What would you do?

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I know you can't decide for me but help persuade me one way or the other. LOL I can't decide whether we should get 7 day park hopper pluses OR just get annual passes for everyone. I already have a premium annual pass so I'd get the benefits of that- and we're staying 9 days... so obviously we can't possibly use all the days on the park hoppers PLUS the "plus" parts of those- and we already have 1 days left on all our park hoppers from the last visit also. But my problem is that I'm wishing I'd bought annual passes the FIRST time we went. We bought park hoppers, then I went ona solo trip the very next month and got a PAP, and now we're going again before a year is up from the first trip. I can't help but think of all the money we would have saved if we'd all gotten annual passes to begin with.

So now my fear is that we'll get the park hoppers- and end up going again before a year is up! *sigh* But then again, maybe we won't and would have spent the extra for nothing. Just wishing I could go back in time and have gotten APs to begin with.

So what would you do? Go ahead and pay the extra JUST IN CASE you go again within a year? Or unless you know for sure you'd go again within that year just go ahead and get park hopper passes?

 

[hercamore]

What is the price difference?


herc.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

About $500 or so for the family (not including me since I already have an annual pass). Well, I guess it would be more than that if we ended up going again AFTER Jan... because Jan 19th is when MY PAP will expire.
So you see it's all messed up because we didn't get annual passes on the first trip. If I get annual passes now and we go again within a year- then all I'd have to pay for is MY passes- minus the days I could use on my and my husbands other park hoppers which we still have a day left on each. I mean I could use mine and my husband's- right? So then I would just need to buy park hopper for the days over that for our stay- everyone else's in my family would be paid for on the annual passes.

It's a tough decision.... I'm just bummed because we could have saved a lot if we'd just bought annual passes to begin with and I'm afraid I'll end up doing that AGAIN. Not buying annual passes and then going again within a year and wishing I had. *sigh*

 

[jilljill]

You have to remember your new AP's won't start until you activate them on your next trip. If there is the slightest possibility you will be going back in the next year then by all means get the annuals. You can always use the extra days on your PH's for yourself when you go back down.
I wish I had bought DD an annual last year and didn't.
If only we could turn back time to buy the annual's.

 

[RescueRanger]

You might check with WDW and see if you can trade in the PHP passes with days left for credit towards your APs. I don't know if they will do this but it might be worth asking about.

 

[hercamore]

I agree with the other posters. Buy the AP's, but see if Disney will credit your unused park hopper days.


herc.

 

[jmminarik]

If you can afford it, just get the AP's and hang on to any PHP's you have...they're good forever or until WDW closes...whichever comes first.

-Joe

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thanks for all the advice/comments.
Yes, we can afford it.... BUT I'll be shooting myself (or wishing I could LOL) just the same if I bought APs and ended up not going again within a year. *sigh*
I just wish I could foresee the future or atleast go back in time to get the APs to begin with. LOL

Thanks again.

 

[MrsPete]

Why? Two reasons:

1. My kids ALWAYS seem to get sick when we go out of town. I mean always. One of them will come down with an ear infection or strep throat; they might not have missed a single day of school in six months, but let me take them out of town and I guarantee we'll be at the walk-up-without-an-appointment place sometime during the week.

What does this have to do with park hoppers vs. AP? If you end up spending the day in the hotel room with a sick child, an AP day is lost forever. With a park hopper, at least you have the comfort of knowing that you can use that park day on a future trip.

2. We don't live close enough to do Disney without it being a "major trip" so it's unlikely that we'd get the use out of an AP. Plus there are soooo many other places that I want to take my kids that we are not likely to do Disney twice within a year.

 

[frannn]

It may cost you 500 extra for the family to get APs over hoppers, but how much more will it cost you if you don't get the APs and go back within a year? It is easier to plan a trip with the APs in mind (go back in just under a year to get use of the APs), than to clear your conscience after buying hoppers the last trip and having to buy them again on the next. This way, no matter how many times you decide to go to WDW during the year, you never have to buy tickets. You can renew your AP at a discount, if the timing makes sense. We are going in Oct, then we are not sure about the next time, but I will definetly buy APs. I don't usualy renew them when they expire, I just buy new ones because we don't lose a lot of unused months that way (the 365 day time period doesnt start until you activate them). If I could afford it, I would buy a dozen AP vouchers and hold onto them until I needed them. I consider that a better investment than a DVC membership! Have fun, no matter what you choose!