Help me think through an annual pass plan...

[gtaylor24]

I admit that I am not the most mathematically inclined, but I think I’m on to something with this, and I’m hoping one of you might be able to help me confirm my gut feeling (or tell me I’m way off).

I am planning two family trips to Disney parks – one in October 2014 to Disneyland and one in April 2015 to Disney Word. I am considering buying a single Disney Premier Passport for myself that would cover both trips (and regular tickets for the rest of my family of four).

The Disneyland trip is four parks days and the Disney World trip is six park days. I am thinking that the cost of the Disney Premier Passport ($1029 plus tax) will be more than made up for when compared to the cost I’d pay for tickets to cover all those days plus the dining, merchandise and resort stay discounts (we’re staying on-property for the Disney World trip, probably a deluxe). We will be flying to both destinations and taking the transportation provided, so parking won't be a factor.

I know it depends on how much stuff we buy, how much we plan to dine, etc., but just using your best guess, does it seem like it would work out in my favor? Is my gut telling me the right thing? Or am I way off? Or just too many factors to know for sure?

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I admit that I am not the most mathematically inclined, but I think I’m on to something with this, and I’m hoping one of you might be able to help me confirm my gut feeling (or tell me I’m way off).

I am planning two family trips to Disney parks – one in October 2014 to Disneyland and one in April 2015 to Disney Word. I am considering buying a single Disney Premier Passport for myself that would cover both trips (and regular tickets for the rest of my family of four).

The Disneyland trip is four parks days and the Disney World trip is six park days. I am thinking that the cost of the Disney Premier Passport ($1029 plus tax) will be more than made up for when compared to the cost I’d pay for tickets to cover all those days plus the dining, merchandise and resort stay discounts (we’re staying on-property for the Disney World trip, probably a deluxe). We will be flying to both destinations and taking the transportation provided, so parking won't be a factor.

I know it depends on how much stuff we buy, how much we plan to dine, etc., but just using your best guess, does it seem like it would work out in my favor? Is my gut telling me the right thing? Or am I way off? Or just too many factors to know for sure?

Here's my 2¢ - for only two trips, don't count on a PAP saving you money. Lots of times, at least at WDW, public discounts are exactly the same as passholder discounts (which are not guaranteed, anyway, so it's hard to use possible lodging discounts as a justification). Can't really say much about the merchandise/dining discounts - if I remembered when checking out it was nice, but IIRC they weren't much of a discount (10%?). I never went out of my way to eat somewhere just to use the AP discount.

 

[Perditamarie]

Undercover Tourist quotes a 6 day hopper for WDW at $383.35, so I can't see 4 days at DL making the PAP a good deal.

I have also seen AP discounts occur at the same time as other public discounts, so don't think that is much advantage either. To me the merchandise/dining discount (10%) pretty much makes the tax a wash.

Does Disney offer free transport from the airport to Disneyland?

 

[msmama]

I thought about it for my last Disneyland trip (I would have then added a WDW trip) but decided it wan't worth it for a similar amount of days. I don't remember my exact math (and I didn't have exact math since I wasn't 100% sure on AP discounts for rooms) but my guess was that I'd spend between $200-$400 MORE buying the PAP. I didn't think other discounts would make up that amount.

I have a disney visa so can get small discounts with that at certain places for "stuff" and I didn't think we'd dine at enough Table service places to make it worth it.

Discounts open to the general public worked just fine for me.

 

[hpfan100]

The discounts on food and merchandise will be good at disneyland not so much in world. The pap will give you 15 percent at almost all restaurants and 20 percent at shops plus free parking. Also you get hotel discount at the disney ones and many offsite ones. Usually 20-30 percent off.


I've been debating getting a pap for almost a year and just can't justify the cost. I'm good with the land pass but might upgrade for the disneymoon.