Which tix would you buy for OKW trips?

[reneesam]

We're heading to OKW on Thanksgiving. We are 2 adults, one 4 yo, and one 1 yo. We are arriving Thurs afternoon and returning Monday. We anticipate 3 days in the parks and possibly a visit to the MK on Thanksgiving night after Chef Mickey's dinner.

Our next ressies are May for one week. We expect daily park visits except possibly not on travel days.

I was planning to get AP's (these would be new, not renewal, with DC discount.) We have both DVC and DC. However, with all of the uncertainty regarding travel, as well as "cutbacks in AP perks" (what are these exactly?) is it still my best bet to get AP's or should I opt for LOS or park hoppers? Thanks for your help!
Renee

 

[Caskbill]

Hi, I don't know what exactly cutbacks there may be in AP perks, but here's what they have been for 2001. You can judge for yourself if the loss of any of these perks will affect you.

10% off National Car Rental rates.
Various discounts on Disney backstage tours.
10% off Family Portrait sitting fees.
Special seasonal discounts at selected WDW resort hotels. (These vary considerably)
10% off food at Wide World of Sports All Star Cafe.
10% off at Planet Hollywood up to 4 guests.
10% off selected merchandise at PH (For passholder ONLY)
10% off lunch Rainforest Cafe at DD, up to 4 guests
15% off merchandise at RC (For passholder ONLY)
10% off lunch at Portabello Yacht Club up to 5 guests
10% off lunch Fulton's Crab house up to 5 guests
20% off meal at House of Blues, Downtown Disney for 5 guests
10% off merchandise at HoB (For passholder ONLY)
10% off purchase of $25 or more at DD World of Disney, Pooh Corner, Team Mickey, Disney at Home, Disney's Days of Christmas and DTV
Various $2.00 discounts on merchandise at Virgin Megastore at DD
10% off merchandise at Eurospain, DD
Complimentary magnet with $10 purchase at Magnetron
10% off boat rentals at WDW marinas.
10% off Sammy Duvall's Water sports center at Contemporary resort.
50% off one admission at Disney's 2 minature golf locations. Also 15% off additional guests up to 6 persons
25% off tennis court rentals, ball machine, lessons, at GF and Contemporary resorts. 25% off tennis lessons at DI
10% off Richard Petty Driving Experience
10% off spa treatment at GF

Note there are some restrictions above. None of the meals discounts include alcoholic beverages. Many of the merchandise discounts exclude some specific items. For example Eurospain excludes 5 specific lines of merchandise, and other selections also.

I believe you can get many of these same discounts with the DC, or other programs such as AAA etc. If you ever plan on staying in other WDW hotels, the AP discounts there can be substantial, but there's no guarantee on what, if anything would ever be offered, and even then other discounts may apply. For example, at the All Star resorts, AP discounts were going for $49/night, but other discounts were also available for $59/night, so the AP discount was not that much more substantial. If you get to the higher priced hotels, it can add up more. But then, personally, we never stay anyplace else because we have DVC.

Finally, other non-discounts include the following:
Passholder hot-line telephone number, concerning passes, priority seating, information, special events questions.

Mickey Monitor newsletter, 4-times / year.

Passholder exclusive events. These will be detailed in the Newsletter. For example there was (will be?) a special passholder sneak preview of the Osborne lights display when it first turned on at MGM. They have also experimented with some special passholder lounges (at AK) to rest and relax at. You can get a free passholder laynard (They did this in Sept, and I think you had to actually be there to get one). They also had special Passholder pins that you can purchase only if you hold an AP.

Hope this helps.

 

[reneesam]

Wow Caskbill, Thanks!!!!!

It does seem that a lot of the perks that we would use are duplicates of the DC discounts, so I don't think that will sway us either way. I guess my real concern is that, with the way the world is, we might not make the May trip or will delay it, and getting the APs would be too much of a gamble. By our anticipated length of stay(s) at this point, it would be 8 days or more in one year, which I understand is the "break even" point for AP's. This is the first time we'd be going for more than 7 days in a year. It seems like a no brainer to get the AP, but I'm not sure for some reason...I guess it's just the uncertainty du jour....