Rate Question and Annual Pass

[pattyb]

Not sure if I understand this or not!! Please let me know if I'm thinking right!!!

We are planning on a trip in June.. For 7 nights at One of the ALL Stars. Would it be better for one of us to get an Annual Pass to get the rooms cheaper or just get the Package with the resort and passes together? Or would it be cheaper to get Room only and the passes seperatly. I'v tried to do the math but I'm getting very very confussed with all the different numbers.

Where will be two adults and two children on this trip.

Thanks to all ahead of time,
Patty


OH>>> I'm not lock it to staying at All Star, that is just what I'm looking at now..... may change my mind.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

I've always done everything separate . . .Last year was the first year I purchased an Annual Pass . . .We were also Disney Club Members at the time . . .The Annual Pass rate that we received last Summer was 40% off a deluxe resort which was also value season . . .so it worked out pretty well.

I think if you look at all the ways to do it, your best bet is to purchase everything separate . . .I am not sure if the Value Resorts offer much of a huge discount with AP's . . .

Have you checked out www.mousesavers.com? That will give you an idea of what discounts were available . . .

Hope this made it less confusing . . .

 

[jiminyfan]

and seem to save a lot of $$$ over the package deals. we used to do the packages, but getting older (almost 40) we do not eat as much as we did before, so 3 meals a day doesn't do us much good.

You only need one AP to get their rates, so if you have a child going along get their ticket as an AP and you get the rate. We never had our AP tickets checked for the AP rate, but you never know besides in the long run it can save you money (10% lunch discounts, etc).

Last year we got AKL for $109 in July and got upgraded to Savannah view, now bad at all.

 

[SuzyQue]

Another vote for do everything separate. Go ahead and make you reservation now for "Room Only" through CRO and then wait to see if any special codes come out, or if an AP will even do you any good. Go to Mousesavers.com and get on her mailing list, she'll e-mail you everytime her pages are updated, and if any codes or AP rates come out, you'll hear about it there. I'm not sure if buying an AP would be the best thing for you to do (since you'll only be there 7 nights) unless you plan on going back within the year. Park Hopper Passes may be a better option. You'll have to wait and see if an AP rate is offered when you're going and do the math as to what you'll pay for an AP and how much you'll save with it. ~~

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

If you will be in the parks for more than 7 days, it is cheaper to buy the annual pass. We did that last summer because we actually stayed for 16 days. We spend the first week at Movies, the second week at Contemporary. We did save enough with the AP rate to pay for two of our annual passes($750). I would agree with booking now to get the rooms you want, then watch the travel section of the newspaper or the Disney Club website if you are a member. Something else to keep in mind, if you plan on going to Disney every year, you save $35 on your annual pass if you renew before the expiration date(the first day you use your pass a year later). That means if we use our renewal pass more that 6 times it has already paid for itself. We find all kinds of reasons to be in Florida now just so we can head over to the parks and pay nothing else! Even a couple hours in a park is okay because you aren't wasting a full day of a park hopper ticket. And definitely book things separate. I never pay full price for anything, and in doing the math it always comes out cheaper separately. If there is a way to do Disney and save money, I do it!

Good luck, and have fun!
Laura

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I know what you mean about crunching numbers and trying to figure out the best way.
In my experience it IS worth getting the AP because the discount rate on the room is considerable (plus 10% discount at World of Disney/etc). In my case I decided to pay the little extra for the premium annual pass because that included the water parks, pleasure island AND disneyquest! And it saved me a lot on the rooms I reserved with that pass on the last trip and the next one this year. Even just going twice in that year (probably that is all I will do unless I can squeeze another one in before the year is up) was worth it on the savings.
I believe the AP rate is usually saving 40% on the rack rate?

 

[SuzyQue]

In my experience it IS worth getting the AP because the discount rate on the room is considerable

That is if they are offering AP rates at the time you go (AP rates aren't offered all year). In our case for our trip the end of Feb. (8 nights), we were able to book POR with a code rate for 119.00, then the AP rates came out and they were 109.00, the 80.00 we would have saved didn't make up for the difference in the price between a 7 PHP and an AP (and we're unable to make it to WDW more than once a year). Advanced purchase adult AP (our kids are teenagers) is 392.99 compared to a 7 day PHP from Ticketmania, 308.00. Another thing to think about is will you be doing the parks every day that you are there? If not maybe you could go with a cheaper 5 or 6 day Park Hopper (the unused days never expire). ~~

 

[*123JOANNA123*]

Originally posted by jiminyfan

You only need one AP to get their rates, so if you have a child going along get their ticket as an AP and you get the rate.

I was under the impression that you can't do this. Someone on this board said that the reservation has to be in the name of the AP holder, and that children can't hold reservations.

Maybe someone can clarify?

 

[morrow4]

123JOANNA,
You can get the AP rate as long as someone in the party that will be in the room has an AP -- even a child. You have seen some people post otherwise, but last week when this came up many people posted that they had been able to use their child's (or grandchild's, or nephew's, etc) AP as long as that person was present at check-in and would be staying in the room. My husband (non-passholder) did this when he took our daughter (age 5 passholder) to MVMCP in Dec. 2002. I too was concerned because of conflicting posts, and had the information confirmed twice before arrival. We were just told to have her AP handy in case it was requested at check-in. All went fine.
Donna

 

[csmommy]

Here is the formula to see if purchasing an annual pass is worth it for you:





http://www.mousesavers.com/annualpass.html