Question about AP discounts for early Dec.

[Jeff]

Hi everyone,

We're staying from Dec. 3 - 11. I'm considering getting an AP for the discount on rooms but I'm hesitant. I read in this forum people posting their discounted rates that they got with their AP. I guess there's no way for me to know whether their are still discounts available or whether their will be in the few days it'll take me to get my AP voucher? Any advice?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[tjmouse]

There really isn't any way to know for sure if you purchase an AP if you will get a discount rate. Depends where you want to stay too. For your dates, I am getting a few places that still have best rates available, but those could be gone tomorrow. Sorry, just can't be sure of anything anymore!

 

[gullyf]

Hi everyone,

We're staying from Dec. 3 - 11. I'm considering getting an AP for the discount on rooms but I'm hesitant. I read in this forum people posting their discounted rates that they got with their AP. I guess there's no way for me to know whether their are still discounts available or whether their will be in the few days it'll take me to get my AP voucher? Any advice?

Thanks,
Jeff

The concensus on many similar threads is that the decision on an ap probably should not be based on the availability of room discounts . If you plan on spending close to the 11.something days that it takes to break even on the park admission (in total over the life of the pass), then at least 1 ap is probably a good bet. It isn't terribly more expensive than a ten day MYW, and the other perks can offset the difference if you use them. Otherwise, check into the AAA discounts (might be worth their annual membership, might not), or watch for other packages. In your case, it is probably very unlikely to prove worthwhile, as an AP is $395 and a 7 day MYW with park hopper is only $223 (not sure, but I think both are less tax).

 

[never_enough_pooh]

I just booked for early December using my AP. There were still offers available for quite a few different hotels. I saved about 80.00 per night, so the cost of the AP just paid for itself!

 

[never_enough_pooh]

Oh yes... I forgot to mention this in my earlier thread.... if you call disney to purchase your AP over the phone (I also heard it works if you purchase your AP online), you can get your voucher # within about 2 hours of purchase by calling the ticketing department.

I was told that the voucher would come in 7-10 days by mail, but thanks to someone elses good advice here on the forums, I called about 2 hours after I purchased the ticket, and was given my voucher number on the phone!

I was then able to go online and view the current offers!

Good luck!

 

[gullyf]

Oh yes... I forgot to mention this in my earlier thread.... if you call disney to purchase your AP over the phone (I also heard it works if you purchase your AP online), you can get your voucher # within about 2 hours of purchase by calling the ticketing department.

I was told that the voucher would come in 7-10 days by mail, but thanks to someone elses good advice here on the forums, I called about 2 hours after I purchased the ticket, and was given my voucher number on the phone!

I was then able to go online and view the current offers!

Good luck!

Cool! Very accomodating of them!

But I don't suspect you saved $80/night at a value resort (though the original poster doesn't mention which catagory they are looking at), and I would also suspect that you didn't save that much over AAA rates (though I don't rule it out). The devil is in the details...

That being said, it probably would have been best (on my part that is) to ask more detail of the original poster before giving a cut and dried answer. I'll remember that in the future...

 

[never_enough_pooh]

The 80.00 savings per night was on the deluxe resort, and yes, the AP deal was better than the AAA rate ...

 

[gullyf]

The 80.00 savings per night was on the deluxe resort, and yes, the AP deal was better than the AAA rate ...

The question would be not if it was better (it seems to be, usually), but if the difference would be great enough in their particular case to make it worthwhile, which we really can't determine without more info from the original poster.

It would be really nice if everything were simple, but it rarely is ( and lousy typist to boot!)

 

[never_enough_pooh]

Oops...!! Well, I saved about 40.00 per night by using the AP rate than the quoted AAA rate. So, for a total of 7 nights at a 40.00 savings (from the AAA rate), I saved about 280.00 from the quoted AAA rate, and about 545.00 savings from the actual room rate.

Yes, you are right... the best savings is from the deluxe category.. I think the savings for a value resort is only about 15.00 per night.

 

[Jeff]

Thanks for the info/advice. Sorry, I should have said in my op that we'll be staying at a moderate resort... preferably POFQ. Speaking of AAA rates, do you have to go through a AAA TA to get that or can I just call Disney, tell them I'm a AAA member and get a discount?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[kandmwedding]

Thanks for the info/advice. Sorry, I should have said in my op that we'll be staying at a moderate resort... preferably POFQ. Speaking of AAA rates, do you have to go through a AAA TA to get that or can I just call Disney, tell them I'm a AAA member and get a discount?

Thanks,
Jeff

If you're doing a room only reservation you should be able to book directly through Disney or any non-AAA TA. If you're looking for a AAA package you'll have to book through a AAA TA.

Fwiw, I just booked today using the passholder site and was able to still get a discounted room for early December (8-14) at the WL. They didn't have many options left, but lots of the other resorts did. When thinking about whether or not to get an AP, think about the other benefits - dining discounts, WofD discounts, etc. We spent the extra $50 to get the DDE card, and those meal discounts alone for one week with a group of five adults made up for the cost of the card and the cost of my AP. We were better off with an AP even if we hadn't gotten a room discount. Lots of stuff to think about and do the math on.

 

[Jeff]

If you're doing a room only reservation you should be able to book directly through Disney or any non-AAA TA. If you're looking for a AAA package you'll have to book through a AAA TA.

Fwiw, I just booked today using the passholder site and was able to still get a discounted room for early December (8-14) at the WL. They didn't have many options left, but lots of the other resorts did. When thinking about whether or not to get an AP, think about the other benefits - dining discounts, WofD discounts, etc. We spent the extra $50 to get the DDE card, and those meal discounts alone for one week with a group of five adults made up for the cost of the card and the cost of my AP. We were better off with an AP even if we hadn't gotten a room discount. Lots of stuff to think about and do the math on.

Good point kandmwedding, I'll have to consider that and thx for the info on the discounts.

Jeff

 

[have2getaway]

I have similar questions. Kandamwedding, you seem very knowledgeable about the AP. One question I have is does everyone in your party need to have an AP for discounts to apply. Also, what are the dining discounts?

Thanks!

 

[Jeff]

I have similar questions. Kandamwedding, you seem very knowledgeable about the AP. One question I have is does everyone in your party need to have an AP for discounts to apply. Also, what are the dining discounts?

Thanks!

No, 1 AP holder can book up to 3 rooms at the AP discounted rate.. assuming a discount is available when he/she makes the reservation. I'm not certain but I don't believe there are dining discounts for simply having an AP. But what an AP allows is for the AP holder to purchase the Disney Dining Experience for $50. The DDE gets you a 20% discount on food and beverages including alcohol at select locations. Here's a link to a page describing the DDE with the list of participating locations.

http://www.allearsnet.com/din/dde.htm

 

[have2getaway]

I might be going for a week in Jan. How quickly do the AP rates go? I won't be able to reserve until Sept. when I know for certain about my vacation.

 

[johnsonet]

have2getaway
Obviously I can't guarantee you that you will get the room you want at the Passholder rate, however I have had great luck. I am still tinkering w/ my upcoming trip and have had lots of options at both Poly and GF with AP rates. I once got a Passholder rate at WL during Easter week on the day I checked in!
Good Luck!

 

[vic32]

Hi Jeff, we are staying POFQ dec.3-11. We got the ap rate online, 94.00 a night.We also are doing the DDE. We saved the cost of the ap on the dec, vacation already. So my Sept. trip is gravy!!!

 

[DonaldDuckFan]

We bought an AP for just this purpose. We are also planning a trip for Dec 3-10 and right now have POFQ booked with a AAA rate. I ordered the pass and received it 7 days later (I wish I would have known about calling after 2 hours for the voucher number ). But I have been checking pretty much every day for about 2 weeks to see if POFQ or WL becomes available and they haven't, although CBR and CSR have been options every time. If you are flexible as to what resort you want to stay at you have a better chance of getting the rate I would say, but if you are like us and would prefer one resort than it's more difficult! We do have a good AAA rate though and are more than likely planning a return trip in less than a year. Good Luck!

Amy

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I am still learning about this AP business here and still deciding on whether or not to get an AP, but from the posts I read, deciding on where to stay with your AP rate is sure risky business, lol, and sounds like big fun in a way - or is it just stressful?

1. Seriously, it sounds like you have to make snap decisions and if you have any regrets about your original booking and would like to make any changes, you have to pay the $50 change fee, right? And that's $50 for every change? I dunno, that's pretty drastic.

2. For example, if you book POFQ at a great rate, but then notice the following day, week, minute, an awesome rate at AKL pops up and you would rather stay there for the same dates, do you have to call to change that or can you change it online?

I agree with others who have said this is pretty frustrating if you are not allowed to see the rates that are being offered until you pay for the pass. Maybe seeing some of those rates would encourage more people to buy the pass.

Thanks for the help,
Tink

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

I will add that by having an AP, you can get the Disney Dining Experience. My party saved enough just on that to make it worth my extra amount for the AP. Let alone the three other times I will be going this year and the AP room rate I did get for December. I didn't even use the AP rate for our June trip or the Sept. trip, got better deals actually! But the DDE discount has already made it worth it, plus the December trip and the DDE savings form that trip as well.