Should I Buy Annual Passes or Hopper Tickets?

[Jay Foster]

I could not seem to find a thread that answered this question.

There are 3 of us going for 10 days. I know we get a discount with DVC on the Annual Passes.

We like to go to the Magic Kingdom and MGM which is where we would spend most of our time. Is it more cost effective to buy Annual Passes or should I just buy park hopper tickets for the entire stay?

I want to add that I don't like hassles or problems normally on vacation and now I really don't like them (Hurricane Katrina destroyed my house) so if it is just a little more expensive to get the Annual Passes but less hassle, I would go with that.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[cobbler]

Well with the DVC discount an AP is the same as a 7 to 8 day non expire park hopper. Just $14 more than a 7 day and 33 less than an 8 day.

So if you plan on going more than that it would be cost effective to get the AP. Plus if you go on vacation the week prior he next year then you can use that same AP.

 

[byoung]

I Agree.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

If you will be there more than 10 days (within a year) and will go into the parks every day, then the annual pass is worth it. However, I felt I had to go into the parks everyday just because I could (cuz I had the annual pass) which blew my plans to enjoy the resort ( BWV.) But there is always next trip!!

However, I also bought 10 day non expiration tickets to use after the passes expire and I will spend probably 3 days at the parks each trip and enjoy the pool and resort more or go to the other Orlando Parks. That way my 10 day pass will last for 3 trips!

 

[jdvm]

It's been a while since I've done the calculations, but our rule of thumb has always been that the breakeven is 10 days. So if we thought we'd be in Orlando for at least 10 days in a year, we'd buy annual passes. We like the freedom they give you to go to a park and leave after an hour or two or to go to MGM just to have dinner. We've found that with an annual passes, we don't feel obligated to "get our money's worth" every time we go through a turnstile.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

With the DVC discount of $100 on the AP the breakeven point is somewhere between 7 and 8 days when compared to a non expiring MYW-PH. We have purchased APs for this trip (leaving tomorrow!!) with 5 days of park-hopping and another 5 days over New Year's.

It's worth the price!

 

[Caskbill]

It depends a lot on just how you would use the tickets. For example you could get 10-day non-hopping passes for your 10 day stay for $223.65, and that would be about $112 LESS than buying AP's, even after applying the $100 AP discount.

When you add the park-hopping option, and then if you add non-expiring, then the MYW ticket price starts to go up. EG, add park hopping and the ticket costs $42.60 more, and add non-expiring and the ticket goes up another $143.78.

You can compare ticket prices right here on the DIS, and even get some discount prices on regular MYW tickets.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tickets.htm#blue-tickets


If you're only going to vacation these 10 days within a 12 month period, then your best bet is to go with the 10 day MYW tickets for $223.65 without park hopping, or $266.25 with park hopping.

Your AP using the DVC discount would be $335.48

NOTE: ALL PRICES mentioned above include the 6.5% tax.

 

[JPC]

Excellent thread and useful posts [2 cents].

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We also must not forget to factor in the secondary benefits of an annual pass.
This may or may not apply to Jay, but it's good info for anyone lurking.

• If you would stay at an on site deluxe resort within the year, the resort discount alone could pay for the entire pass.
• An annual pass makes you eligible for the Disney Dinning Experience card. The DDE can also save a bundle, depending on your dinning habits.
• If you ever stay off site, or take a day trip to WDW, the annual pass gives you free parking at the theme parks.
• Discounts on mini-golf (last I knew 50%).
• Various smaller discounts throughout WDW.

There may be others, but that's all that comes to mind at the moment.

MG

 

[Rella Bella]

We like the freedom they give you to go to a park and leave after an hour or two or to go to MGM just to have dinner. We've found that with an annual passes, we don't feel obligated to "get our money's worth" every time we go through a turnstile.

I loved this about the AP! Plus you never know that you won't get an unexpected trip back to Orlando and get to use it even more... we ended up with two unexpected trips one year (business)... without our AP we definitley would have spent much more. With it we did a little better than break even, but even that is worth the flexibility... especially on travel days.