To AP or not to AP?????

[pdmeroc]

We will be staying for 11 nights, most likely at POR.
Would it be worth it to get an AP for just this trip?
5 people in my family; will stay in one room with trundle.

 

[mic_key_mouse]

Depends on your dates, whether you will use the water parks, etc, and whether or not you can get an AP rate for those dates. If historically there are AP rates available during your dates then I would get at least one just for the room discount.

The reality is for an 11 day trip you probably won't be in the parks every day, so you will have to decide whether MYW for the number of days you will be in the parks (with or without addons) is a better deal than an AP/PAP- and you also need to be thinking about whether you can get back within the year. If you can, then APs for everyone is a no-brainer.

 

[InstImpres]

Dpending on your plans, I would say at least one AP for possible rooms discounts and to be able to get the Disney Dining Experience Card.

 

[Gary M]

The AP will cost $421 and the MYW hopper for 10 days is $232. If you want to add water parks both would be more. If you can get the room discount for POR with the AP then as said before, it would most likely be wise for one person to get an AP.

 

[horner5]

We just went through this dilemma over the weekend-our AP's expired on 12/18. We're going in June '06 (5 of us) and staying at POR (haven't made reservations yet). We budgeted for a rack rate trip, but we're hoping to get a better deal with the Best Rate program and we'll renew our Disney Dining Experience card (which paid for itself over our last 2 trips); therefore, we just renewed my husband's AP and got a great deal on tix-9 day MYW base tix for $202 each for the rest of us.

At least we have one AP in the event room deals open up and also for our DDE card.

 

[pdmeroc]

Thanks Horner5. Everything I read/hear and my gut tells me I should get one AP to get the better room rate. Have also discussed stayingoff site, but want to be at Disney all the time. Sounds like POR is a great place, just shy of luxuries. We will get the water park option as well. We fly down some grub to eat (oatmeal, fruit, pop tarts etc...) to help defer cost of food, but will probably get DDE card as well. We eat about 1-2 meals in park daily. Only 1-2 big sitdowns for the week and two character meals. Great flights from Allegiant Air out of Toledo if you are close ($990 for 5 round trip) but to Sanford. Please let me know if you have any other tips about AP and DDE card.

 

[InstImpres]

to help defer cost of food, but will probably get DDE card as well. We eat about 1-2 meals in park daily. Only 1-2 big sitdowns for the week and two character meals.

Counter service in the parks (except AK) do NOT accept DDE. Just keep that in mind when figure the cost of DDE

 

[horner5]

Thanks Horner5. Everything I read/hear and my gut tells me I should get one AP to get the better room rate. Have also discussed stayingoff site, but want to be at Disney all the time. Sounds like POR is a great place, just shy of luxuries. We will get the water park option as well. We fly down some grub to eat (oatmeal, fruit, pop tarts etc...) to help defer cost of food, but will probably get DDE card as well. We eat about 1-2 meals in park daily. Only 1-2 big sitdowns for the week and two character meals. Great flights from Allegiant Air out of Toledo if you are close ($990 for 5 round trip) but to Sanford. Please let me know if you have any other tips about AP and DDE card.

The DDE is well worth the $50. We like to do 'Ohana and a few character meals and with the 5 of us, it pays for itself within a couple of meals. Thanks for the heads up about Allegiant Air. We're on the other side of Michigan. We actually just booked air on Tuesday through Midwest for $230 pp out of Muskegon (which is 10 minutes max from our house). We usually fly out of Chicago (which includes a 3 hour drive, stay overnight and parking fees) for $180 each. This is a much better deal for us and worth the extra $$. I really hope the Best Rate plan works out for us. $155 for POR per night is just crazy.

 

[Judge Smails]

We will be staying for 11 nights, most likely at POR.
Would it be worth it to get an AP for just this trip?
5 people in my family; will stay in one room with trundle.

Gotta go with at least one AP. The DDE card in and of itself is worth the discount, plus the reduced rates on rooms and stores. You have 11 days on this AP, that's the break even point so the discounts put you in the plus....go for it!

 

[Allison]

The DDE is well worth the $50. We like to do 'Ohana and a few character meals and with the 5 of us, it pays for itself within a couple of meals. Thanks for the heads up about Allegiant Air. We're on the other side of Michigan. We actually just booked air on Tuesday through Midwest for $230 pp out of Muskegon (which is 10 minutes max from our house). We usually fly out of Chicago (which includes a 3 hour drive, stay overnight and parking fees) for $180 each. This is a much better deal for us and worth the extra $$. I really hope the Best Rate plan works out for us. $155 for POR per night is just crazy.

The DDE card is worth it to most families but not if you don't do table service restaurants. Only buy it if you will be spending more than $250 on table service restaurants. That's the break-even point.

Also, the OP needs to keep in mind that a BRP for POR is not guaranteed and if available, they are limited. So, buying an AP strictly for the room discount has an element of risk to it.