"smartest" way to buy an AP?

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

Is it better to buy a 5 day ticket & upgrade at the park or buy an AP and be done with it?

We're going down in August for a week, we'll be back in Nov for 3 days and then we'll go down for Spring break 5 months later.

We never considered APs before but we just purchased a motorhome and plan to take many trips to Disney with it

 

[DebbieB]

Is it better to buy a 5 day ticket & upgrade at the park or buy an AP and be done with it? We're going down in August for a week, we'll be back in Nov for 3 days and then we'll go down for Spring break 5 months later. We never considered APs before but we just purchased a motorhome and plan to take many trips to Disney with it

If you have the money now, I would buy an AP now. The last price increase was February, so it's almost 100% there will be another one by August. The year will not start until you exchange it for the actual ticket.

If you buy a 5 day in advance, you will only be able to get 5 days FP+.

 

[Robo]

"smartest" way to buy an AP?

There is a way to buy AP's for Disney World and get a discount.
It's easy, but requires a few "steps" to accomplish.

Here's the deal:

First, find the absolute best deal you can on a multi-day MYW ticket from a reputable WDW ticket discounter.

You will want to choose a ticket to buy from the discounter that offers the most savings, but only on a ticket that costs
(at the WDW gate) LESS than an AP.

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Here are some popular, reliable links for info and/or tickets:

http://www.mousesavers.com

http://www.undercovertourist.com

http://www.ticketmania.com

http://www.mapleleaftickets.com

And, AAA travel offices can often be a good source.
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Buy your MYW ticket from the discounter.
(Likely the best deal will be on a ticket with a larger number of days on it.)

When you get to WDW, USE your discounted ticket to go into a THEME PARK at least one time
BEFORE you do the upgrade.

THEN, go to any Guest Relations or Ticket Window at the park, TTC, or DTD.

Upgrade to an AP.

Since you have USED a day of your discounted ticket, you will receive the CURRENT GATE PRICE when you trade in your discounted ticket.

So...

You will get to "keep the discount" you got on the MYW ticket, but you will then be buying an AP as if you had paid full current gate price for the MYW you are trading-in.

 

[Dan Murphy]

The smartest is a purchase from a good ticket seller, such as Undercover Tourist.

https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/walt-disney-world-resort/

A 6-Day Park Hopper+ Water Park Fun & More No Expiration ticket will give you a $72 savings ($73 if linked to UT via Mousesavers newsletter).

Do not use the WPF&M options, use the ticket for one theme park admission, then upgrade.

Since you are doing a 5 day trip first, you will be able to take care of all your necessary fastpasses ahead of time.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

The smartest is a purchase from a good ticket seller, such as Undercover Tourist.

https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/walt-disney-world-resort/

A 6-Day Park Hopper+ Water Park Fun & More No Expiration ticket will give you a $72 savings ($73 if linked to UT via Mousesavers newsletter).

Do not use the WPF&M options, use the ticket for one theme park admission, then upgrade.

Since you are doing a 5 day trip first, you will be able to take care of all your necessary fastpasses ahead of time.

Would I still have 5 park days left to use after the AP expires then? And 6 Water park admissions?

 

[iheartpeterpan]

No, once you convert it to an annual pass, it is an annual pass with an expiration date one year from your first use.

 

[dayvewc]

No, once you convert it to an annual pass, it is an annual pass with an expiration date one year from your first use.

Is that a year from first use of the AP? Or a year from first use of the ticket? For example, if I got a 5 day pass, and upgraded on the 5th day, would I then have 365 days to use the AP, or 360?

 

[bumbershoot]

Is that a year from first use of the AP? Or a year from first use of the ticket? For example, if I got a 5 day pass, and upgraded on the 5th day, would I then have 365 days to use the AP, or 360?

It starts with the first use of the ticket.

But not only are you getting the cost of the ticket put towards the AP, but they "bridge" the difference between what you paid for the x day ticket and what current gate price is on an x day ticket.

That's why it can be a savings to do it that way.


But if your first trip has more days than the ticket you would buy and upgrade from, you won't be able to make all the FP+ reservations for your trip ahead of time.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

BE VERY CAREFUL if you choose the converting tickets option. I've done it twice, both with kind of bad results.

The first time, I did it intentionally. We wanted one AP- for hotel discount (You don't need to buy them for everyone, if you just want room discount). We picked Epcot. Epcot parking doesn't have a 'drop off' area. I went in the park, and guest services accused me of stealing my ticket. They were not remotely nice. They didn't ask to see the paper receipt, and basically refused to convert the ticket. He almost refused to give me back my ticket!

I walked out, upset but knowing I was in the right. I went out the front gate to the guest services there. The second CM was nicer, and I remembered that I had taken a photo of my receipt AND that photo still just HAPPENED to be in my smartphone! It was my first trip with smartphone - and we brought both the phone and the digital camera. I left the digital camera in the car. Still, when he first tried to convert the ticket- he only offered me full price. (see below).

The second time I converted tickets, it was accidental. We decided to do a bounceback. Well, again- the CM only offered us full price- until I was slightly insistent. It took us OVER AN HOUR in the GS office to get our AP's!!!!!! It was ONLY with the help of a manager that it worked.

If you do this- MAKE SURE you know EXACTLY what it should cost. When UT buys tickets, they don't pay full price- they pay a special bulk rate. So BOTH times- GS tried to quote the value of my ticket at that bulk ticket rate. They also buy tickets like a year before you buy them from UT. That's why they thought I had ill-gotten tickets. My ticket had been bought by UT over a year before I did.

The second price I was quoted also valued my ticket incorrectly, and would have negated the UT discount I'd gotten.

The best agents I have encountered over many trips, and numerous ticket issues over the last 15 years are at MK! that is your best bet, but be prepared to lose an hour (That can be a huge pain on your first morning!!!!) AND Make sure you have a copy of your proof of purchase, AND Make sure you know EXACTLY what you should pay.


A far simpler way to get 5% off your AP is to get a Target credit card. Buy Disney giftcards using your Target card. You can also get a second 5% if you use the Target pharmacy. Mark EACH CARD with a SHARPIE as you use it. If you are buying an AP using gift cards, just do it all at once.

During vacation though - it can be tricky and time consuming to keep track of the gift cards. They are best used all at once for big WDw purchases.

 

[katallo]

This has been interesting. I'm curious. If you purchase a 7 day ticket with park hopper (PP mentioned you should buy the ticket with the park hopper) and convert it to an AP what is the actual savings?

 

[Robo]

This has been interesting. I'm curious. If you purchase a 7 day ticket with park hopper (PP mentioned you should buy the ticket with the park hopper**) and convert it to an AP what is the actual savings?

Just look up the current price of ANY Magic Your Way ticket at www.UnderCoverTourist.com
(if you want to use the 7-day Hopper, that'll do) and the current price of an AP at WDW HERE.

(**The reason for buying the Hopper is only because that ticket has a bit larger savings at UT.)

Subtract the cost of the Magic Your Way ticket from the cost of the AP.
That's how much you'll pay for the AP.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Just look up the current price of ANY Magic Your Way ticket at www.UnderCoverTourist.com
(if you want to use the 7-day Hopper, that'll do) and the current price of an AP at WDW HERE.

(The reason for buying the Hopper is only because it has a bit better savings.)

Subtract the cost of the Magic Your Way ticket from the cost of the AP.
That's how much you'll save.

Um, no. the amount you'll save is the difference that is listed on the website. If they say they are selling 7day hoppers for $27 off the gate price, that's how much you'll save off your AP.

I remember too, it beig suggested that you should buy a ticket that is less than the cost of an AP, but I think if you bought a ticket valued more than an AP, they would refund the difference when you converted the ticket.

The amount you will should ask to pay to convert the ticket is the amount Robo cites.

If there are any price changes between when you buy and when you convert- you should also be ableto save that amount. (usually only few $ per ticket.

The top of this section has a sticky about converting tickets with great information.

 

[Robo]

I remember too, it beig suggested that you should buy a ticket that is less than the cost of an AP, but I think if you bought a ticket valued more than an AP, they would refund the difference when you converted the ticket.

That MIGHT happen. (And, it has happened in some cases.)

But, "officially" the rules are no refunds on tickets.

I'd be careful not to expect that to happen.
It could ruin your savings if it did not.

 

[katallo]

Um, no. the amount you'll save is the difference that is listed on the website. If they say they are selling 7day hoppers for $27 off the gate price, that's how much you'll save off your AP.

Ok, so the savings on a 7 day hopper is 16.00. I think we might also qualify for a discount through AAA at AAA South. I am looking into that as well.
The only downside is that you have to go to their office in Orlando to purchase.

 

[jimandami]

Um, no. the amount you'll save is the difference that is listed on the website. If they say they are selling 7day hoppers for $27 off the gate price, that's how much you'll save off your AP. Ok, so the savings on a 7 day hopper is 16.00. I think we might also qualify for a discount through AAA at AAA South. I am looking into that as well. The only downside is that you have to go to their office in Orlando to purchase.

To get the "most" savings, you need to choose a ticket that offers the largest discount. For example, a 6 day NE ticket with PH and WP&M saves something like $68 I think (that's from memory, I didn't look it up) so if you purchase that ticket, you save $68 on an AP.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Currently, through UT, 6-Day Park Hopper + Water Park Fun & More No Expiration will yield the greatest savings if converting to a regular AP, $72.