AP prices increased [6/18/2019]

[PPFlight75]

I called my local AAA in Illinois instead of a corporate call center. The rep did have to talk to someone first but gave the quote and said that no issues having my father in law (we’re not members) order for us. We went with the Sams though because it was going to be quicker to buy ourselves in case the deal changed

Sams was pretty easy!

 

[cakebaker]

That depends on how often the PP visits the park and how much Disney eventually sells them for.

And I have no idea whether it would work. Why would Disney care about one person paying twice while only taking the space for 1? It seems like they'd be thrilled to allow this.

I'm sure they don't care if you want to pay twice, but they do care about doubling up on FP's.

 

[mom2rtk]

You can't double up on FPs, though. They closed that loophole.

I think the PP was talking about buying and using both tickets to enter the park. What I think they closed was getting FPs on tickets not used to enter the park that day.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I think the PP was talking about buying and using both tickets to enter the park. What I think they closed was getting FPs on tickets not used to enter the park that day.

Yes they specifically said they want to do this to double up on FPs. I don't want to elaborate on why this won't work, since it's not to be discussed on the DIS.

 

[jolynne28]

This is us too. We a good income & a high % of disposable income. I would also say upper middle class. We have been taking 2 - 3 trips a year for the last few years because of that. And usually staying club level deluxe. However, we will both be retiring in the next 2- 3 years. We had hoped to finally be able to take longer trips & maybe some spur of the moment ones too. I know we will have to be more thoughtful in our discretionary spending. I had already anticipated staying at moderate more often or maybe doing split stays. The way these price hikes are going, I am beginning to wonder if any on site stays will be doable for us by then.

Us too, and I agree with feeling priced out, but then realizing that feeling was more that we are overpaying for an experience. I wanted to share our Disney plans.

We started looking at going the week before Thanksgiving 2019 sometime late last year. My parents have a motorhome, so I was booking them at the Fort. I hadn't decided where we would stay. We've stayed at Wilderness Lodge, POP, and Coronado Springs in the past. Wilderness was super expensive, but it was our splurge trip during December the year before and we had free dining. Anyway, I was researching the best loops, and kept coming across pictures of families with their travel trailers and RV's. I started to think, well why can't we just do that? So my husband and I began looking around, and in April we ended up buying a used travel trailer for around $10K. We're 'remodeling' the inside, but it is in excellent condition. We've never done anything like this! I have no idea if this is a terrible idea! But, we realized that this made traveling with our kids much more affordable, since we really enjoy Disney with them, and also the beaches on the panhandle.

I just bought the AP's from Sams, and we've got 3 trips booked for 2019-2020. I think I can possibly squeeze a fourth in if we go back the week before our passes will be activated in November. But even if we only go 3 times, we've more than covered the cost of the passes. The campgrounds still aren't cheap, each week stay will run about $1K+, but that's better than the hotels, and it makes it much easier to pack your own meals and only eat out a few times while there. So we'll get 3 trips in for between roughly $7,500-8,500, depending on how much we spend on food and Disney stuff for our family of 5, one of which is still free. I think that's a pretty good deal for one year. Once these passes run out, I can see us taking a year off, then maybe getting one more set before my youngest turns 3 and doing the same thing again.

 

[Nick6300]

.

 

[SaintsManiac]

you have to scan your band at taps at entrance to use the FPs. So if you were wanting to use 2 sets of MBs it would take extra effort. I’d never consider buying extra tickets or passes but I know people who use their kids MBs who don’t want to ride big attractions/ swap bands to go on something twice while the others take a break

And that is totally fine to do.

 

[Nick6300]

Yes they specifically said they want to do this to double up on FPs. I don't want to elaborate on why this won't work, since it's not to be discussed on the DIS.

Good point.

 

[Nick6300]

Us too, and I agree with feeling priced out, but then realizing that feeling was more that we are overpaying for an experience. I wanted to share our Disney plans.

We started looking at going the week before Thanksgiving 2019 sometime late last year. My parents have a motorhome, so I was booking them at the Fort. I hadn't decided where we would stay. We've stayed at Wilderness Lodge, POP, and Coronado Springs in the past. Wilderness was super expensive, but it was our splurge trip during December the year before and we had free dining. Anyway, I was researching the best loops, and kept coming across pictures of families with their travel trailers and RV's. I started to think, well why can't we just do that? So my husband and I began looking around, and in April we ended up buying a used travel trailer for around $10K. We're 'remodeling' the inside, but it is in excellent condition. We've never done anything like this! I have no idea if this is a terrible idea! But, we realized that this made traveling with our kids much more affordable, since we really enjoy Disney with them, and also the beaches on the panhandle.

My first several trips to WDW were camping at the Fort with my family and closest cousins as a child. And those were some of my fondest memories... the campfire sing a long, movies at night, pool/arcade, shuffleboard and canoeing, learning how to ride a bike down the trails.

Even when we stay at the hotels, I still enjoy spending the night of a water park / non park day at FW, going to the campfire/movie. We enjoy Trailsend breakfast. And Hoop Dee Doo Review is fun. Can take a boat to MK from there for fireworks.

Now that we’re grown, my folks stay at Wilderness Lodge- almost always. But we’ve occasionally stayed at the cabins together.

Hope you create a bunch of great memories camping with your family as well!

 

[Trs5257]

So if I buy an AP through Sam's and let it sit in my account until I am ready to use it, would I still be able to make FP's without the pass being activated first?

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes they specifically said they want to do this to double up on FPs. I don't want to elaborate on why this won't work, since it's not to be discussed on the DIS.

I'm aware. But I was suggesting something completely different.

 

[cakebaker]

So if I buy an AP through Sam's and let it sit in my account until I am ready to use it, would I still be able to make FP's without the pass being activated first?

Yes

 

[Nick6300]

So if I buy an AP through Sam's and let it sit in my account until I am ready to use it, would I still be able to make FP's without the pass being activated first?

I think sams site advertises about an hour after purchase they give you the voucher via email where you can then link to MDX and be ready for FP when your window opens. APs are activated only at the ticket counter at GR or DS when there in person

 

[Amanda999]

So if I buy an AP through Sam's and let it sit in my account until I am ready to use it, would I still be able to make FP's without the pass being activated first?

Yes. Took 14 minutes each of the 4 times I bought at Sam's Club on Thursday, from the email confirming the purchase to the email with the Disney ID number needed for MDE. (FYI: that 2nd email has an attachment, but you don't even need to open it - they put the MDE code you need, to link the AP to your MDE account, right in the email.) Of course YMMV on timing, but thought you'd like to know.

 

[cakebaker]

I think sams site advertises about an hour after purchase they give you the voucher via email where you can then link to MDX and be ready for FP when your window opens. APs are activated only at the ticket counter at GR or DS when there in person

It's not always that fast. I ordered mine early afternoon, got the voucher the next morning. The email confirmation says orders after 1 will be processed next day. Lots of people have reported it took them a while to get their voucher. As long as you get your purchase confirmation, you'll get the voucher eventually, just may be longer than Sams says.

 

[Vivsmom]

Yes. Took 14 minutes each of the 4 times I bought at Sam's Club on Thursday, from the email confirming the purchase to the email with the Disney ID number needed for MDE. (FYI: that 2nd email has an attachment, but you don't even need to open it - they put the MDE code you need, to link the AP to your MDE account, right in the email.) Of course YMMV on timing, but thought you'd like to know.

May I ask why you purchased 4 times? I need to buy 2 APs for me and my daughter and was going to do it in one transaction. Thank you.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

If we didn’t have our Florida resident rates with monthly plan we’d be done too.

 

[omniscientmommy]

@jolynne28 Did your dh camp before? I'm trying to convince mine that RV'ing isn't really camping. He's not buying it. He never went camping tent or rv as a kid and refuses to stay any place with a decent bathroom and bed.

 

[omniscientmommy]

Does anyone know when the Sam's Club voucher discount will end? We really won't need new AP's until end of November and I'm cringing in my seat thinking about laying out like 3k right now. I know I will save more now over renewing them thru Disney but there's that whole 'time value of money' thing to consider.

 

[jolynne28]

@jolynne28 Did your dh camp before? I'm trying to convince mine that RV'ing isn't really camping. He's not buying it. He never went camping tent or rv as a kid and refuses to stay any place with a decent bathroom and bed.

Neither of us camp! I was very skeptical at first, but the best thing we did was spend an entire Saturday at a couple of big RV open houses. We went inside everything and were impressed with the layouts. So we decided what would work for us and then waited for something used to become available...we didn’t have to wait long.

The bathrooms are tiny in them. But I will admit that after our last vacation, we agreed that hotels were starting to gross us out. We are updating the inside of our trailer, ripping out all the carpet and painting, to make it more ‘ours’.