what does AP get you that Ultimate park hopper does'nt going for 9 days

[rieckhoff66]

We are going to WDW for first time with 5 & 7 year olds. Staying for 9 days and can't decide if we are better off with AP or Ultimate Part Hopper. We figure that our arrival day and departure days are days lost because we are arriving at 6:30 pm on a Fri. (6/7) and leaving at 1:30 on a Sun.(6/16). So I don't know if it pays to get the Annual Pass. We are not sure we would be going again within a year; yet an AP may be a good incenvite??? What to do, what to do???? Does the annual pass include everything the Ultimate park Hopper includes?
ANY help would be appreciated!!

 

[Gillian]

I have recently discovered that an AP MAKES you go back, LOL! It burns a hole in your pocket & you can't resist! Must go to disney world....

I think the UHP covers the same stuff as the premium AP. There are some other annual passholder benefits & discounts. see http://wdwig.com/apass.htm
also, here is a site to help you decide

http://www.mouseplanet.com/mike/admedia.htm

How much is the difference in price between your room with the passes & the room only? Remember, if you buy your passes through CRO they won't let you drop days off the UHP (although it doesn't hurt to ask). I think you will still have to pay for all 9 nights.

Have fun!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

The Premium Annual Pass includes everything the Ultimate does, not the regular Annual Pass. Regular AP is just for the 4 parks.

Check this out:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tickets.htm

 

[bwvmary]

If you want to go to the water parks and Disney Quest (which may not be good for the ages of your children - I've been, and I think it's for older children, but some may disagree) - then you must compare the PAP price. The big difference comes in if you are staying on property and you can get an annual passholder rate. That can save lots of money for the length of stay you are talking about. You can call and ask for the rate even if you don't have the pass yet. You just need a pass for check-in, in case they ask for it.

Good luck.

Also, remember that you can buy Park Hopper + passes, and the days will never expire if you don't use them. The only thing you can't go to with those is Disney Quest.

 

[rjordan]

I read somewhere that the "break even" point between AP's and hopper tickets is 7 days. And like Gillian said, if you ever decide to go back within the year, your passes are already paid for. We went for 9 days last May and bought the AP's and ended up going again in January for 5 days and loved not having to buy park tickets. You feel like you're getting something for free.

 

[robinb]

I agree with Gillian ... the AP makes you want to go back! If you think you might return in the next 365 days after you first use your pass, then go for the AP, it's a better value.

BTW, I am going on my 4th trip on my AP on Sunday and planning my 5th trip to finish it up in June/July. Addicted? I don't think so .

 

[Luv2Roam]

Yep, we bought AP's for the first time for our January '02 trip. We got a GREAT rate at ASMo ($55 a night WITH tax).
For the trip in a few weeks, the AP rate was not available, even in January when I booked. I ended up with another good code (anyone could get at that time) for a mod.
So depending on your luck and time frame, the AP may get you a really good room discount.
There is also an AP lounge. Haven't been there yet -- but I soon will.
You get the Mickey Monitor too.
And it does make you go back! I really would have liked to return to DL/DCA again, but we are going to *sacrifice* and go to WDW since we have the passes.
DH keeps looking for an excuse for a short trip in October too.
And DH is already signed up for the January '03 marathon. With renewing, the passes should even be a lower price than we paid for the first ones.
But if you want water parks and DQ, then you need the premium passes.
There are lunch discounts and other minor perks too.

 

[Dagny]

Just to clarify - the PAP does NOT include DisneyQuest, but it does include PI and the Water Parks.

Rieckhoff - if your arrival and departure days are lost then the UPH is NOT the way to go. You are paying Disney for days that you will not use.

The cost for the PAP for adults is about $497 and $423 for kids. The regular AP is about $370 for adults and about $315 for kids. Since our family only does one Water Park visit per trip, we just purchase the regular AP and then just pay to get into the Water Parks - we actually save $$ that way. Your breakeven point is about the 7th day or 8th day depending on how you value the Plus option of the Park Hopper Passes. Also don't forget that AP holders can receive great resort discounts as well depending on the time of year you travel - sometimes they savings can pay for the pass itself - it has for us!!!

 

[disney4us2002]

YES, the premium annual pass does include DisneyQuest, which is one reason we looked at it.

Direct from disneyworld.com:

With every Premium Annual Pass you get:


Unlimited admission* for 365 days to the four Disney Theme Parks; Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park

The flexibility to go from Theme Park to Theme Park on the same day

A year's worth of unlimited access* to Downtown Disney® Pleasure Island; Disney's Water Parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon; Disney's Wide World of Sports™ complex (Days of operation depend on event schedule); and DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park

A wide array of Passholder benefits

Complimentary Theme Park parking

Convenient Walt Disney World® transportation -- monorails, ferryboats, and motor coaches

It's also been reported that many times when getting the ultimate hopper, the hotel will let you drop the arrival or departure days so you wouldn't necessarily be wasting your money for days you won't use. If you don't think you would go to DisneyQuest but perhaps the water parks, I think you'd be better off with the park hopper plus pass. Incidentally, we're arriving on the same day!! It's getting soooo close now....

 

[bwvmary]

I'll confirm. Used my PAP at DisneyQuest in Jan.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

Dagny you are probably thinking of plus options from a PHP. Can't use them for DQ. Something that I never understood since the DQ admission price is cheaper then the water parks.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

It's too late for this now but you would have done well to get a Disney Club card to buy your passes.

First of all the break-even point for an annual pass is Day 8. If you divide the price of an AP by 8 and a 7-day hopper by 7 you get the same daily value for park entry. Given that you don't expect to go into the parks any more than 7 days the only reason you would want to get an AP is if you plan to return within 11 months & 3 weeks! In addition the 7 day hopper never expires and gives you 4 passes to PI and the waterparks.

With 5 & 7 year olds I think the 7 day hopper is the way to go. It's unlikely you will want to go to both a water park & the big parks on the same day...that's just too much for people that age. Odds are you would only go into Disney Quest just once (if at all). So with both the UHP and PAP you are going to be paying a big difference for benefits you can't or won't use.

PS. There is one big advantage to the AP...aside from discounts at the hotels...if you decide before you leave for this trip that you are going to make another you can take it easy. Go into the park in the morning, come back for a nap, go out in the evening...play in the pooll. Do whatever as long as you get in at least your 8 days in the theme parks. I still wouldn't get the PAP. I suspect there are other discounts that will get you into the water parks.

 

[Dagny]

Yep, you are right, the PAP does include DQ - for some reason I didn't think it did (not sure why - perhaps my brain is fried) - I stand corrected

 

[tink2dw]

Memberships in Disney Club and AAA give you Discounts on Water Park and Disney Quest Tickets!!

 

[jaross]

The break even for us was 7-8 days. We received the discount for Disney Club on the AP. We were able to make it to an AP event while we were there (dumb luck), we could buy AP only pins.

We have made time for me and DH to go down for a few days alone.... why not, the pass is paid for. And we want to go down with the whole family just before it expires. That will save us another thousand or so! We also got a 30% AP discount on the hotel room.

I have also been reading about the new AP lounges in Epcot and AK. It sounds like there are free drinks and snacks. There are special viewing areas for illuminations and the AK parade. I think Fantasmic too.

I'm happy with our decision.

Chris

 

[Lucky4me]

I agree with getting the 7 day park hopper pass if you decide not to buy the AP. Your kids are little and will get tired quick. You'll want a break in there, trust me! They also tend to surprise you by getting sick on vacation. If you don't use up the days on the hopper, they are good forever. The ultimate park passes expire when you leave.

If I were in your shoes this is how I'd plan my days: Day 1- arrival. Get situated in resort. Day 2-park, day 3-park, day 4-break or water park, day 5-park, day 6-park, day 7 break or water park, day 8-park, day 9-departure day. You'd actually only need a five day hopper. At any point in the trip you could upgrade to a 7 day hopper or an AP. As long as there was still a day left on it.

Lots of people over do it the first time. If you are thinking about coming back again in the future why knock yourself out? Relax and enjoy the entire WDW experience! Also, ask your 5yo what his/her favorite part of vacation was and most likely the answer will be the pool or the monorail! Good luck and have fun!