Help me decide which AP

[SOCALMouseMommy]

My AP is up for renewal and with price increases rumored to be imminent, I feel like I should renew ASAP (I'm within my window). The problem is I can't decide which pass to get. For a while I was pretty set on getting my son a SoCal Select and getting myself a Signature mostly for the parking. But now I wonder if I should just stick with a SoCal Select for myself, as well and vow to go less often so as not to rack up the parking costs.

Lots of things are up in the air though, like I'm trying to go back to work full time (I currently work part time from home), in which case my son would be in preschool and we would want to go on the weekends so I would need to get him a Deluxe. But that hasn't happened yet and there is always the possibility that I will continue to work part time (just more than I am now but still have flexibility. I wish I had some more time to make the decision but I'm worried that if I wait we will miss out on the current prices.

I was hoping some people might be able to chime in on what I should do. We currently go a lot (at least twice a month when we are not blocked out).

These are my options:

We both get SoCal Select
Total Price (upgrade LMT tickets for both): $602
No parking
We are both blocked on weekends/holidays

Son gets SoCal Select, I get Signature
Total Price (upgrade LMT ticket for him, renewal discount for me): $1,100
*Parking included
Son is blocked on weekends/holidays but I'm not (could go with a friend or solo)

Son gets Deluxe, I get Signature
Total Price (upgrade LMT ticket for him, renewal discount for me): $1,368
*Parking included
We can both go on weekends/holidays together

 

[starshine514]

We always buy the Deluxe passes. Deluxe also has blackout dates. More than half of the Saturdays are blocked, as well as quite a few of the holidays (and a couple of weeks around Christmas).

How many days do you see yourself going if you only buy the SoCal Select?

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

We always buy the Deluxe passes. Deluxe also has blackout dates. More than half of the Saturdays are blocked, as well as quite a few of the holidays (and a couple of weeks around Christmas).

How many days do you see yourself going if you only buy the SoCal Select?

I would like to visit twice a month, but if I'm paying for parking I really should limit myself to once a month. I have been going about twice a month, sometimes more and sometimes less (for instance, when we are blocked).

 

[Princess_Iliana_of_Avalor]

I find that the Deluxe and Signature option might be your best bet. I find that having the pass take care of parking is the best value, plus being able to go on weekends with your son would be great since he does go to school during the week, and you can also go with your friends or solo during the week. I know that the excessive parking costs add up so that makes me always want to go for the pass that includes parking.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I find that the Deluxe and Signature option might be your best bet. I find that having the pass take care of parking is the best value, plus being able to go on weekends with your son would be great since he does go to school during the week, and you can also go with your friends or solo during the week. I know that the excessive parking costs add up so that makes me always want to go for the pass that includes parking.

Yes, I estimate that I've spent somewhere around $250 in parking during the last year if not more. I wish I would have started out with a Signature but I had no idea I would go this much. I thought I would go once every other month until I started going and got insanely addicted.

To clarify, my son is not in school yet, but if I get a full-time job he will start school full time.

 

[starshine514]

I would like to visit twice a month, but if I'm paying for parking I really should limit myself to once a month. I have been going about twice a month, sometimes more and sometimes less (for instance, when we are blocked).

So, the price for Option 1 is really more like $842 ($602 + $240) and you'll get to go 12 times. So, it will cost about $70/day - and you may have to take off work to go.

For Option 2 - assuming you go twice a month, the cost per day will be about $46 - but you still may have to take off work to go.

For Option 3 - assuming you go twice a month, the cost per day will be about $57 - but you can go on weekends and won't have to take off time from work to go.

It's a tough choice, but I think that the parking price and limiting the number of times that you go because of it, actually makes the cheapest option less appealing. Personally, I would lean towards Option 3 because the more options you have, the better.

 

[Princess_Iliana_of_Avalor]

Yes, I estimate that I've spent somewhere around $250 in parking during the last year if not more. I wish I would have started out with a Signature but I had no idea I would go this much. I thought I would go once every other month until I started going and got insanely addicted.

To clarify, my son is not in school yet, but if I get a full-time job he will start school full time.

Haha that's how Disney gets ya. It's my favorite place in the world and if I had time (I'm a full-time college student with two jobs) I would get myself a pass again and be going all of the time! I'd say that option 3 will still be worth it considering all of the extra costs.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

So, the price for Option 1 is really more like $842 ($602 + $240) and you'll get to go 12 times. So, it will cost about $70/day - and you may have to take off work to go.

For Option 2 - assuming you go twice a month, the cost per day will be about $46 - but you still may have to take off work to go.

For Option 3 - assuming you go twice a month, the cost per day will be about $57 - but you can go on weekends and won't have to take off time from work to go.

It's a tough choice, but I think that the parking price and limiting the number of times that you go because of it, actually makes the cheapest option less appealing. Personally, I would lean towards Option 3 because the more options you have, the better.

Wow, that is such a GREAT way to break it down. The "cheap" option is $70 per visit but I can only go one time per month. Hmmmmm.... gives me a lot to think about. My husband is going to kill me if I go the expensive route, lol.

 

[ashley0139]

Also remember if you get a Signature you have the (slightly) bigger discounts. It doesn't make a huge difference every time, but over the course of a year it can.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Do Option 3.

Dooooo iiiiiittttt. You're going to want to go during the summer! Summer is the best! It includes parking! Yours includes Maxpass! Do all the Disney things!

I'm an enabler, obviously.

 

[ashley0139]

Do Option 3.

Dooooo iiiiiittttt. You're going to want to go during the summer! Summer is the best! It includes parking! Yours includes Maxpass! Do all the Disney things!

I'm an enabler, obviously.

The regular Signature pass does not include Maxpass, unfortunately.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

The regular Signature pass does not include Maxpass, unfortunately.

Oh. Yes, that's right. I was clearly too swept up in my enabling ways.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Do Option 3.

Dooooo iiiiiittttt. You're going to want to go during the summer! Summer is the best! It includes parking! Yours includes Maxpass! Do all the Disney things!

I'm an enabler, obviously.

Do Option 3.

Dooooo iiiiiittttt. You're going to want to go during the summer! Summer is the best! It includes parking! Yours includes Maxpass! Do all the Disney things!

I'm an enabler, obviously.

Ha ha, I better not let DH see this thread! I don't know why I'm so torn. DH doesn't understand the obsession and teases me for going so often.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Just to throw another option at you (like you need more confusion right now? Just hear Ursula's voice in your head, "Life's full of tough choices..."): what happens if you both get Deluxe for now, see how many times you go for a few months, then you can upgrade later if it turns out that you really are going frequently enough to justify the increase and the parking? There are options for cheaper parking if you don't use M&F or TS. Not as convenient, but less expensive. One that comes to mind is the ARTIC lot by the Honda Center and using the ART shuttle from there. Just a thought because you mentioned that there might be some changes in your schedule, e.g. work, etc., that would make it difficult if you'd already spent more money on a higher level pass that you couldn't use as much as you'd planned. But if those changes ended up not happening, you could always upgrade later.

 

[WonkaKid]

For the past two years I've bought Signature and have never regretted it. I love that parking is included. In the past 12 months I've probably visited the park at least fifty times. That's $1000 in parking savings alone! It also makes it easy to make last-minute plans to go to the park, since it costs virtually nothing (typically, I bring my own lunch). Let us know what you decide!

 

[Kender]

So the way I originally even justified getting a pass was I did a spreadsheet. It really helps to see all the details nicely laid out next to each other.

I did different scenarios and compared the prices. I didn't really look at discounts, but considered them a tie breaking bonus if it came to that. The parking played into things heavily.

I also had to add in hotel costs and fuel cost since I don't live close enough to go for just a day trip. This was also a reason for having to look at what days I could even go with my mom's work schedule and my own. Hence why we both first had Premiums and now have Sig+.

Sometimes the cheapest on the surface option isn't always the cheapest once you look at it. Plus sometimes having more flexibility is nice. Including not just more days, but feeling like you can go for a not full day (thinking of parking cost).

Honestly, my leaning (without looking at a spreadsheet) would be towards a Sig and a Deluxe just to get those added weekend days and the parking. But I also know I'm someone that if I lived in one day visit driving distance, I'd be going a whole lot more. I'm looking at closer to $500 in parking savings for myself this past year and that's with me living 400 miles away. Your touring style might be quite different even with the option to go more days.

 

[colormegreen]

Option 3 If he starts going to preschool and you work full time you guys can go weekends and also you guys can go when other passes are blocked which makes the park a lot less packed. Parking is included therefore you don’t have to worry about that expense and you really can go with ease if you didn’t do everything on your list for the visit you can go back:

Option two seems okay, but do you see yourself going with friends? Do you see yourself fully making the price of the signature worth the money?

Option 1 is good at the age he is at as well, but for me paying for parking knowing you can only go once a month doesn’t give you the non rush desire to do what you and your son want to do for the day.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Still so torn on what to do for him. But I think I'm leaning toward the Signature for me. Not having to pay for parking will make it worth it to me.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Just get a lower pass for your son. Upgrade for him if you stop weekdays.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Looks like D-day has arrived. I need to decide today or tomorrow. I wish this was happening later in the month, but I will need to choose now or risk spending more money.

Does anyone know if I can sign up for a monthly payment plan on the pass now and then pay it off early with Disney gift cards? Or somehow pay the monthly payments with gift cards? I wish I could utilize the 5% Target discount on Disney gift cards to pay for my AP renewal but it's too big a chunk to pay all at one time.