Annual Pass Questions

[Rosemickey68]

If we buy the annual pass in June, would our renewal happen every June after....or is it one of those things that you have to renew at the beginning of each year?

If we are planning a trip for 5 days/4 nights the 2nd week of December and January for 3 nights/4 days....Do you think the annual pass would be worth it?.

How much would you say on average the discount is on the rooms with the AP?

What exactly is the Tables in Wonderland and how does that work?
Thanks!

[faline]

Annual passes expire one year from the date you activate them. When you buy an annual pass for the first time, you wil receive a voucher. The clock on your annual pass will not begin ticking until you go to the park and activate the pass on your December trip. If your first park day in December is December 1st, your annual pass will run until December 1st of 2011. If you keep in active, that will be your renewal date every year. When you renew, however, the clock starts ticking immediately instead of when you next visit a park. For that reason, we will often let our annual passes lapse before purchasing a new set for an upcoming trip.

Figure out the total number of park days you will use the annual pass for. Divide the cost of the annual pass by that number of days - that will be your per day cost of the annual pass. If you can buy either park tickets for the same number of park days, then the annual pass is probably not your best purchase. Don't base on your purchase on their being an annual pass discount Many times, other discounts are better than the annual pass rates and/or annual pass discounts are not available for when you want to go.

With Tables in Wonderland, you purchase a discount card. This card is valid for most table service restaurants (generally not applicable for counter service) and provides you with a 20% discount on your entire bill (including alcoholic beverages). Most lounges in Disney World will also accept the card for discounts.

[Rosemickey68]

How much does the Tables in Wonderland card cost?

[BigRedDad]

$75 for AP holders

[KylesMom]

Don't base on your purchase on their being an annual pass discount Many times, other discounts are better than the annual pass rates and/or annual pass discounts are not available for when you want to go.

I second this advice. Right now, we're booked under a AAA room-only rate through Magical Journeys. If A/P rates are offered, they'll switch our reservation over as appropriate. However, please remember that A/P room rates are released after other offers have been advertised, and oftentimes the resort and/or dates of your trip won't coincide with these discounts.

You do not need to have a pass in hand to make an A/P reservation. However, you do need to have an activated pass upon check-in. You could book your trip under a standard reservation, and then if A/P rates are offered, switch the reservation over to take advantage of them - and then purchase your pass(es). I strongly suggest using MJ, as they take the pain out of trying to get those rates once they are released. Only a certain number of rooms are available under the A/P rates when they do come out.

We get two trips out of our A/Ps - for example, we're going in July of '10, and will book another trip in June of '11 so that the pass is very worth it for us. However, if you're only planning on spending 8 or 9 days in the parks, you may find that the cost of the pass in relation to a MYW pass may not pay off - especially if you don't get room discounts.

Over a span of two trips (30 days), we've saved $506 with the TiW card on food & alcohol purchases. However, we schedule TS once per day and enjoy our "adult beverages". If you're counter service people, this probably wouldn't make sense to buy for only 8 or 9 days of use.

We love our A/Ps, as they do save us a ton of money. However, be sure you're going to get the benefits of the pass before you dive in & purchase!

[DigitalDaredevil]

Faline, the policy on renewing AP's may have changed. My AP expired in September and the renewal said that it would start continuous with the ending of my last pass. I was sent a voucher and went to receive my pass in December. The pass was retro dated to the ending of my last pass. This was the only way I could get the discounted rate on renewing it.
However, through dumb luck, the CM who renewed it said I could pay a little more to make the first use date in December, which I did.
She wasn't able to do it in the system and had to make calls to her supervisor. The supervisor said that it could not be done but since I was told I could get it, he did an over ride on another type of pass to allow me to get that price.
What you said may be true, but it wasn't with my experience.
I recall a few years back that when I renewed it would be good for one year after the day I actually used the pass in the park. This is different now.
I have an out of state AP.

[KylesMom]

DigitalDaredevil, Disney has been running a special - renew your A/Ps and have them extended for an additional 3 months for 15 months total. Faline's information is correct; however, the current promotion changes things a bit for a limited time.

Here is another thread which discusses this in detail. Interestingly enough, I was not able to find anything on the Passholder Website directly related to the 15-month renewal today. In the post below, I had gone to the passholder website and found it without a problem.

A/P 15 Month Renewal

I would guess that because you had not renewed within a specified time of your expiration date, the supervisor was not going to allow you to take advantage of the promotion. However, since another CM had already mentioned it, they really had to. Extra pixie dust for you!

[DigitalDaredevil]

KylesMom,
I took advantage of the extra three months promotion that they offered me. My pass would have expired in December but with the delay in activation that I was allowed gave me until March.
I renewed before I expired, and the card said you had to renew within 30 days after your expiration to get the deal.
Things may be different now but this is how I experienced it. I think the promotion may have changed some of their policies whether it be temporary or permanent.
I was able to get the 15 months and they even moved my activation date forward. I did end up getting some Pixie dust in the deal.
Thanks for the info.

[Rosemickey68]

I read somewhere you can only book 1 room at the discounted AP rate. Is this still correct?

My oldest son and his girlfriend will be meeting us at WDW 1 or 2 days later than us.

The 4 of us will have AP (3 of us are age appropriate to reserve the rooms), my oldest son and his girlfriend want the basic (cheapest) tickets.

Can we book their room under one of our names as long as we are there when he gets to the hotel?

Will it matter if he stays 1 or 2 days after us?

Also, we read where you can also get the Dining Plan for Passholders. Would we be able to get the Dining Plan for the oldest and his girlfriend too?

Thanks for you help!

[faline]

My understanding is that an annual passholder can book more than one room at the discount rate. The dining plan, however, is part of a package. You can't book a discounted annual pass room and still get the dining plan.

[Rosemickey68]

Thought I read on this site (or maybe another one!?!)... that AP holders can get the dining plan.


From what I read when you book under the AP rate you can also add & pay for what is called the DDP for passholders.

It is the basic dining plan with the 1 TS and 1 CS with snack.
It is the same price as if you were adding it to a package.

Is this not available anymore?

[KylesMom]

You used to be able to book 3 rooms under one A/P - however, I know they reduced this number a few years ago when they took away the benefit of reserving a room with a child's A/P. Unfortunately, I'm currently unable to access the passholder site, so I'm not sure - but I think for every A/P you can reserve two rooms.

From what I read when you book under the AP rate you can also add & pay for what is called the DDP for passholders. It is the basic dining plan with the 1 TS and 1 CS with snack.
It is the same price as if you were adding it to a package. Is this not available anymore?

Yes, passholders are eligible for the dining program. However, I don't know how it works in conjunction with a discounted room as it's never paid off for us, so we've never booked it. During the time of our visit in late July/Early August of this year, under the new tiered DDP rates, it would cost us $46.99 each daily, or $2,114,55 for our trip. The TiW card is a better value for us - and we don't have to worry about utizing all of the credits if we cancel dining plans, etcetera.

I'm also not certain how your DS & his girlfriend's extra days would work if you, the passholder, are no longer present. Typically for all A/P benefits to "count", the holder of the card must be in attendance.

[faline]

Thought I read on this site (or maybe another one!?!)... that AP holders can get the dining plan.


From what I read when you book under the AP rate you can also add & pay for what is called the DDP for passholders.

It is the basic dining plan with the 1 TS and 1 CS with snack.
It is the same price as if you were adding it to a package.

Is this not available anymore?

Things change so fast! Guess I missed this option!