Talk to me about AP (Fort Wilderness)

[ilovedisneymm]

This will be our third year in a row to DW and considering getting annual passes and we stay the same month each time.

We love it What makes our trip over the top perfect is where we stay and we stay at Fort Wilderness. It is like a second home to us.

A bit of history about our stays...

First year stayed 7 nights in the cabins at FW.
Second year brought our RV and stayed 11 nights at FW.
This year marks our third year and we will be staying 17 nights at FW but this time in two tents. I know most people would gasp at staying in a tent at Disney and or for that amount of time but that is ok. I gasp at a $400 nightly room fee and that is ok. We all lives our lives differently.

So we are considering getting AP if things go well in the tents. I think we will be just fine. But until we actually stay several nights in the tents I won't be able to fully commit to the AP. I want to make sure we all enjoy it before upgrading. Coming back the following year (2016) in a cabin is not possible (cost wise) and same for RV (way too much of fuel) plus we are building a house in 2015 between this trip in 30 days and our following year and the only way should come back to Disney and be financially wise would be in tents.

As is sits right now we have 10 day base ticket and thinking about upgrading to the park hopper.

Hopper cost is $260.
Cost 10 day base ticket for us all $1400 (ish)
Add hopper then we sit at $1660 (ish)

We most likely are going to get the hooper so lets just say $1650 for tickets this trip.

Next year if go back (highly likely if all goes well with the tents)

Same cost again.....x2 ten day, park hopper, $3320

IF we get the AP and go two plus weeks late January this trip as scheduled. Then go two weeks or three weeks next trip early January so dates don't overlap then we sit at....$2536 (this includes hopper).

So obviously it makes since to upgrade to the AP cost wise but again we will not know until a few days into our trip and really I would like to wait until the first week is over before making that call just to be sure we will do the tents again the following year.

My questions are the following....

Say we have our base tickets with hopper and upgrade 7 days into our trip....We arrive January 15 but will not go into the park until the 17th. Lets say we decide to upgrade to the AP on January 21st. I assume Disney will gladly upgrade us from regular tickets to AP holders and deducted what we have already paid in ticket cost this trip. Would our AP be active from that date January 21st or would they go back to our first arrival date?? I guess this is not that big of deal but it might be....

I looked into some discounts but I really only see a handful of 10% discounts for sit down restaurants.
Do you get any discounts at counter service places?
How about BBB?
What about Trails End and Giddy up and Go?
Our meals consist of 1/2 at our site (we cook) and 1/4 Trails End/Giddy Up and Go there at Fort Wilderness and 1/4 counter service in the park. We have done character meals in the past and don't foresee another in the next couple trips. Time wise we have so waiting to meet certain characters is not a problem and my kids prefer this as they get more time with the characters when we do wait in line at the parks.
What about discount with the AP for staying at FW?

I dont see these places specifically listed as discounted with AP so I'm not sure we will be gaining anything discount wise (expect for tickets).

How does FP+ work for AP? I'm thinking they get the short end of the stick but I don't know the specifics....

Any other benefit for being AP holders that I am missing?

Anyway, trying to decide and all the info I can gather will be very helpful. Thanks in advance!

 

[tobikaye]

First, have you checked out this link: 2014 WDW AP Benefits. It might answer some of your questions as once you click on each section it gives you the current listing. Now, some things might change, but this is what is currently listed.

As for the starting date of an upgraded ticket to AP, I believe it is the date the ticket was first used. So, if you use your ticket to go to a park on 1/17, I think that will be the date your AP is considered active.

As for Counter Service discounts, I do not know of any AP discounts. I had TIW when I had my AP and was able to get discounts at the Value counter service and at AK counter service. The link above indicates that BBB doe not get a discount.

 

[ghtx]

As for the starting date of an upgraded ticket to AP, I believe it is the date the ticket was first used. So, if you use your ticket to go to a park on 1/17, I think that will be the date your AP is considered active.

Yes I think that's correct.

Also OP check out this thread with info on how FP works for AP-holders: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3326057

Annual Pass (AP) holders can prebook attractions up to 60 days in advance of the beginning of an onsite stay, for a maximum of 7 days or the length of the onsite stay--whichever is greater. As with above, FP+ selections can be made for the entire length of stay.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I believe that the PP is correct and your AP date will be the day you first used the ticket you upgraded to an AP.

Now, about other discounts, definitely look into Tables in Wonderland. It was one of my favorite parts of having an Annual Pass. You will get a 20% discount at many table service restaurants. On top of this, you also get that discount at a handful of counter service restaurants such as those at Animal Kingdom and many counter service restaurants at the moderate and deluxe hotels. At Fort Wilderness, you get a discount at Crockett's Tavern, Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review, Trail's End, and Mickey's Backyard BBQ. The TIW card more than paid for itself for us after only one visit. Counter service restaurants in Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios don't really accept the card, but if you take some time and plan, you could spend the same amount at some of the table service restaurants with your discount as you would at a counter service restaurant. Something to think about.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

We upgraded hopper passes in Jan 2014 to APs and the expiration date is one year from the date of first use of the hopper passes. (Not the date we upgraded to APs. It makes sense that if you are getting credit for the cost of your current passes toward the cost of your AP, then the dates would also be "credited.") So I know that the AP expiration date goes back to first use of your hopper pass. (Also check the expiration date of your APs when you do upgrade - we had a glitch in ours that needed fixed.)
Remember that you need to upgrade to APs before your hopper passes expire. You can't get credit toward a pass upgrade if the pass is fully used up. Just FYI.

 

[kristainohio]

We must have gotten lucky when we upgraded to our AP. Both times we did it, our expiration date was one year from the day we got our AP, not the first day we used the tickets.

 

[SeilerBird]

Just remember it can rain abhorrently any time of year. Here is a video I took out of the front of my RV in March and I live 25 miles from the mouse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHykWXTPNFs