New AP's & Completely Confused

[3floridarays]

I have seen posts from people who are AP holders but booked specials like the free dining, buy 4/get 3 free, etc. But don't those packages include tickets?? How do you get those specials without buying extra tickets for the length of your stay if you already have AP's? Do you have to book through a travel agent or can you do it on Disney's website? Or am I just imagining or misunderstanding this?

I'm so confused...

 

[vicki_c]

Anyone can do it - AP holder or not -- but you do have to purchase tickets to get the deal, just like anyone else. In the past, you could purchase a 1 day ticket, but for the new 4/3 deal, you have to purchase tickets for your entire length of stay.

Sometimes it can still be more cost effective to purchase tickets to get whatever deal is offered - and you can just save them for a future trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

You have to buy tickets with the package, but you do not have to buy tickets for length of stay. You can buy as little as a one-day base ticket. One-day base tickets never expire and can be upgraded or used toward the price of your AP renewal if you keep them.

If you can get an AP discounted room, you can book it with a room/dining ticketless package and add a Disney Dining Plan. You'd pay for the plan, not get it free, but you wouldn't have to buy any tickets. If you're looking at a deluxe resort this may be a better way to go than free dining.

 

[BradyBz12]

You have to buy tickets with the package, but you do not have to buy tickets for length of stay. You can buy as little as a one-day base ticket.

This used to be the case, but unfortunately they changed the rules for the current 4/3 deal and even AP holders have to purchase length of stay tix. (bummer).

 

[Jestocost]

You can buy as little as a one-day base ticket.

Not necessarily. The latest round of 4/3 and 5/2 sales required purchasing tickets with more days, which does up the cost. Still, we wound up paying less for our room with tickets that we can use in the future than we would have paid for the room only without tickets.

 

[3floridarays]

I didn't even think about getting the no expiration option and using them in the future when the AP's run out. Thanks for the help!

 

[stitchlovestink]

I didn't even think about getting the no expiration option and using them in the future when the AP's run out. Thanks for the help!

Okay maybe I'm confused or something, but it seems to me that your best bet would be to just get your park tickets put on seperate tickets and not your KTTW card. As long as you don't use them at all, why would you need to buy the no expiry feature? It supposed to be that they are good for 14 days from the first day of use, not first day of purchase. So as long as you don't activate the tickets by using a day, they would be good in the future w/o the no expiry. Now once you use them the first time then you would start your 14 days until they expire. Make sense?

 

[3floridarays]

Okay maybe I'm confused or something, but it seems to me that your best bet would be to just get your park tickets put on seperate tickets and not your KTTW card. As long as you don't use them at all, why would you need to buy the no expiry feature? It supposed to be that they are good for 14 days from the first day of use, not first day of purchase. So as long as you don't activate the tickets by using a day, they would be good in the future w/o the no expiry. Now once you use them the first time then you would start your 14 days until they expire. Make sense?

See? That's what I love about this board. It's so educational. Thanks!!!

 

[vicki_c]

I didn't even think about getting the no expiration option and using them in the future when the AP's run out. Thanks for the help!

Wait! You don't need to buy non-expiration if you never use the tickets - that's what was being suggested. As long as you don't use any days on the tickets, they will never expire -- you don't need to buy non-expiring tickets!

 

[TDC Nala]

Being a DVC member I don't even look at the 4/3 deals or whatever they are - Interesting that it's now requiring length of stay ticket purchase, they didn't do that in the past. Makes me wonder about future free dining offers.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. You can delay buying (or adding) the optional non-expiration until after you start usiing the tickets.

2. For some packages offered in the past (none currently being promoted) if you bought the non-expiration up front you got a discount on that part too, for example if you ordered 7 day non-expiring tickets with one package a few months ago, you got three of those non-expiring days free. After the first three, days added to non-expiring tickets average about $30. apiece as opposed to $3. for days added to regular tickets.

3. You order the total number (of days or nights) desired including any free ones that you might get. Except for the maximum of 10 for tickets and other minimums and maximums that may apply to specific packages, room nights need not equal park days.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm