Help an old Disney Expert with the new ticket choices

[punkin]

Here's the situation:

My sister has a timeshare in Ft Lauderdale for the first week of May and invited my children and me down. We do not have to pay a penny for the resort.

I checked out the airfare and it is prohibitively expensive, so I decided to drive down early and spend 3 days in Orlando.

Here's my question:

I have ONE AP voucher. We are planning another longer trip with my husband sometine in the summer. We will probably get another trip in around thanksgiving. Should I

1) activate my AP and buy the girls MYW for 3 days;

2) wait to activate the AP 'till our summer trip and buy the rest of the familly APs too with the idea that we will get yet another trip out of it the next summer; or

3) a better, more economical choice I haven't thought of yet?

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

What will the length of the other trips be? With the new MYW tickets, the AP "break-even" point is now 13 days instead of 10 days, as it was when PHs were the ticket media being offered.

1) activate my AP and buy the girls MYW for 3 days

I definitely would not buy the children 3-day MYW passes if I were planning two more vacations and activating my own AP at the time. I would just invest in APs for them at the same time. You could always just get your DH a 10-day MYW Hopper w/no expiration to cover the summer and Thanksgiving trips.

2) wait to activate the AP 'till our summer trip and buy the rest of the familly APs too with the idea that we will get yet another trip out of it the next summer;

How likely are you to take that trip next summer? If it is a definite plan, then hold off on activating your AP or purchasing ones for your kids. I would recommend having APs for everyone (yourself, your DH and the kids) and beginning them in the summer. You would probably get more days out of a summer 2005/Thanksgiving/summer 2006 AP than you would a May/summer/Thanksgiving 2005 AP.

or

3) a better, more economical choice I haven't thought of yet?

As I said, a more economical way would depend upon when and how long you will be vacationing at WDW. It might make more sense to purchase 2 10-day MYW non-expiring hoppers for everyone to cover the 4 vacations that you anticipate taking. This would allow for 20 days of park time for each, spread out over the 4 trips. Since you already have an AP voucher, there would be one trip that you would need to purchase a single MYW Hopper to allow you into the parks. That would either mean buying a 3-day MYW Hopper for yourself for May or one of indeterminate length for the summer 2006 trip.

 

[punkin]

Thanks.

Well I don't really know if we will take a Summer 2006 Trip. I'm more of a last minute planner. The Thanksgiving trip is already set and we will probaby spend 3 days in the parks then. I am also planning to take a summer trip for a week in the summer (possibly 10 days). So...3 days this trip + 3 at thanksgiving + 7 in the summer. We are right around 13 days for the break-even for me and the girls. I guess hubby would be cheaper w/ a 10 day MYW with no expiration. Also, assuming resort discounts come out, at least one AP makes sense.

I don't suppose there's any break even analysis for MYW with hopping and no expiration as opposed to APs.

 

[seashoreCM]

With hopping and non-expiration (needed for three trips) on the MYW the AP is slightly better at eleven days within a year. Not counting AP benefits and room rates and not counting MYW advance purchase or discount outlet discounts.

After buying one 10 day non-expiring MYW with hopping (gate price), you can't buy another ticket of any description without exceeding the cost of an AP.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/dispass.htm

 

[punkin]

The other thing is that if I get the AP, I can get the DDE. So, I guess I will at least activate my AP. I am not yet sure about the girls. I'm leaning to APs for them too.