Use current AP vouchers, or buy new ones

[frannn]

When I found out the Disney Club was going to be phased out, I decided to buy an extra set of APs for DH and I, to take advantage of the small discount. So I have an unused set of vouchers. Now, times are a bit tougher for us, since we have purchased a new car (needed it), real estate taxes have increased, and will have to pay for APs for 2 DDs (DD will turn 3 a week before trip, DD11's AP expires two weeks before trip). I have not yet told DH about these vouchers, as I paid for them out of my savings, and had planned to reimb myself from our joint acct upon use. We are now planning a trip for Oct, and I am debating whether I should produce these vouchers, and save us some cash outlay, or just keep the vouchers hidden (since they don't expire, can keep them as emergency passes for when we have not enough $ for trip). I would pay for the new vouchers with our tax refund, and DH may end up getting a retro check for a raise he should have gotten for the past two years (don't know when and how much yet, still in negotiation). The bottom line is that it will be tight either way, and may end up tighter in the future, so I am not sure if I should use my "emergency ticket fund". Any thoughts?

 

[disneymom3]

Isn't there anyway you could change your trip to three weeks earlier. I think I would aim for THAT money saving alternative first. You would not have to pay for SO many things for the youngest from park tickets to buffets! Plus, you have to get an adult AP for that older DD, right? That is a savings of over $600 right there. Wow! I'll do a LOT of plan changing for $600!

As for the purchase new or use the old, I guess it would depend on how tight money is. You mentioned a tax return, would you be able to save some of that in long term savings? What would you do with the money you would be saving if you use the old vouchers?

 

[disneychrista]

I agree with the previous poster. If you can move your trip up until just before the soon to be 3yo birthday. You won't have to pay for her ticket, your oldests AP will still be valid.

IMO, I would use the vouchers now. As far as I know they may not expire but you will have to pay the difference between the cost of the old AP and whatever the current pass is. I may be wrong but that is my understanding, so in the long run, if this is true, the vouchers will be worth less and less (or in other words you will have to pay more and more to redeem them)

 

[Ozymoe]

IMO, I would use the vouchers now. As far as I know they may not expire but you will have to pay the difference between the cost of the old AP and whatever the current pass is. I may be wrong but that is my understanding, so in the long run, if this is true, the vouchers will be worth less and less (or in other words you will have to pay more and more to redeem them)

Waaaaaaaait a minute! I don't think that is true. It is my understanding that if you buy your voucher and have it in hand...WHENEVER you decide to start using it...it automatically kicks in...(i.e. no matter what you paid for it, it is good...you don't have to pay the increase in price if there is one).

Right? Anyone?

That being said I still think I would move my trip up 3-4 weeks if I could manage it at all in any way shape or form...the savings from your childrens' tickets would be great.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I think that you should use the vouchers in October IF you would be buying APs for yourselves anyway AND IF you'll be returning to WDW again with a year of your trip. There's no sense in continuing to let Disney have a free loan of your money.

You will not have to pay the difference between what you paid for the voucher and the current cost of an AP. As far as Disney is concerned, you've already paid for that AP a long time ago. It's like having an old, unused PH pass. You don't need to pay more in order to still use it.

If I remember correctly, moving the vacation up a couple weeks was not an option for you due to your DH's work schedule. That's a shame since it would save you a quite a few $$$ in the long run. But I admire you for being honest about your younger DD's age. Not everyone would take the economic hit in the name of honesty.

 

[frannn]

DD2's age and DD11's existing AP, but....I want to visit after May, when the new celebration begins, and my DH was not able to take off during the summer (senior police officers always grab that time period first, leaving it unavailable for DH). DD11 starts 7th grade in a different school in Sept, so I don't want to take her out the first week of school. I can't be out of work for the first week of any month due to my work duties- I am an accountant- so much of my reporting is due by the second week of the month. That rules out starting the vacation 9/30, which is DD2's birthday. DD11's AP expires by 9/10 anyway. The one thing I am trying to keep in mind is that we will be using the APs over two trips (hopefully), so the actual cost of the passes is only half for each trip (1619.88 in total). I could save about 40. by just renewing DD11's AP instead of buying a new one, but that would limit our 2006 trip to having to be in early Sept/

 

[DebbieDVC]

Frannn, you are in a similar situation as I was in last year. My then DD 6 started Kindergarden and we did not want to pull her out in the first month of school. My DD son turned 3 Oct 14 and I could not get a vacation approved ( I am an accountant as well) the first week of October. So, we went the week after his birthday and paid for his annual pass, meals, etc. I have sinced learned that if he had turned 3 during the week of our trip that WDW would waive the fees. For just a few days, I would have pushed to go a week earlier. Between the annual pass and food, we spent an extra $500+...would have more than paid for a magic your way pass for him for our trip this October.

 

[disneychrista]

Waaaaaaaait a minute! I don't think that is true. It is my understanding that if you buy your voucher and have it in hand...WHENEVER you decide to start using it...it automatically kicks in...(i.e. no matter what you paid for it, it is good...you don't have to pay the increase in price if there is one)

Well I can only speak for Disneyland AP vouchers. I know that they do expire 3 months after purchase. And that if you try to exchange them after that date you have to pay the difference between the cost then and the cost when you exchange them (if there is a cost differnce). I can not speak on if the same is true of WDW, but I would guess it would be (maybe).

 

[simpilotswife]

It's not. WDW AP vouchers do not expire.

 

[mareed]

We activated WDW AP vouchers in Dec. 2004 that we had purchased in Dec. 2003. At first the CM activating them tried to charge us additional because the price had increased since we purchased them. I told her I was sure that was not the way it should work, and she got someone else to help her. She had to enter some sort of a credit into the system to account for the difference in price, but we did not have to pay additional.

 

[swilphil]

I would use the vouchers that you have in hand. You can put the money you aren't spending on new vouchers into savings for a future trip or toward a special treat during your October trip. I'd stay Poly concierage

 

[inky dinky doo]

If I were in your shoes and if I could afford it, I would buy new vouchers, now, using the DVC discount, and save my old vouchers for a time when money is really tight in the future.

Look at it this way . . . the vouchers you currently own are money in your pocket. As time goes by, they only become more valuable. And, who knows how long the DVC discount will last. Take advantage of it while you can. Finally, since your hubby doesn't know about the vouchers you have and you're planning a trip, anyway, I'm guessing that even though things will be tight, they are doable. Right?

Edited to add: Oops! Just noticed I wasn't on the DVC board. Disregard my comment about the DVC discount if you're not a DVC member, but my advice still stands. If you can afford new vouchers, now, I'd save the vouchers you have for what may be a "rainier" day. They will only go up in value.

 

[msfredna]

Frann, I just sent you a PM.
Thanks