Is getting AP worth it?

[padawans]

I don't think its worth it unless you make more than 2 trips. I paid 2500 for our premium passes. That is almost 2 sets of tickets. We are making 4 trips with our annual passes, and will be in the parks a total of 28 days. I don't think I would buy them just for room discount. It's normally only 5% more than the Annual pass discount.

 

[Taja]

Unless the WDW policy has changed--or may change again!--you don't have to have an AP in hand to book an AP room discount. At one time you were required to have either the AP or voucher to book a room with an AP discount, but I think it backfired on them and they returned to the old policy within a year or so.

However, you may be required to produce the AP at check-in or shortly thereafter (usually within 24 hours). I've been asked for my AP once, and was given 24 hours to obtain it or pay rack rate. Since I arrived at WDW in the evening and was planning to purchase it in the morning, all was good. Many DISers say they never have been asked for their AP at check-in.

That's a long-winded way to say that you can book your room (with the policy change caveat!) with an AP discount and purchase the AP after arriving at WDW, so you have time to determine if it makes sense financially before commiting to the purchase.

Living in Arizona and California, we usually visit WDW for 10 to 12 nights. I try to schedule two trips in each AP year, purchasing an AP every two or three years. The longest visit was 14 nights, the shortest 6 nights. Break-even used to be around 8 or 9 nights, but now it's around 11 to 12 nights, excluding room discounts. I don't include puchase discounts, as we don't buy a lot of stuff, and the shopping options were quite limited (last AP visit was in 2007).

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I've read where some people buy annual passes because many times they are offered discounts on rooms. I don't know a lot of information about it. Can someone who has done it please explain how it saved them money or any other options that help save money aside from the general public discounts. Also I live in Texas so that would be something to consider with getting AP. Thanks in advance.

I get one but it's because I've been going twice a year for the past couple of years and it's cheaper since it totals 12 days in the parks. Last year I did an extra trip so I had 16 days on that one AP.
I also buy the TIW card and save money on my TS dining that way. Much better for me than the DDP.

I have saved some money on my room as well but not any more than the normal GP discounts.

I have also saved money shopping in World of Disney.

 

[padawans]

The price of a 10 day ticket is 310 and the price of an Ap is 552. I am not sure why people think the break even point is 10 days unless you are planning on 2 5 day trips. You really have to make 2 trips to break even.

 

[clanmcculloch]

You do have to also keep in mind the type of accomodations that you prefer and when you travel. If you tend to stay at value or moderate resorts and travel when free dining is offered then you really need to sit down and do a bunch of math to see if APs are worthwhile even with 2 trips. For a family of 4, free dining is generally going to be a better discount than a room discount at values or moderates and if you have an AP then you still need to fork out more money to buy those 2 day tickets. For us, it wasn't until we moved up to deluxe resorts that APs became worthwhile. Even then, when our APs expired this past summer we didn't get new ones before our August trip because we enrolled in a Y.E.S. class where tickets are greatly discounted (we enrolled for the class; the ticket discount is just a HUGE bonus but if we had APs then we wouldn't have because you have to buy tickets with the class and they do expire).

Basically, you really need to look at how and when you do WDW to determine if it's worthwhile for YOU to get APs based on your own circumstances.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

Don't forget that with the Premium Annual Pass then you will get 20% off the stores owned and operated by Walt Disney World.

This saved us a ton in November!! We both got Premier Passports (good for WDW, WP/etc, DL) and we tend to do a lot of purchasing 20% is considerable!! We also saved I think 10 or 15% at the Lego store, and 15% off of lunch at Paradiso 37 for lunch.

We got our 7 day trip in November, 6 day trip to DL coming up at the end of January, 6 days at WDW in May, and 10 days at WDW in November. Lotttssss of savings!!

 

[bowbat]

You just have to do the math to see if it's worth it for your family. We're FL residents & just bought the FL resident Seasonal Pass. It's $289/adult, just a bit more than FL resident 7-day park-hopper tickets. We used it for our trip this week, we have one trip booked already for February & are planning a trip for April. We'll most likely go again in the fall, too -- we'll definitely get our money's worth out of the passes this year.

As for discounts, we had booked our February stay at the GF using the Visa cardholder 35% off discount, and I called today & had it changed to use the AP holder's 40% off discount...saving us about $70. (Clarifying: saving $70 vs. the Visa discount; obviously we're saving hundreds off rack rate.) I told my husband between AP discounts, FL resident discounts, and Disney Visa discounts, we should never have to pay rack rate.

 

[melmlantz]

The price of a 10 day ticket is 310 and the price of an Ap is 552. I am not sure why people think the break even point is 10 days unless you are planning on 2 5 day trips. You really have to make 2 trips to break even.

Not sure what you are looking at, but according to WDW's website,
10 day base ticket: $291 + Tax (I assume this is what you were looking at, but with tax added?)
10 day park hopper: $346 + Tax (What I assume most people get)
" " + Water Parks and More: $401 + Tax
10 day park hopper + no expiration: $571 + Tax (without water parks. $626)

So as people are basically saying, it depends on how you use the tickets.

My point, however, was that anything over 10 days basically makes APs cheaper. A two-day park-hopper ticket is $223; four-day is $298. So for 14 days, you have to purchase a 10-day ticket and a 4-day ticket.

 

[fla4fun]

Not sure what you are looking at, but according to WDW's website,
10 day base ticket: $291 + Tax (I assume this is what you were looking at, but with tax added?)
10 day park hopper: $346 + Tax (What I assume most people get)
" " + Water Parks and More: $401 + Tax
10 day park hopper + no expiration: $571 + Tax (without water parks. $626)

So as people are basically saying, it depends on how you use the tickets.

My point, however, was that anything over 10 days basically makes APs cheaper. A two-day park-hopper ticket is $223; four-day is $298. So for 14 days, you have to purchase a 10-day ticket and a 4-day ticket.

Plus I think there have been some apples to oranges comparisons going on, because some people have the Florida Resident AP's, which are cheaper, some have the AP's with the water parks, and some don't. So you have to consider which AP you qualify for, and whether you want just the theme parks, or the water parks as well.

I would never buy an AP just for hotel discounts. Buy it because it's the best value for your admission dollar. If you are an annual visitor, you can time your trips so that two years of trips can be covered by one AP - that really maximizes the admission value. Although the perks of having an AP are nice (room, merchandise, and dining discounts, discounts on tours, etc.) Disney can discontinue any of those perks any time, and without advance notice. Just because they have offered room discounts in the past, does not mean they will be continued (although I hope they are )

I have an AP. I do not always book the AP discount, because sometimes it's not the best deal. Sometimes the resort I want may not be available under the AP discount (which is typically a little higher percentage) but may be available under a GP or Florida Resident code. Sometimes a bounce back is a better deal. Sometimes a package is a better deal, even if a minimum ticket purchase is involved. I've also used the AAA discount, when no other discounts were available. Sometimes the discounts are limited to just certain resorts or certain days, and may not fall into the dates you want to travel. You always have to do the math for all discounts offered during your travel time, to see what the best deal is.

 

[Mamu]

Whether or not it's worth the extra money is up to you personally. Our last 5 stays have been CL and we enjoy the little extra's. We usually travel with our children and grandchildren. There can be anywhere from 5 to 10 of us.

We do have AP's and all our CL trips have been with a huge discount. We do take advantage of the morning offerings, mid-day snacks if we return and the dinner offerings. Sometimes were back for the dessert offerings, but most times were not.

All our drink come from the CL, we always eat breakfast in the CL lounge, Lunch is our big meal in the parks and always a TS meal. We usually sample evening offerings with a glass of wine or beer, then head-out-to-the park thats open the latest. Our evening meal is usually CS.

We do not choose free dining, we like our discounts (last 5 have been at least 40% off some AP, some GP) Thats a huge saving, 2 rooms, CL, usually for a week. Savings range anywhere from $3000 to over $4000 for our stay. That usually covers all our food and gifts too. Disney meals can be very expensive and that one reason we choose lunch over dinner, plus we've found the lunch meals to be of better quality then some of the dinners.

We need to stay deluxe because there are usually 5 of us per-room. Queen beds and the extra day bed that a full size person can sleep on. Plus most have a balcony.

All deluxe room come with a fridge, and you can take anything back to your room, drinks, yogurt, bagels, beer or snacks. No one keeps tabs on how much you drink or eat or what to take back to your room. I know other have complained they keep tabs on what you eat or drink, but we have never experienced anything but warm and friendly CM always ready to help. You also get to know the CL staff personally.

I know other here have conplained the staff is unfriendly at some resorts, but that never been our experience. We've stayed Poly CL 2 times, AKL CL once, GF Sugarloaf Lodge once and BWI CL once. My 2 favorites are Sugarloaf and BWI. With BWI's staffs being the most friendly, outgoing and helpful.

CL work for us.

 

[goofy4tink]

The price of a 10 day ticket is 310 and the price of an Ap is 552. I am not sure why people think the break even point is 10 days unless you are planning on 2 5 day trips. You really have to make 2 trips to break even.

Sure, you can get a 10 day pass for $310...but it expires after 14 days and is not a park hopper. So, good only for one trip. You need to compare apples to apples here...
10 day, non-expiring hopper...$608
AP...$552....DVC AP..$446

And the vast majority of guests don't go to WDW for 10 days...more like 7. So, if they make two trips, of a week each, with in 365 days, then that 10 day expiring pass is no good....good for the first trip but not after that. The AP breaks down to $276 for each trip...and it's a hopper.

So...you really can't compare the 10 day expiring non-hopper to an AP.

 

[mickeynut1]

I agree that I wouldn't buy an AP solely for a room discount. As others have said, a room discount is not always offered and is not a guarantee. We are considering APs for our trip in July 2012, with the thinking that we will go back right before Christmas next year as well as plan a 3rd trip sometime before the APs expire. If you will be taking at least 2 trips within a year, I think getting an AP is worth it; but if you are considering an AP just for a room discount, I wouldn't do it since a discount is not a guarantee. Good luck .