Resort discounts for annual pass

[Chester's Mum]

Are the resort discounts worth buying the annual pass for?

We usually buy regular passes but have so many non expiry waterpark/plus visits left that we really don't need to have that option any more. I do like having park hopper though. I'm thinking about AP for the next trip, just wondering if it is worth it for someone who only goes once a year for 2 weeks.

 

[goofy4tink]

I always have an AP, but I get a pretty good discount on it through DVC. My dh has a non-expire. hopper since he doesn't go every year. My dd was going to get a non-expir hopper as well but she is going in Aug this year and then again in July next year, so she can get the use out of an AP.
I don't ever advise anyone to get the AP in order to get a room discount. Sure, sometimes you can get a good discount but we've been seeing fewer and fewer of those over the past few years. You can get the Disney Dining Experience card with it though..it costs $65 and saves you 20% on most table service meals. That's a good savings.
The best way to see if it's better to have the AP vs non-expir hopper is to take the total number of days you'll be there in that 365 day period, and divide it into both the pass totals. This way you can see what your daily cost would be each way. Since you have so many pluses left, you don't need that added to your hoppers...there's a savings right there.

 

[ss0414]

At Xmas 2006, I bought the AP just for the room discount. We wanted a 2 b/d at the BC Villas. Calculating the amount of time we would be there, and adding in park passes for the 4 of us vs. the AP room discount, plus 3 passes and 1 AP. I came out better getting the AP. (But we where almost 2 weeks.) It basically paid for itself....However; I did not get my 3 children an AP, which I regret today. I decided to return for the week of July 4th this year. Had I obtained AP's for them, I wouldn't be putting out the additional funds for park passes. I'm "ify" if we'll return over the next year, so I have math to do regarding their passes. Also, I did buy the dining card and basically, every meal we ate, the tip was covered by the 20% savings, which I will be able to use again. (Of course, I always tip on the amount prior to the savings.) One other item worth mentioning....I reserved during AP discount season, which as around the 13th or so and continued with the room rate until after X-MAS. It is my understanding that it is questionable as to whether or not they will continue this practice in 2008, which is something to factor in when deciding to purchase an AP or not.