Premium AP - worth the extra?

[KCSunshine60]

We're going to DL for 6 nights in Aug using the AP7 rates. I had let our annual passes expire last spring because I didn't know if we'd make it back this summer. i'm going to get a new AP for the AP7 rates.

So, I was comparing and the Premium is $120 more than the Deluxe. We stay onsite so we would never use the parking benefit. But, when I started estimating the additional savings if we had the Premium, it starts closing the gap and I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and go with the premium.

We'll be there on a Saturday so with the Deluxe, I'd have to pay $40 for the blockout. (Plus the hassle of going to buy a blockout that AM...hubby isn't very patient!!)

And, we plan to have lunch/dinner at quite a few of the places that offer the discount. So, the extra 5% would be helpful. We are going to Blue Bayou, Wine Country Trat, The Vineyard Room. Plus, we usually go to the restaurant next to soaring and other quick bites. I"m guessing that extra amount is worth about $30.

Then, merchandise. We always buy more than we plan! I figure that discount is worth at least $20.

So, the gap is about $30. I know we'll try to sneak another trip or two in over the next year. So, considering the extra discounts in the future, it seems like a good idea.

What do you think? Anyone else make this decision and regret it?

 

[CrazyDuck]

If you have a Disney Visa you can get the same 10% merchandise discount making the gap between the deluxe and Premium $120-$40(for your 1 blockout)=$80. If you return make sure you come back durring blockout days to get your Premiums moneys worth!

 

[dalepool]

To get that saturday in on a deluxe pass buy the hopper pass and upgrade after the saturday. You get to take advanatage of the early entry every day it is avaialble if you are staying at a disney Hotel. Hope this helps

Have a fun trip

 

[Sleepless Knight]

My only regret about buying the AP was that I didn't get the premium. As much as you think you can plan around blockout days, you can't always control those "spur of the moment" visits that have a tendency to happen when you have an AP.

Since you already have to buy a blockout day, just get the premium instead. Mine may be an extreme example, but I ended up buying some artwork on a blockout day. If I had really thought things through, I would have upgraded before the blockout day and watched the difference practically pay for itself between the blockout ticket and the discount.

Point #2. With an AP, you find yourself visiting more often. And sometimes you have family or friends who invite you to go down with them since they know you have an AP, but they don't necessarily plan visits around blockout days. With a deluxe, that's a problem. With a premium, it isn't. I've had to decline visits to Disneyland because of blockout days when I had the deluxe and I've been able to help plan for an upcoming family visit without having to say "please don't go then since my AP is blocked out" because I now have the premium.

 

[wendylady36]

Bite the bullet, bite the bullet!

I love my Premium AP. The discounts are great and when I go with other people, they always love that I can save them some money!

I've been twice since I've gotten it and it's already payed for itself.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

one of us will get the premium when we get ours. I think its worth it

 

[TahoeMom]

Are you sure that the Saturday you want is a blackout date? September, October, and most of November for example have no blackout dates at all.

 

[silence]

Well, we went with a Deluxe, thinking that if we ever decided to go during a blackout time, we would just upgrade then.

We did not need the Premium at all. But then, we don't live close, so we don't have spur of the moment trips really, they are always planned at least 2-3 weeks in advance, so I can plan accordingly around dates.

 

[bumbershoot]

You want the discounts, you're starting off your trip with a block out date...sounds like at least one of you should get the premium, especially since you're already planning more trips.

I was never out money for blockout dates, b/c I never actually went on one. But I *wanted* to go on at least two days when it was blocked out, and it was frustrating that it would increase the cost at the time I wanted to go; I wished I had gotten the Premium and just paid that cost then.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I love my premium. It's nice seeing the discounts on my receipts and since we usually don't stay onsite, the free parking is really useful to us.

We've gone twice since we've got them and they've paid for themselves already too..