Park Ticket Puzzle

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

I need to plan for what were going to pay for park admissions on our November Trip, but honestly, its just too much for my poor brain to handle right now! Back in the day the answer was simple: buy as many days as you can afford and use the extras on a future trip. But back then tickets didn't expire. Then later they made it an option, an affordable option. Now non-expiration seems so expensive that it doesn't make sense. The old 'me' would sit down and whip up a spreadsheet and run a few if-then's but I'm not ready to wade through all the pricing variables right now. Any how, here's our situation. We are staying 8 days at the Fort, at least. We are attending MNSSHP on one of those days (separate ticket) and at least hitting Epcot on another, and AK on a third. That's it for the firm plans. That leaves us with a lot of free days where, if we had the tickets anyhow, we might run over for a couple of hours of F&W. So, length of stay passes would be nice, and would take the pressure off of our scheduled park days. Plus, if my wife can get a good Internet connection (so that she can do some work from the Fort) we may decide to extend our stay. We have more than two-weeks reserved right now and given the 5 day cancellation we can size up the situation after being there a couple of days. To add to the confusion, my mother will be with us, too, and she is a military spouse (step-father is retired AF) so we can avail ourselves of at least some of the SoG discounts. I'd love to know what you all would do in this situation.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

If you are planning another trip within the next year, I'd definitely get an annual pass.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I think I would go AP.  Even if you only stay 8 days it frees you to go into the park whenever you want and for however long you want... plus it gives you a reason to come back to "get your money's worth" out of the AP

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Try this....

 

http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/ticket-calculator

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Has the non expiring gone up a lot? The last time I looked a 10 day non-expiring was only about $10 a day higher($50) than 2, 5 day tickets and you know that those prices will be higher next year. If you can get the SOG deal that would probably make the difference a little less.

With that said, as was mentioned above, if your coming back next year I would definitely go with the AP.

As to Mrs. getting good wi-fi, good signal can normally be gotten on TE porch, the pool and the lobby at WL. We have never had trouble getting the modem when we check in and I carry a wireless router (pass word protected) that I hook-up in the MH.

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

An AP probably isn't in the cards since this is our first Halloween trip, and we may decide we'd rather do a Christmas trip next time (which could be next year or the one after). If it were a 13-month pass I'd be all over it. As for Internet, I'm more worried about throughput. We'd have to have a modem, and the connection would have to be fast enough for her to do VoIP conference calls and screen sharing. Even if that's all good she still may want to bug out after 8 days. She's very hard to predict. Anyway, thanks for the help so far... Keep the opinions coming!

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

BTW, I remember when non-expiry was a $15 upgrade, so $50 seems steep to me, but you make a good case.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

for some reason I thought they got rid of the non-expiration option... hmm, research time

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

Using the calculator: 8-day park hopper $386, add non-expiration $626!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Using the calculator: 8-day park hopper $386, add non-expiration $626!

I know you said this wasnt' an option but just pointing out that the base cost of AP is $600....

 

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passes/

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Non expire not available online but can buy at box office and I believe by phone.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Using the calculator: 8-day park hopper $386, add non-expiration $626!

where did you find the non-exp tickets?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

by the way, i do get what you are saying about AP... just presenting all the info on the prices 

 

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

On the ticket calculator website referenced above click on advanced options.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

On the ticket calculator website referenced above click on advanced options.

thanks  

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

Ok, this is really helping me to think about what we need. Right now we arrive on 10/28 and leave on 11/5. That's 8 days. But there is no way we'd do the parks on arrival or breakdown. So that's 6. We really shouldn't attempt a park on our party day, so that's 5. And mom leaves a day before we do so she only needs 4. There is no way I could get them to do two parks in a day, so no hopper needed, for them at least. And we really don't have extra money laying around to invest in future vacations, so no non-expiration. So, a base 4-day, a base 5-day and maybe a 5-day hopper for me and we'd have all the access we need for minimal outlay. The only problem would be if we extend our stay, but I guess if we decide to do that we can just be more frugal with the days we have, or add more to them (not sure about the cost to add days). Now to decide if its cheaper at SoG or online?

[Judy in Texas 150]

4 day park hopper Military tickets are $169. The person with the ID plus the rest of the party must be there to activate the tickets. Your mother's husband can get 6 tickets.

[devores 382]

4 day park hopper Military tickets are $169. The person with the ID plus the rest of the party must be there to activate the tickets. Your mother's husband can get 6 tickets.

But they expire on Sept 28. So be sure your dates work out for those.

[Judy in Texas 150]

It's been extended into 2014.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/07/disney-parks-salute-u-s-military-with-special-tickets-room-rates/

[devores 382]

Two separate programs. If the tickets are purchased during the 2012-2013 program, they expire Sept 28, 2013. Then the new program starts Sep 29, 2013. Tickets bought during the new program will expire Sept 28, 2014. Tickets expire whether all options were used or not.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Remember too that you can add on days and/or PH once you get there, so if you're not sure exactly how many days you need or if you'll need PH, you can hold off on spending the money until you know for sure.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

In case it's helpful...

 

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

Ok, so say we get there and want to extend. We've used 2 days of our 5 day tickets, how much does it cost to add more days. IIRC they give us the value of our remaining days (ie a 3 day pass) and we pay the difference to get to the number of days we want? So to add 3 days to a 5-day with 2 already spent it'd be the price of a 6-day minus the price of a 3-day? And just to be sure, they will do this with discounted tickets, too (SoG or online)?

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Just the difference between what you paid and the new ticket. If you bought a 5 and want to make it a 6 you pay just the few dollars difference to add to it. Remember though you must add or change your ticket before you have used all your days by midnight on that last ticket day.

[Judy in Texas 150]

You can't add to the Military tickets. They are what they are. If you have a 4 day military ticket and want to add a 5th day, you have to buy a full priced one day ticket.