looked at 100 different ways

[huckleberrykate]

cross post on family board

my dh and i are trying to decide which is better! Any help would be wonderful!!
2 years in a row for 14 days 1 travel day 1 rest day, 10 park days then 1 rest 1 travel
myw plus hopper for 10 days

family of 4 = 981.44 for jan 07
= 981.44 for jan 08
total=1963.88

AP
family of 4 = 1661.42 for both years (travel earlier 2nd year)

saving are around 300.00

our delemia is if we do AP no dining plan which we are not sure is really worth it for us we have two very picky light eater children and my dh and I would eat table meals if payed for but are not something we would do normally. I know they have the DDE for about 50.00 but still not sure if it is worth it.

The one thing that is selling the annual pass is the potential of resort savings after seeing this years for time we plan on going very motivational for next year. Does anyone know the history of jan saving for the past couple years with AP on resorts.

It is alot of out of pocket money for 2007 but really cheap trip for 2008!!

The saving on the AP tickets would go toward food cost beacuse would not have dining plan, but I am still not sold on either!!

Any ideas or pros cons for either plan would be most helpful!! thank you in advance!!
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[abaldacci]

I think I would do the AP, eat light with the picky eaters ,just my thoughts. the dining plan is alot of food. two of us could have used one meal plan. It was fun eating all that food, but could be fine without it.

 

[Lizardbeth61]

but if you do have those picky eaters that could make it a bust. Also, if you're like us, you think you're going to sit down and have a good meal, but run out of time because you're just so darn busy at one park or another! Last time we stayed at the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge and by the time we got back to the resort, we were tired and in no mood for a big meal so we'd grab something at Roaring Forks. I swore when we got back from that last trip I never wanted to see another chicken strip . . . of course, now I'm ready for more. Yes there were other selections, but my point is that if you're really enjoying the parks, have young children and really don't want the overkill of a LOT of food, then I'd go for the annual pass.

I've purchased one and have gotten my money out of it, both with great room discounts AND in terms of actual park entry. There's something pretty neat about an annual pass too! Don't know what it is, but somehow I feel special having one.

One thing to note, to get a room discount only one of your party needs an annual pass! I have one, but the rest of my family (DD13, DS9 & DH) all have regular park hopper passes . . . Hmmmm. Need to recalculate. Maybe we should all have them for park admission, but I digress.

Go for the AP and get two years out of it like you suggested. That's what we've done. It's also a great excuse for why you need to go back . . . to get your money's worth!