The "No Codes" Rumor - and AP renewal

[Taratink]

Do you pay less money for the year if you are renewing an AP then purchasing one for the first time?
Tara

 

[luvindisneyworld]

Do you pay less money for the year if you are renewing an AP then purchasing one for the first time?
Tara

yes

 

[MagicKingdom05]

I am a first time AP buyer, and what sold me is not having to worry about wasting 1 full day's worth of a ticket on the first day I get there since it will be 1 pm before I get to the parks. Also, if I only want to go for only a couple hours on one of the days, once again I can and don't have to worry about wasting the day.

 

[Sammie]

Our purchase of APs will not change. We buy ours to use in the parks. If we get any discounts it's an extra perk. We never buy to justify the savings if any discounts are offered.

 

[MdmMim]

Our purchase of APs will not change. We buy ours to use in the parks. If we get any discounts it's an extra perk. We never buy to justify the savings if any discounts are offered.

I totally agree with Sammie. I have had an AP for 9 years, and the reason I continue to purchase is to get into the parks. Any discounts are just "gravy!"

 

[n2mm]

I have to agree with the last 2 posts. I buy an AP for the parks and nothing more. We go to WDW about 30-40 days a year and an AP is my only option. I've had an AP for 10 years and I bought it for the park admission. If I get any other option out of it great...if I don't, no loss here either. I know that any extra we get is not guaranteed it drives me crazy when I see posts where folks get mad at Disney for not giving them a discount on their room just because there was a discount last year. I've seen many times where they have skipped a month(s) and offered no discounts and I've seen many times where there is no discount at certain resorts.....why? because the resort is almost to capacity and why? because there are so many people who now book their resorts HOPING for a discount. Folks just don't get it, the discounts are usually only available at the resorts that are a certain percentage empty and need filling. Booking your resorts (or holding your spot) goes against you (and others). I had a CM tell me recently that the AP discounts will be out the end of February, but also believe that there will be very few available the beginning of May when the celebration kicks off.

 

[PamNC]

I appreciate all the opinions. There seems to be a mixed bag of answers here. We're still debating. We do purchase the APs with the extreme hope of a discount at the Deluxe resorts. We've been staying deluxe since 1999 and love it, but I can't see paying rack rate. If for some reason codes weren't offered, we would either stay at a moderate, rent DVC points, or hope for a nice discount at the Swan or Dolphin.

We're only going once this year, so I think, at least that's the plan now so we might skip renewing this year. However, I can see how it would still be beneficial, codes or not, to buy APs. I think I would have to know that I would spend 14+ days at the parks in order to make it worthwhile.

Keep the opinions coming -

PamNC

 

[Jockaroo]

I'm not sure if we will renew ours this year or not, but it has nothing to do with any room discounts. We get our passes to get entrance to the parks and the free parking perk. Discounts at the restaurants, DTD and resort rooms are just icing on the cake.

We will not renew, if we decide not to take our 12 day trip this May. If we don't take our May trip, it will be because we will be going to Disneyland. We will probably buy an AP the next time we can go for an extended vacation.

 

[candleonwater]

I'm not a fan of Disney's AP, as we don't go to Disney enough to justify one (or so I thought!). We only go to Disney for 3 nights a year, and occasionally for an additional 2-3 night trip. Well, this time, I was facing paying rack for a tower room at CR, painful, but since my daughter really wanted to try it, I figured I would do it. I just checked into it, and if I buy an AP, I can shave about $400 off the room rate... does this sound right? That would mean, based on what I was willing to pay for the room, the AP will only be costing me <$100?

 

[seashoreCM]

You can buy two ten day MYW tickets at gate price without hopping for less then the price of one new AP.

If you include hopping, the AP is better at 13 days.

Statistically it is better to buy a new AP rather than renew if your next visit is more than a month and a half from the expiration of your current AP.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm