should 1 person in our party get an AP?

[Hemlock]

Looking for some advice on whether I should get an Annual Pass. Pros/cons... We have a trip planned for November 2024 and another trip planned for March 2025. The cost of the tickets for the 2 trips will be around $1250/person. We are considering purchasing an annual pass (Incredi-pass)for 1 person in our 4 person party, which would help with parking costs (staying off site) and discounts on food/merchandise. Worried about needing to make park reservations, park hopping... I'm not very familiar with AP restrictions... Any other things I should consider?

 

[nherbert]

Park reservations will be the only restriction. Not only are they available, but that your parks are somewhat locked in once reserved. Are you staying on-site? What are the November dates, those are the ones that might have sold out?

 

[Tom_E_D]

Looking for some advice on whether I should get an Annual Pass. Pros/cons... We have a trip planned for November 2024 and another trip planned for March 2025. The cost of the tickets for the 2 trips will be around $1250/person. We are considering purchasing an annual pass (Incredi-pass)for 1 person in our 4 person party, which would help with parking costs (staying off site) and discounts on food/merchandise. Worried about needing to make park reservations, park hopping... I'm not very familiar with AP restrictions... Any other things I should consider?

For those staying offsite, the rule for when you can purchase LLMP/LLSP is different for annual passholders vs. date-based ticket holders. And the difference is not to the benefit of the annual passholder. Look into it if you are planning to buy LLMP/LLSP for yourself. APs can park hop, so there is no disadvantage there.

 

[Hemlock]

Park reservations will be the only restriction. Not only are they available, but that your parks are somewhat locked in once reserved. Are you staying on-site? What are the November dates, those are the ones that might have sold out?

November 14-22 are our dates

 

[Hemlock]

For those staying offsite, the rule for when you can purchase LLMP/LLSP is different for annual passholders vs. date-based ticket holders. And the difference is not to the benefit of the annual passholder. Look into it if you are planning to buy LLMP/LLSP for yourself. APs can park hop, so there is no disadvantage there.

We aren't planning on purchasing any LLMP/LLSP as we're fairly frequent visitors and have really started to enjoy more laid back/less structured park days

 

[nherbert]

November 14-22 are our dates

So at this time, all dates available to reserve all parks. Sorry I missed that you are staying off-site, so this would mean you could only reserve 5 days rolling, so you can’t do all reservations now. Are you doing more than 5 park days?

 

[nherbert]

November 14-22 are our dates

Another thing to consider with an AP you can get discounts on accommodation. For those dates for example 14-22 Nov, AoA lion king suite is $454 instead of $556 on average per night and POR had royal room for $308 instead of $416 on average per night.

 

[kylenne]

Depending on how many park days both those trips are I don’t see a scenario where 1 person getting an AP is going to justify the expense and increased hassle if you’re not even staying on site. The “1 person in the group gets an AP” hack is largely aimed at taking advantage of the resort discounts, that + merch and food will generally cover it. Like PPs said Disney made life exponentially more annoying for APs staying off site. Even if you don’t plan on buying LLs you’re going to be subject to the rolling park reservation restrictions unless you’re going during a period when they don’t require reservations (“Good to Go” days). Incredipass APs can’t hold more than 5 at a time so if your trip is longer than that that person will need to book reservations every day once they tap in after that initial 5.

If you’re serious about this then look at the AP discounts for resort rooms, unless you’re renting one of those giant vacation homes you may actually come out even or ahead staying onsite.

 

[elvispursley]

I had an incredi-pass AP this year (let it lapse because I didn’t like my renewal window as we want to visit during the holidays and mine expired in Sep). I definitely got my money’s worth using AP room discounts (we stayed avg of 10-days). Used it for all of TS meals, MNSSHP tix, and lots of merch.

As mentioned above, I’d don’t know that it’s worthwhile to have an AP if staying offsite, even with the other perks. The AP reservation thing stinks, especially if offsite.

 

[traveler9]

Depending on how many park days both those trips are I don’t see a scenario where 1 person getting an AP is going to justify the expense and increased hassle if you’re not even staying on site. The “1 person in the group gets an AP” hack is largely aimed at taking advantage of the resort discounts, that + merch and food will generally cover it. Like PPs said Disney made life exponentially more annoying for APs staying off site. Even if you don’t plan on buying LLs you’re going to be subject to the rolling park reservation restrictions unless you’re going during a period when they don’t require reservations (“Good to Go” days). Incredipass APs can’t hold more than 5 at a time so if your trip is longer than that that person will need to book reservations every day once they tap in after that initial 5.

If you’re serious about this then look at the AP discounts for resort rooms, unless you’re renting one of those giant vacation homes you may actually come out even or ahead staying onsite.

All you have to do to bypass the 5 day Incredipass limit is just book a Disney resort, make your park pass reservations as a resort guest, and then cancel the resort.

 

[kwdw]

So, 1545 vs 1250 is about 300 dollars more cost in tickets for one person, so you need to save 300 using AP discounts. If you plan to park 8 days, that’s $240. Are you planning any TS meals for all of you that will give you 10% off? Do you buy a lot of stuff? Basically, you are on the edge of whether it is worth it.

Now, yes, you can only hold 5 days of park reservations at a time, but unless you are traveling right at a holiday, I think it’s unlikely that will be an issue. And you can change them day of. Or almost worse case, you have to go to another park and then hop. I think it’s highly unlikely you can’t go to the same park as the rest of your party.

Good luck deciding!

 

[CanucksRock]

I’m an AP that has travelled with family without AP. It’s worth it. (I do 2-3 trips a year)

You get the 10% off table restaurants, 20% off merch, free parking. It adds up quick.

Especially if you are not get MPLL/SPLL. (The 3 day thing sucks for off site )

Getting Park Reservations has not been an issue for me at all. Even travelling during spring break in March. (I’m the planner of the group anyways, so I then know what park we are starting at)

 

[Hemlock]

Depending on how many park days both those trips are I don’t see a scenario where 1 person getting an AP is going to justify the expense and increased hassle if you’re not even staying on site. The “1 person in the group gets an AP” hack is largely aimed at taking advantage of the resort discounts, that + merch and food will generally cover it. Like PPs said Disney made life exponentially more annoying for APs staying off site. Even if you don’t plan on buying LLs you’re going to be subject to the rolling park reservation restrictions unless you’re going during a period when they don’t require reservations (“Good to Go” days). Incredipass APs can’t hold more than 5 at a time so if your trip is longer than that that person will need to book reservations every day once they tap in after that initial 5.

If you’re serious about this then look at the AP discounts for resort rooms, unless you’re renting one of those giant vacation homes you may actually come out even or ahead staying onsite.

thanks! some of these things I had not even considered. Our November 2024 stay is definitely off site, but we have not made plans for March 2025 yet

 

[Hemlock]

I had an incredi-pass AP this year (let it lapse because I didn’t like my renewal window as we want to visit during the holidays and mine expired in Sep). I definitely got my money’s worth using AP room discounts (we stayed avg of 10-days). Used it for all of TS meals, MNSSHP tix, and lots of merch.

As mentioned above, I’d don’t know that it’s worthwhile to have an AP if staying offsite, even with the other perks. The AP reservation thing stinks, especially if offsite.

Thanks, I'm starting to think it will not be worth the hassle

 

[Hemlock]

All you have to do to bypass the 5 day Incredipass limit is just book a Disney resort, make your park pass reservations as a resort guest, and then cancel the resort.

Ok, I was not aware that this would work!

 

[Hemlock]

So, 1545 vs 1250 is about 300 dollars more cost in tickets for one person, so you need to save 300 using AP discounts. If you plan to park 8 days, that’s $240. Are you planning any TS meals for all of you that will give you 10% off? Do you buy a lot of stuff? Basically, you are on the edge of whether it is worth it.

Now, yes, you can only hold 5 days of park reservations at a time, but unless you are traveling right at a holiday, I think it’s unlikely that will be an issue. And you can change them day of. Or almost worse case, you have to go to another park and then hop. I think it’s highly unlikely you can’t go to the same park as the rest of your party.

Good luck deciding!

Thanks! I'm very unfamiliar with the AP park reservations and how difficult it would be to get the same days as the rest of my party. We plan on visiting the parks for 10 days between the 2 trips, so parking costs alone will be covered.

I’m an AP that has travelled with family without AP. It’s worth it. (I do 2-3 trips a year)

You get the 10% off table restaurants, 20% off merch, free parking. It adds up quick.

Especially if you are not get MPLL/SPLL. (The 3 day thing sucks for off site )

Getting Park Reservations has not been an issue for me at all. Even travelling during spring break in March. (I’m the planner of the group anyways, so I then know what park we are starting at)

Thanks! Our March trip will be Canadian Spring Break - and I'm also the planner for our group

 

[elvispursley]

All you have to do to bypass the 5 day Incredipass limit is just book a Disney resort, make your park pass reservations as a resort guest, and then cancel the resort.

That will only work for the rest of the year. In 2025 onsite cancellations will be changed to 8-days.

 

[traveler9]

That will only work for the rest of the year. In 2025 onsite cancellations will be changed to 8-days.

It will affect LL but not park reservations, because you can make park reservations as an AP (onsite or offsite) 365 days ahead of time.

 

[Hemlock]

It will affect LL but not park reservations, because you can make park reservations as an AP (onsite or offsite) 365 days ahead of time.

Good to know!

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Another perk is you can add the photo pass for $100 to the AP and it would work for both trips and its cheaper than buying it seperatly anyway.