AP vs MYW ticket upgrad

[DekrRini]

I'm new here so bear with me if I'm asking something already asked before. I tried a search but didn't find anything. So here goes.

I'm going to WDW in Nov/Dec 2012 and again in October of 2013. Both trips will be for 7 days so I know an AP will be worth purchasing. I'm hoping to get a room discount with the AP which is why I figured on buying it first, but I've seen some threads about purchasing tickets from UTC and then upgrading to an AP. I'm assuming if I did that I'd be missing out on the AP room discount. What are the chances of getting a room discount in Nov/Dec 2012 and which option would be best for saving money?

Thanks for your help!

[blyday]

I think that it all depends. To get the AP discount, you need to have your AP at the time of check in. If you can upgrade your UCT ticket before you check into your hotel, then you can get the benefit of the discounted ticket and the room discount. That said, you might want to wait until closer to make any decisions. You can see if the general public discount is better then the AP rate, etc and then go from there.

[DekrRini]

How would I know what the AP rate is without the AP? I know I can't check it out on the official WDW site because I don't have an AP now. Is there another way?

[blyday]

http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwticketprices.html#ap

[clanmcculloch]

Brenda, that's the price for buying an AP, not the AP room rate. The resort AP discounts are here (http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#ap). The problem with this link though is that it just tells you the rate, not the availability. For availability, you really need to get a friendly AP holder (like some of the amazing folks around here; right now I'm sure wishing I was one of them) who will look it up for you.

All the reports I've read say that you can book the AP rate without having the AP in hand at checkin but that you'll need to go back to the front desk by the end of the day with it which allows you time to go upgrade a ticket. I haven't been in this situation myself to know so I can't say for sure but that's my understanding. I think Vicki may have done this before. Vicki?

Definitely hold off on purchasing tickets to upgrade. If you end up finding a package deal that saves you more than a room only discount, you'll need to purchase tickets with the deal. Those tickets would be upgradable but you don't want to already have other tickets if you end up going this route.

[blyday]

Opps.....Misunderstood what they were asking for. Thanks Trudy.


The problem with this link though is that it just tells you the rate, not the availability. For availability, you really need to get a friendly AP holder (like some of the amazing folks around here; right now I'm sure wishing I was one of them) who will look it up for you.

You can call Disney yourself and get a quote and check availability that way also if you don't have someone you can go through.

[clanmcculloch]

Thanks Brenda! I wasn't sure if they'd deal with non-AP holders or not. Though I guess if I really thought about it, they kind of have to since they allow people who have not yet purchased their APs to book AP rates; the only way to do that is to deal with non-AP holders. I should have thought of that. I guess my extreme dislike of dealing with CRO was clouding my mind. I really don't like to do it.

[vicki_c]

Yes, this past weekend was the only time I was ever asked for my AP at check-in, over multiple AP trips. And I'm sure if I had said - "I'm off to buy it now at MK", it wouldn't have been any issue. You don't need it to book, and you don't normally (99/100 times) need it when you first arrive at the resort.

And I never really use the AP site for anything. I get knowledge of the discounts from Mousesavers, from here, etc. Then I just call up and book.

[Kimann]

I booked our trip last month on the phone with an AP discount and then upgraded my UT tourist ticket when we got there but after we checked in. When I called I just let the CM know that I planned on purchasing the AP and she was able to give me availability and book for me. As an aside, I was also able to book tours with an AP discount prior to our trip (and without actually having the AP). But I definitely agree that you might want to wait to see if there are any pkg deals for your first trip, if you have to purchase tickets with that one you could still upgrade them to APs once you get there and recieve the AP benefits and an AP resort rate for your second trip.

[DekrRini]

Thanks, Everyone! I appreciate all your help.

[Princeston's Gal]

I paid for our AP's on-line (via Disney World's website), they mailed us our vouchers (green voucher cards), made our AP room reservations on the phone at the passholder reservation line, showed the green voucher cards to the CM during check-in and then headed to MK to cash in the green cards to get the passes. It was really simple!! Hum... I hope all of that made sense.

Once I became a passholder... I try to book my own rooms on-line. Unless the system is down (like it was a couple of weeks ago) and then I call the passholder line to book.

Also, I knew WDW was going to raise their rates... so I bought the passes BEFORE the rate changed! Cha-ching! Saved a lot of money (2 AP's).