I need to talk to AP holders!

[Mickey28]

We live in SC and go to WDW once a year, but would like to go for a second small trip each year. Are the AP's worth the price or should I buy 10 day MYW tickets with the no exp. option? Are the discounts you get really good and how many places do you get a discount? Just looking for some honest opinions about AP's.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the DIS, Mickey.

Here is the best explanation I have seen, from Deb's site.

http://allearsnet.com/pl/breakeven.php

http://allearsnet.com/pl/apass.htm

Make sure to also review the links within that article as well as ones in the left column.

I find an AP to be well worth if for me.

 

[tmt martins]

We live in SC and go to WDW once a year, but would like to go for a second small trip each year. Are the AP's worth the price or should I buy 10 day MYW tickets with the no exp. option? Are the discounts you get really good and how many places do you get a discount? Just looking for some honest opinions about AP's.

Well we got one this year and will do so everyother year.

1st trip End of June 8 days
2nd trip Dec 5 days
3rd trip begining of JUne 8 days.

So thats 21 days right there we are also tring to get an Oct trip for MNSSHP and maybe a spring trip in as well but if not we will get the 21 days each Pass as we will repeat this every other year. The years we don't have a pass for our Fall /winter trip we will go to US/IOA and maybe just catch the Parties at Disney.

 

[dbarker]

We got our first APs this year. We will get three trips out of it. July, Dec, & May.

I had originally got it for the Dec and May trip. Then DH tells me he does not want to wait till Dec. He wants to go "now". So, I hurry up and plan a July trip also.

We also got the DDE card. It more than paid for itself in just the first trip. So, for us it was good economics.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

We have always purchased AP's , and find that this is the ticket that works best for us. We are only a 12 hour drive from WDW and find that we can make the trip in one day. Needless to say this allows us to go more often than most. The trips done/scheduled on my present AP are an example :

7 nights last December (AKL AP rate)
1 night January (Everest Preview) (2 rooms POR, AP rate)
2 nights March (AKL AP rate - booked 1(!!) day in advance)
12 nights June (DVC)
5 nights July (DVC)
3 nights October (DVC)
5 nights November (DVC)
2x 1 nights upcoming December (POR , AKL AP rates)

The room discounts alone are worth the AP purchase for us. In addition, there are purchase & dining discounts and the fact that with an AP you do not have to pay for theme park parking - useful if you are staying offsite.

We also find that one of the best benefits of having an AP is not having to think about how much you use it. It's no big deal if you enter a park only to do one ride / only to eat / or only for the evening show. Since you are not using a "day" off you ticket as you would with a multi-day pass it gives one a greater feeling of freedom. Kinda helps one to slow down and relax since you know that you can do it later, or come back again and do it then.

The only negative - it burns a hole in your pocket. Makes it easy to add "just one more trip." Strangely, I don't consider this a problem .

 

[MousekaMaddi]

just book a week...say Oct 10th this year and then book Oct 1st next year and since its alllllll in a one year span the second week is free for tickets! Gets u great room rates and free parking, I have had 2 APs now and hope santa brings me another!

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We get them and have fun with them. Be aware though if you do buy them you might suddenly come down with the same malady that most of the other AP holders have. The main symptoms are figuring out how to make it back at other times during the year when there might be cheap days because you have already paid admission. Another one is watching air fares and when they get so low you just have to book a flight or you would be wasting money.

 

[makinorlando]

Do you stay on site or off site? If you stay off site and park in the lots, you can figure in another $9 or $10 (I can't remember if it went up) savings per day. Our second year here in FL, I got the FL seasonal passes, as we normally stay away from the parks during the blackout period, then realized I had to pay for parking! As often as we do go, I upgraded back to the AP.....

Also, you can purchase the DDE card with AP which saves 20% at most Disney restaurants. I am not sure of the current prices (I think $75) for the year, but it quickly pays for itself.

Again, I don't "travel" to Disney as I live here, so I may be missing some things relative to resort stay!

 

[goofy4tink]

If you know that you will be returning to WDW again, within that 12 month period, then yes, it is worth it. I usually go to WDW twice a year, so have the AP at all times. However, my dh doesn't like to go as often, so I get him a 10 day, non-expiring park hopper. I get the DVC discount on the AP, so it's a fair amount cheaper than the 10 day pass I get for dh, but it expires, which makes it not a good deal for him. With the AP you can get the DDE card which is a decent discount. And those AP discounts on rooms are nice too.
You just have to figure out the best way for you.

 

[pooh2001]

2 questions - if YES to both, then buy AP's:

1) Do you like to Park Hop ?

2) Will you be in the WDW Parks for more than 12 days ?


AP benefits

AP's may give you WDW resort discounts -but they are not always available. This past June 2006, no AP rates were to be found.

AP's give you free WDW Park parking privilages.

AP's give you discounts on tours in the WDW Parks.

AP's give 50% off each admission to WDW mini golf (max of 4 people)

AP's allow you to apply for a DDE card to get 20% off at sit-down WDW restaurants (there is a list-> http://allearsnet.com/din/dde.htm )

You can buy AP's years in advance, get a voucher, and activate the AP voucher when you are ready to start your vacation (then good for 1 year from activation). You can buy if for $XXX and if the price in 2 years goes up to $YYY - you pay nothing extra
Just do not lose your voucher or receipt. Place in a safe place (safety deposit box).

 

[Mickey28]

Here is more info about us:

*We are only a 7.5 hour drive from WDW. If we leave at 5 or 6 am we can be there shortly after lunch.

*We usually go for a week stay on our one trip, but would like to go at least one more time a year

*We use the MYW Dining Plan

*We usually stay moderate and deluxe but prefer the Deluxe resorts

* Do you buy an AP for everyone in your party?

 

[rkujay]

We live in Tampa and stay or daytrip at least once a month, so AP is for us. Now with the DDE for $60, Disney just handed us a discount for what we were already spending. It literally paid for itself the first trip we used it. And DDE is like your AP...good for a year. AP discounts for food at Downtown Disney and clothing also come in handy. For us it makes perfect dollars and sense!

 

[Conan the Librarian]

Here is more info about us:

*We are only a 7.5 hour drive from WDW. If we leave at 5 or 6 am we can be there shortly after lunch.

*We usually go for a week stay on our one trip, but would like to go at least one more time a year

*We use the MYW Dining Plan

*We usually stay moderate and deluxe but prefer the Deluxe resorts

* Do you buy an AP for everyone in your party?

Stay at the moderates and GET the Premium AP and you'll be set. Don't know too much about the MYW Dining plan,but, get a DDE. Everyone will have to have an AP for tickets, but, not for the discounts. You can feed 8 on the DDE.

We love the Deluxes, but, POR is almost as nice and cost a bunch less. Specially if you can get a AP Rate.


Your best bet is DVC with a PAP. Look into that.

 

[Dan Murphy]

One thing to keep in mind....if you buy an AP to save money, in total, you will probably spend more, as you will be there more often (those AP's can call out to you quite loudly ), but you sure will have a fun time.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

One thing to keep in mind....if you buy an AP to save money, in total, you will probably spend more, as you will be there more often (those AP's can call out to you quite loudly ), but you sure will have a fun time.

You are TOOO RIGHT!

 

[Skroops]

We get them and have fun with them. Be aware though if you do buy them you might suddenly come down with the same malady that most of the other AP holders have. The main symptoms are figuring out how to make it back at other times during the year when there might be cheap days because you have already paid admission. Another one is watching air fares and when they get so low you just have to book a flight or you would be wasting money.

This is our malady too!!! It is soooo dangerous and addictive. Beware!!

You may want to consider the 10 day MYW hopper/no expiration , that way you won't feel that "constant WDW tug"!

Good luck!

 

[makinorlando]

One thing to keep in mind....if you buy an AP to save money, in total, you will probably spend more, as you will be there more often (those AP's can call out to you quite loudly ), but you sure will have a fun time.

Dan the man of reason! I am thinking about having part of my paycheck depositied directly to WDW!!!!

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Mickey28,
We are just outside of Charleston, so I know the drive, and now that we have APs, I know the drive well. We bought ours with the intention to go in Sept and again if Feb. With APs in hand for everyone in my family (5) we went July 4th weekend (OH, what a mistake!), the second weekend in August and we are leaving this afternoon for another weekend. The accountant in DH is looking to "maximize utility". I am NOT complaining. Only jam up for us has been that we had booked Sept with the free dining, and had to buy everyone a one day ticket in order to keep the package intact. In the end, still a savings. We did DDE, and so far so good.

If you have flexibility (or are just crazy like us) and plan to be there more than 10 to 12 days in the year, go for it.

 

[Mickey28]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. As much as we like to visit WDW it sounds like I would be foolish not to go with the AP's.
Thanks again.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Someday.... someday.... some sweet day I will have APs. DW and I are so crazy . We are nuts about WDW -along with our kids -and visit 1-2 times per year (and would do more if we could). Yet we hesitate to buy APs because we think we might not use them. We hate to commit . Yeeeeesh... I should get my head examined