One AP for two trips...? Recommended?

[Zim]

So I have been to Disney a LOT but I've only ever reaped the rewards of an annual pass once for another park system (~cough~) Super Grover Pass (~cough~)*. Anyway, my DD18's big college senior trip wish is a Disney / Uni trip late Sept / early October 2019 with all the bells and whistles for Halloween events and Food & Wine fest (yes she'll be 21 by then).

That is a LONG way away - Fall 2019! I can't wait that long to visit my home away from home, even if it does require that much time to save for everything she wants to do. The idea I'm throwing around is a low-end trip a year prior and squeezing both trips into a year window for the AP benefits. So my question is - what ARE the benefits I can look for with a single AP pass for both trips. Room rates?

We do these trips during her school fall break, so I think I can make it work if the first trip activates the pass on October 5, 2018 and then runs through (if I have this correct, October 6, 2019 - you get one extra day, right?) So 2018 we'd fly down on the cheap with backpacks and do the Frontier air R/T cheap flights, USPS toiletries to the hotel, stay at Pop and get 2 base 4-day tickets in addition to my AP for the other two people going along on this trip. Four full days in the parks, 5 nights at Pop and then back home. 2019 would be a LOT longer trip, probably hotel hop for the Universal hotel benes at the end of the trip so the AP could expire before the end of the full trip without issue.

Any advice or recommendations are welcome - if you think a single AP pass wouldn't offer enough benefits for these two trips to bother, I'd love to know this! I'm thinking it could really help with on-site hotel rates and not sure if you save on other ticket purchases. But I'd love any information from AP veterans who have been there, done that. THANKS GUYS!!

*The year we used the Super Grover Pass from our local Philly Sesame Place, it got us into Discovery Cove at a reduced rate and no additional cost to Seaworld and Busch Gardens Williamsburg all that year - totally worth it for the year we had lots of park plans in that park set!!

 

[cubed]

We just signed up for our first ever AP for myself, DH, and DS5. We had a package with 7 day PH tickets for all three of us (DS2 was free). I originally intended to only upgrade one adult ticket since it comes with discounts to shops (for souvenirs), dining (a lot at 20% but that will end in a few months I believe, also 10% at other places that will be around for a while), and Memory Maker (download as many pics as you can take with a Photopass photographer). DH loved being at Disney so much he agreed that we should all have APs since we will be back for two weeks at the end of the year to spend the holidays at my ILs' house in Kissimmee.

IMO, it is worth getting APs for everyone in your party if you will all spend at least 11 days with park hoppers inside the parks. If not, just one AP alone is worth the discounts you get plus the Memory Maker!

 

[smiths02]

Memory Maker
Tables in Wonderland
Merchandise discounts
(If you are considering off-site, it will give you free parking)

The room discounts didn't really do anything for us above the general public discounts when we had ours (June 2015-June 2016)

I don't *think* you get an extra day like you are thinking. If you get it on October 5, 2018 then you can use it last on October 5, 2019 (which does give you 366 days of use)

ETA: It is most likely going to be cheaper than two ticket purchases. Ours was and we don't even use hoppers.

The only downside is that you could actually lose out on a discount that has a ticket purchase requirement for your second trip, but that is a long shot anyhow, and there would probably be a room only offer to make up for it (along with the memory maker, merchandise discount, limited dining discounts, and potential Tables in Wonderland savings)

 

[kmb584]

Once we started going to WDW twice per year, I purchased APs for myself and my daughter. We spend between 18-20 days in WDW per year, and prior to the AP purchase, I was spending around $2,000 for MYW + PH tickets for us. APs ran around $1,500 for the initial purchase, and are less expensive now due to the renewal rate. I say -- go for it. It really is a money saver, especially when you consider the merchandise discount (20% this year, 10% in the past) and the ability to purchase Tables in Wonderland, which saves you 20% at most table service restaurants.

 

[Zim]

Thanks guys (and for that correction on the additional dates, of course it's the 5th through the 5th - HA!) I think I'm sold... especially on that Memory Maker, which I always wish I could afford on it's own!

@cubed - oh, to have relatives living close to the parks like that! I'd be in heaven!!

Definitely going to have to read up on Tables in Wonderland, this is a feature I'm not familiar with at all!

 

[PSUGuy]

Our strategy is to get APs, go later the first year and sneak the next year in before expiration. In addition I buy 2 hoppers from UT so we can book FP+ choices then upgrade the first day there so as to get Photopass and the other AP goodies. This year we'll be at Food & Wine from Nov 2 - 11, in 2018 it will be sometime after Columbus Day week and the expiration date.

Bill From PA

 

[cutigerlady]

I look at the savings of an AP by looking at the tickets for two trips within the same year. I don't include the other AP discounts because they change and may or may not include the dates you want to travel/place to eat/meal you want to eat. For the hotel discounts they often are released after the public offers and they may be no better than the public offer, you are going to have to hunt for the deals that are better and hope it aligns to your travel dates. For example, the summer discounts were the same as the public offer (25%) and the rooms were all of the higher end categories. I did find that there were two places that were 35%. To get the merchandise discount you must have your AP card and a photo ID, which sometimes I don't have on me.

 

[Zim]

In addition I buy 2 hoppers from UT so we can book FP+ choices then upgrade the first day there so as to get Photopass and the other AP goodies.

Oooooo... that is a conundrum - if I get the AP early to book a AP room rate, I forfeit the Fastpass+ selection! That's not good, especially if the AP room rates for our travel dates are comparable to other rate savings, as @cutigerlady mentioned. I like the idea of the FP+ benefit, so an upgrade the day of may be our best bet. Then I'd also get an idea of the bounce back offer around that time before committing to the AP once I'm there. @PSUGuy - do they need to be hoppers to get the upgrade, or can they be base tickets?

 

[PSUGuy]

@PSUGuy[/USER] - do they need to be hoppers to get the upgrade, or can they be base tickets?

Any park pass can be upgraded to any level. I could be wrong but I thought you'd buy an AP, link it to your resort ressie then make your FP+ choices. If I understand it correctly the AP then doesn't become active until you first use it.

Bill From PA

 

[Surgie]

Oooooo... that is a conundrum - if I get the AP early to book a AP room rate, I forfeit the Fastpass+ selection!

Really?? I've booked the Poly for 2018 and plan to purchase AP and activate it when I arrive. Are you saying I lose the opportunity to book FP at 60 days out because my AP hasn't been activated? Makes no sense. Doesn't the AP have a number on it that can be linked to my MDE without activating the AP?

 

[PSUGuy]

Doesn't the AP have a number on it that can be linked to my MDE without activating the AP?

That's what I thought. The only time we just bought APs was before FP+ existed. I do the UT upgrade thing because we save $$ as the UT tix cost less than they would from Disney and it's nice to split up a costly purchase into 2 parts.

Bill From PA

 

[cubed]

@PSUGuy I bought a package from Parksavers when they were offering four PH tickets with 3 extra days free. Then I bridged those tickets to an AP and made sure the CM charged me the correct price difference (took a second guest relations location to get it right). I bet you can find similar offer from Parksavers or UT some time this year and will be able to save even more.

 

[lovethattink]

When we lived out of state, we would buy AP, and do two trips then skip a year.

 

[North of Mouse]

Really?? I've booked the Poly for 2018 and plan to purchase AP and activate it when I arrive. Are you saying I lose the opportunity to book FP at 60 days out because my AP hasn't been activated? Makes no sense. Doesn't the AP have a number on it that can be linked to my MDE without activating the AP?

We purchased our AP's a couple months ago, will be activated when we go to Disney in two weeks, but our FP's have all been made 45 days ago - so 60 days out!! It is all linked with my MDE.

 

[PSUGuy]

@PSUGuy I bought a package from Parksavers when they were offering four PH tickets with 3 extra days free. Then I bridged those tickets to an AP and made sure the CM charged me the correct price difference (took a second guest relations location to get it right). I bet you can find similar offer from Parksavers or UT some time this year and will be able to save even more.

Thanks for the tip, I'll be looking into this, we'll have to have passes in hand by late Summer.

Bill From PA

 

[gap2368]

You do not lose out on FP if you have an AP. all you do is but your AP number in MDE and then you can book FP either 60 or 30 day ( depending on where you are staying. and then your AP will start when you activate then at disney ( wither the theme park or DS)

 

[mrsR123]

My only caution would be to remember that current benefits are not guaranteed to be offered in the future. That being said, you can be pretty comfortable that there will be some benefit to having the AP beyond even the ticket savings. You might need to save some extra pennies to be able to go see the Christmas decorations that first December... Having APs tends to create needs for trips.

 

[Zim]

You do not lose out on FP if you have an AP. all you do is but your AP number in MDE and then you can book FP either 60 or 30 day ( depending on where you are staying. and then your AP will start when you activate then at disney ( wither the theme park or DS)

WHEW! I should have known Disney would take care of that! Very good to know... I'm glad I posted this question -- it's been extremely helpful and I'm definitely going to get one AP pass to help with these two trips - even if none of the other benefits are still available - just the Photo Memorymaker would be a great addition, we've never used it outside out my Disney Visa meet and greet download.