Help! - Lots of Questions - Still looking for info

[Bowen9475]

I need advice. As a family we have 3 trips planned for the coming year - a May weekend trip for myself and my daughter, a short 3 night summer trip for my husband and son and a 5 or 6 night family trip in the fall. We are DVC owners and plan to use points for all 3 trips. We would be interested in purchasing the discounted APs as well as the DDE card. When would be the best time to make these purchases to get the most benefits? Should we do it now or closer to the trips? Should we buy only 1 AP to get the benefits and MYW tickets for the others? Help - I'm very confused. Thanks so much!

 

[athenna]

The advice I have been given is that it takes 4-6 weeks to receive them after ordering them. And the cards that were ordered, yesterday are good until 1/31/06.
Hope this helps!

 

[CarolMN]

The best ticket option depends on the number of days you all want to spend in the parks. Also, do you anticipate wanting to go to a waterpark, Pleasure Island, Disney Quest or the Wide World of Sports? If so, how many times?

With that info you can decide (we can help if you post your plans) if the best deal is to get APs/ PAPs for all of you or just one of you. You only need one DDE card to take care of your entire family. Most AP perks are good for parties of 4, but some only apply to the passholder.

Best wishes -

 

[pumpkinboy]

At 8-9 days per family member, you are definately on the cusp here. Adding no-expiration to the 10 day MYW tix (no park-hopping) pushes you above the cost of an AP: $329.09 MYW vs $314.18 for DVC AP. If each family member is only getting 7 park days tho, and you are not interesting in park-hopping at all, then the $270.51 saves you some; add park-hopping and the 7 day MYW comes out about even at $296.07 for advance purchase tix (a whopping $18 difference from the adult AP).

Given your schedule and your interest in the DDE card, I think I'd seriously consider APs for everyone. That way you definately get park hopping, you get all the AP discounts and you can get that eighth or ninth park day should you so desire.

You see what works for you, and do the math.
I'd check out the great ticket comparison chart on AllEarsNet.com so you have all the numbers at your fingertips.

Good luck! Sounds like a couple of fun trips for your family.

 

[tjkraz]

Another consideration is whether you will use any of the "Plus" parks. Upgrading to a Premium Annual Pass will cost you about another $100 per person, while the Plus Pack (5 visits) add-on for the MYW is only $45 per person.

On the other hand, if you activate your AP in May '05, you get unlimited admission through the same day in May '06. Your post only mentioned vacations between now and the Fall '05, but if the possibility exists that you will be returning before May '06, factor that into your decision when weighing the AP.

 

[Bowen9475]

We have found that with 3 young children we tend to spend entire days in one park and not hop. We are also not interested in the plus features right now. My daughter and I will spend 2 days in the parks in May, my husband and son will spend 2 days in the parks in summer and we will all spend 5 days in the parks in October. That would be 7 days each this year. We do not have any other plans set for after that though and it would be very unlikely to visit again before May '06. Would it be worth it to buy an AP for my daughter? I have heard that a child's AP will get AP room rates. Would it also be able to be used for the DDE card? Could we get that in two names for us to use in May and the boys to use in the summer? Would one card have to have my daughter's name on it or could it be put in my name? We would then still have them available for October. When we visit in October there is a good chance my sister, my niece and her two kids will come with us. Could we use the DDE card to buy meals for all of us? If this would work when should we buy the AP and the DDE card? Thanks for any and all information.

 

[Bowen9475]

I am still looking or information and advice! Thanks!

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip).... Would it be worth it to buy an AP for my daughter? I have heard that a child's AP will get AP room rates. Would it also be able to be used for the DDE card? ......QUOTE] The info on the DDE website says that you must be 21 to join. So a child's AP won't work for that.

Best wishes -