Let me explain the out of state AP issue.
Years ago, I lived in NY and owned DVC. We would do the “even/odd” plan. Buy an AP in August of the odd year, and use it thru July of the even year. Basically a week long trip at the beginning and at the end of the cycle. Visiting WDW was expensive, plane ride, rental car and all.
Later, we moved to NC. An 8 hour drive to the castle. Long weekend trips became a possibility. We maintained that same pattern, but now made 3-5 trips for the year we had the AP. Then we basically took a year off.
Things changed again, and we started renewing the AP. Always having an AP meant we could go any time. Still those 3-5 trips a year, sometimes more. Times were great, and we would often go down to visit friends and family from NY that were on vacation. Again, often just meeting up with them for the weekend while they were there for a week.
Then the pandemic happened. Due to low hotel prices, we went even more. For work travel I am a Hilton person. With no conventions, and may people not traveling, I was getting rooms at Hilton properties for $62 a night. With the kids only being in school 4 days a week, we were driving down on Thursday nights, and being in the parks form Friday until noon on Sunday. We spent a total of 28 days in the parks from July of 2020 to July of 2021.
But then things changed a bit. The new reservation system made getting a park reservation more difficult at times. Of course, prices started to go back up, and even go higher than before. We renewed our AP in 2021, and again in 2022. But I really debated not renewing in 2022. What kept me renewing was first the FOMO. Would I ever be able to get an AP again? Disney was only offering renewals. And of course, second, we already had 2 trips planned for this year.
The reservation system also meant it would be tougher to go on a spontaneous trip. Like when my sister would call and say they were going in two weeks and would we like to meet up. I could, but that could put our next scheduled trip at risk if we had to cancel our reservations.
With my youngest about to start collage in a different part of the country, I just do not see us having the time or the finances to go to Disney. So, we will say goodbye for now. I am glad to see that we may be able to get APs in the future, but again, who knows for sure.
But, my point, is Disney needs the AP people. It helps fill the parks when the crowds are low. Not all APs come in to the park for a couple of hours. Of course locals do. But locals also bring “others” to the parks. I cannot tell you how many people went to Disney only because we would go with them. How many people are going to Disney because they have family that live nearby.
Our big trip this year in May will include 13 of us. Only 3 of us have APs. We are bringing a lot of business to Disney.
Since we drive, and often stay off-site, we can really control our costs. But we all know, Disney is an expensive vacation…
Years ago, I lived in NY and owned DVC. We would do the “even/odd” plan. Buy an AP in August of the odd year, and use it thru July of the even year. Basically a week long trip at the beginning and at the end of the cycle. Visiting WDW was expensive, plane ride, rental car and all.
Later, we moved to NC. An 8 hour drive to the castle. Long weekend trips became a possibility. We maintained that same pattern, but now made 3-5 trips for the year we had the AP. Then we basically took a year off.
Things changed again, and we started renewing the AP. Always having an AP meant we could go any time. Still those 3-5 trips a year, sometimes more. Times were great, and we would often go down to visit friends and family from NY that were on vacation. Again, often just meeting up with them for the weekend while they were there for a week.
Then the pandemic happened. Due to low hotel prices, we went even more. For work travel I am a Hilton person. With no conventions, and may people not traveling, I was getting rooms at Hilton properties for $62 a night. With the kids only being in school 4 days a week, we were driving down on Thursday nights, and being in the parks form Friday until noon on Sunday. We spent a total of 28 days in the parks from July of 2020 to July of 2021.
But then things changed a bit. The new reservation system made getting a park reservation more difficult at times. Of course, prices started to go back up, and even go higher than before. We renewed our AP in 2021, and again in 2022. But I really debated not renewing in 2022. What kept me renewing was first the FOMO. Would I ever be able to get an AP again? Disney was only offering renewals. And of course, second, we already had 2 trips planned for this year.
The reservation system also meant it would be tougher to go on a spontaneous trip. Like when my sister would call and say they were going in two weeks and would we like to meet up. I could, but that could put our next scheduled trip at risk if we had to cancel our reservations.
With my youngest about to start collage in a different part of the country, I just do not see us having the time or the finances to go to Disney. So, we will say goodbye for now. I am glad to see that we may be able to get APs in the future, but again, who knows for sure.
But, my point, is Disney needs the AP people. It helps fill the parks when the crowds are low. Not all APs come in to the park for a couple of hours. Of course locals do. But locals also bring “others” to the parks. I cannot tell you how many people went to Disney only because we would go with them. How many people are going to Disney because they have family that live nearby.
Our big trip this year in May will include 13 of us. Only 3 of us have APs. We are bringing a lot of business to Disney.
Since we drive, and often stay off-site, we can really control our costs. But we all know, Disney is an expensive vacation…
You think that's expensive? We will be in the parks for ten days, including one Halloween Party, and, all told, our trip will cost us at least 20K (staying at one of the All Star value resorts, mostly eating counter service, and buying only a few souvenirs).
