double post and it won't let me delete it. Oh well.

 

[cindala]

I thought I'd be the last to say this, but the Fairy Tale Package works out SO much better for us.

My AP expires on 7/3. Talk about perfect timing! So we HAVE to buy new tickets anyway. We only go to WDW once a year too.

Here are the numbers:

Fairy Tale Package 7 Nights YC waterview, 3A, 1 Junior = $2785
AP YC waterview (standard not avail) 7 nights @ $289: $2023
tickets for AP renewal and 6 Day Hopper for some ........ 1164
Total: $ 3187
The Fairy Tale Package saves us $402! Plus we all get 7 days of all the parks, plus PI, and DQ . (I did get an AP rate for our first night that is before the FT package starts.)

I must say, I was disappointed that the AP rates weren't better at the YC. $289 for WV is high. That is $260 without tax. (I paid $219 p/tax for WV about 2 years ago.) It seems that some of the other resorts have better AP rates.

So, we are going with the Fairy Tale Package!