How do I justify buying an AP?

[karen230]

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but here goes.

How many times would I need to enter the parks to make a PAP a more economical purchase? I tried to get the answer from someone on the Disney site and she said 10 entries but when I looked at the pricing there was about a $300 difference! So I estimated 14 times but the system will only let me buy a 10-day and then I have to go back in for a 4-day. Since I would get the water park and park hopper options regardless (my next trip is tentatively planned for November 2015 but I am going to move it to October so DS can go to MNSSHP). I know AP members get a few extra perks like a discount off hotels and since I would use the dining plan I wouldn't buy the TIW card that I have read about so I would need to justify the actual cost of park tickets and use the perks to boost my savings. Thanks in advance.

 

[njmom76]

Not sure of the exact number, but I bought one for a 4 day PH and another trip of 10 days with a PH and the AP was cheaper. I don't do the dining plan, so TIW used for my 4 day trip for 2 has already paid for 1/2 of it and my 10 day trip will be 4. The 10% off merchandise perk was nice for souvenirs too.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[mzadell]

It depends because the longer each stay is, the cheaper the tickets become. For example, six single-day trips would cost around $600, whereas one six-day trip costs less than $300. It depends more on how many *trips* you're taking more than how many overall days you'll be there.

Just hop onto the site and plug in the trips you think you'll take and compare those costs against that of an AP.

 

[jcjen519]

It looks to me like a premium annual pass at about $605 is cheaper then 11 days in the park with park hopper and water parks and more option but about $100 more then a 10 day with water park and park hopper option. (I do not believe you can buy more then a 10 day ticket so you have to go back and buy a 1 day)

a 10 day ticket with the water park and hopper option is $468 and a 1 day ticket with the water park and hopper option is about $191.

I'll warn you that we find ourselves going A LOT now that we have APs. We will be at about 50 disney days when ours expire in March if we don't plan anymore trips!

 

[asmit4]

We also have to figure out what we are missing out on by having an AP. For example- 'free dining'....or other types of discounts too.

Right now I have a 5 day park hopper for myself but if we go again within 12 months- say 11 months- then buying an AP works out much better than even a new 3 day park hopper for the next trip.

 

[mzadell]

We also have to figure out what we are missing out on by having an AP. For example- 'free dining'....or other types of discounts too.

Right now I have a 5 day park hopper for myself but if we go again within 12 months- say 11 months- then buying an AP works out much better than even a new 3 day park hopper for the next trip.

I don't think you miss out on that many deals. From my understanding (which may be completely incorrect), promotions like FD are attached to your resort reservation, which you would still need with an AP. The only thing the AP precludes you from would be discounts on tickets, which you wouldn't need.

... I think.

 

[asmit4]

Can anyone explain the new AP renewal rules? Say I buy an AP on October 15th. So it expires on October 14, 2015. How long do I have before I lose out on the renewal price? I'd love to renew it 10 months after that and get 2 more yearly trips out of it.

 

[shark bait]

You have 30 days to renew an AP at the renewal rate but if your AP expires 10/30 an you renew on 11/15 your new AP would expire 10/30.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We are on our 2nd set of AP's. We go twice during the AP year and stay for 11 days each time. That more than justifies it for us!!

 

[willowsnn3]

We also have to figure out what we are missing out on by having an AP. For example- 'free dining'....or other types of discounts too.

Right now I have a 5 day park hopper for myself but if we go again within 12 months- say 11 months- then buying an AP works out much better than even a new 3 day park hopper for the next trip.

You can still get free dining with an AP. You just have to buy the minimum 2 day ticket which you can then use at the time of renewal for your next AP!

 

[North of Mouse]

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but here goes.

How many times would I need to enter the parks to make a PAP a more economical purchase? I tried to get the answer from someone on the Disney site and she said 10 entries but when I looked at the pricing there was about a $300 difference! So I estimated 14 times but the system will only let me buy a 10-day and then I have to go back in for a 4-day. Since I would get the water park and park hopper options regardless (my next trip is tentatively planned for November 2015 but I am going to move it to October so DS can go to MNSSHP). I know AP members get a few extra perks like a discount off hotels and since I would use the dining plan I wouldn't buy the TIW card that I have read about so I would need to justify the actual cost of park tickets and use the perks to boost my savings. Thanks in advance.

For us to justify the cost of the AP, we usually make sure we plan for 3 - 10day trips in the year's timeline. I'm sure 2 - 10 day trips would justify the $$ amount, but to us 'personally' we need 3 trips. Have plenty 'left over' water park tickets on previous 'no expiration' tickets so do not get the Premium AP.

We also never 'renew' our AP's. Even with the discounted amount, it's not worth it to us because the 'year' starts immediately, and we would probably only get 2 trips that following year instead of our 3 trips.

 

[yooperfan]

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but here goes.

How many times would I need to enter the parks to make a PAP a more economical purchase? I tried to get the answer from someone on the Disney site and she said 10 entries but when I looked at the pricing there was about a $300 difference! So I estimated 14 times but the system will only let me buy a 10-day and then I have to go back in for a 4-day. Since I would get the water park and park hopper options regardless (my next trip is tentatively planned for November 2015 but I am going to move it to October so DS can go to MNSSHP). I know AP members get a few extra perks like a discount off hotels and since I would use the dining plan I wouldn't buy the TIW card that I have read about so I would need to justify the actual cost of park tickets and use the perks to boost my savings. Thanks in advance.

Well, if everyone in your party has them, you can make FP+ ressies way earlier.

 

[karen230]

It looks to me like a premium annual pass at about $605 is cheaper then 11 days in the park with park hopper and water parks and more option but about $100 more then a 10 day with water park and park hopper option. (I do not believe you can buy more then a 10 day ticket so you have to go back and buy a 1 day)

a 10 day ticket with the water park and hopper option is $468 and a 1 day ticket with the water park and hopper option is about $191.

I'll warn you that we find ourselves going A LOT now that we have APs. We will be at about 50 disney days when ours expire in March if we don't plan anymore trips!

I'm a little confused . The Disney site said the PAP was $750, where could I get one for $605?

 

[jcjen519]

I'm a little confused . The Disney site said the PAP was $750, where could I get one for $605?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/

that may be before taxes but it looks to be 605

 

[TDC Nala]

We also have to figure out what we are missing out on by having an AP. For example- 'free dining'....or other types of discounts too.

you can get free dining, you just have to pay for 2 day tickets. You can save those tickets, use them later, or use them toward an annual pass renewal.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Current price for a new premium annual, including tax, appears to be $803. $754 without tax. They aren't being sold anywhere for $605. Even the DVC discounted renewals cost more than that for a PAP.

 

[DVCMomBLT]

Current price for a new premium annual, including tax, appears to be $803. $754 without tax. They aren't being sold anywhere for $605. Even the DVC discounted renewals cost more than that for a PAP.

PAP renewal for DVC is $542.09 (I think), but they had it on sale for $484 for a few months this year.

 

[jcjen519]

Current price for a new premium annual, including tax, appears to be $803. $754 without tax. They aren't being sold anywhere for $605. Even the DVC discounted renewals cost more than that for a PAP.

I just clicked on my link and am now seeing the same thing as you. I checked and rechecked before and 605 was posted. I was logged in so I wonder if it was showing a renewal or discounted rate for me either with or without tax. Anyways sorry about that.

 

[jcjen519]

Okay......605 appears to be the pap dvc rate before taxes. After it is 644.33. It is 754 before taxes without the dvc discount and 803 after taxes.

To answer ops question I believe that means that a ten day hopper with water parks and a 1 day of the same would come close to the pap general price but I think he/she would need to purchase a ten and a two day ticket to exceed the cost.

 

[karen230]

I just clicked on my link and am now seeing the same thing as you. I checked and rechecked before and 605 was posted. I was logged in so I wonder if it was showing a renewal or discounted rate for me either with or without tax. Anyways sorry about that.

No worries here . I was thinking that you were able to get some sort of discount and that is why you were quoting a different price than I was seeing.