How to save money on an annual pass?

[Klayfish]

We would need 3 adult tickets and 2 child tickets. Undercover Tourist says that I can get a "6 day park hopper with extra day" for a savings of $333 vs gate price. I haven't yet verified those prices but that's a significant savings!

We just did this exact thing a few weeks ago. I mean exact same scenario... We bought 3 adult tickets and 2 child tickets from UT. We bought the 6 day park hopper with the extra day. Then the second we first tapped into MK on our first day, we went to City Hall and upgraded to APs. We got credit for the Disney price of the 6 day ticket, not what we paid UT. Saved several hundred dollars. We got the Platinum, or whatever it's called, that also includes the water parks. The water park option doesn't cost much more at all, I'd highly recommend it. We love the water parks.

 

[3littlecuties]

We just did this exact thing a few weeks ago. I mean exact same scenario... We bought 3 adult tickets and 2 child tickets from UT. We bought the 6 day park hopper with the extra day. Then the second we first tapped into MK on our first day, we went to City Hall and upgraded to APs. We got credit for the Disney price of the 6 day ticket, not what we paid UT. Saved several hundred dollars. We got the Platinum, or whatever it's called, that also includes the water parks. The water park option doesn't cost much more at all, I'd highly recommend it. We love the water parks.

So Disney gave you credit for a 6 day ticket and not a 7 day? Good to know.

 

[Klayfish]

I'd have to double check the receipt again, to be honest, I forget. I know they gave me their price as a credit, not what I paid from UT. So I wound up a few hundred ahead. For a family of 5, the price is still wallet melting, so at that point I was just wanting to swallow that bitter pill.

That's OK though, the real payoff will come next summer. That vacation will cost us next to nothing....WDW tickets already paid for, rental house already paid for. So our cost will just be gas to drive down, grocery store bills and any experiences/souvenirs we buy.

 

[Hisgirl]

I know two ways to save money on an AP. Do the above, for sure, buy from Undercover Tourist, then upgrade at the parks, saving by the above steps. Another way, go to Sam's club, and buy disney gift cards that are a 5% savings, and pay with a 2% cash back credit card. Then upgrade and pay the difference using these disney cards. (I combine them on the website so I only have 2 cards to lug around).

Another way is for folks who have a chase reserve credit card which gives a $300 travel credit each year (and other cards which do the same). Undercover tourists shows up as travel and we buy our original pass using this credit, then pay the difference using disney gift cards and the above routine.

 

[RangerPooh]

We have done this at both DLR and WDW with no issue.

 

[Robo]

We just did this exact thing a few weeks ago. I mean exact same scenario... We bought 3 adult tickets and 2 child tickets from UT. We bought the 6 day park hopper with the extra day. Then the second we first tapped into MK on our first day, we went to City Hall and upgraded to APs.
We got credit for the Disney price of the 6 day ticket...

So Disney gave you credit for a 6 day ticket and not a 7 day? Good to know.

If Klayish bought 6-day Hoppers with an "extra day," those are actually 7-day Hoppers
(there is no such ticket as a "6-day Hopper with one extra day free.")

Klayish should have been given the price of a 7-day Hopper in the upgrade procedure.
If only a 6-day Hopper price was offered, the CM made an error.

On the other hand, is the deal from UT actually a "5-day Hopper with an extra day,"
making it into a "6-day Hopper?"

 

[georgina]

You can buy discounted tickets and then upgrade them to AP's and you get the full Disney amount for the tickets you're upgrading. But as far as I know it's only a few dollars. I don't think you can really find heavily discounted tickets to then upgrade

I got a buy 4 days get 3 free parkhopper from Boardwalk last year for $379.64. Upgrade price of an old 7 day PH is $467.54, so I saved $87.90. Worth it to me!

MDE says 7 day ticket with PH option, so I believe I will get credit for a 7 day ticket. I will also pay the upgrade with GC from Giant Eagle, bought with the 6% cash back on groceries AmEx and getting 6% extra in fuel rewards.

 

[BrownHP800]

I have personally done this so I know it works.

For the ultimate discount, open a Capital One Venture or Barclay's Arrival + credit card and meet the minimum spending requirement. Venture gives 40,000 miles ($400) and Barclay's gives 50,000 miles ($500) for a bonus. Both of these cards allow you to "erase" a travel purchase with your miles. Buy your ticket through undercover tourist, they are considered a travel agency according to the credit cards and it will allow you to erase some or all of your ticket purchase.

Then as it has been discussed, take those tickets and use them for an upgrade to an AP. My wife and I did that last July and essentially we paid 1/2 price for 2 AP tickets.