Help us decide on a strategy

[KimberlyE]

We have never had an AP and usually can only go every 2 years. We are in a position to buy an AP this trip and want to decide on the best budget friendly plan to maximize our Disney time. I do not want to break any rules but I've read so many different tips/strategies that I am thoroughly confused. Here are some ideas that we are throwing around - we welcome advice and input!

Family of 4 - 2 adults, 2 kids (one kid just turned 9 and the other will be 3 at end of September). We are booked for a trip in September (before 2 year old's birthday). So we paid for 2 adults and 1 child 6-day tickets. We'd like to take at least 1-2 family trips between 9/2014 and 9/2015 and maybe 1-2 adult only weekend trips during same time frame. We drive from GA and enjoy Free Dining and value or moderate resorts.

1. Do we pay for AP's for adults only and then buy tickets for kids as needed?
2. We like to go during free dining, can we get FD with room only and not tickets?
3. Will it work to buy tickets in order to get FD but then use those tickets for renewal of AP? OR Can we just have adult AP's and use tickets for kids and qualify for FD?
4. Can we use our Disney Visa rewards to pay for AP?
5. Tips on how to handle our tickets for our trip in September and an AP. Confused on the process of turning in unused tickets for AP credits. We also don't want to do anything that cancels out our FD.
6. Anything else that we are overlooking? Suggestions?

 

[PictureJumpr]

We have never had an AP and usually can only go every 2 years. We are in a position to buy an AP this trip and want to decide on the best budget friendly plan to maximize our Disney time. I do not want to break any rules but I've read so many different tips/strategies that I am thoroughly confused. Here are some ideas that we are throwing around - we welcome advice and input!

Family of 4 - 2 adults, 2 kids (one kid just turned 9 and the other will be 3 at end of September). We are booked for a trip in September (before 2 year old's birthday). So we paid for 2 adults and 1 child 6-day tickets. We'd like to take at least 1-2 family trips between 9/2014 and 9/2015 and maybe 1-2 adult only weekend trips during same time frame. We drive from GA and enjoy Free Dining and value or moderate resorts.

1. Do we pay for AP's for adults only and then buy tickets for kids as needed? Depends on your plans - if the kids are going to spend more than 8-9 park days (past the younger one's 3rd birthday of course) then the pass is better. If not, buy their tickets as needed.
2. We like to go during free dining, can we get FD with room only and not tickets? Nope. You can book room only with AP discounted rates, if any are available for your trip, and add the DP at full cash price, but you cannot get it free without paying for both a room and 2-day tickets for everyone for that particular trip.
3. Will it work to buy tickets in order to get FD but then use those tickets for renewal of AP? OR Can we just have adult AP's and use tickets for kids and qualify for FD?The first part technically works, you just have to be very careful to use your AP magic bands and not your package-reservation ones so as not to use your tickets accidentally. The second part (just buy kids' tickets for the package) doesn't work. Everyone must have a ticket purchased in the package to get FD.
4. Can we use our Disney Visa rewards to pay for AP? Assuming you intend to convert them to a gift card, then use the gift card to buy them, yes.
5. Tips on how to handle our tickets for our trip in September and an AP. Confused on the process of turning in unused tickets for AP credits. We also don't want to do anything that cancels out our FD. Basically, you can each use one ticket value against your AP. You use your tickets to enter a park, then go to guest services and pay the difference between the value of one ticket and the cost of one AP for each person. You can only use one ticket against your AP (presumably, the one you have purchased as part of your package in September). You can't add together several tickets to make up enough to cover the value of a single AP.
6. Anything else that we are overlooking? Suggestions?

Take a look at Tables in Wonderland and do a little math.
Usually, the value of the AP room discount, along with the TIW discount on food, comes close to evening out against the value of a (full-rack-rate) room and extra tickets spent to get a FD package. It also frees up your travel dates, since you won't have to plan on traveling specifically during FD periods (if there are any, even). AP room discounts are usually broader and cover more ranges of dates than FD promo periods.

 

[uvslinfo]

We did the AP last year with one family trip and one parents trip. We found that with the room only discount from the AP and Tables in Wonderland card it was tons cheaper than free dining