Help me figure our best deal for tickets?

[lenshanem]

I'm going INSANE!
I've come down to two options -

7 day park hoppers with 4 options through
Florida Orlando Tickets -
$1103 total with shipping for 2 adults & 2 kids or $2206 for 2 of these each (14 days worth). Breaks down to $157.57 per day for all of us.

OR

An AP for all of us - $1454.80. (We'll get 12, possibly a few more days use out of it. Broken down $121.23 per day for 12 days for all of us. )
Of course this is $751.20 cheaper than buying the park hoppers, but we don't get water park tickets.
(PAP isn't worth it to us, hubby isn't into the water parks enough and we wouldn't use them that much. PI and DQ not issues for us now as kids are still too young.)

So yes, if we used all 16 options from 2 sets of 7 day park hoppers it would be a better deal, saving $91.20. (This even includes counting in the DVC discount of water park tickets.)
But, would we really ever be able to use them all ever? I'm thinking MAX 4 trips to water parks added onto AP for a total of $1665.40, or $138.78 per day broken up for 12 days. Still saving more than the $157.57 per day with the hoppers.

******Sooo, if I go with the APs, we'll have to be creative with the school calendar. Times we'll visit will be a few days at Christmas, spring break (Which does or doesn't hit at Easter - have to also factor in those higher points for DVC.) or summer. I'll go a couple nights to VB and hubby a couple nights for Braves spring training. He may or may not use AP at this time.

We'll have to buy AP before this next summer trip (2004),
use at Christmas (2004), then spring break (2005).
Skip Christmas (2005) by just buying UPH through DVC discount?, then start over again - summer, Christmas, spring break...
Does this make sense?
This is where I really need help.
I think this is our best option.

Any thoughts if you're still there? Or did I put you to sleep?

Thanks!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

for me, the answer is obvious. Go with the annuals and purchase water tickets as needed. You can buy a LOT of water park tickets with 751.00.

 

[lenshanem]

Thanks. Do you think this would be the best way to max the APs? -

"We'll have to buy AP before this next summer trip (2004),
use at Christmas (2004), then spring break (2005).
Skip Christmas (2005) by just buying UPH through DVC discount?, then start over again - summer, Christmas, spring break..."

So every other Christmas we would have to buy a UPH with the DVC discount for a 2 or 3 day pass and every other summer purchase an AP to cover the rest of the trips.
Does that sound right?