Why did you decide to get an AP? About This Page:

[Courtney892]

I've been mulling this question over the last week or so (Eric says it is because I have all our Sept plans and ADRs made, so I am just looking for Disney numbers to be crunching somewhere ) I've always passed on the idea of an AP because of the "We don't do 11 days in the parks per year" issue, and it may actually be as cut and dried as that, BUT I thought I would get other reasoning on the issue to make sure I'm not overlooking major Disney magic by never getting one.

We generally go to Disney World about twice a year....I have gone more but generally in conjunction with something else we're doing in Florida. We keep tickets and if we're in the area, we try to do a park or water park any time we'll be in the area. We're about a 10 hour drive/ 1.5 hour flight away. Our longest stay was 10 days in 2005 and we used 4 park day tickets during that trip. This past March we took advantage of the 4/3 deal and stayed a week, and again only used 4 park days, in between I did 4 single day trips some of which Eric was not there for usually because we were taking the nieces and he had to work.

I really enjoy my time in the Disney parks, but tickets have always been gold to us and are treated carefully. We don't *waste* a ticket on 1/2 days or just running into Epcot for dinner (although I think those things could be fun), but length-of-stay tickets don't seem to be a good decision financially for the way we travel. I want resort time, DTD time, Orlando time, Outlet Mall shopping time, and we generally eat off-site for at least a couple meals per visit if it isn't free dining time. I just can't imagine having 7 days worth of tickets and not being 7 days in the parks; however if I only have 7 days I don't want to miss the rest of the Disney magic by only being in the parks all the time. I go to Disney enough, that I am not only parks all the time anymore. Disney atmosphere everywhere is where it is at. Hope that makes sense--sounds wierd anyway I type it!

As all PPs do, I love Disney and truly consider it a "happy place" for me. We also like to travel to other places both within the US and every couple of years overseas. I'm concered that with an AP we'll feel Disney is the only option, and we won't do that Grand Canyon trip or the Italy trip we have cooking in the back of our minds. I know I wouldn't get Disneyed-out (a complete impossibility for me ), but I can't imagine the depression when it runs out I have had Disney tickets in my possession to take advantage of a fabu deal at a moments notice for almost as many years as I can remember!

After Eric started experiencing Disney the *right way* , he became as addicted as the rest of my insano family. In fall of 2005, we bought 10 day park hopper, no expiring tickets with 5 water parks & more options; and we just finished using them up during our March '09 trip (other than the water parks option which every time they replace my ticket--which is almost every time I touch it ) they add more on since the promotion is now the same amount of fun options as big park tickets)

So the way I see it we have had 6 trips (well mine ran out in the early part or the March trip where Eric's either lasted till the end or he has a day left) using those tickets (which we paid around $700 for both of them), and we've never paid more than value season rack rate for a room because we generally travel during value season, but even if it is not we use AAA discounts or pin codes for rooms. AP discounts may well be more than what we're receiving, but I'm not sure what kind of rate that gets.

I'd guess for every 2 days we stay on-site, we go to a park 1 day on average, but every trip since Eric first experienced BB, we take in a water park as one of those days. Right now we have 2 unused 7 day, PH, no expiring tickets with 7 water parks and more options; Eric has about 7 more water parks and more options on his original ticket, I know I have 10 on mine, because the last ticket replacement that is what the CM put on it; and in addition to those we have about at least 1 single day ticket from last Sept's free dining promotion, and 2 more from the trip we've got booked in September (which we won't use any of on that trip because the Expedition Everest package includes the tickets we'll use in Sept!) We're just getting the tickets for the free DDP.

With roughly 9 no expiring tickets each & all 2009 trips accounted for (as far as we know ) already, we are probably good through at least 2013. But I was thinking, we could easily put tickets toward 1 AP if there is a good enough reason to get one. I mean we could get 2 APs without a huge OOP expense probably, but I just don't know if it financially makes sense since it will severely limit future trips when you have that ticket cost taking a bite out of your wallet at the same time as the trip!

for the novel, but I am interested in opinions both from ppl who travel like us and from those who see benefits we're missing doing things our way--which honestly so far is working pretty darn well. Anything that gets me to Disney on a regular basis is A-OK with me

[Sue M.]

The price dif. between a 4 day $219 and a 7 day park ticket $228 is only $9. So I would get a lenght of stay ticket, and go to that park for just half day, or just to see fireworks. It's really just a few $ a day so you're not really wasting a day if you do some part days, it's only $2 or $3.
We have bought AP's this year because we have 2 trips planned, We were at WDW in Jan for 5 nights, and going in Aug for 9 nights.
I believe the break even point is 10 days. So if you are going to WDW for more than 10 days it's worth an AP. Added bonus is some dining discounts, and possible room discounts during certain times of year for staying on site. You can go on the WDW site and look up AP benefits.

[jimmymac]

Do NOT skip Italy or Grand Canyon because of multiple WDW trips. Both are quite unforgettable

[mestitch]

I first got my AP as a birthday present to myself back in 2007 because we had started going twice a year. It was nice to have for room discounts and dining discounts as well. That was in July and in Dec. of the same year I upgraded Andy's ticket to an AP b/c we had the money. That meant that our only worry for the April 08 trip was room and spending money. Tickets were taken care of. We bought them again this April b/c we saved our Christmas money specifically for that. It's nice to plan trips and not have to worry about money for tickets. That was our main motivation...

I understand what you're saying about feeling like you're gonna miss out on other trips, but I don't think you will. That's our big motivation for considering DVC. Once that's paid for we can take the money that we save for each trip and apply it to other trips other places, make sense? So once that master's loan is paid back that's our next big Disney step

[disneygramma]

The reason we bought our AP was that we are making multiple trips. We traveled 7 days in December, we just returned from 8 days in June and we are going back for 5 days in October. To us it made financial sense, we won't do it unless we are doing at least a minimum total of 10 days total in a year. So most likely next year we will NOT do it.

Just consider what your own personal use will be before spending the money as it may not be right for you.

[TheMadonna3]

Because of the way you choose to tour, I do not believe the annual passes will do you much good. The AP discounts are sometimes hit or miss. They sometimes don't do them for a certain time of year where you might still be able to get a AAA discount. There are also some merchandise discounts associated with the pass as well as water park admission discounts, but they are pretty dismal. Other than that, the only real advantage to my AP is I get special invitations to new attractions.

I just agree with you that it's not worth it for you. When I go to WDW, my entire vacation is spent in the bubble because I live there. I can do the other things that you do any time of the year.

[Pris]

I bought them because of multiple trips in one year. Your traveling method yields you several years on one ticket plus water parks, etc. An AP is only good for one year which I don't think would be best for you. I think your ideas are right for you and your family. The AP discounts are good, but lately Disney has offered a lot of good discounts to the general public which have been as good or better than the AP. I would stick with your current plans.

[Courtney892]

for all the responses! I think we're doing it the right & most economical way for us, but I really WANT to *need* an AP We do 10 days a year at Disney sometimes, but we have never done 10 days in parks in one year thus far--since I'd require 10 full flexibile-commando days (is that the right term?) and then I would run into parks for fireworks or dinner as an added bonus. Couldn't justify the expense unless we were doing the 10 anyway, SOOO I guess in the future we need to try for 3 long Disney trips a year ...cept that would knock out other options definitely.

The price dif. between a 4 day $219 and a 7 day park ticket $228 is only $9. So I would get a lenght of stay ticket, and go to that park for just half day, or just to see fireworks. It's really just a few $ a day so you're not really wasting a day if you do some part days, it's only $2 or $3.

I understand why you would do it that way for such a little cost difference. The atmosphere alone is worth the extra $9 or so if all you did was walk through a park.

We don't want to be buying tickets every time we plan a trip, so that's why we do the no expiring option although that has really gone up in recent years! Next time we need tickets, we may have to do some revamping.

That's our big motivation for considering DVC. Once that's paid for we can take the money that we save for each trip and apply it to other trips other places, make sense?

I'd LOVE to buy (or perhaps I should say have someone else buy me ) into DVC!! I could get myself past the initial buy in if the maintenence wasn't required for the rest of the length of the contract. And if it didn't expire...can't get my mind around the expiring, but as soon as you make it work I want to hear how you did it!

[Colexis Mom]

We had our APs because we were making mulitple trips in a year, and there were significant room discounts with them. Now that we go every other year, if that, we're back to usual everyday tickets!

[ilovedisney247]

I bought an AP in December of this year, but I did it because I get the $100 DVC owner discount AND have spent 17 days in WDW this year with 5 more in October. It also allowed me to purchase the Tables in Wonderland Card, which has saved me (and the people I was dining with) over $500 this year . . . (over $150 was on dinner at Citricos for 6 of us.)

[AGentlRose]

We bought our APs for our mid-December trip last year, and figured that for the cost of park hoppers for just two trips, we would be well ahead of the game. Since we love Christmas, we figured mid December 2008 and early December 2009. Because we had the APs, when I found cheap airfare from LAS, it was easy to make a decision for go to the World both in Feb. and March; when Disney offered the 35% off Club Level in July/August, that was another offer I couldn't refuse. So we got 5 vacations' use of our APs, considerable savings in just ticket prices alone, not to mention we saved $250 at the Poly in Feb. and the 10% discount on our souvenirs at World of Disney.

[chezp]

For us, it was the best way to go, as we tend to try and sneak in either two trips in one year or go for a long period of time - usually ten days minimum. I've priced up other tickets and the Annual Pass, especially with the DVC discount, still comes out cheaper.