AP or Park Tickets?

[BriarRose0708]

Please help me figure out what to do. I currently have park tickets booked as part of a Magic Your Way package for my trip this October. I just found out that it's 95% sure I will be going back to Orlando in March for a professional conference held at the World Center Marriott. I have been to conferences there before and it's a stone's throw away from WDW. There's no way I'll be that close and NOT go to a park while there. It's likely I'll have a few hours to spend in the afternoon/evenings.

What I am trying to figure out is this- should I add a couple of days to the ticket package I have now and get the non-expiration option, or should I upgrade to the Annual Pass? I currently have a 5-day base ticket and would likely add 3 days with non-expiration. It's highly unlikely that I would be going back to Orlando more than twice this year, which makes me lean more toward the non-expiring option.

If it turns out I do go with the AP, what happens to my package I've booked in October? Will I be able to keep the Free Dining promotion? Would I need to wait until my last park day to upgrade? Would I need to pay the full AP price or does the value of my 5-day pass subsidize some of it?

What are your thoughts? Help!

[disneymom15]

Looks like a 5 day base ticket is $268. A 3 day base ticket is $242. That totals $510.
An 8 day base no expire is $513.
An Annual Pass is $574.

[azcavalier]

If it turns out I do go with the AP, what happens to my package I've booked in October? Will I be able to keep the Free Dining promotion? Would I need to wait until my last park day to upgrade? Would I need to pay the full AP price or does the value of my 5-day pass subsidize some of it?

What are your thoughts? Help!

I've been told that if you're going to upgrade to an AP, wait until the end of your trip to do it or it will mess with your ADRs. There's no benefit to doing it at the beginning of your trip anyway, so if that's the route you're going to take, just do it at the end to avoid complications with your existing trip. That's what we're going to do in November.

[CleveRocks]

I've been told that if you're going to upgrade to an AP, wait until the end of your trip to do it or it will mess with your ADRs.

Just to clarify ... it can't possibly mess with your dining reservations, but it can mess up your dining credits.

[CleveRocks]

Looks like a 5 day base ticket is $268. A 3 day base ticket is $242. That totals $510.
An 8 day base no expire is $513.
An Annual Pass is $574.

Excellent information!

It's always important to do the math rather than make assumptions. And the math clearly shows that in the OP's case the best thing to do will be to buy separate tickets for each trip.

Plus, you never know, your conference might possibly offer Disney tickets at a discount or might offer after-2 p.m. or after 4-p.m. tickets, which would mean buying the No Expiration option now would be an even bigger waste of money.

[septembergirl]

Excellent information!

It's always important to do the math rather than make assumptions. And the math clearly shows that in the OP's case the best thing to do will be to buy separate tickets for each trip.

Plus, you never know, your conference might possibly offer Disney tickets at a discount or might offer after-2 p.m. or after 4-p.m. tickets, which would mean buying the No Expiration option now would be an even bigger waste of money.

We got conferences tickets a couple of years ago and I'm pretty sure we paid around $400 or so for
TWO 4 day passes (no Hoppers). And the After 2 & After 4 options were even cheaper. But, if you're staying offsite, the AP will get you free parking.

[DizneyRox]

And the AP is a park hopper,so if you need park hopping, I think the 8 day with no expiration becomes just about the same price as the AP.

I typically just go with an AP, with the DVC discount it's hard not to. It's been a few years since I've had to think about park tickets though. If I ever head back, it will be something I do the math on. Tickets are usually the most expensive part of a WDW vacation.

And you would probably be best served to upgrade your base ticket as you leave the parks on your last day (after you've used your last dining credits). The activation date of the AP should be the first day you used the base ticket, good for a year. You'll pay the difference between the current value of the base ticket and the current price of the AP at the time of upgrade.