Annual pass questions

[disneylover102]

I’m considering getting an annual pass since I may be going to WDW multiple times between summer 2020 and summer 2021. I have a few questions.
1. Is it valid for a year from the day you buy it, the first day you reserve FP+, or the first day you actually use it in the parks?
2. I know you can only get FP+ for 7 days in a 30 day window, but if you have a Disney hotel reservation, this rule doesn’t apply for those days right?
3. Are there any disadvantages to getting an AP compared to always buying a regular park ticket?

Thanks in advance!

 

[gatorlisa]

1. It is valid from when you first enter a park.
2. You can book for your length of stay if you have an on-site reservation.
3. I cannot think of any disadvantages of having an AP.

 

[kiford]

#3: I can't think of any disadvantages unless it's less expensive for the length of time you will be there to purchase tickets separately (for us, 2-3 short 4-5 day stays or one 7-day plus a shorter stay is less expensive to get APs since you pay more for the first couple of days on a per day basis than you do for longer stays). Also make sure to take into account the potential for discounts using APs. We've saved hundreds on merchandise we were planning on purchasing in any event, on purchasing a TiW card (which saved us hundreds more), on hotel stays, and on some restaurants which didn't take TiW.

 

[Robo]

I know you can only get FP+ for 7 days in a 30 day window, but if you have a Disney hotel reservation, this rule doesn’t apply for those days right?

AP holders with WDW Resort reservations allows for booking of FPs 60 days (plus) in advance.

 

[disneylover102]

Thanks so much for the answers! This really helps!

I’ve developed another question. It’s complicated but due to weird scheduling, it seems likely that I may be going to WDW a couple days before my Europe trip (including DLP for 3 days!!!) and a few days after (will probably go to WDW because Miami was the cheapest US airport to fly from and it’s only a few hours from WDW). But I’m not quite sure yet if I actually want to get an Annual Pass. If I don’t, I would be getting 2 separate tickets (2 day and 6 day) since the original ticket would expire before getting back from Europe since my Europe trip is 2 weeks. If I decide that I do want to get an AP, can I combine the 2 tickets to upgrade to an AP (I would do this before either of them are completely used. I would know by the time I get there if I want an AP but I want my tickets ahead of time to get FP+)? Let me know if this doesn’t make sense. Thanks in advance and thanks again to the answers that have already been given!

 

[subtchr]

Officially, you can only use the value of one ticket toward the purchase of an AP.

I have heard anecdotal reports of some cast members granting pixie dust and combining the value of more than one ticket, but I would not want to count on that.

 

[disneygirlsng]

AP holders with WDW Resort reservations allows for booking of FPs 60 days (plus) in advance.

I think they meant you can only have up to 7 days of FPs within a 30 day period of time. Which is true if you are staying off site, but is disregarded with onsite stays, as mentioned above.

 

[tlmadden73]

Disadvantages?

The only disadvantage of the AP is the cost. Just do the math and make sure the cost of the AP is less (or the same) as the cost of just buying the tickets individually.

I would say that going on at LEAST two trips makes it worth it.

The break even point used to be two trips of about 4 days each IF you would get hoppers anyway. Now (after the $300 price increase), that break even point is much higher .. probably like two trips of 6+ days each or just three trips of 4 days.

The other disadvantage? Spending money on an unplanned trip because "why not? I have an AP!" The tickets are "free" after a certain point, but hotels and food aren't! ... We almost went on a 4th trip when we had it, but I pulled back on that to save the money just knowing I would want to go in 2020 or 2021 (or both).

I had one from Nov. 2018 - Nov. 2019 and we loved the Flexibility, the ability to go multiple times, the discounts and the Memory Maker. The bonus was we were able to use it to go to the preview of SWGE in August.

I am tempted to do it again for a June 2020 - 2021 or December 2020 -December 2021 time period for my family.

We have one, maybe two trips planned already for 2020.

 

[rdaky]

You will definitely want to make sure that your trip dates are within a year. We had APs last year and it meant that we had to make sure that the calendar day of the last day of our last trip was before the first day of our first trip.

You really have to price it out. The price of an AP went up so much this past year that we decided to not renew because it's a better deal for us to just buy tickets. And 3 week long trips last year did make the 3rd trip seem like a bargain, but like a previous person said, in the end we still spent more money on a place to sleep, food, and we purchased more junk that we didn't need. There is not any other place on Earth (at least not in my world) where it's normal to spend $150+ on our family dinner every night, even with an AP discount.

 

[gettinfiggywit]

I am considering becoming an annual pass holder starting in December 2020 so that I have it for the 50th anniversary celebration year. I think that there will be lots of opportunities and special events to take advantage of. I didn't pull the trigger this year, because I wanted to do more research. Thanks for this thread!

 

[tlmadden73]

I am considering becoming an annual pass holder starting in December 2020 so that I have it for the 50th anniversary celebration year. I think that there will be lots of opportunities and special events to take advantage of. I didn't pull the trigger this year, because I wanted to do more research. Thanks for this thread!

Keep an eye on prices and maybe just buy now if you can afford it to get the vouchers.

I am SURE Disney will raise the prices of APs (AGAIN) sometime this year knowing that a LOT of people will want to do what you are thinking of. Many fans will want to take many trips in 2021 due to the anniversary AND the opening of all the new big attractions like Tron and Guardians and Ratatouille.

 

[gettinfiggywit]

If I buy now, would that lock in a price for 2021? We can swing it now so if there is an advantage to pulling trigger now that info would be great!

 

[subtchr]

If I buy now, would that lock in a price for 2021? We can swing it now so if there is an advantage to pulling trigger now that info would be great!

Buy now, and you have until the end of 2030 to activate it.

 

[gettinfiggywit]

Fascinating! Thank you!!

 

[OSUZorba]

I think they meant you can only have up to 7 days of FPs within a 30 day period of time. Which is true if you are staying off site, but is disregarded with onsite stays, as mentioned above.

This isn't the whole story. You can only get more than 7 days, if your on-site days add up to more than 7.

So if you have 3 days on-site and 6 days off-site, you still only get 7 days of FPs, not 9.

To me this is the only disadvantage of an AP. Last time I was there DW and I had APs, while DD had a 9-day ticket. So there were two days we couldn't get FPs for, even though we had 3 nights on site.

ETA: The other disadvantage of an AP is you don't get mini-golf included, like you do with Water Parks and More tickets.

 

[gharter]

Agree that you need to look at the price of the AP vs the tickets for the number of days you will be there.
The discount on purchases and dining as well as Photopass doesn't hurt.

 

[disneygirlsng]

This isn't the whole story. You can only get more than 7 days, if your on-site days add up to more than 7.

So if you have 3 days on-site and 6 days off-site, you still only get 7 days of FPs, not 9.

To me this is the only disadvantage of an AP. Last time I was there DW and I had APs, while DD had a 9-day ticket. So there were two days we couldn't get FPs for, even though we had 3 nights on site.

ETA: The other disadvantage of an AP is you don't get mini-golf included, like you do with Water Parks and More tickets.

Yea, that's what I was saying. I guess it didn't come off across that way. You can get FPs for all onsite stay days (including check in, check out), but once you go off site, that limit kicks in.

 

[cruisnfamily]

. Also make sure to take into account the potential for discounts using APs. We've saved hundreds on merchandise we were planning on purchasing in any event, on purchasing a TiW card (which saved us hundreds more), on hotel stays, and on some restaurants which didn't take TiW.

I thought therer was an AP discount on food...so why buy the TiW card? Maybe I need more info on this subject.

 

[subtchr]

I thought therer was an AP discount on food...so why buy the TiW card? Maybe I need more info on this subject.

AP discount is 10% at most TS restaurants, and does not include alcohol, for the AP holder and up to 3 guests.

TiW discount is 20% at most TS restaurants, plus value resort and POFQ food courts, and many resort lounges, includes alcohol, and can be used for up to a party of 10. It also gives the holder complimentary valet parking when dining.

So depending on your party size and how often you dine, many people recoup the $150 cost of TiW and come out ahead pretty quickly.

 

[Djjsperry]

Ok here’s a question Can I renew my pass but have it become valid on my first visit with the new annual pass? Or is it the same renewal date as my first annual pass?