How Often for AP Discount?

Nikki G · Sep 18, 2017

This is our first year as DVC owners and really paying attention to the ins and outs. I am intrigued by this offer on the discounted annual pass for DVC members, but have no need of it for this year. Does Disney do a special offer on them every year, or is this a rare occurrence? I understand from some research that you can buy an annual pass and then hold on to it for quite a while before activating it, at which time it will then be good for a year from that date. Is this true? If it is, and this special offer is a rare occurrence, I'm wondering if it's a smart move to buy annual passes now through this offer, but then not activate them until the year long period that we know we will be going multiple times. I'm assuming that the prices will just keep going up so buying now would save us some money when the time comes that we actually need them. What are your thoughts?

erionm · Sep 18, 2017

There is always member pricing available on Annual Passes. Any special promotions (13 months, Platinum Plus for price of Gold, etc.) are offered very sporadically.

APs purchased at regular member pricing can be held for quite some time before activating them. Those purchased under a special promotion will have a limited purchase window as well as a limited activation window.

Fangorn · Sep 18, 2017

This particular offer is a rare occurrence. Whether it continues or not is anyone's guess.

Buying APs (vouchers, actually) and holding on to them forever USED to be something you could do. That changed in Feb of 2017. AP vouchers now have an expiration date (generally Dec 31 of the year after you purchase the voucher), and this specific DVC offer has an expiration date of 1/3/18 to purchase and 12/31/18 to activate.

With the vouchers now having an expiration date, they are no longer good forever. BUT if the voucher does expire before the AP is activated, you won't lose any money. The full amount you paid for the voucher can be applied to a new voucher (or any other ticket, for that matter). Essentially, you end up paying any price increase(s) that occurred between the original purchase and a new purchase after the expiration date.

Hope that helps.

Steve

hakepb · Sep 18, 2017

Discounts can change or be discontinued at any time (sometimes without notice). I don't think there was an AP discount in DVC's early years, but since then, there has been a general discount.

The AP promo deals have been about every 2 years, but I think this year was the 1st time that had timing to work with our plans.

erionm · Sep 18, 2017

Fangorn said:
Buying APs (vouchers, actually) and holding on to them forever USED to be something you could do. That changed in Feb of 2017. AP vouchers now have an expiration date (generally Dec 31 of the year after you purchase the voucher), and this specific DVC offer has an expiration date of 1/3/18 to purchase and 12/31/18 to activate.

AP vouchers purchased at regular member pricing will have a 12/31/2030 expiration date.

Fangorn · Sep 18, 2017

erionm said:
AP vouchers purchased at regular member pricing will have a 12/31/2030 expiration date.

You're right. I was confusing the expiration dates for MYW tickets, not AP.

Steve

Nikki G · Sep 19, 2017

I swear, it seems like learning the intricacies of successful Disney planning is a full time job. Thanks for all the info, I'll keep it in mind. My dream is to some day be able to justify an annual pass every year, but until then I will have to content myself with 1 trip a year. 2020 is when we are thinking of throwing in 2-3 trips. I guess I will just have to hope that they have another great discount that year.

disfanforlife · Sep 19, 2017

Nikki G said:
I swear, it seems like learning the intricacies of successful Disney planning is a full time job. Thanks for all the info, I'll keep it in mind. My dream is to some day be able to justify an annual pass every year, but until then I will have to content myself with 1 trip a year. 2020 is when we are thinking of throwing in 2-3 trips. I guess I will just have to hope that they have another great discount that year.

I have found that even when went only once a year an AP can be great money saver if you time your trip to be a week or two before the previous years trip. That way you get 2 trips out of one AP.

Cyberc1978 · Sep 19, 2017

I bought an AP last year in late September and got 3 trips out of it. We normally go for 3ish hours each day sometimes more.

How often you need to go depends on how often you visit the parks on your vacation?

If you go 3 times then you will have saved some money after your second trip. If you go more than 3 times then the savings will be larger after your second trip.

That is for a MYW tix for 3 or more days compared to an AP Gold.

Matty B13 · Sep 19, 2017

With our kids in school and only able to go in February or April, we are trying to get 2 trips in with an AP going April 2018 then February 2019, should save us quit a bit of money (roughly $1500 for a family of 4)........ As long as we can make it those dates.

Cyberc1978 · Sep 20, 2017

Remember that the gold AP has block out dates around Easter. Easter normally falls in late March - beginning April or in April alone.

erionm · Sep 20, 2017

Cyberc1978 said:
Remember that the gold AP has block out dates around Easter.

Last half of December as well.

Cyberc1978 · Sep 20, 2017

erionm said:
Last half of December as well.

True

Farps · Sep 20, 2017

We try to plan two trips with them and it definitely saves quite a bit of money. This year my son transferred to the University of Tampa so I accidentally booked a couple of extra weekends to visit and see the parks.

Nikki G · Sep 21, 2017

It seems that to make it worth it you need at least 7-8 days in the parks, and anything beyond that is just gravy. Does anyone happen to know if you take advantage of the current platinum plus deal, when you renew are you limited to only the platinum plus, or can you then switch to the gold pass since it will be the cheaper of the two? I wasn't sure if you had to renew like for like or not in order to get the renewal discount. Also, when you renew does it automatically begin upon renewal, or is it like above where you get a voucher that will not expire for a while and the year will not start until you activate it? For example, I hypothetically buy a pass that's good until March 2018. I renew the pass but will not be returning to the parks until November 2018. Does the pass begin immediately in March 2018 or can I hold onto the voucher and then activate it in November, giving me the pass from November 2018-2019? I hope that question makes sense!

erionm · Sep 21, 2017

Nikki G said:
It seems that to make it worth it you need at least 7-8 days in the parks, and anything beyond that is just gravy. Does anyone happen to know if you take advantage of the current platinum plus deal, when you renew are you limited to only the platinum plus, or can you then switch to the gold pass since it will be the cheaper of the two? I wasn't sure if you had to renew like for like or not in order to get the renewal discount.

At renewal time, you can upgrade/downgrade to any level of annual pass you are entitled to and pay the renewal rate for the new pass level selected.

Also, when you renew does it automatically begin upon renewal, or is it like above where you get a voucher that will not expire for a while and the year will not start until you activate it? For example, I hypothetically buy a pass that's good until March 2018. I renew the pass but will not be returning to the parks until November 2018. Does the pass begin immediately in March 2018 or can I hold onto the voucher and then activate it in November, giving me the pass from November 2018-2019? I hope that question makes sense!

Renewing will extend your expiration date by 1 calendar year.

pilferk · Oct 4, 2017

Farps said:
We try to plan two trips with them and it definitely saves quite a bit of money. This year my son transferred to the University of Tampa so I accidentally booked a couple of extra weekends to visit and see the parks.

This is exactly what we're doing. December trip this year, Thanksgiving trip next year.

How Often for AP Discount?

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