WDW APs - To Renew Or Not To Renew? For seniors that may not go in 2021...

[The Bali Who?]

In 2019 I bought some family members Florida resident APs as a gift. Little did anyone know what 2020 would unleash. I'm at the end of the renew time for these and although I am very tempted to lock them in a couple people in the group are seniors. Of course I would love for all of us to use them this fall or winter to enjoy the holidays but who knows what things will be like then. I know they will be better but I'm on the fence bringing them into large crowds (they are vaccinated).

I'd be curious to hear thoughts on:
-seniors visiting the parks in 2021 w/ the pandemic in mind
-if I let these expire any idea if they'll be available in the future? (Florida Resident Weekday AP)

I will have to decide by the end of the weekend. Right now I'm leaning towards just letting them expire.

 

[Marionnette]

In 2019 I bought some family members Florida resident APs as a gift. Little did anyone know what 2020 would unleash. I'm at the end of the renew time for these and although I am very tempted to lock them in a couple people in the group are seniors. Of course I would love for all of us to use them this fall or winter to enjoy the holidays but who knows what things will be like then. I know they will be better but I'm on the fence bringing them into large crowds (they are vaccinated).

I'd be curious to hear thoughts on:
-seniors visiting the parks in 2021 w/ the pandemic in mind
-if I let these expire any idea if they'll be available in the future? (Florida Resident Weekday AP)

I will have to decide by the end of the weekend. Right now I'm leaning towards just letting them expire.

Nobody knows what the status of APs will be. They could do a restructuring like they intend to do at DL or they may wait until all COVID restrictions are lifted before they resume sales. It's all a great big question mark.

As to whether to renew for the seniors, that's a question for them. Some seniors are still very cautious about being in crowds while others are less concerned, especially after being vaccinated.

 

[carlyle688]

In 2019 I bought some family members Florida resident APs as a gift. Little did anyone know what 2020 would unleash. I'm at the end of the renew time for these and although I am very tempted to lock them in a couple people in the group are seniors. Of course I would love for all of us to use them this fall or winter to enjoy the holidays but who knows what things will be like then. I know they will be better but I'm on the fence bringing them into large crowds (they are vaccinated).

I'd be curious to hear thoughts on:
-seniors visiting the parks in 2021 w/ the pandemic in mind
-if I let these expire any idea if they'll be available in the future? (Florida Resident Weekday AP)

I will have to decide by the end of the weekend. Right now I'm leaning towards just letting them expire.

Define senior. My husband and I are in our 60s and recently renewed our weekday passes. The renewal price was not a lot - around $330 each if I remember correctly. I feel like it was worth it, especially since there’s no telling when Florida resident passes will be available again.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I am senior and very happy to have discounted Fl resident AP (with DVC discount) ... I think you should consider keeping them because my first consideration is price increase. Will you be upset if you realize you wish you still had them for all the events with Anniversary year coming up?
I suggest you price the one day price surge calendar for holidays!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

What's a senior to you? I will be 65 this year and have several underlying conditions. I canceled my AP but got my Covid19 vaccine March 12th. March 20th I contacted Disney to see if I could repurchase my AP since I canceled due to Covid19. April 20th they called me back and I repurchased my Gold AP, $765. I feel comfortable enough to go during the week. I am going next week for the first time since February 2020. It doesn't necessarily matter the age, it's will they be comfortable. My 32 yr old daughter is not comfortable going, she has a 10 month old. She's not comfortable taking him into the parks yet.

 

[The Bali Who?]

Define senior. My husband and I are in our 60s and recently renewed our weekday passes. The renewal price was not a lot - around $330 each if I remember correctly. I feel like it was worth it, especially since there’s no telling when Florida resident passes will be available again.

Ages 75 and 78.

 

[_19disnA]

Is there some monetary advantage to buying it year after year? If the price is the same each year and you don't think some of them will go this year due to uncertainty around covid, I would wait until next year to buy it.

 

[CarolynFH]

We are seniors, not quite as old as yours, and in March we renewed our APs after comparing the renewal price to a 7-day hopper and realizing it was only about $20 less than the renewal. We’ve been vaccinated since February and in June will take our 2nd trip with these renewed APs. So, I agree with PP who suggests asking your seniors how they feel and what they’d like. Given that Disney is not just renewing APs but selling new ones to people who canceled during the shutdown, I think the AP program will continue, but of course that’s just my opinion.

 

[MomOTwins]

I am guessing you aren't asking them since the APs are a gift and you want to surprise them? I would just ask them and spoil the surprise. Honestly, it's really a decision everyone needs to make for themselves. You wouldn't want to get them the a gift and risk them going along even if they don't want to because they feel bad you spent all that money. Or you might find they are completely happy to go now that are vaccinated and you can start trip planning together!

I would just frame it to them as "I am thinking it would be nice to get the whole family Disney World APs, but don't want anyone to feel pressured to go if they aren't comfortable, so I wanted to check with everyone first. Is that something you would want to do?"

 

[Akck]

We got DVC Gold AP vouchers in February 2020, for a family trip in December 2020 as seniors. Then Covid happened and we ended up activating the APs in September to replace a Disneyland trip. We used the APs in December and April 2021. We also got AP renewal vouchers for a trip in January 2021.

We had no issues with any of our trips. We felt more relaxed during our April trip even though social distancing was more lax, not by Disney, by guests not paying attention. I think in the future, things will be even more relaxed, especially as more people are fully vaccinated.

 

[DisMommyTX]

Even if you don't plan to use them half the year, it is probably worth renewing. Who knows when they will start selling passes again to the public, if the discounted pass options will be available in the future, or how much pass prices will increase by next year. As one of the least expensive AP options currently available, the renewals now would likely cost less than a 4-day park ticket next spring.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm 71, close to 72, so a senior, although I hate the term. I was in WDW in early Jan. Heading back in late August, early Dec, and late Jan. Obviously, I have no issues going to WDW!!
I had an AP every year from 2001. I had a trip in early Dec 2019, then no trip planned for another 4 months. I decided to let my pass expire (I was in the midst of a nasty divorce, and spending on an AP would not have looked good!!). I figured I would just pay full price for another one when I went again. Well, Covid came along....no trip happened. Now? I have three trips planned, and no AP in hand. If I knew, back in Dec 2019, what I know now? I would have renewed my pass. At least I would know I had one for all my subsequent trips. I can only hope and pray Disney offers something other than LOS passes soon.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'd be curious to hear thoughts on:
-seniors visiting the parks in 2021 w/ the pandemic in mind
-if I let these expire any idea if they'll be available in the future? (Florida Resident Weekday AP)

We are seniors who are renewing our AP's. They expire May 26th and even though we don't have another trip planned until late October, I wanted to get the renewal discount. We also plan to take more trips in 2022.

 

[carlyle688]

A four day Florida resident park hopper ticket is going to be about the same price as the renewal for the Florida resident weekday pass for an entire year. So I would say it’s definitely worth it to renew. A lot can change in a year and even if they don’t feel comfortable going right now, they will likely not feel that way once everything gets back to normal.

 

[The Bali Who?]

Thanks for all the feedback. The biggest question on my mind is probably: would they use it by April 2022 since that's when it would expire? If not, and I waited until say a fall / winter trip of 2022 would I have trouble getting the same Florida Resident Weekday Pass? They wouldn't really go without other family so it's likely the trips would take place in November or December.

 

[Akck]

At this point, I wouldn’t count on any AP being available in the near future. We renewed our APs for a trip in January, but if APs were readily available, I may not have renewed and would’ve looked to see if any future trips beyond January would coordinate better With a new AP. It’s too big of a chance to take now.

 

[gharter]

Thanks for all the feedback. The biggest question on my mind is probably: would they use it by April 2022 since that's when it would expire? If not, and I waited until say a fall / winter trip of 2022 would I have trouble getting the same Florida Resident Weekday Pass? They wouldn't really go without other family so it's likely the trips would take place in November or December.

Based on how the APs worked in the past, when you renew an AP, no matter when you activate it, it starts the day after your previous pass expired. When you could purchase a new AP, the year started when you first activated it at a park.
So depending on what it will cost you to renew vs what purchasing the number of park days you need, it may or may not be worth it.
For us, renewing the AP will be worth it again.

 

[LoveToDisney]

We’re seniors and renewed our Gold APs In May even though we won’t get to use them until December. Since regular tickets are so expensive and no one knows when they will sell APs again, I wasn’t willing to take a chance of not having it. I consider it just part of the cost of the pandemic. We only got 2 trips on the last AP because of Covid so I’m hoping to get at least 2 trips on this one and hopefully more.
I’m just very happy to be alive and now fully vaccinated so I can enjoy Disney in the future again!

 

[wdw&sonny]

I can’t see how renewing can be worth it, without knowing if it will be used at all. I’d wait until a trip is planned, and then decide best option. Even if they go this year, how many days is break even on buying a multi day ticket vs the AP renewal ?

 

[Akck]

I can’t see how renewing can be worth it, without knowing if it will be used at all. I’d wait until a trip is planned, and then decide best option. Even if they go this year, how many days is break even on buying a multi day ticket vs the AP renewal ?

A 9 day park hopper ticket is about equivalent to a Gold AP renewal, but you also get memory maker. If you include memory maker as part of the cost, it goes to a 3-4 day ticket. If you split it between two, then it’s a 5-6 day ticket. So renewing is definitely worth it as long as you plan to go.