Ticket Help for 2 trips

[nutsforgolf]

Please help me decide what tickets I should get?

1) Trip 1 is this September for 7 nights, I will need 2 adults and 1 child ticket. We like to hop and plan on going to at least one water park, maybe two if we have the time. My wife and I also like to go to PI about 2-3 times(without the kids, my MIL will be with us to babysit). We will staying at BWV for 7 nights (DVC rental)

2) Trip 2 is for the following June. This time we will need 2 adults and 2 child tickets (my son will be 3). We may only do 3 days in the themeparks this trip plus both water parks. No pleasure island ( MIL will not be with us) and no real need to hop for this trip. No hotel booked yet, but family would like to stay at AKL.

My delima is should we purchase 10 day premium no exp tickets, use 7 days this trip and 3 next. save 2 of the extras for the waterparks. We may have to limit PI or pay separate so we can use the extras for the waterparks. Then hope for a special room rate for AKL next year. OR is it worth to buy AP passes for myself, wife and 1 child this year and 1 MYW child ticket next year. Use the AP for a room discount. I guess I need to find out what is the breakeven point for AP tickets over a 10 day no exp premium pass? Please help. Thanks

 

[fam4jc]

Hi. I would go with the AP's for all three of you. You get a discount on the DDE card, and admissions to some of the other sites you were talking about as an ap holder. You also can get GREAT rates IF they release ap codes for your time frame.

I purchased an ap for myself (actually was a Christmas gift) used it to get a great rate for my mommie & me trip next week. I had purchased my two child's tix through ticketmania but will upgrade them to child aps when we get to the parks b/c we are now going back in December for another 7 nights. I think you would come out way ahead by going the standard ap route and buying seperate admissions for PI and the water parks with the discount. If you get the DDE card, that will save you 20% off food also. That can be a pretty big chunk of change!

 

[nutsforgolf]

What is the DDE card...is the 20% off food at all places within Disney. What is cheaper...base AP and pay for admission to PI and waterparks, or a premium AP? Also, what is a typical room discount for June at either a deluxe or Moderate.

 

[fam4jc]

http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/apass.htm this is a link to the all ears site that describes the ap and has all the benefits listed. It's my understanding that the latest ap rates were a flat $100 off rack for delux resorts. I am going during peak season staying at AKL savannah view next week and I am paying $221 inc tax per night using the ap discount code. June is regular season, so the rates should be less. There is a break even analysis on the site also to see which tickets are the best for you. The discount on admissions is also a flat rate; something like $3 and $4 off per ticket. I imagine you would need to price out the tickets with the pluses and then compare that to what you would pay with ap purchasing seperate tickets. Bear in mind that Disney doesn't always release ap discounts but when they do, they are generally the best rates the average person can get.

The dde card is the Disney Dining Experience card. It is a membership card that allows the card holder to receive 20% off food in almost all of the wdw restaurants and counter service places; even some snack shops. With the ap you get a $25 discount off the card making it $50. Most people report that it has saved them lots of money on food. I have mine but haven't used it yet.

If you don't think you will use the pluses on your first trip I would not buy the premium ap. They are quite a bit more expensive than the standard ap.

I hope this helps

 

[seashoreCM]

The 10 day non-expiring pass with plus pack seems to be the least expensive, in terms of park admission.

Only one person needs to get an annual pass for the family to tke advantage of room discounts, 20% off meals card, etc.

Four plus visits is the break even between the premium AP and the regular AP. Note that from time to time Pleasure Island has a five more consecutive nights for five more dollars promotion, if this is occuring during your vacation, one week of Pleasure Island counts as one visit for comparing the AP;'s.

Two plus visits and the plus pack is better than single waterpark etc. admissions.

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