Just bought DVC, do I need AP?

[AJKMOM]

DH and I just today bought 200 points at BWV. We were going to get an AP for our trip in Jan., 2004, to get a good rate at an onsite hotel. Now, is there any reason to get an AP? Don't need a good hotel rate, don't need free parking. Is there any other perk with an AP not covered by ownerhip in DVC? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Disney Doll]

If you think you are going to be at WDW for more than 8 days in a 365 day day period of time, get an AP. 8 days is the cutoff point in terms of price.

You also get some discounts with AP that I don't think you get with DVC.

 

[colleen costello]

I just got an AP and there are some nice discounts offered. I bought a lot of loot at DD, and thought there was a DVC discount, but they set me straight... Luckily they asked if I had an AP.

AP discounts will also help me stretch my points. We are taking 4 trips this year because we are being careful, staying in studios, adding nights (weekends) for cash, etc. The AP discount means those "extra" nights will be at somewhere like The Wilderness Lodge instead of the AllStars!

Also, I am hooked -- it is the best feeling to be able to go into a park "whenever." This summer we went to MGM just for Fantasmic -- never could have done that without the AP, DVC or not!

 

[Pinnie]

I am one of those who thinks that APs and DVC just go together. We spend 10 days over Easter at the BCVs and buy our APs then. I was down at OKW in June for 4 days and just got back from 11 days at WDW and Vero. I plan another 4 day weekend trip in December and another one in Feb to run a 3k race in Orlando. So that AP gets a workout!


pin

 

[bcvillastwo]

If you think you are going to be at WDW for more than 8 days in a 365 day day period of time, get an AP. 8 days is the cutoff point in terms of price.

The 8 day breakeven point is an important consideration and we take it very seriously. We too like the flexibility it affords us because we can go to the parks for just one thing and not feel like have to stay just to get full use of our passes. Sometimes we just go to a park once during the day for dinner or lunch at one of the nice sit down eating places.

But, if you are pretty sure you are going to spend more than 8 days in the parks during any given 365 day period an AP is something to consider. Then, if you consider that room discounts you might get if you like to pay cash for weekend reservations then there is an extra bonus to having an AP.

All in all, for us it's a pretty good deal. We take at least 3 five night trips a year (Sunday through Thrusday night stays).

 

[elgerber]

We bought AP's before we bought DVC, and we didn't use them for any hotel discounts. We plan two trips accordingly, so we get two trips out of 1 ticket. Our trips are usually 7-10 days, so it works very well for us. Now that we bought DVC, we still have bought AP vouchers for our December trip. We will be there 8 days and then will go back for another 8 in October. As others have said, the freedom of an AP is so wonderful. We can go to DTD for the morning, spend the afternoon in the pool, then walk over to Epcot just for Illuminations. Or eat dinner at Chef Mickey's on our arrival night, and then take the monorail back and watch Illuminations on the way back to the hotel. We cannot do those things with park hoppers, it would be a waste of a day of our pass.

Erika

 

[bjakmom]

Where can I find the listing (web site?)for AP discounts, especially for dining - if there are 8 of us, can I get the AP discount on dining with only one AP? - that alone may make it worth it for me.

 

[drusba]

With the AP, you can get any of those restaurant and merchandise discounts by having only one adult AP per family. Another discount that the AP has now is 30% off the price of a round at any of the golf courses any time of day (and up to four players can get the discount as a group with one having an AP). As for parks, the AP is the choice if you go a lot during the year. The break even point is really more like 9 to 10 park days per year now (not 8) due to price increases last year for the AP and due to the fact that a DVC member can get a length of stay pass (ultimate park hopper) for 10% off.

 

[Terry S]

I agree with the others that if you will be in the park for more than 8 days in one 365 day period that an AP is the way to go! We normally go about 10 days in May and 9 days in October. I always feel like the October trip is free! It is so nice to go to a park and just spend a few hours and not feel like you have "wasted" a ticket!

 

[SamS]

My wife and I activated our first APs at WDW in June (the 16th I believe). We'll use them again at Xmas, and then the first few days of next years June trip (arriving the 12th or 13th). How much will a renewal cost (I believe there is a renewal discount), and will it be automatically activated the day after present pass expiration, or when we choose to do so? We will be heading home on the 24th or 25th, so it may not pay us to renew unless we plan to go into the parks every day. I'm not sure if we intend to go again in June of 2005 which is the soonest we could return (used up all the points for 2004, and may decide to bank most or all 300 of our 2005 points for a retirement trip in 2006). If we do decide to return in June 2005, it might be better to wait a few days after present AP expires before renewing (if that's an option). Then we get "more bang for our buck". If this makes any sense, and you have any answers or suggestions, I'd appreciate a reply. I just read over this post, and I'm not sure it makes any sense to me anymore!

 

[Cruelladeville]

I'm also one of those people who thinks that DVC and AP's go together. Aside from the fact that you can come and go from the parks as often as you like--and we often go and walk thru the parks just like others jog for exercise--there are food and shopping discounts. My favorite discount, though, are the room discounts! I always stay on cash over the weekends, so I can stretch my points. I go to Florida for 10 days at spring break, 10 days in July, at Christmas, and I am going again on Thursday for 5 nights, just to relax before school starts. Since we always stay in a one bedroom we wouldn't have enough points for all that if we used points on the weekends, so I use the AP's for cash.

 

[colleen costello]

SamS, Deb Wills site (WDWIG) has lots of info on AP's. I believe they do renew them on the anniversary date now. So if there is a few-month gap in your trips, the small discount for automatic renewal (perhaps $20 or $30?) isn't worth it. You can get a new AP on the next trip down.

Also, aren't you lucky to live in Hershey? My parents live in Easton PA and Hershey is a beautiful area. Too far from Mickey, but after WDW, Hershey Park is my favorite amusement park!