Seriously considering premier annual pass

[MolonLabe]

So next year will bring our first trip to DL. With only 5 days being the max ticket for us, I was considering other options. I mention this because 5 day with hopper is $300 and change with tax.

Now onto WDW, that leaves $800 for WDW tickets (PAP is about 1,150 with tax).We don't do hoppers in WDW, personal choice we don't like wasting time on Disney transport vs staying in one park.

Getting the Premier would mean we could hop obviously but the water parks are something we've never done. We usually do indoors ones in winter so that feature would really not be used.

We are also 18 hours drive time away from WDW, do not many opportunities for even extended weekends.

Basically I'd be using it for 6~ days I. WdW, 6 days in DL and then hopefully another week before my 366'days runs out.

That's a lot of coin to lay out, especially when we usually try to score FD when we travel since pretty much all FD requires ticket purchases, we'd miss that for our family of five.

Do you all think the discounts for pap holders will help us to offset these costs?
$5,500 is a lot of money to lay out for these things...

 

[Robo]

If you want FD at WDW, don't do the AP.

 

[Pakey]

What if something happens that you have to cancel your DLR trip? I go to DLR every 6-8 weeks for 3 days and have 2 booked WDW vacations within the next 12 months (flights are booked) and I still had to think long and hard before laying out the money for a PAP. If I didn't use the hopper and waterpark option, I don't think I would have done it.

 

[MolonLabe]

What if something happens that you have to cancel your DLR trip? I go to DLR every 6-8 weeks for 3 days and have 2 booked WDW vacations within the next 12 months (flights are booked) and I still had to think long and hard before laying out the money for a PAP. If I didn't use the hopper and waterpark option, I don't think I would have done it.

Pretty much the only way the DL trip gets cancelled is if there is some major illness or freak accident. Airline Tickets are already purchased , tropicana booked and paid for, I've got a work conference I have to be there for.

 

[vinotinto]

If you would not take advantage of Hoppers or Water Parks, it doesn't sound like you'll break even, and you'll have to shell out the cash in advance.

Here are the ticket prices for WDW and DL:
http://www.mousesavers.com/regular-walt-disney-world-ticket-prices/
http://www.mousesavers.com/regular-disneyland-gate-ticket-prices/

*Two* separate sets of WDW 7-day tickets would be $713 pp including tax, purchased directly from Disney.
One 5-day DL ticket would be $315 pp including tax
That only adds up to $1028 and that is committing to 3 trips in one year.

I just looked into this because we're going 5 days in October and 5 or 6 days next September and I could not break even either.

 

[MolonLabe]

If you would not take advantage of Hoppers or Water Parks, it doesn't sound like you'll break even, and you'll have to shell out the cash in advance.

Here are the ticket prices for WDW and DL:
http://www.mousesavers.com/regular-walt-disney-world-ticket-prices/
http://www.mousesavers.com/regular-disneyland-gate-ticket-prices/

*Two* separate sets of WDW 7-day tickets would be $713 pp including tax, purchased directly from Disney.
One 5-day DL ticket would be $315 pp including tax
That only adds up to $1028 and that is committing to 3 trips in one year.

I just looked into this because we're going 5 days in October and 5 or 6 days next September and I could not break even either.

It is rough trying to get the math to work 100%.

At one single ticket at $1,099+tax the $71 difference is going to get eaten up in a 4.75days worth of parking just a WDW. 20% off merch at DL is going to be easy to break even that $71 as well.

For one single pass, I'd come out way ahead...

However, for 5 passes the savings start dropping off fast. One car load is one fee. One of us can use the discount for everyone. Only need one AP to buy a TIW card...

Hopes of room only discounts for AP's for the next trip could help some but usually about that time they have a fairly similar discount anyway i.e. 20% vs 25% for AP's.

I am also looking into hitting DL for a a half day and then adding on a full day for 6.5 days.

A trip just before spring break would also let us go down for 5 days but that wouldn't be set in stone.

Every time I have debated AP in the past I haven't done it and as it turns out we've been back inside the windows and while we would have broken even on ticket prices, we'd have had hopper options and merch discounts and I always kicked myself afterwards. Rarely do we get out of WDW with less than $500 in merch per trip. I'm sure we'll drop at least that in DL too.

 

[DWillowBay]

I have a Premiere AP, but for what you described, it would not serve you well. For FD, you'd have to book a package (obviously, with tickets). That isn't going to help you save money. If you're willing to do the AP room only discounts, rather than the FD, you'd save. But that's not the right answer for everyone. It really depends how flexible you can be about when you go. If you're never going to use the Water Parks, this doesn't sound as if it is the right way to go. But, you'll have a great time, no matter how you enter the parks. Just enjoy!!

 

[TurnedToStoneGirl]

Hm, I would pass. I went once and it was just a sour experience.

 

[Accident]

The WDW and WDL trips makes it an interesting question. My gut says unless you can firm up that third trip it's not saving you money but you'll have to run the numbers you expect to spend for food and merch and put in your discounts. You are experiencing the negative side of AP already, your considering another trip just because you have it. It does burn a hole in your pocket. This might not be available to those with florida resident only APs but for non-residents there was a ticketless version of FD if you called up. Generally any discount package has a ticketless version but you have to call to find out what they are and book it. It will not be as much of a savings but it will be a savings..

Keep in mind, you might save more money if only 1 person has the AP for the extra discounts and everyone else gets a normal ticket. It can be harder to book a package deal with a mix of AP and non-AP holder so that is somethign to also consider going this method.

Run the numbers, without a better room discount are you saving money? If not, then don't do this. If unsure then you probably aren't. Is the third trip something you'd prefer to skip and only doing it to get your value out of the AP then definitely not....

 

[MolonLabe]

I have a Premiere AP, but for what you described, it would not serve you well. For FD, you'd have to book a package (obviously, with tickets). That isn't going to help you save money. If you're willing to do the AP room only discounts, rather than the FD, you'd save. But that's not the right answer for everyone. It really depends how flexible you can be about when you go. If you're never going to use the Water Parks, this doesn't sound as if it is the right way to go. But, you'll have a great time, no matter how you enter the parks. Just enjoy!!

FD is something we did a lot back a few years ago. The last couple trips we haven't and it's honestly been better, especially with the awful FP+ preplanning. It's just too structured to try and book all those meals and then rides on top of it.

We also found that some of the healthier options being offered at certain QS locations mean we don't have to eat TS to avoid all the fried / junk foods all the time.

So FD isn't a must anymore, it was nice though. Water parks... we'll probably visit them once, maybe afternoon break or something. I'd assume they have locker rooms to change in and out swim suits right?

Hm, I would pass. I went once and it was just a sour experience.

I guess you are talking about DL? We have never been and I've always wanted to, so we are going.

The WDW and WDL trips makes it an interesting question. My gut says unless you can firm up that third trip it's not saving you money but you'll have to run the numbers you expect to spend for food and merch and put in your discounts. You are experiencing the negative side of AP already, your considering another trip just because you have it. It does burn a hole in your pocket. This might not be available to those with florida resident only APs but for non-residents there was a ticketless version of FD if you called up. Generally any discount package has a ticketless version but you have to call to find out what they are and book it. It will not be as much of a savings but it will be a savings..

Keep in mind, you might save more money if only 1 person has the AP for the extra discounts and everyone else gets a normal ticket. It can be harder to book a package deal with a mix of AP and non-AP holder so that is somethign to also consider going this method.

Run the numbers, without a better room discount are you saving money? If not, then don't do this. If unsure then you probably aren't. Is the third trip something you'd prefer to skip and only doing it to get your value out of the AP then definitely not....

So trip one to WDW (6 days) will happen.

Trip two to DL will happen (just firmed it up, doing 6.5 days).

Trip three would be in March, April or May depending on a few factors, but not during spring break, this is up in the air.

Trip four (or three if March-May doesn't happen) would be late Sept / Early Oct just before the passes expire. This should be easy to work out and make happen. I hope!

I'd love to swing another trip but with a 18 hour drive, it's hard to "get away" for a couple days and my proximity to airports means I have to give myself 1.5 hours drive time minimum and then 1 hour before the flight to checkin/security then 3- 3.5 hours of flight time and then an hour to get off the plane and to whatever hotel I'm at. 7 hours total travel best case that way vs 18 hours driving. The hassles of flying and costs just don't justify flying IMO but I digress.

Going with a AP means no more tiny on property rooms... meaning by the time I work in parking vs whatever room discount we can swing, it comes out to be about the same as staying off property cost wise... BUT that means being packed into a tiny room vs having 1,000 sq 2 bedroom off property for the same price or less. It also means a full kitchen and dining room for eating breakfast and then a in room washer and dryer I just need to bring some powder for. Of course with a competing room only AP discount, it's anything goes if there are rooms available.

I'm definitely torn but I think the Premier pass will be what I go with, especially since the cost for 2 days worth of tickets at DL on top of the 5 day is now decided upon.

 

[bumbershoot]

Your OP was a little confusing.

So next year will bring our first trip to DL. With only 5 days being the max ticket for us, I was considering other options. I mention this because 5 day with hopper is $300 and change with tax.

FYI there is NO tax on tickets/APs at Disneyland. It's a California thing. The tax on the Premier is on the WDW portion of the AP.

that feature would really not be used.

That referred to the waterparks. That was in your first post, but later you said you would do waterparks. People respond to the info given in the first post, so if there are different ideas, it's good to mention them.

we usually try to score FD when we travel since pretty much all FD requires ticket purchases, we'd miss that for our family of five.

That's also from the first post. Sounded like you usually try for FD, and you would miss it if you didn't have it.

the $71 difference is going to get eaten up in a 4.75days worth of parking just a WDW.

So you're staying offsite at WDW?

FYI staying at the Tropicana you would NOT want to park at DL. You would end up walking further from the lot than from your hotel. So unless you're staying quite a bit further out, you won't receive the benefit of the parking when at Disneyland.

Every time I have debated AP in the past I haven't done it and as it turns out we've been back inside the windows and while we would have broken even on ticket prices, we'd have had hopper options and merch discounts and I always kicked myself afterwards. Rarely do we get out of WDW with less than $500 in merch per trip. I'm sure we'll drop at least that in DL too.

Well, that's good info. You've gone before twice in a year, when you ahven't gotten the AP. This is your history, this is your way of traveling.

for non-residents there was a ticketless version of FD if you called up.

Not *free* dining. You can get a ticketless package, but you pay for the dining package.

The last couple trips we haven't and it's honestly been better, especially with the awful FP+ preplanning. It's just too structured to try and book all those meals and then rides on top of it.

But you'll be eating, yes? For us, we have never done a single dining plan, but we still make reservations.

Going with a AP means no more tiny on property rooms...

So that's why the parking benefit will be useful at WDW.


If you have plans for the number of trips where having a premium AP for each park would be useful, or if you have enough trips where the admission alone will be even or more than the Premier AP, then it's worth it. IMO if you have to start working out the discounts on things, you're walking a fine line. That said, it's good to KNOW the benefits and discounts; you do know that the DL AP gives many discounts on food, unlike the WDW AP (where the food discounts are fewer)?

 

[MolonLabe]

So I was supposed to show up FLA yesterday... my work schedule went screwy and basically left last Thursday with about 6 hours notice to my wife, lol. "Pack the bags, we're leaving at 2pm when I get home today"

I wrestled with buying the PAP. Seriously. At the end of it, considering we'd be doing 5 full days and 1-2 half days of DL/DLCA and being able to get a TIW for $100 I figured why not...

Looking at the changes made since yesterday, looks like it was a good call. Those passes are up about $300 and the only thing I see better is a photopass inclusion.

Anyway, just thought I'd update everyone on my decision. Now I just have to get back to WDW at least once before my passes expires.

I will say dropping over $5,500 at once just for tickets was rough. I did get 5 food and wine port glasses though, [Bill Murray Caddyshack voice] so there is that. [/Bill Murray Caddyshack voice]