jayco1 15 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Stayed our first week at the Fort and are going back. Looking at annual pass. "Enjoy 365 days of magic. Annual passholders can come and go as they please through all four Theme Parks for an entire year.* Even hop around from Park to Park on the same day, or choose to do even more with a Premium Annual Pass" This is what it says, seems like a really good deal for $609, compared to tickets, hoppers, etc. Do you get some type of hard card just to carry and go wherever you want? Is there a downside? Am I missing something? Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 I've heard that you'll probably get the new magic bands. Some reports I've read say they have both the bands and a hard ticket. I really just wanted to howdy and welcome aboard. Some one a lot smarter and more knowledgeable will be a long shortly to better answer your questions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 If you plan on a couple of trips in the next year and will do parks, there is no downside to getting AP's. It frees you up immeasurably, in that you don't feel like you must get a full day's worth of enjoyment because you used one of your park days. With AP's, if you want to hang around the Fort and just head to Epcot for dinner, it's not like you have wasted a park ticket. It frees you up in the way you "do Disney". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 It's like DaveinTN says, it takes a lot of pressure off of you about trying to see everything in a day. But are you going to utilize it enough to get your moneys worth? If you only use it 4 days out of the year then no you probably wouldn't. We have AP's for Busch Gardens and Sea World and it's nice just to go for a couple of hours and let my granddaughter do what she wants. But then again we are only 10 minutes from Busch and an hour from Sea World. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy and Grandma 740 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 You will get a card and you link it to your "Magic Band". It is recommended that you carry both. The AP is just as economical as a 10 day non expiring hopper, so if you going at least 10 days a year it is definitely worth the money. The PREMIUM is almost 2/3 more so to us that is not a bargain. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ECKusch 2 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Hey Jayco1, Let me beging by anwsering your first question: Yes you will receive a hard "credit card like" card, if not a Magic Band! Both work the same way, except the magic band will have spending capabilities, and act as a room key as well. But either way, you will be able to hop to and from all four of the parks any day. No black outs.My fiance and I, are going on our 3 straight year with the passes, and do not see us stopping in the foreseeable future. We live in Tampa, and its a quick 1.5 hour drive from our door to Magic kingdoms gate! So We heavily utilize Day-cations, and go for one day/night. We also finance the pass so its a measly $60 bucks a month for the 2 of us, and we find that to be a VALUE! If you are planning on going to WDW more than a dozen time in a year... WELL WORTH IT! Welcome to the club! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 We live in Tampa, and its a quick 1.5 hour drive from our door to Magic kingdoms gate! You drive slow. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Katman1356...Jason 1,140 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 You drive slow.TCDI was thinking that too. For me Clearwater to Disney is an hour and 10 minutes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I was thinking that too. For me Clearwater to Disney is an hour and 10 minutes. Attaboy. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis 105 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 First of all :welcome2: So you are the guy that passes me doing 80+ We are in Palm Harbor (northwest (no relation to Kanye) of Tampa) and as long as traffic does not get us we can make it in 1.5 hours towing the popup. It also covers parking which is a big deal for us locals because we are not always staying at a resort and $15 a day adds up quick. There is also the discounts on resorts, restaurants, rentals, golf, merchandise, and services. So as long as you are sure you are going to go to the parks enough days to cover the daily cost they are a great deal. But honestly the passes are the cheap part. It's the hotels, food, and gas back and forth that really cost me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Kanye? Who's Kanye? Anyway, Harold, you and I live close to each other, and an hour and a half is typical for me too. From Tampa to WDW is usually just an hour, no matter what. The variable is getting across the bay and through Tampa to get to I-4. Sometimes that only takes 30 minutes, sometimes, if the traffic is bad, it takes an hour or more. But 1.5 hours from Tampa to WDW is slow. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 We live just West of USF. Door to Outpost is about hour 20 to hour 30 minutes, depending on traffic. A lot of that time is just getting away from Tampa itself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ECKusch 2 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Kanye? Who's Kanye? Anyway, Harold, you and I live close to each other, and an hour and a half is typical for me too. From Tampa to WDW is usually just an hour, no matter what. The variable is getting across the bay and through Tampa to get to I-4. Sometimes that only takes 30 minutes, sometimes, if the traffic is bad, it takes an hour or more. But 1.5 hours from Tampa to WDW is slow. TCDShould of stated that I live in South Tampa, 15 mins from 275, once on the HWY its a quick Hr & 15 Mins to the gates of MK! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oft013 23 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Used to live in Palm Harbor and it was 1.5 hours from our door to Disney's door. Now we are in the DFW area and it is 19 hours give or take. But we still get annual passes. We usually take 3 trips a year to Disney for a total of about 30 days and the annual passes more than pay for themselves. Currently we have a hard credit card type card, but our wrist bands should be shipping to us in a couple of days. Someone mentioned keeping both with us, I never considered this, but for at least the first trip with wrist bands this sounds like good advise. I did the math years ago and as long as you go at least 12 days a year you should break even. The biggest difference between the Annual Pass and the Premium Annual Pass for us was the water parks. The regular Annual Pass does not include waterparks. Never an issue for us, since the hotels and campground all have pools. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis 105 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Kanye? Who's Kanye? Anyway, Harold, you and I live close to each other, and an hour and a half is typical for me too. From Tampa to WDW is usually just an hour, no matter what. The variable is getting across the bay and through Tampa to get to I-4. Sometimes that only takes 30 minutes, sometimes, if the traffic is bad, it takes an hour or more. But 1.5 hours from Tampa to WDW is slow. TCDKanye West, the guy that named his child North so he is North West. I used to work just off 301 and we had an outside salesman that called on Disney to try and sell ToT elevator cable. He claimed Disney was 45 min from work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Kanye West, the guy that named his child North so he is North West. I used to work just off 301 and we had an outside salesman that called on Disney to try and sell ToT elevator cable. He claimed Disney was 45 min from work. Harold, I was messing with you. I just got done raising three teenagers, I know who Kanye is. And Kim. And even that other one that married the basketball player. Now, in a few years, I won't know squat about pop culture. But for now, I'm good. 45 minutes from 301 to WDW is pretty darn fast. BTW- back on topic- one other big perk about the AP is that you don't have to pay for parking. If you're staying at a WDW Resort, no big deal. but if you're staying off property or making day trips, that parking charge could add up. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Oh, just an FYI - someone mentioned a payment plan for annual passes, that is only good for Florida residents. Us out of state schmucks must pay more for the APs and pay for them all at once!!!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Takemeanywhere 0 Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 Got one last year and will again this year. Last year we were in FW a month - this year 2 months. I second (or third...or tenth) what others have said about not feeling pressured to "get the most" out of a day in a park. Actually, it's fun to go, take a good long daily hike and just people-watch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 We also enjoy having APs. We generally only spend an hour or two in the parks at a time, longer if we are having a meal. I also enjoy getting up early while DH is sleeping in, going to the EMH morning park, riding a couple of the big rides, then back to the campground in time for breakfast at Trails End. I definitely wouldn't "waste" a day on a regular ticket just to do that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Retired and Happy (Ken) 101 Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 We agree. The AP is a big convenience if you will be going into the parks 10-12 days a year. I haven't done the math, but we have gotten AP's for 10-15 years now. We don't do the water parks, so the Premium is not a consideration for us. We go once or twice a year and spend from a week to a month on each visit. Also, sometimes they have offered 15 month "AP's" which make it an even better deal. We are hoping the changes WDW is making do not detract from the absolutely great times we have had there in the past. The changhe in the GAC and the change in FP makes us wonder what might be next. We are non-planners, and like to hit a Park and do what we want to. Maybe the things that attract us with our special needs kids will not be changed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 Got one last year and will again this year. Last year we were in FW a month - this year 2 months. I'm jealous! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jjbescher 17 Posted November 6, 2013 Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 We were luckily enough to get the Premium Annual Pass with the DVC deal. It was $399 a person. I just activated in August and hoep to get 4 trips out of it. The AP came in handy when were finishing up shopping on our last day. Our friends did not have any days left on their tickets and they could not find what they were looking for at World of Disney. I got in the car and went to DHS and got them what they were looking for. As others have said. If the AP is going to be less than buying the number of days you will be there, then get it. jon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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