To AP or not to AP?

[AlvaroLuis]

Hi all,

I've been trying to decide if it would be a good idea to buy one annual passholder this year or not. We'll be travelling at the end of Dec and will stay in the Orlando area for 3 weeks... We will visit other parks but will mostly go to WDW parks.

I thought about buying 10-day MYW tickets with the PLUS option for 4 adults. For the purpose of doing the calculations let's forget about the PLUS thing. 10-days MYW is $221.52 vs. Annual Passholder at $420.68 Lets round up the difference at $200.

We'll be staying 2 nights at a Disney resort next January on marathon weekend. So, at the usual AP rate for that time of the year on a moderate resort we would probably save there around $90.

Almost forgot... add $50 for the Disney Dining Experience. That should put a 20% flat discount rate on most restaurants on property for the whole 3 weeks! At an average of $100 per sit down meal once a day times 10 days (we'll be visiting other parks too)... comes up to around $200 in discounts... GUESS IT'S ALREADY PAID FOR!!!

Sounds like a good deal... what do you all think?

Oh!!! and don't forget the free parking... how much is that now?... $8 times many times!!!!

 

[pooh2001]

We AP - we are staying 14 nights at WDW. We like the idea we can go to any park any day any time (it's open of course).

We try to swing a short 7 day WDW vacation the following year.
After our planned 2 week vacation at WDW for 2006 - not sure what our finances will be. We are planning close to $7K for 2006 (about $3500 per week). With an AP discount on our room - it may go down to $6K.

A park hopper- no expiration with no pluses is $353.58 for 10 day ticket - and we would need $250.28 for 4 day ticket (same rules)

An annual pass is $420.68

So for our 14 days
MYT = $43.13 per day for an adult
AP = $30.05 per day for an adult

If we can squeeze in another 7 days, we are $20.03 per day per adult(for 21 days of use).

Plus the 20% off at meals with DDE card - estimated savings - $200.
Plus a possible AP rate at the WL - estimated savings - $1288 (if 30% off a night)


See what ius best for your family
try Deb Will's comparison chart:
http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/ticketchart.htm#other

good luck with your choice

 

[calie_j]

The first thing you need to do is figure out exactly how many days you're spending in the park for this trip. You're there 21 days so is 10 days enough with the other parks or will it be more once you figure it out. Also do you want park hopping, if so add $35.

I'm confused when you say you're staying next January, do you mean 2006? If so you can check AP best rate for your savings during that time but if you plan to use BR you'd have to get your voucher and book pretty soon here.

Are you staying offsite for this Dec trip? Then you can add $8/day for parking to your savings.

DDE is definately a great savings. I got an AP just cause I knew I'd save close to the $200 extra for the AP on that alone. If you're obsessive like me it's never too early to plan where you want to eat and use all ears menus to estimate what you'd order to figure out what each meal will cost to get a closer estimate on what your 20% savings will be. Don't forget to check the list of restaurants that take DDE, alot of counter service don't. Also remember that there's alot of great places to eat at the resorts for days you aren't going into the parks so for example you could have 10 days at the parks and still have 15 meals you could use DDE at if you can fit in breakfast/dinner with your other plans for those days.

One other thing I want to toss your way to think about. We're only there for a little over a week and had a free day with my sister and her idea for things to do were Busch Gardens/Sea World. For us those things would cost us an extra $45 per person but an extra day at WDW only cost us $2/person so I talked her into coming with us for 1 day. With 3 weeks you have plenty of time for other parks but if you can do 12 days or more at WDW instead of 10 each extra day is more cost effective.

Working these numbers can be fun but you do have the right idea with the AP for savings.

Calie

 

[AlvaroLuis]

We AP - we are staying 14 nights at WDW. We like the idea we can go to any park any day any time (it's open of course).

We try to swing a short 7 day WDW vacation the following year.
After our planned 2 week vacation at WDW for 2006 - not sure what our finances will be. We are planning close to $7K for 2006 (about $3500 per week). With an AP discount on our room - it may go down to $6K.

A park hopper- no expiration with no pluses is $353.58 for 10 day ticket - and we would need $250.28 for 4 day ticket (same rules)

An annual pass is $420.68

So for our 14 days
MYT = $43.13 per day for an adult
AP = $30.05 per day for an adult

If we can squeeze in another 7 days, we are $20.03 per day per adult(for 21 days of use).

Plus the 20% off at meals with DDE card - estimated savings - $200.
Plus a possible AP rate at the WL - estimated savings - $1288 (if 30% off a night)


See what ius best for your family
try Deb Will's comparison chart:
http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/ticketchart.htm#other

good luck with your choice

Thanks Pooh

The more I run the numbers the more sense it makes to get the AP. I read somewhere that you also get 50% off on Pleasure Island tickets with DDE... Lots of little perks add up!

 

[swilphil]

You definitely will benefit going the AP route.

 

[AlvaroLuis]

Calie... the two trips (Jan and Dec) are in 2006... so both will fall within the life of the AP. December will be 7-days DCL Western Caribbean cruise, with a few days at the parks.

I'm with you on how the MYW ticket makes it so hard to go visit other parks...

 

[AlvaroLuis]

You definitely will benefit going the AP route.

I checked with my travel agent yesterday regarding the best rate program. The two hotels that we checked came out at a price very similar to what you would usually get with regular AP rates for the Value Season... Only problem is that I need to get my AP before I can book this ... gotta move fast!!!