Is AP worth the resort Discount?

[jenwimett]

I am considering buying an annual pass to get a discounted room rate at AKL for our stay in Jan 2008. The only thing I don't know is what kind of discount do you get for having AP. Here is the math....

Jan 2008 9 Days 8 Nights AKL Savannah View Bunk Beds with dining. Trip cost $4700.

The park hopper tickets for the three of us for 8 days will be $717

Park hopper for 1 adult 1 child for 8 days will be $467

Annual Pass for 1 adult will be $434.

The difference being $184. Will I get more than a $184 discount for my resort room being an AP holder?

Your thoughts and advice are so appreciated.

Thanks
Jennifer

 

[Selket]

This isn't my forte but I am pretty sure that you cannot do the dining plan if you use the AP to get a discount on the room. I think so far they have no offered the dining plan to AP holders. It seems you cannot have the dining plan unless you purchase at least a 1 day ticket for everyone on your reservation. But the one day ticket is rather expensive and you would still need additional days for your other family members.

I think it is still true that you do not necessarily have to have the AP in hand in order to book an AP rate. We went to WDW in 2005 and I booked an AP rate for the CR (no dining plan) - I saved a total of about $500. I bought myself an AP and the rest of the family regular park hopper tickets. We went to WDW 3 times in that year - and I was able to get an AP discount on my room all 3 times. There is not always an AP discount offered so if this is the only reason you are buying an AP I wouldn't do it until you know the discount will be offered and how much it would save you....and that you do not want the dining plan.

 

[jenwimett]

Good thing I went to the boards first. I wasn't aware that you couldn'T get the dining package with ap discounts. Do you know if this applies the the AAA discount as well? The dining package is a must for us. We went this past September for the first time with the free dining and is was worth it. It is so worth we want to pay for this next time around.

Jen

 

[beth_cam]

You can get the dining plan with AAA but only if you book with AAA.

With an AP you can get the DDE card which offers a discount at many restaurants. With an AP discount on a delux hotel (discounts recently have been 80-120) for 8 nights then the DDE many people find it to be financially equivalent to doing a package with DDP leaving you to decide which works better for you.

I planned on getting an AP for a reasonable discount before my 2005 trip. Wasnt a delux but was getting 3 rooms. I was able to book without the ap. Before I ordered my AP a deal came out and I was able to rebook using that without technically forfeitting any mone (a bit of a pain to get it done). So you can reserve an ap room and if a code discounted package comes out you can switch if you dont run out of time. However that may cut things close for the dde since I believe it takes a while to arrive.


Probably info you know but thought I'd add it.

To qualify for dining plan you must be doing 1 of the following
(1) staying in a DVC location on DVC points - yours or rented

(2) be staying in a Disney Hotel with a package where everyone in your room is on the exact same plan....same tickets and all on dining. If you dont all need the same tickets you can get 1 day tickets then upgrade each one as needed when you arrive.