Premier Passport- input needed

[GusGus77]

We are most likely going to Disneyland in late September. We were thinking for four or five days. Then we just got a wedding invitation for October in Florida. 40 minutes from the World. Well you can't be that close and not go to WDW. Besides, we are studying world geography in school next year (we homeschool) so Epcot would be perfect! Of course, we weren't planning on going back to the World until 2017 when hopefully some new stuff would be open. Since there are no non-expiring options we were looking at the premier pass and adding another trip to the World before it expires to get our money worth. Is it really worth it? Should we just suck it up and pay for each individually? (So about $300 less per person- we are 4. Kids are 4 1/2 and 7.) we would probably not stay on-site in either location as we own a timeshare so the discount there doesn't help us. It would mean sacrificing a little bit to pay for extra travel expenses (we live in Illinois), but it definitely would be one awesome year!!! Please either talk me into or out of a premier pass! Obviously my DH and I will ultimately make the decision, but what would YOU do in our situation and why? (And no, we aren't rolling in money so expenses would be tight for the year if we did it, but it would not put us in the poor house.)

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I'd only do it if I knew for sure I was going to visit the parks enough for it to more than pay for itself. I am a DL local, and have the premium AP. We have a payment plan here, so it's a no brainer. But since I'm going to WDW in July, I'll be upgrading to the Premiere AP, as the WDW portion will be cheaper than buying a 6-day Park Hopper. I will plan another WDW trip during the year as well.

If you are confident that the pass will pay for itself, go for it. But you might consider the cost for the pass vs. what regular tickets would cost for your kids, since the price for the AP's are the same for everybody.

 

[Drusilla99]

I did it last year as I'm a dl local and went to wdw last year and needed a 4 day hopper, it was worth it. I did it again this year because I'm going Sunday to wdw, yay!, and will be out there again for a week in June. With the dl premium pass costing so much now, the difference really isn't that much. There aren't as many dining discounts at wdw, but they're there if you look for them and there's always the merchandise discount. I ask about a discount everywhere I go & have been surprised to get them & odd places.

 

[Minniekins]

I have this same question! I have a 10 day PH we got for our Dec trip, then we added a quick 4 day trip on for this May for the 24 hr MK event weekend. It's a little cheaper to upgrade to the AP after we get to our first park this May for me, even though it's only 14-15 days. DD24 also has another trip in Sep with her BF, so that'll be a good 20 days on her AP. Since then, we decided to do a first trip to DL next May! So, I was looking at the premier passport cost which is 1099.00, $403.00 more than the Wdw AP. Wondering if there is any reason it would be more cost effective to upgrade to the Premier passport, instead of the $696.00 for the Wdw AP and then a 5 day PH at DL for next May for $315, which is a little cheaper than the Prem. pass. Oh, and DD24 was going to buy the T.I.W card in May at Wdw, as well. Not sure that's a good idea if we have to pay so much more for tickets.

OP, the one thing I was thinking, for you, and myself as well, is that getting that Premier Pass is a definite commitment to the extra trip and that you have to do it to make the extra cost worth it. That's where I'm sorta torn, making that definite commitment. Our two trips(DD24's three! lucky girl!), are definites, but buying that Premier Passport means we better be positive we are going next year, no backing out, lol! Do you think yours will save you money? I'm not sure if I do it, it will, in the end, save me any money. I had pretty much decided that it probably wouldn't but your question got me considering and thinking again, lol!

 

[bumbershoot]

We are most likely going to Disneyland in late September. We were thinking for four or five days.

5 day 10+ 275. Plus hopping is another 40.

Then we just got a wedding invitation for October in Florida. 40 minutes from the World.

How many days?

adding another trip to the World before it expires to get our money worth.

If you're adding a trip to make the passport worth it, be careful. What if you don't end up having the money for that travel? Then the extra cost for the Premier is a waste.

Is it really worth it?

Add up the costs of the park days you know you'll be doing.


You do get a Premium AP for each park. That gets you plenty of discounts at Disneyland, plus free parking at the park which is nice. Doesn't get you anywhere near as many discounts at WDW, though TIW is terrific.

By the way, Minniekins, if your daughter is going to be spending just under $500 in food/beverage at places that take TIW during her trips (there are blockout dates), the TIW is nicely worth it.

It's a money thing, really. Especially if you're having to create trips to use it.

Especially since my family is eligible for the DVC WDW AP, I have yet to get the Premier to be worth it, even though I really REALLY want to have it LOL.

 

[Minniekins]

....
By the way, Minniekins, if your daughter is going to be spending just under $500 in food/beverage at places that take TIW during her trips (there are blockout dates), the TIW is nicely worth it.

It's a money thing, really. Especially if you're having to create trips to use it.

Especially since my family is eligible for the DVC WDW AP, I have yet to get the Premier to be worth it, even though I really REALLY want to have it LOL.

Yep, we had the TIW for our last two trips we did and it was great! We'll have it for our next two trips, 15 days, plus her 6 night trip with BF. So far, we've never hit any blockout dates, other than Thanksgiving day last year. But, we don't get that included with the Premier passport, correct? If we want it, we'd have to buy it in addition to the $1099 Prem. pass, if that's even allowed, correct?

In our case, we are not creating any trips to get it, lol. We'd need the AP, or rather it's certainly more cost effective just for my two trips this year, and her 3 trips. Then I decided it was time we get to DL next year, lol. I'm torn, like you, I'd love to have it at least once, lol! But, I could actually do the trips with just the AP and reg 5 day PH for DL for less money, unless I'm missing somehting, and would just be throwing away money for nothing if I get one. Now if they did have the TIW card with it, it'd be worth it for at least her to get it I think.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Yep, we had the TIW for our last two trips we did and it was great! We'll have it for our next two trips, 15 days, plus her 6 night trip with BF. So far, we've never hit any blockout dates, other than Thanksgiving day last year. But, we don't get that included with the Premier passport, correct? If we want it, we'd have to buy it in addition to the $1099 Prem. pass, if that's even allowed, correct?

In our case, we are not creating any trips to get it, lol. We'd need the AP, or rather it's certainly more cost effective just for my two trips this year, and her 3 trips. Then I decided it was time we get to DL next year, lol. I'm torn, like you, I'd love to have it at least once, lol! But, I could actually do the trips with just the AP and reg 5 day PH for DL for less money, unless I'm missing somehting, and would just be throwing away money for nothing if I get one. Now if they did have the TIW card with it, it'd be worth it for at least her to get it I think.

I am having a little trouble following this.

But premier passes have no blackout days on admissions at either park.

Also the TIW can be purchased with just the WDW annual pass. You don't need a premier

 

[GusGus77]

Op here. We have the Disney visa so we get merchandise credit anyway. It sounds like you get dining discounts with the premier pass so we wouldn't need tiw card. We thought about the 5 day park hopper pass and then get WDW AP's, but the premier pass is only $5 more so really we would be losing money as we wouldn't get the free parking in Disneyland. We also would not be doing a ton of TS at WDW as we have two kids 7 and 4. They have been to WDW 3 times so we don't need to do all the character dining. (Maybe only one or two during the year.)

I have no idea how long we would go to WDW for the wedding. DH has limited time off of work, but I have no problems staying with the kids. DH recently bought a timeshare with a ton on points we will have to use in the next year so we would be staying at Bonnet Creek while in Florida. We would definitely be committing to an additional trip if we bought the premier pass. Someone asked what if we don't have the money? That is always possible, but if we bought the passes, we are going to use them! Lol. If we added one additional trip, that would pay for the passes. DH really wants to do stars wars weekend at some point in time, so this would give him the opportunity to do that. Then we would squeeze a trip in again in September next year before passes expire (and DH's vacation time resets in September.)

 

[GusGus77]

This would be easier if we could do a payment plan, but alas we are in Illinois. If we were going to WDW first, we would book a package for a night or two in a value in order to get the 6mo no financing on the visa and then upgrade our tickets at the park to the pass, but alas there is no way to go to WDW a first as I cannot travel before September when we go to Disneyland due to scheduling. Doing the package at DLR is not as effective as the hotel is a lot more expensive and the tickets are cheaper thus negating any benefit.

It would definitely be a whirlwind of a year if we got the passes because I would take the kids to WDW as often as I could (the drive is long, but we can do it and airfare is actually relatively cheap from our little town although we would fly into Sanford and have to rent a car.) Right now I am thinking this is more of a pipe dream (it could be possible to just not do the wedding and therefore stick with just DLR this year.) But I am really excited about lots of time at Disney. The wedding came up several months after we had already planned DLR which is what threw this whole thing into action. Plus, I have been missing Disney lately. We go back and forth between this will be really fun and exciting and makes sense (hey, we have to use those timeshare points somehow and there seems to be no problem getting a 1 bedroom at bonnet creek) and this is just crazy talk!!!! So I figured I would see if my fellow Disers had any thoughts or advice that would sway us in either direction!

 

[GusGus77]

Ok, OP Here. We have decided to stick with our original plan and just do Disneyland for five days with park hoppers and then either not attend the wedding or leave the kids at home and just go for the weekend. Reality has to come first and there are some house repairs that really need to be made. BUT we decided that in 2 1/2 yrs, when we can save up a bit more money, book the timeshare with plenty of advanced notice and bank points in preparation, and DHS can build up his vacation time, we will get WDW a APs and spend about six weeks with the mouse! Youngest will be 7 then, so he and his sister can ride together on things that I don't want to ride if I have them there by myself. I am so excited about this!!!! We will maybe consider the premier pass at that time if circumstances permit us to hit DLR as well that year. Thank you everyone for your input!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Sorry it didn't work this time gusgus! Maybe in the future.

Yep, we had the TIW for our last two trips we did and it was great! We'll have it for our next two trips, 15 days, plus her 6 night trip with BF. So far, we've never hit any blockout dates, other than Thanksgiving day last year. But, we don't get that included with the Premier passport, correct? If we want it, we'd have to buy it in addition to the $1099 Prem. pass, if that's even allowed, correct?

In our case, we are not creating any trips to get it, lol. We'd need the AP, or rather it's certainly more cost effective just for my two trips this year, and her 3 trips. Then I decided it was time we get to DL next year, lol. I'm torn, like you, I'd love to have it at least once, lol! But, I could actually do the trips with just the AP and reg 5 day PH for DL for less money, unless I'm missing somehting, and would just be throwing away money for nothing if I get one. Now if they did have the TIW card with it, it'd be worth it for at least her to get it I think.

it's is not included, but with any wdw ap you can buy it. The premier gives you a premium ap for both coasts so you can buy it when you have the premier.

I dont have it at my fingertips, by a google of "allears ap discount" should bring up a PDF of this years breakdown of restaurants that have discounts for ap, DVC, and TIW. Good way to see if your plans work with just the ap discount, or if TIW is worth it this year.