Ultimate Park Hopper Pass vs. Dream Maker

[iluvwdw_2002]

Hey, Everyone!

I am planning my trip to Disney staying in a Disney resort for the first time. I am very excited about it!!! I have always stayed off property and just purchased a Park Hopper pass.

But my question is for all your experienced ones out there....does everyone get the Dream Maker package or get the Ultimate Park Hopper pass instead? We are planning on going to Universal one day during our stay, so I was thinking that maybe just getting the park hopper pass would be a better deal, but I don't know since I have never gotten a Dream Maker package. What do you guys recommend?

Thanks!

 

[tjkraz]

Generally speaking the packages do not save you any money. You're better off booking your room separately and keeping your eyes open for discounted rates closer to your travel date. If discounts are available, you can always re-book at the lower rate.

Regarding the passes, the UPH is designed to be a "Length of Stay" pass, meaning that you pay for every day of your stay. If you're planning a day at Universal, the UPH may not be for you. Why pay for a day at WDW that you won't use?

However, you can "drop" either your arrival or departure day from your UPH. If your stay was from Sunday to Friday, you could drop either Sunday or Friday from your UPH--paying for only 5 days instead of 6. You could then schedule your Universal visit for either the arrival or departure day.

Whatever you do, make sure you consider carefully whether you'll even use the additional benefits the UPH offers. If you aren't going to make liberal use of the water parks, PI or Disney Quest, you're likely better off with a Park Hopper. Also remember that Park Hopper days don't expire. If you don't fully use your pass it can be kept for a future trip. Access to the parks under the UPH ends at midnight the day your vacation ends.

 

[swilphil]

We didn't book a package because we got the teacher/govt/nurse discount at the Dolphin. We bought Park Hopper Plus tickets (not the Ultimate). I would recommend that unless you are planning on doing all the extras that the Ultimate includes. We didn't even use the pluses on our Park Hopper passes but might go to a water park when our kids get older.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by tjkraz
...However, you can "drop" either your arrival or departure day from your UPH...

Just a note of clarification for the OP. If you take a package such as the Dream Maker, you cannot drop any days from the UPH. You must take it from checkin to check out.

If you book a room-only reservation, you can purchase the UPH at resort check-in and have your arrival/departure dates dropped if you so desire.

 

[iluvwdw_2002]

Thanks!

I was just unsure if I should get the Length of Stay pass for the full 10 days we are there, or just get like UPH for like 7 or 8 days. We do want to go to PI a couple of times, and I am still working on my husband to make a visit to one of the water parks, since neither one of us have been.

I appreciate all your response and help...it looks like the better deal will be to buy our tickets separately rather than a package.

Thanks!

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by iluvwdw_2002
Thanks!

I was just unsure if I should get the Length of Stay pass for the full 10 days we are there, or just get like UPH for like 7 or 8 days. We do want to go to PI a couple of times, and I am still working on my husband to make a visit to one of the water parks, since neither one of us have been.

Just to clarify, the Ultimate Park Hopper pass IS a length of stay pass. This pass can only be purchased when staying at a WDW resort, and the duration of the pass is normally identical to your room reservation.

However, you can "drop" either your arrival or departure day from the UPH pass. Some CMs will let you drop both arrival and departure days.

I'm assuming you will be visiting for 10 days, 9 nights. If so, the shortest UPH you could buy would be 8 days. If you go that route, you will not be able to enter any of the parks on the day that you arrive at WDW or the day that you leave. All days in the middle you will have full access.

A UPH for 8 days will cost $366 (Adult) at current prices.

Don't mean to confuse you, but there are a couple more options to consider. The 7-day Park Hopper Plus may make more sense if you think there are days in the middle of your trip on which you will not be at Disney. With the PHP, you get 7 days at the four main theme parks and four "Plus" options which give you access to the water parks and Pleasure Island. In effect, you could have 7 days at the main theme parks, 2 water park days (plus) and 2 visits to pleasure island with this pass. The Advance Purchase price for this pass through Disney is $327 (Adult), but you may find it even cheaper through third-party resellers.

Lastly, if there's any chance you will return to WDW within 365 days, look seriously at an annual pass. The breakeven point for an AP is usually 8-9 days, so you're right there with this one trip. The standard AP, which gives unlimited access to the four main parks for a full year, is presently $393. The Premium AP, which also gives unlimited access to the Water Parks, Pleasure Island and DisneyQuest for a full year is $521.

It's worth noting that the AP holders are offered some of the deepest room-only discounts that WDW makes available. It's hard to factor this in to your ticketing decision, but the AP may end up saving your hundreds on your room stay, depending on the type of resort (value, moderate, deluxe) you choose.

I know this is a lot to digest, but you can really save yourself a ton by choosing the most appropriate ticket type. Unless you're going to make LIBERAL use of Pleasure Island and the water parks, I suspect the UPH is the least beneficial ticket.

Seriously consider the AP. Imagine making a return trip in 51 weeks and only having to pay for lodging and transportation!!!

Good luck and feel free to ask more questions if you have them.

 

[iluvwdw_2002]

Great info!!! I was looking into the Annual pass...one question...one the room discounts, who would I contact to get the discounts for the room? Is that through Disney?

And do you by any chance know how much of a discount it is? We are thinking of staying at the CBR hotel. I have gotten a quote for $1288 or something along those lines through Our Laughing Place.

I do appreciate all your different options and ideas. I have not stayed at the Disney resort before, so I don't know all the ins and outs of everything and on getting good deals.

Thanks!!

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by iluvwdw_2002
And do you by any chance know how much of a discount it is? We are thinking of staying at the CBR hotel. I have gotten a quote for $1288 or something along those lines through Our Laughing Place.

I'll start by pointing out that I am not presently an annual passholder. My wife and I just bought into DVC, and will be getting APs next year.

That said, here's the benefit of what I've read on these boards.

AP rates are only released a few months ahead of time. You should be able to book now through CRO (WDW Central Reservations) just to reserve your dates with a minimal down payment. Then, if an AP rate is released closer to your travel dates, you can call and ask to change your reservation over to the lower rate.

It's worth noting that you do NOT need to have an AP in your possession when you make the reservation at an AP rate. However you DO need to present the AP when you check-in at the resort. So basically you can make your reservations now, and hopefully upgrade to an AP rate closer to your travel date. If there turns out to not be an AP rate for your travel dates, then you can look at other ticketing options. If you do get AP rates, pick up the AP voucher at a local Disney Store before you leave home, or just get it in the Orlando airport after you land.

According to Mousesavers.com (a website you should definitely bookmark and read), the current October - December AP rates at moderates are $79 standard (Value season) and $99 standard (Regular season). The number of rooms available at these rates is limited, so you'll want to check these message boards and mousesavers frequently as your travel date approaches to make sure you get a room at the AP rates as soon as they are published.

If I left anything out or misspoke above, I'm sure an experienced AP holder will help out...

 

[iluvwdw_2002]

tjkraz,

Thank you so much for the information. you answered all my questions, and it does make sense how it all works. I do appreciate you taking the time to explain...clears up a lot of confusion, and I had no idea that AP holders received discounts on the rooms or that you could pick up an AP at your local disney store. Great stuff!!

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by iluvwdw_2002
tjkraz,

Thank you so much for the information. you answered all my questions, and it does make sense how it all works. I do appreciate you taking the time to explain...clears up a lot of confusion, and I had no idea that AP holders received discounts on the rooms or that you could pick up an AP at your local disney store. Great stuff!!

You're welcome. You can read more about AP benefits here:

http://www.wdwig.com/apass.htm

There are discounts on dining, shopping, spa treatments, WDW tours, recreation, and much more which may be of use during your stay.

Also one final note about purchasing APs. When you buy at the Disney Store, you don't receive the actual AP, you receive a Voucher. The voucher is traded in for the actual AP when you reach WDW, and your one year doesn't begin until the trade-in occurs. So if you buy the AP 2 weeks before your trip, you aren't losing any time because your clock doesn't start ticking until you reach the gates.

 

[iluvwdw_2002]

One more....(sorry).....can you just present the voucher upon checkin at the resort or do you have to have the actuall AP with you?

So, when we get off the plane, do we need to head straight for the hotel and use the voucher to checkin or do we have to go to the park to get our AP and then go checkin?

Thanks!!

 

[tjkraz]

I've read posts before that claim you really need to have an activated AP at check-in, not just the voucher. You can activate at a Downtown Disney location if you don't want to go all the way to one of the theme parks.

Alternatively, just wait until you arrive in Orlando to purchase. If you are flying, there are Disney Store locations at the Orlando airport that will sell you an activated AP, not just the voucher. There are no pre-purchase discounts on APs, so there should be no price break either way.

The link I gave to to wdwig in my last post has other locations you can buy and/or activate APs.

 

[XStAnt]

I hope I don't confuse everythng but... APs are only for admission to the 4 main parks (MK, Epcot, MGM, AK). It is not good for the water parks, PI, or DQ. (You need a PAP for those to be included).

However, depending on how often you plan on going to PI or the water parks the AP may still be worth it. The room discounts often make up for the few times you'd pay admission to those parks. Plus, only one person in your group needs an AP to get the room discount. If you plan on going to the water parks or PI the rest of your family can get PHPs and only one person has to pay for admission to a water park, etc.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Grumpy37]

Our water view room at the Yacht Club (a deluxe resort) just after Thanksgiving is just over 32% off the rack rate. That's $123 savings per night. If -- and I do mean IF -- you can take advantage of the AP rates as they become available (a couple months in advance) you can really save big.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you make two or more trips to WDW in a year's time, the premium AP is a better deal than almost all other kinds of admission starting with your eleventh Disney day. (Fairy Tale packages appear to be an exception.) But if you expect fewer than four visits to DQ, PI, or water parks all year, the regular AP is better.

Room discounts with the AP can be hard to get for certain peak dates such as Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.

You can also avoid having to pay for the first and/or last day UPH (length of stay) pass even with packages if you book a different resort as room-only for the actual first and/or last night.

More Disney tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm
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