When is AP worth it?

[mAlien13]

I read on another site that if you purchase the Southern California City Pass, that you can upgrade the 3-day DLR hopper to an AP for $169 per adult. Can anyone confirm this and/or let me know if there are any other details about this upgrade that I should take into account?

We are going for three days in May, but also plan on 5 days in November and a trip next April, so I know the passes makes sense. Since we also want to see SDZ and SW this trip, financially it is cheaper to buy the City pass.

 

[disneymom23]

Thanks for all your advice. I think I will look into upgrading the passes. Can that be done right at the park? Do we all need to be there to do it?

For those in the Bay area, how is the drive? We just recently moved from the East Coast and haven't ventured to So. CA yet.

 

[victorandbellasmom]

I read on another site that if you purchase the Southern California City Pass, that you can upgrade the 3-day DLR hopper to an AP for $169 per adult. Can anyone confirm this and/or let me know if there are any other details about this upgrade that I should take into account?

We are going for three days in May, but also plan on 5 days in November and a trip next April, so I know the passes makes sense. Since we also want to see SDZ and SW this trip, financially it is cheaper to buy the City pass.

According to mousesavers, you'll get a $169 credit towards an AP. So you'd have to shell out $90 to upgrade an adult parkhopper to a deluxe AP. Jusr make sure your days aren't blocked out.

 

[blackjackdelta]

You pay the difference between that amount and the AP of choice.

Sometimes people have tickets where they don't know the cost (the hoppers in the So Cal City Pass for instance), so instead of saying "the cost" I say "upgrade value". Maybe "amount" would be better than "value". Editing...no, b/c then it sounds like you'd need to pay that amount again...hmm.


pixiewings71, I think you mean you have deluxe APs, b/c the premiums are blockout-free.

If you have the time, do a spreadsheet and post it. It would help many to und exactly what the expenses are.

Jack

 

[victorandbellasmom]

Thanks for all your advice. I think I will look into upgrading the passes. Can that be done right at the park? Do we all need to be there to do it?

For those in the Bay area, how is the drive? We just recently moved from the East Coast and haven't ventured to So. CA yet.

Yes, you'd have to upgrade in the park and you would all need to be there as they would need to take your pictures for the AP.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Thanks for all your advice. I think I will look into upgrading the passes. Can that be done right at the park? Do we all need to be there to do it?

For those in the Bay area, how is the drive? We just recently moved from the East Coast and haven't ventured to So. CA yet.

Yes, you can do it right on main street in the park (at the Bank). Since they take your picture to put on the AP you'd all need to be there.

We used to live in the Bay Area, and for us it would take anywhere from 6-8 hours. Depending on traffic.

 

[Vala]

I've been thinking about upgrading to AP too.

Currently I'm going with my boyfriend's mom with a 6 day park hopper. But now friends who are joining our travel party a week later have expressed an interest into going to Disneyland for two days. That would leave me with an 8 day park hopper.

I'm not exactly sure how much that 8 day pass costs if I book online in advance, or in my specific case through WDTC. Can anybody help me out with the price? The Disney website seems a little focussed on the current promotion.

Anyway, I figured upgrading would be worth it considering the discounts on food alone for a party of five. Or am I totally off here?

I could so kick myself for not getting an AP when I went in late November last year. But I didn't think I'd come back again before the year was over.

 

[melissalee1220]

Local SoCal resident here and of course its worth it for us! We were just there yesterday, which was trip #4 for us during 2008.

 

[pixiewings71]

pixiewings71, I think you mean you have deluxe APs, b/c the premiums are blockout-free.

LOL Yes, we have Deluxe....LOL I'm dreaming about buying Premium next year. Actually we were talking about it so it was already on my mind...yes, I constantly think about Disney even when I'm at work. LOL I'm pathetic.

Our drive takes us about 6 hours, door to door. That's stopping a few times for breaks, I need to have regular potty breaks. We also get food to go, we just do drive thru and eat on the go. We only have to stop once for gas, and really we don't have to do that but I feel better doing so. We take 12 to 5 and that's it. When we went from Berkeley (DBF works in Berk. and we picked him up from there one trip, long story) it took us more like 7 hours, and that's not counting the hour from Suisun to Berk. The drive is worth it to us though, so we do it.

 

[DL4my2kids]

Thanks for all your advice. I think I will look into upgrading the passes. Can that be done right at the park? Do we all need to be there to do it?

For those in the Bay area, how is the drive? We just recently moved from the East Coast and haven't ventured to So. CA yet.

For our last trip, we got portable DVD players for the kids. They are 6 and 3. Ther first trip we took with them, we had to hear from my 6 year old "Are we there yet?" like 100 million times. Try to go when you won't hit any commute traffic on HWY 5

 

[Hambletfamily]

Yes, AP's are worth it even if you go once in a calendar year but twice in the AP year. Since the AP expires 365 days later on the same date you bought them. We bought park hoppers for 7days and upgraded on the last day for $30.00 each. The AP's are already paid for for our next trip in June. IT's the last week before they expire!

 

[mAlien13]

Can anyone tell me if there is ever early entry available for AP holders?

 

[bumbershoot]

Once you have that AP, the only way to get early entry (now called Magic Mornings) is if you stay at PP, GCH, or DLH. Guests of the DLR hotels get MM every day it's offered during their stay.

If you're thinking of getting an AP, you're not staying onsite, but you want that experience of MM at least once, buy a normal parkhopper (3+ days), use the MM, and then upgrade to the AP. Then again, that's just teasing yourself; otherwise you wouldn't know what you're missing.

 

[pixiewings71]

I find that even when we stay on property we don't do MM. It's just not something our family enjoys.

We have a DVD player in our van and the girls bring their MP3 players and Gameboys, they amuse themselves very well on the way down. We always leave at *off* times so we don't hit commute traffic, if you hit that then figure another 1-2 hours at least.