I'm so confused!!! Too many options!!!

[Goofy Pluto]

Hi everyone.

So my wife and I are now considering several different options in planning our trip. It looks very likely that we are going the week after Thanksgiving. But how we are going to plan this trip is the big question...

So I'm looking at different sites about ways to save money and one thing I notice is it seems like the biggest discounts available to non-Fl residents is with the AP. 20% off meals (with DDE)? 10% off purchases around the World? That seems pretty good! Of course, it wouldn't be worth it unless we went twice within a year, so we'd plan that as well! Two trips within a year! Whoo hoo!!!

Anyway, that's not a definite... yet. It's just something we're deciding on, but the thing is, is it worth it for us? We also have a Disney Visa and AAA and would the discounts we would get from those be better or equal to the discounts/benefits we would get with APs? Would the APs give us better deals? Basically, which would give us the best discounts for rooms and dining/shopping? Forget the fact that we would do a 2nd trip... just consider one trip in Nov after Thanksgiving and assume the ticket prices for one trip would be about the same (AP ticket prices split between two trips). AP with DDE versus Visa/AAA with DDP... which is better?

There's so much information out there that it's hard to assimilate it all to figure this out easily so if anyone out there has any experience with this or can give me any idea of which would be a better option... ANYTHING... that would help us with this decision, we'd appreciate it. Thanks.

[Jasper]

Don't let yourself get too caught up in trying to save money. All of the various programs have their pluses and minuses so really, I would suggest making your plans the way you want them and then fitting whatever discounts are available to the trip you have planned. If you try to plan a trip based solely on discounts you will probably never get it planned.

[vamaggie]

Another option vs AP (if you are not sure if you will take 2 trips in a year) is to get the non-expiring option on the park tickets. Buying the tickets with more days than you will need in the fall will save you money both on this trip and on future one(s) since the cost of the tickets will go up over the years. Since you have the Disney Visa I would also start throwing bills etc and stuff you would buy anyway (like food and gas) on it and get the rewards to use to help pay for your trip. My concern with APs is that if you can't take 2 or more trips in a year you're lost. Also, from what I've read, the AP rates for rooms tend to go very fast so you have to be really on top of the offers and jump.

[faline]

First all, there is no guarantee that room discounts would be available with an annual pass. Discounts are limited. The Disney Dining Experience card does provide you with a 20% discount at selected restaurants, most of which are table service restaurants. The discount on shopping is not everywhere you shop but in selected locations such as the Disney store in Downtown Disney.

There are often room discounts available with AAA which you can book through any travel agent. Package discounts would need to be booked directly through AAA.

There are sometimes promotions offered to Disney Visa holders. With packages, you can finance without interest for 6 months.

Additionally, Disney sometimes offers other discount pacakges to the general public.

The only way to know for sure what will work for you will be to run the numbers for each of the options.

You might also try working with Magical Journeys (http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/). They can help you sort out which option would be most advantageous for you and your party.

[Marilyn Michetti]

We've had AP twice, (I think), and it was worth the money. Only problem is that you have to bump up a week every time. We just love going the first week in Dec. because that's our Christmas. Kids are grown, and although they include us in their celebrations, we don't decorate much. Disney is the ultimate atmosphere for people that LOVE the lights, sounds, and "snow" thing.

I WISH Disney would come out with an AP that we could use at any Park. I've never been to DL, and would take the six hour trip several times a year if we wouldn't have to buy a separate AP. Someday it MIGHT happen, but right now, they say it's not possible because the two parks are separate business's.

We'll see........Maybe this will be our year to try AP again.;)

[tyandskyesmom]

How many days are you hoping to be in parks? That could be your deciding factor. In the past 8 years Disney has always had some sort of discount on the week you are talking about (that's our favorite time to go!). So it may be a good guestimate that they will again but they are never guaranteed at the AP level.

What I would do if I were you is go thru Magical Journeys with your AAA discount. Tell them you are considering an AP and they will watch for discounts for you and if it is better than the AAA discount (which it usually is) they will convert your reservation to AP and at that time you can purchase the AP. You do not need to have it in hand before reserving that way, you only need to have it at check-in. If AP rates do not come out for some reason, you already have the room you wanted and you're all set. If you get the AP rate, you can then order your DDE card (when we got ours they asked us when we would be there and dated it to be valid for a year from then). The discount with the AP is good at World of Disney at DD and at some restaurants at DD where the DDE is not.

Hope that helped a little!