For Those of You Who Take Long Vacations and Have an Annual Pass

[DisneyStarWisher]

So I'm dreaming of retirement in the next three years. Our plans are to maybe take yearly WDW trips in early December. We would like to stay around 12 nights. It make sense to buy an annual pass, but I just can't wrap my head around how to use it for the park hopper advantages. On short trips, I love to park hop. But with a long trip, I just don't think I would use it. Honestly I wish they would sell an annual pass that didn't include park hopping. I visualize my DH and me spending the majority of the day relaxing at the resort and then going into one park each evening for just a couple of hours and maybe an ADR (or maybe going into a park in the morning and spending the rest of the day at the resort). For those of you who take long trips and park hop with an annual pass, how do you do it?

 

[Pirate Granny]

I will have used 31 days on our AP. We only park hopped three times total. Since we have AP we aren't as hurried as we used to be, squeezing in everything. This was over three trips, The 16 day trip we only park hopped once, as we needed three days in EPCOT due to the darn tiering, and having our grandkids with us. We move at a much slower pace since having DVC, and rarely go in the mornings, as hubby golfs and I enjoy the balconies for tea and breakfast. We go in mid afternoons and then get a TS and early to bed nights, since hubby usually gets the first tee time of the day. It's quite a different pace than before we had the DVC, I'm retiring in September and trying to work our next trip/plans.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

So we took the grandson and his parents to the MK in the morning to see Mickey. He was 1 and a half so he did well for a while and then got very tired. So we hopped on the monorail so he could take a nap. When we got to the TTC stop , my wife and I decided to get off and go over to Epcot for lunch.

When we went back in May, we spent the day at Hollywood Studios. As we were driving back to AKL where we were staying, we decided to go over to the MK and see the new fireworks show, Happily Ever After, which we had never seen, and would not easily fit into any other night that trip. So we went into MK at about 8:15, found a good spot, and watched HEA at 9PM. Then we left.

Also, with Pandora opening up, it was very doable to do something else all day, and then hit extra magic hours at night to see Pandora.

These examples show how you can enjoy the parks with an AP without feeling like you have to hit a park and ride 5 E-ticket rides to get your moneys worth. This year, with the 13 month AP promotion (now over), we will get 24 days out of our AP over 4 trips.

 

[pangyal]

One thing to think about is that once you have an annual pass, plus your points, it's very easy to think about jetting down to the resorts more than you originally planned...depending on your perspective, this can be a huge positive or a huge negative !

Another thing to consider is that if you are looking at planning longer trips over the next few years, not just next, then your annual pass renewal rate will be very close to the price of seven day park hopper tickets, so you will lock into that renewal price advantage after the first year.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I will have used 31 days on our AP. We only park hopped three times total. Since we have AP we aren't as hurried as we used to be, squeezing in everything. This was over three trips, The 16 day trip we only park hopped once, as we needed three days in EPCOT due to the darn tiering, and having our grandkids with us. We move at a much slower pace since having DVC, and rarely go in the mornings, as hubby golfs and I enjoy the balconies for tea and breakfast. We go in mid afternoons and then get a TS and early to bed nights, since hubby usually gets the first tee time of the day. It's quite a different pace than before we had the DVC, I'm retiring in September and trying to work our next trip/plans.

I really look forward to not having to park hop. I just didn't know if others felt pressure to park hop with an AP. This is good to know that there's at least one person who doesn't feel obligated to hop.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

One thing to think about is that once you have an annual pass, plus your points, it's very easy to think about jetting down to the resorts more than you originally planned...depending on your perspective, this can be a huge positive or a huge negative !

Another thing to consider is that if you are looking at planning longer trips over the next few years, not just next, then your annual pass renewal rate will be very close to the price of seven day park hopper tickets, so you will lock into that renewal price advantage after the first year.

Can you explain your last paragraph? What we had planned to do is buy an AP for a December trip, then use it again for a family trip the following October. Then the third year just skip the parks for a resort-only trip in December. Fourth year, begin the cycle again.

 

[pangyal]

Can you explain your last paragraph? What we had planned to do is buy an AP for a December trip, then use it again for a family trip the following October. Then the third year just skip the parks for a resort-only trip in December. Fourth year, begin the cycle again.

Hmmm. I wonder if my suggestion might not be a good fit for you then. I was mentioning that the renewal rate is about 15% cheaper than purchasing the new AP- on a Gold pass, it is really a tangible difference! However, if you are skipping a year, I don't know that it would make sense to pay for a full renewal when you won't be going to the parks at all- the $90 or so that you would save with the renewal for each pass would not make up for paying about $500 for a pass you wouldn't be using!

 

[quandrea]

Hmmm. I wonder if my suggestion might not be a good fit for you then. I was mentioning that the renewal rate is about 15% cheaper than purchasing the new AP- on a Gold pass, it is really a tangible difference! However, if you are skipping a year, I don't know that it would make sense to pay for a full renewal when you won't be going to the parks at all- the $90 or so that you would save with the renewal for each pass would not make up for paying about $500 for a pass you wouldn't be using!

We take the route the op takes. Every third year away from on the parks.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Hmmm. I wonder if my suggestion might not be a good fit for you then. I was mentioning that the renewal rate is about 15% cheaper than purchasing the new AP- on a Gold pass, it is really a tangible difference! However, if you are skipping a year, I don't know that it would make sense to pay for a full renewal when you won't be going to the parks at all- the $90 or so that you would save with the renewal for each pass would not make up for paying about $500 for a pass you wouldn't be using!

Can you explain how a renewal works? I'm assuming you must renew before your AP expires. So this would require you to pay for an AP for Year 1, then a renewal for Year 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Correct? If you ever let an AP expire before renewing, you would have to buy a new AP, correct? There's no way to "skip a year" if you are paying for a renewal. What I'm interested in doing is buying an AP and then skipping one or two years before buying another, thus saving some money.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

We take the route the op takes. Every third year away from on the parks.

I'm interested in knowing whether you get bored that third year. What types of things do you do for entertainment on those trips?

 

[quandrea]

I'm interested in knowing whether you get bored that third year. What types of things do you do for entertainment on those trips?

Not at all. Last January we were at BWV two weeks. Great location as getting anywhere in wdw is so easy. We swam, rented a Surrey bike, ate our way around Crescent Lake, Community Hall for the kids, movies at Disney Springs, Bowling, Animation classes at Art of Animation Resort, resort hopping, movie nights in the villa, fireworks from the balcony, Disney Springs window shopping and hanging out, lots of gym time, walks around the lake. I think my kids like no parks trips best. Didn't miss the parks at all. You still get that Disney feel, but have none of the stress associated with crowds, rope drop, etc.

This October we will get an ap. come Jan 2019 we will have another no park trip.

 

[cvjw]

We have had AP's for about 10 years. We visit Disney for 3-4 weeks per year. We honestly don't park hop that much. If we do, we visit one park in the morning and then enjoy a dinner ADR followed by fireworks at another park. We have seen and done everything so much that we are OK missing things.

I think what the PP was trying to tell you is that the cost of a DVC gold AP renewal is about the same amount of money as a regular 7 day park hopper ticket. If you have an AP and let it expire, but visit Disney only once the next year, you might as well renew your AP instead of buying one regular 7 day park hopper.

 

[granmanh603]

Yes there are no more non expire tickets I do not think anymore too. We too feel less stressed with AP its not like you are losing and paying for a whole day. We go early now still and leave by 1 when now the crowds start coming with the new FP system. They sleep in and have passes for later in day. Sometimes we go back or to another park or just go for fireworks. I also agree you will decided to go for another trip, long weekend etc. with the AP and it does have some perks too. We only get gold pass as we have no desire to go on the black out days and if we did decide we would just upgrade to add that .

 

[FSU Girl]

I think the park hopping option is nice for dinner. I almost always want to eat at an Epcot restaurant for dinner on my trips, but I don't want to go to that park everyday.

 

[CarolMN]

We don't use the hopping feature of our annual pass all that much. It's nice to have if we just want to walk over to EPCOT (usually stay at BWV) for a meal & IllumiNations or over to DHS to catch Fantasmic! or the new fireworks show. We'd probably be fine without hopping, though.

I always do the math - so far, the GOLD AP has been quite a bit less expensive than other ticket options (including base tickets). So I figure we come out ahead whether we hop or not! Plus I like knowing I don't have to worry about getting the most out of a day's ticket. Commando touring days are over for us.

We don't renew our annual passes, either. Out pattern has been December, then late April / early May & October. Then we wait 14 months and start over again with a new AP. Works out well for our point allotments & gives us a chance to go elsewhere during the "off" months.

 

[Shellyred8]

We use the hopping feature of our AP's all the time. We usually start out the day in one park, then go back to the resort for a rest and then head off to a different park for the evening.

We usually make some FP+ reservations ahead of time and I try to get those for the morning or early afternoon. Then we play it by ear for the rest of the day/evening. We usually end up going to one of the nighttime fireworks show, but usually not at the same park we were at during the day. We like the flexibility of the hopper feature because we don't like to have EVERYTHING planned out. We like just being able to go where we want, when we want.

I'm dreaming of retirement too...but not for another 20 years or so. I like your timeline much better!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Honestly I wish they would sell an annual pass that didn't include park hopping.

Just calculate the price of tickets long enough for your trip vs the AP. Don't calculate it with hoppers. Just base tickets vs a AP.

Do the numbers still work for the ap? Then get it. Ignore the hopping benefit.

I really look forward to not having to park hop. I just didn't know if others felt pressure to park hop with an AP.

If you do not want to hop, don't! If it's not enjoyable to you, resist. Any pressure you're feeling to hop is from within, so create your plans that don't involve hopping, and go with it.

If your traveling companions are causing the pressure, let them hop! You don't have to go.

 

[jeremeyp]

So I'm dreaming of retirement in the next three years. Our plans are to maybe take yearly WDW trips in early December. We would like to stay around 12 nights. It make sense to buy an annual pass, but I just can't wrap my head around how to use it for the park hopper advantages. On short trips, I love to park hop. But with a long trip, I just don't think I would use it. Honestly I wish they would sell an annual pass that didn't include park hopping. I visualize my DH and me spending the majority of the day relaxing at the resort and then going into one park each evening for just a couple of hours and maybe an ADR (or maybe going into a park in the morning and spending the rest of the day at the resort). For those of you who take long trips and park hop with an annual pass, how do you do it?

If you don't feel like park hopping, then don't, but it's nice that it's there. You always have the option to catch a fireworks show somewhere. It's also great to have the AP for the discounts.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Just calculate the price of tickets long enough for your trip vs the AP. Don't calculate it with hoppers. Just base tickets vs a AP.

Do the numbers still work for the ap? Then get it. Ignore the hopping benefit.



If you do not want to hop, don't! If it's not enjoyable to you, resist. Any pressure you're feeling to hop is from within, so create your plans that don't involve hopping, and go with it.

If your traveling companions are causing the pressure, let them hop! You don't have to go.

The reason I say I wish they would sell an annual pass that doesn't include hopping is that it should sell for a less expensive price, just like base tickets are cheaper than park hoppers. I am a person that appreciates a value; yes, I clip coupons like crazy! The pressure is definitely from within. I have NE PH tickets right now and it bothers me on days when I don't hop. The only reason we got the PH option added is because on many trips (usually 5 days long), we go into the parks only 2 days, so park hopping is a must. But if the trip was 12 days long, I wouldn't want to park hop at all. I just think it will bother me that I've "paid" for hopping and am not using it. Well, I know it will because of how I feel about our current tickets.

Now with all of that said, I do think I can get over that pressure. I used to do split stays in order to get the DxDDP for the first two nights and that's when we would do all the signature restaurants. It was a good value! But I hated split stays. I was able to find other ways to save money on our dining in order to stop split stays, and even though it wasn't as good of a value, I was able to deal with it. And I survived that transition. So I'm sure it's possible to overcome the feeling that I need to hop.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

I can easily see Disney deciding to limit AP to 1 park per day, but for the same price, not less. And charging extra for adding park hopping for the convenience.