Is an AP right for me?

[nlenguyen]

I have been debating this question for some time, then the price increased $30 but I typically travel with a party of 3 so that would be $90. Having DVC has made it so we go on at least 1 trip per year. We have never had any AP before. Typically because of ticket prices, we just get a single day to a park we want to go on that trip for a 4-5 night stay and then do other things. Our upcoming trip is in June and is 4 nights, one of those nights includes Moonlight Magic. If I get an AP for this trip, I know that I have the full year until next June to use it. We typically travel in the winter period so it would work for an early 2025 trip. Just seeing what others would do in my situation. If I get an AP, it is more likely we would go the parks half days during our trip.

 

[fla4fun]

I have been debating this question for some time, then the price increased $30 but I typically travel with a party of 3 so that would be $90. Having DVC has made it so we go on at least 1 trip per year. We have never had any AP before. Typically because of ticket prices, we just get a single day to a park we want to go on that trip for a 4-5 night stay and then do other things. Our upcoming trip is in June and is 4 nights, one of those nights includes Moonlight Magic. If I get an AP for this trip, I know that I have the full year until next June to use it. We typically travel in the winter period so it would work for an early 2025 trip. Just seeing what others would do in my situation. If I get an AP, it is more likely we would go the parks half days during our trip.

My advice is to consider how many days total that you might go into a park during the year your AP is active. For most people, the break even point is 10-11 days. So if you are going four days in June 2024 and four days in winter 2025, that is only 8 days. If you have enough DVC points to squeeze in a third trip for three days, that would bring you up to eleven days, which would get you to the break even point.

Yes, there are merchandise and dining discounts attached to the AP which might make it a better value, but since those perks could be altered or removed by Disney, I don’t recommend making them a part of the decision whether to buy an AP.

 

[jo-jo]

For years, we got an AP and planned two trips about 11 months apart. The one thing we love about AP is being able to go in for a few hours. BUT, our trips tended to be 6-8 days.

 

[john7994]

So with our trip plan (multiple shorter trips 4-6 days) annually based on our DVC ownership - we are around the break even against ticket prices for the Incredi-pass. DVC provides for a lot of the same overlapping discounts - so that wasn’t much of a factor.

Where we saw the biggest difference, and to something you said, we had limited park days and eliminated park hopping due to the ticket costs (as we often pick up the tickets for our travel party as well). So now with an AP, we can come and go to the park as we please when it’s just us or another couple (that also have APs and they are local) - more park days to enjoy and a lot more flexibility without worrying about having to add another day or two of park tickets or getting the value of them by forcing ourselves to say in the parks for a certain number of hours.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Agree that park flexibility can be a really nice thing - you don't avoid popping into EPCOT for a festival snack in the afternoon or to see the Voices Of Liberty at AA. Without the AP, you'd never do that. You just need to determine if that flexibility is worth the cost of the AP. For us, it's more than worth it. But everyone travels and spends differently!

 

[bobbiwoz]

A non DVC friend is coming with me in December. A 4 day, one park a day tix cost her $600!! You don’t always go to parks, so, maybe a Sorcerer’s AP isn’t worth it. However, compared to what my friend paid, for what she got, I think it is.

 

[Donna M]

A non DVC friend is coming with me in December. A 4 day, one park a day tix cost her $600!! You don’t always go to parks, so, maybe a Sorcerer’s AP isn’t worth it. However, compared to what my friend paid, for what she got, I think it is.

And that price is what is making me so annoyed with Disney. My daughter and her 4 and 5 year old kids are looking at over $500 for a one day pass into MK. Theyŕe done after this trip which is a shame since we own DVC.

 

[CarolynFH]

We have always had hopping privileges and can't see ourselves giving them up. So we look at our projected trips for the coming year and add up the cost of hopper tickets for each trip, since two 5-day tickets often cost more than one 10-day ticket. If the cost of the tickets we expect to need is within $50 or so of the cost of the AP, we buy/renew the AP. If the cost of individual tickets for each trip is significantly less than the cost of the AP, we don't get the AP. That's why we didn't renew our APs last year - we knew we wouldn't be visiting often enough during that year to make the cost worthwhile.

 

[MonaMN]

And that price is what is making me so annoyed with Disney. My daughter and her 4 and 5 year old kids are looking at over $500 for a one day pass into MK. Theyŕe done after this trip which is a shame since we own DVC.

I mean, that's still a steal for what we'd pay for our family of three to go to a professional sporting event or concert.

Is that just me justifying our Disney addition? Maybe... but the reality is that all entertainment is very expensive. (Don't even ask me how much I've given to Taylor Swift this year...)

 

[tom1944]

We plan to go in August for the next few years. 9 days with 6 park days.

The years where we have the 2 trips in a 12 month window an AP might make sense but I do not think it does for just 6 days in the park every year.

 

[Disdreaming479]

One thing about “saving money on AP,” is that more plane tickets are purchased

 

[robinb]

I have been debating this question for some time, then the price increased $30 but I typically travel with a party of 3 so that would be $90. Having DVC has made it so we go on at least 1 trip per year. We have never had any AP before. Typically because of ticket prices, we just get a single day to a park we want to go on that trip for a 4-5 night stay and then do other things. Our upcoming trip is in June and is 4 nights, one of those nights includes Moonlight Magic. If I get an AP for this trip, I know that I have the full year until next June to use it. We typically travel in the winter period so it would work for an early 2025 trip. Just seeing what others would do in my situation. If I get an AP, it is more likely we would go the parks half days during our trip.

I will say, "no". An AP is not right for you unless you are used to going into the parks every single day. Since you're not, you would have to use at least 3 days per trip ($145ish per day at current prices for June) to just break even on the cost of an AP. I found my DVC and Disney Visa discounts to be equal to AP discounts back in September, so the merchandise and dining discounts don't make a difference. Also, the resort discounts don't make a difference either since you're a DVC member staying on points.

If you did two 4-5 day trips and went to the parks every single day, that would be a different story. In that case, an AP would save you money.

 

[Sandisw]

We plan to go in August for the next few years. 9 days with 6 park days.

The years where we have the 2 trips in a 12 month window an AP might make sense but I do not think it does for just 6 days in the park every year.

Are you flexible with the time in August? We also did week 3 one year and then week 2 the second so we got an AP and the. Only had to buy every other year.

 

[tom1944]

Are you flexible with the time in August? We also did week 3 one year and then week 2 the second so we got an AP and the. Only had to buy every other year.

Slightly. We want to go after the Florida schools are back in session. So, this year the 11th and I would like to have my granddaughter back for her father's birthday which is the 24th. This year we went from the 17th to the 25th and her dad came down for a few days.

The trip August 2024 would have been 2 in a year, but I did not buy AP's for the August 2023 trip. and I doubt we will go earlier then August 11 next year.

 

[Donna M]

I mean, that's still a steal for what we'd pay for our family of three to go to a professional sporting event or concert.

Is that just me justifying our Disney addition? Maybe... but the reality is that all entertainment is very expensive. (Don't even ask me how much I've given to Taylor Swift this year...)

That is interesting. I have no idea how much other stuff costs. How much is a big concert or sporting event?

 

[accm]

I mean, that's still a steal for what we'd pay for our family of three to go to a professional sporting event or concert.

Is that just me justifying our Disney addition? Maybe... but the reality is that all entertainment is very expensive. (Don't even ask me how much I've given to Taylor Swift this year...)

I had this conversation with my mom when she was shocked that a 3 day ticket was $500. A ticket to a musical is $200, and that lasts around 3hrs. So in that sense, Disney tickets are a bargain

 

[gharter]

When we went twice a year, the AP was an easy choice. Once we switched to only 1 week per year, the park hopper was significantly cheaper. We have DVC and the Disney Visa card, so its only in rare situations where the AP discount would have helped.

 

[Boardwalk III]

We always used to do park hopper tickets, (especially back in the day when they didn’t expire and you could save the unused days for your next trip!)

Several years ago I started switching to a Sorcerer AP, at least for myself as I go to the most often. It’s been great and I’ve loved it. However, my AP expires this week and even though I have an 8 day trip planned in February, I am not going to renew right now. Even though the pricing isn’t that different, the fact that AP holders still need to make park reservations has tipped the scale against them for me at least for now. I REALLY dislike having to make park reservations! However if that changes I may change my mind.

 

[MonaMN]

I had this conversation with my mom when she was shocked that a 3 day ticket was $500. A ticket to a musical is $200, and that lasts around 3hrs. So in that sense, Disney tickets are a bargain

I just looked at our NHL team tickets (Minnesota Wild) for a game next week. Without fees, it's about $100/ticket for the upper/nose bleed section. Seats in the lower section (but not prime spots) are about $200/each. So for the three of us, that adds up FAST.

Luckily I have zero interest in hockey... but it's a comparison at least and probably cheaper here than in some cities.

 

[DonMacGregor]

That is interesting. I have no idea how much other stuff costs. How much is a big concert or sporting event?

To keep things Florida-based, Taylor Swift tickets for her Tampa concerts back in April had average face values of $150 each, but you couldn't touch one for less than $400 if you were lucky, and were probably going to pay twice or three times that if you didn't get in right away and had to go through a reseller. The absolutely dirt-cheapest ticket to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game is around $50, but you'd get a better view watching it at home on TV. If you want a chance to actually see all of the game, you're looking at $150-$200 a pop (with no club or other premium access) at a bare minimum (again, face value if you're lucky).