Question about AP's for DL

[JAA'smom]

This is our first time going to DL and I was wondering if you get the same kind of discounts at DL that you get at DW with an AP. I would probably just get one and use it for the room discount so that we could stay onsite, or do they even give you a room discount over July 4th. Currently I am booked at the Fairfield but I would love to stay at the DLH. So basically is it worth it to get at least 1 AP for discounts and what all do they offer discounts on? Thanks so much for all of your help.

 

[HydroGuy]

This is our first time going to DL and I was wondering if you get the same kind of discounts at DL that you get at DW with an AP. I would probably just get one and use it for the room discount so that we could stay onsite, or do they even give you a room discount over July 4th. Currently I am booked at the Fairfield but I would love to stay at the DLH. So basically is it worth it to get at least 1 AP for discounts and what all do they offer discounts on? Thanks so much for all of your help.

I have a Deluxe AP at DLR and looked into a WDW AP recently (or upgrading my DLR AP to a "Premium AP" that covers both) and was struck at how limited the discounts were at WDW compared to DLR. So my impression is that DLR is far more liberal with discounts.

Last year my AP paid for itself based on dining and merchandise discounts over 5 days, and I did not even use it for any hotel discounts.

 

[blackjackdelta]

I have a Deluxe AP at DLR and looked into a WDW AP recently (or upgrading my DLR AP to a "Premium AP" that covers both) and was struck at how limited the discounts were at WDW compared to DLR. So my impression is that DLR is far more liberal with discounts.

Last year my AP paid for itself based on dining and merchandise discounts over 5 days, and I did not even use it for any hotel discounts.

My wifes AP saved us some $$ last year for the same reasons. Will be making our second trip right prior to expiration.

Jack

 

[Aurora&Prince]

I have the Premire (Premium is a no blackout just at DL) and I use it ALL THE TIME at DL. WDW does not offer as much, which I was surprised. But I used it for food, hotel, and souvies at at least 20% off. I think APs are completely worth it, but it depends on the time of the year. I would pull out the prices to buy an AP and to stay at the hotel and see if the discount is worth it. In most cases it is, especially with the other discounts it comes with!

The Premium and Premire offer discounts as high as 40% off where the others are lower.

 

[sonnyjane]

The Premium and Premire offer discounts as high as 40% off where the others are lower.

I'm not sure what you're referring to that gave 40% off unless it was some type of special, short-term promotion.

For hotels, it doesn't matter what kind of AP you have, you can get the same discount no matter what type of pass you have.

I have had a Premium for 2 years now and currently get 20% off merchandise, which is part of a special promotion. Normally Premiums get only 10% off merchandise while Deluxe (and SoCal's) didn't get any merchandise discount. Now, because of a special promotion, Deluxe and SoCal's get 10% off merchandise.

As far as food discounts, Premiums get 15% off while the other levels get 10% off.

Deluxe and Premium (and Premiere) AP's get discounts on tours as well.

Here is a link to all of the discounts and participating locations: http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dis...nts?name=AnnualPassholderUngatedDiscountsPage

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Whether it's worth it depends on a few things.

What kind of AP hotel discount can you get? You can actually call Disney reservations and ask for the AP rates for your dates even without actually having an AP yet. Once you know the rates for the dates and room type you are interested in versus non-AP rates that are available, you will know how much savings you will get on the room. Standard AP hotel discount is 10%, but there are better rates offered periodically. I know I recently got an e-mail with better discount rates and Hydroguy posted a thread about that too. Don't know the rates though for your particular dates.

Are you returning to the parks within one year? If you get a second trip out of an AP, that can make it worth it right there. Doesn't sound like this is the case for you.

Do you plan on being very spendy? Our family doesn't spend enough in one trip to make an AP worth it for just the dining and merchandise discounts alone, but we go lots of times during the year so that's the value to us (and during those lots of times we "save" a bundle with the discounts too).

Here are some numbers to consider:

3-Day Pass = $186
4-Day Pass = $201
5-Day Pass = $211
Deluxe AP = $329
Premium AP = $459
If you are going during July 4, then blockout days will most certainly apply if you get the Deluxe pass. Blockout day tickets cost $50 each.

Deluxe has 10% discount at most food places in the parks and hotels, exceptions seem to primarily be locations defined as "snack" locations such as the Mint Julep bar, popcorn, churro, ice cream carts, and ice cream shops. Deluxe also receives a 10% discount on most park merchandise through the end of this calendar year. This does include photopass pictures/CDs, candy shop purchases, ride photos, and purchases at most of the in-park stores and World of Disney and D-Street in DtD. It does not include the silhouettes done at the silhouette studio, the crystal shops, and a couple other places. Deluxe passholders also get various discounts in DtD, most often 10% off.

Premium has 15% discount at the food places in the parks and 20% discount on the merchandise with the same restrictions as noted above. The DtD discounts are the same regardless of pass type.

That means to break even on the purchase of a Deluxe pass, you need to spend the following on food and merchandise:

From 3-day to deluxe: $1430
From 4-day to deluxe: $1280
From 5-day to deluxe: $1180

The need-to-spend amount increases if you have to purchase one or more block out day tickets. The day you purchase your Deluxe pass you can enter the parks even if it should be a blockout day, so if only your first day is a blockout day you will be ok.

To break even on the purchase of a Premium pass, you need to spend the following in the parks and in downtown Disney on food and merchandise (I've left the lesser discounted places in DtD out of this equation for simplicity):

From 3-day to premium: $1365-$1820
From 4-day to premium: $1290-$1720
From 5-day to premium: $1240-$1653

The lesser dollar amounts represent merchandise spending only; the higher dollar amounts represent food spending only. You will spend on a combination of these items, hence the "break-even" range in this case since food and merchandise have different % off discounts.

 

[HydroGuy]

Whether it's worth it depends on a few things.

What kind of AP hotel discount can you get? You can actually call Disney reservations and ask for the AP rates for your dates even without actually having an AP yet. Once you know the rates for the dates and room type you are interested in versus non-AP rates that are available, you will know how much savings you will get on the room. Standard AP hotel discount is 10%, but there are better rates offered periodically. I know I recently got an e-mail with better discount rates and Hydroguy posted a thread about that too. Don't know the rates though for your particular dates.

Are you returning to the parks within one year? If you get a second trip out of an AP, that can make it worth it right there. Doesn't sound like this is the case for you.

Do you plan on being very spendy? Our family doesn't spend enough in one trip to make an AP worth it for just the dining and merchandise discounts alone, but we go lots of times during the year so that's the value to us (and during those lots of times we "save" a bundle with the discounts too).

Here are some numbers to consider:

Deluxe AP = $329
Premium AP = $459
If you are going during July 4, then blockout days will most certainly apply if you get the Deluxe pass. Blockout day tickets cost $50 each.

Deluxe has 10% discount at most food places in the parks and hotels, exceptions seem to primarily be locations defined as "snack" locations such as the Mint Julep bar, popcorn, churro, ice cream carts, and ice cream shops. Deluxe also receives a 10% discount on most park merchandise through the end of this calendar year. This does include photopass pictures/CDs, candy shop purchases, ride photos, and purchases at most of the in-park stores and World of Disney and D-Street in DtD. It does not include the silhouettes done at the silhouette studio, the crystal shops, and a couple other places. Deluxe passholders also get various discounts in DtD, most often 10% off.

Premium has 15% discount at the food places in the parks and 20% discount on the merchandise with the same restrictions as noted above. The DtD discounts are the same regardless of pass type.

That means to break even on the purchase of a Deluxe pass, you need to spend $1680 in the parks and in downtown Disney on food and merchandise. The need-to-spend amount increases if you have to purchase one or more block out day passes. The day you purchase your Deluxe pass you can enter the parks even if it should be a blockout day, so if only your first day is a blockout day you will be ok.

To break even on the purchase of a Premium pass, you need to spend between $1240 and $1653 in the parks and in downtown Disney on food and merchandise (I've left the lesser discounted places in DtD out of this equation for simplicity). The $1240 represents merchandise spending only. The $1653 represents food spending only. You will spend on a combination of these items, hence the "break-even" range in this case since food and merchandise have different % off discounts.

What I compared it to was not zero entrance expense but a 3/4/5 day parkhopper. So the breakeven is much smaller then.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

What I compared it to was not zero entrance expense but a 3/4/5 day parkhopper. So the breakeven is much smaller then.

Oh sorry. I was cutting and pasting from when I posted this in another thread and forgot to include the comparison numbers. I was never comparing to zero entrance expense. At that time I was comparing the purchase of one annual pass for an adult versus a 5-day advance purchase adult park hopper ticket with no other special promotions (and with possibility of one blockout day). I'll fix the numbers in the original post too, but I've broken down the comparisons for various ticket types now:

"Break-even" spending just getting food and merchandise discounts:
If blockout days are not a factor:
From 3-day to deluxe: $1430
From 4-day to deluxe: $1280
From 5-day to deluxe: $1180

From 3-day to premium: $1365-$1820
From 4-day to premium: $1290-$1720
From 5-day to premium: $1240-$1653