Not Renewing My AP} Anyone Else?

[aanthony03]

I was trying to make a reservation on wDW website, and I did it 2 ways. The first was trying their new spoon full of sugar package anyway, for tickets and the room it came out to 5,000 this price includes room, tickets. Then I looked under passholders and they were charging for room only, the same room for 5,000. So, what's the point of having an Annual Pass? For kicks I went under disboards, and found the same room at the Dolphin for 3,000 AP rate, AAA rate was a 1,000 more. Am I missing somthing thing? Am I just not understanding?

 

[boomhauer]

The only point I can see now is if you're taking 2 or more trips per year. I plan on it next year, but I'm not bothering with the AP for my trip in February.

 

[n2mm]

Just renewed my AP. Actually did it early this year. I was there in September, but I expire in October, so did it then--now I'm good until October 2006. Unless you plan on going for a long time, or more than once, I don't think an AP is a good deal. We, on the otherhand, go on 4-6 trips a year and each trip is 6 to 14 days long, so we have been AP holders since 1995. We buy our APs for admission to the parks....anything else is just a icing on the cake.

 

[nowellsl]

We also buy ours for the admission. I wouldn't buy just on the chance that I might get a discount (of course it's nice when I do!).

 

[sue1013]

Not being rude but if you are getting the same rate for a package and a room only, I think you are missing something. Maybe the resort you want is sold out of BR rooms and you were quoted rack rate? We are not interested in packages or dining plan so I will renew my AP. I've always gotten AP rates in the past and gotten BR for my next trip.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I get an AP for park entrance. We usually get 30 days per year. The hotel discounts are a plus, but not the reason for the AP. There are cases where getting an AP for the hotel discount makes it a wise financial decision, but there is no guarantee of the discount.

 

[aanthony03]

Hi! Everyone,

Sue, I looked on the WDW website went under passholders which is annual pass people. They don't have AP rates any more, they changed the annual pass program to an best rate program. We aren't picky about resorts, they did have availability with the best rate program, but the rates were horrible in my opinion. I got more for the buck by getting their package deal room & tickets. They definetly were the same room, I did a two screens to make sure.

I just thought that if people where going to spend so much money on annual passes, and go as many times as they want during the year I thought that they should have better benefits than just saving on tickets.

From the looks of it, and what all of you are telling me, it looks like it's only saving for tickets, which I guess is better than nothing. Ok, so now I may renew ours since were going in Dec. We'll be going from Dec 17th to Jan 1st (still thinking about it).

 

[DisOrBust]

When are you going AP rates may not be out.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

If you do not plan on going often (or at least enough times to break even with an AP) then do not renew. If you plan on going to the parks, but are upset at the way Disney is doing the AP rates, just stay offsite. I will renew mine for the simple fact, I bought it for the parks, not the room discount. I am a FL resident & go way more than a break even point. There are times that I stay onsite & then times that are offsite, but I still go. So for me, renewal is a no-brainer. I am not a fan of the BRP but I am starting to wonder if Disney did this to weed out those that only purchased AP's for the room discount. Please don't take me the wrong way, I am not saying that was or is wrong to do, all I am saying is that Disney may be looking at it as....AP saves money on tickets because they want you to visit the parks often. Visiting parks often = to more money spent in the parks. If you are only getting the AP to get the room discount for a 7-10 day trip & not going back for the rest of the year... Disney will not be making the money they would on one that came back over & over again. Do you see what I am saying? Again, please do not feel that I am saying this towards you, I am not. I truely do not like the BRP. I am only 3 hours away from the park & loved to call say a month or so ahead for a long weekend. I can't do that anymore if I want to stay onsite. Disney is losing money from me... Priceline is gaining it. I will use Priceline to book my "last munite" trips (if I cannot get a FL resident rate & that Disney has changed as well )

 

[cobbler]

I am not renewing only because they expire in Dec of this year and I won't be going down until Dec of next year.

 

[aanthony03]

Hi! Sharon,
No I'm not offended at all. This is our 2nd trip to WDW and I'm new at this. So, any info or comments that can help me, I'm fine with it. Seeing some people on disboards talk about room and tickets discounts all with the AP that is where I got the idea from. I didn't know the exact details of the AP, and probably should have asked. I just just assumed when people talked about the AP rates coming out I thought it was one of the perks of having the AP. My mistake.

We will though upgrade our 3 tickets to AP's as all of you did for the reason of it was a better price. To upgrade the 3 tickets will cost us 472.00 and compare that to over 500.00 for 10 dy base tickets with expiry with and without hopping ( I compared both) it was cheaper to upgrade.

 

[Sammie]

We buy annual passes for unlimited access to the parks for a year. Unless they change that I see no reason not to buy the pass.

If I get anything more than that, I am thrilled.

However if I don't get anything more; I have gotten exactly what I paid for, unlimited admission to the parks.

Actually before the advent of Internet forums Disney did reward Annual Pass holders with nice discounts sometimes as much as 40% off at certain times of the year. As Mickeyfan stated, it was nice, and it allowed AP holders to take multiple trips at the last moment.

However as with most good deals you have some that work the system and abuse it. This happened and Disney has now adjusted the program almost to the point of punishing everyone for the abuses of some.

 

["thegirls"]

I originally purchased my annual pass for room discounts only. I would go one time per year and plan the vacations to occur within approximately 350 days apart. After the first year as an AP holder, I decided to visit more often just because I had that pass. I spent at least 4x's the amount of money I used to spend when I only went 1 each year.
In the beginning i was the only AP holder in the family, but eventually we all purchased our own. ( this trend started in 1999)
I will NOT be renewing my AP strictly because I cannot count on discounts. Without the discounts i will travel to Disney fewer times this year(so far only 1 time in 6 months...we usually average 6x's a yesr or every 2 months) and spend approximately $10,000.00 less at Disney.
Realistically we have been to every park and have seen every show and experienced every ride. The past few years our trips consist mainly visiting new resturants, relaxing by the pool and going into the parks for an hour or two to see the nighttime shows and ride our favorite rides. So AP was basically being used an average of 10 hours per trip.
These are my decisions for my family. Please no flaming

 

[kirbsam]

I got an ap last month, because that is the only way to count on discounts. There are no public codes. I am going to save over 70 bucks a night at a deluxe every trip I book. Plus, my admission costs are included, an ap is the only way to go for me. I just saved over 200 bucks for a weekend trip in december, and that just includes the room. I will save an additional 150 or so on the theme park tickets. Add that the dining discounts, and the fact that I will save megabucks on golf and my ap is paid for with a weekend trip. Awesome!!!!

 

[Ali]

I am only 3 hours away from the park & loved to call say a month or so ahead for a long weekend. I can't do that anymore if I want to stay onsite. Disney is losing money from me... Priceline is gaining it. I will use Priceline to book my "last munite" trips (if I cannot get a FL resident rate & that Disney has changed as well )

Why can't ypu call and get onsite? I live 1.5 hours away and call all the timr for a weekend trip, generally there is a discount, but if there isn't, there is always a room somewhere.

I do know I had to get creative once this year when I wanted to add a night on... They don't book individual nights anymore for some reason, so I made a reservation for 3 nights and then cancelled the last 2 nights at the hotel with no problem, it was actually a CM's suggestion.

I used to do Priceline but I am afraid of geting that Champions Gate place now with the 4 stars - Don't wan't the 1-4 drive from it.



Alicia