When Does an MYW Ticket make Sense vs. an AP?

[iankh]

Wondering what your thoughts were on what is the best choice for purchasing park entry.

How have you come to the decision for the best choice in park entry?

 

[dianeschlicht]

You need to look at your DVC plans over the course of a couple of years. For example, if you always go to WDW the same month and only once a year, try to stagger it by a week, so you can get two trips on one AP. If you go multiple times a year and go more than 8-10 days total, then an an AP makes sense too. We usually buy an AP and use 3 times over 365 days. Then we take 365 days off and buy a new AP to start the process over again. We do this because of the distance we live from WDW. If we lived closer, we would take advantage of the renewal, but it makes more financial sense to do it this way, since renewals start from the renewal date.

 

[dianeschlicht]

BTW, if you know you can't return in just under 12 months, then the 10 day MYW hopper might make sense for you. We used to get APs for our grown children, but since they rarely go with each trip now, we usualy buy them the hopper ticket media.

 

[scootert]

Unfortunately, the AP doesn't work for us -- we dont go to WDW every year and usually are only there 5 days. If we lived closer, we would definitely consider the AP. For our trip this year we bought the 10 day MYW with no expiration.

That said, if we were going to WDW for say 7 days we would reconsider AP mainly due to the Disney Dining Card (only available when you have an AP). That would save us quite a bit.

It really depends on how frequently you can go and how flexible your timeframes are - as dianeschlicht points out, there are ways to stretch the ap by staggering the dates.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Unfortunately, the AP doesn't work for us -- we dont go to WDW every year and usually are only there 5 days. If we lived closer, we would definitely consider the AP. For our trip this year we bought the 10 day MYW with no expiration.

That said, if we were going to WDW for say 7 days we would reconsider AP mainly due to the Disney Dining Card (only available when you have an AP). That would save us quite a bit.

It really depends on how frequently you can go and how flexible your timeframes are - as dianeschlicht points out, there are ways to stretch the ap by staggering the dates.

LOL, your message made me chuckle, because that's how we felt before DVC. You are actually closer to WDW than we are, and now we wont consider not going for at least 10 days each year! Last year was one of our "on years" for AP, so we were there 10 days in January, 7 days in October and 10 days in December. This year, we aren't going until Dec. 31, so we let our AP expire, and we purchased new ones with the DVC discount last week that we will activate Dec. 31. That trip will be 11 days, and we will go for another week in March and 10 days in early December. That's how we get the most out of the APs and our desire to spend as much time at WDW as possible. Of course, in this "off year", it has gotten to be long without a WDW trip until the very last day of the year, but it's how we make the APs work for us.

 

[scootert]

I'm jealous -- even with DVC we can't get away that often due to job demands. Not complaining cuz jobs are good things to have. Living in south Texas makes winters much easier. We used to live in Eagan, MN and I have to admit I cried every time we left WDW!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm jealous -- even with DVC we can't get away that often due to job demands. Not complaining cuz jobs are good things to have. Living in south Texas makes winters much easier. We used to live in Eagan, MN and I have to admit I cried every time we left WDW!!

You might be onto the reason we feel the way we do! I must say though, our son moved to Houston this year, and we were down there to visit him in July, and I doubt I could get used to that heat either!

 

[AlaskaMOM]

Two other thing to think about-
If you're ever going to want a regular room at the AP rate (for yourself or any others traveling at the same time as you) There can be quite a discount!

The other is the DDE card I believe that you can buy it w/o the AP, but for $75 instead of $50 (you'd just have to eat more during your visit to make it "pay") {have to edit here you can get it at $75 for FL resident or $50 for AP OOPS!}
Just something to think about when you make your decision.

 

[Aneille]

Two other thing to think about-
If you're ever going to want a regular room at the AP rate (for yourself or any others traveling at the same time as you) There can be quite a discount!

The other is the DDE card I believe that you can buy it w/o the AP, but for $75 instead of $50 (you'd just have to eat more during your visit to make it "pay")
Just something to think about when you make your decision.

For these 2 reason I got an AP last year even though I wasn't planning another trip within the year. I saved with the AP rate at the AKL and I got the DDE card for $50. I don't think you can get the DDE card though unless your an AP holder or Florida resident, but not sure on that.

I have already figured it out that I will renew my AP for our next trip. The discount I expect to get with Best Rate at the Wilderness Lodge and the DDE card will make it worth it.

Now since we don't know if we will be back again within that year, its a lot harder for me to decide for my husband. With the DVC discount on the AP and the fact that he needs at least a 10 day pass for our next trip its really up in the air.

I haven't even thought about my 2 kids yet!

 

[keishashadow]

Since buying DVC in June, we went from a once/year or two or 3x/year; it's amazing how quick & hard the bug bites!

In the past we bought PH's w/o expir. In Feb we bought the 7 day MYW plus w/o expir (the longest they had @ the time). Even though we have 4 PH's and 4 MYW and 4 pluses/each; we're seriously considering the AP's.

I'm hoping having unlimted park access w/AP's will help break my commando touring style (won't be trying to wring every last drop out of a tix ) besides saving us money.

At the very least we can always hoard the existing tix a little longer - money in the bank!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Since buying DVC in June, we went from a once/year or two or 3x/year; it's amazing how quick & hard the bug bites!

In the past we bought PH's w/o expir. In Feb we bought the 7 day MYW plus w/o expir (the longest they had @ the time). Even though we have 4 PH's and 4 MYW and 4 pluses/each; we're seriously considering the AP's.

I'm hoping having unlimted park access w/AP's will help break my commando touring style (won't be trying to wring every last drop out of a tix ) besides saving us money.

At the very least we can always hoard the existing tix a little longer - money in the bank!

Actually, the 10 MYW was available in February also, but I don't think you could buy it ahead of time. I fee that anyone who can take two trips in 12 months will usually make out best with the APs. BTW, the DDE card is NOT available without the AP. The $75 price is what Florida residents pay, but DVC AP holders get it for $50.

 

[iankh]

Can you book the AP room rate even if you only have the voucher and have not "activated" the AP?

 

[JABEAR]

You could also buy only one AP for the discounts and then get the rest of the tickets as MYW tickets. You would have to figure the discounts (Disney dining card, AP hotel discount) vs. your ticket costs and see how your individual plans work out each way.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Can you book the AP room rate even if you only have the voucher and have not "activated" the AP?

I believe you can book with the voucher number, but you will need an active pass to check in.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

We've gotten spoiled by the annual passes. Although during our first annual pass trip in June, my DH drove me nuts trying to get in lots of park time to get full use of our annual passes. Anyway, we have ended up going to the park more days, but for less time and this way we don't feel like we are "wasting" a full day on a MYW ticket.

I can really relate to dianeschlicht. If I want to keep getting the annual passes, we are going to have to do the same thing she is doing. We have one more trip in May planned with these passes, but then I dread the long year until we go back.

I am not happy waiting until May and am thinking of surprizing my hubby somehow with a long weekend down there for his birthday in Jan. shhhhhhhh....just have to get the babysitters set up. That is something we have never done and I just feel "wicked" even thinking about it, but the tickets would be free