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Post by helenabear on Jan 10, 2023 23:48:41 GMT -5
My question for you, does your DD actually show signs of wanting Universal more? My now 15yo is not a fan in the same way. Only wants to go every so often really. Don't assume age will mean the kids auto stop wanting Disney. Very good point. I've gone 41+ years without giving a shit about Universal... Now it's 35-45 minutes away and still eventually I'll get over there. Likely when third park opens. But doubtful even then it will ever be more than every once in a blue moon... I was 5 oh my first trip. I've passed 40 years of going and don't stop. Now I like universal now and then but not mode than every few years. HP world disappointed me. And their thrill rides often pale compared to Cedar Point. Kid didn't care for it much and is opting to skip a day on his band trip. It's definitely not just for little kids. Kid was sooo happy when I got to tell him our CCV add on happened at his other favorite resort (Polynesian) while eating breakfast over spring break. He's marching Main St March 11th if you want to see.... though he grew a ton since you saw him last! |
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Post by TexasChick on Jan 10, 2023 23:55:25 GMT -5
I debated renewing a couple of years ago versus just waiting it out. I decided to go ahead and renew, and thank goodness because this was all pre-Covid and before buying new APs went away. I would look at it like this: Will you be upset if you can't buy AP's in a few years because they haven't resumed sales? Also, we are a family that does go to Universal on some of the trips. We do both. Whenever we feel we are getting "DIsneyed out", we take a break for several months. My DD and I went back in November, and it honestly feels like we haven't been in several months rather than just a few. That isn't always the case for us. Sometimes, we haven't been in 6+ months, and we feel like we just went. I think it depends on the trip. My point is that I continue to renew for all 4 of us even though I am not totally sure it makes sense for DH because it is just easier with the AP's rather than the tickets. It also gives us flexibility to book a random trip and not have to worry about the cost of purchasing tickets for him.
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Post by FessParker1 on Jan 11, 2023 6:19:15 GMT -5
I just looked at the price of a 7 day hopper for the first week of December 2023 $799 plus tax $851. Our last renewal was about $815. Even if it goes up $100 and we only do 1 trip next year it's like insurance against losing it for ever.
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Post by noreen99 on Jan 11, 2023 9:01:23 GMT -5
Our passes were set to expire in September - it was mid October before I actually renewed. It was a serious struggle this year as we had no official trips to go to WDW for 2023, out of DVC points till October 24 ( every point going to Disneyland ) and with all the nonsense as a family we decided it’s time to visit other places. My kids are just starting their adult lives- and although both are now in “ career type positions “ as opposed having a job they are now subject to grown- up rules as far as vacations go….
Yet, I gave in - Not sure if anyone else finds that the longer your AP holder the harder it is to give up. Even with all the changes we “park” much differently now. Rope drop is not an everyday day thing…Driving from Tampa just for dinner at Epcot & heading for a ride or 2 as we pass through town has become far more important than 5-7 day long trips.
But I hate the September renewal- financially I am much more comfortable with December part of my pension package is a decent chunk right before the end of the year. While I would love to say I bank that cash I don’t- that’s set aside for vacation funds timeshare MFs , various APs ect..I really wanted to wait but the FOMO got me. Since we renewed we hit the parks twice just passing through and picked up a week at OKW through II than came the destinationD announcement so yeah we would have missed out
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Post by helenabear on Jan 11, 2023 10:08:27 GMT -5
I just looked at the price of a 7 day hopper for the first week of December 2023 $799 plus tax $851. Our last renewal was about $815. Even if it goes up $100 and we only do 1 trip next year it's like insurance against losing it for ever. Renewals went up in Nov. I think $50-60 more. Still a good deal |
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Post by dougdisney on Jan 11, 2023 11:46:14 GMT -5
We gave up our APs this year and had a lot of the same questions you did. For us, it boiled down to the fact that we knew we were not going anytime in 2023. Knowing that we may never get the AP back, I still couldn't justify the cost of keeping 4 APs when we wouldn't use them at all. Some do, but I don't have that kind of money laying around. I'm a teacher! If they don't come back by the time we're ready to go back to Disney (likely Feb 2024), then we'll likely just take one trip that year. Both of my kids (and DH & I) are huge Harry Potter fans, so we will happily spend our money there! We also gave up our AP's in late 2022. We also weren't planning to go to Disney until late 2023 at the earliest if not 2024 and so for the same reason as disneyteach did not renew. The threat of AP's not coming back was not enough to renew. If AP's don't come back we'll do other things with our free time. |
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Post by jcinwonderland on Jan 11, 2023 12:11:16 GMT -5
I had to make the same decision in July. It was hard to let them go, but it just didn't make financial sense. With overall vacation costs increasing (food, experiences, airfare, etc.) we won't be traveling to Disney as much as I'd like to. Plus, as a resale buyer with no AP discount, the actual AP prices were getting outrageous for a family of 4.
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Post by henrycpa on Jan 11, 2023 12:28:42 GMT -5
I am doing the mental gymnastics on this again this year.
On one hand I am seeing less and less value in, and recognition of Disney of the value of, the Annual Passes.
On the other hand I just priced a 1 day ticket and WOW!.
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Post by Brian5581 on Jan 11, 2023 13:49:19 GMT -5
Kid was sooo happy when I got to tell him our CCV add on happened at his other favorite resort (Polynesian) while eating breakfast over spring break. He's marching Main St March 11th if you want to see.... though he grew a ton since you saw him last! Very cool, and a Saturday, too. Sure I'll try to come down for it! |
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Post by helenabear on Jan 11, 2023 14:26:28 GMT -5
Kid was sooo happy when I got to tell him our CCV add on happened at his other favorite resort (Polynesian) while eating breakfast over spring break. He's marching Main St March 11th if you want to see.... though he grew a ton since you saw him last! Very cool, and a Saturday, too. Sure I'll try to come down for it! And not in the summer  Once I find out his parade time, I'll let you know. |
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Post by Eeyorelover22 on Jan 12, 2023 7:27:52 GMT -5
Very cool, and a Saturday, too. Sure I'll try to come down for it! And not in the summer  Once I find out his parade time, I'll let you know. I’m there! Have my park reservation! When we were in DL in the summer of 2011, one of the princesses in the parade went to school with my kids. It was so fun to see her. She was doing the parade wave to everyone, but when she saw us her smile was so different. She was beaming! You would approve too, Brain, she is a real beauty! That day she was riding on that cute Mary Poppins horse that DL had. |
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Post by Brian5581 on Jan 12, 2023 12:08:19 GMT -5
And not in the summer Once I find out his parade time, I'll let you know. I’m there! Have my park reservation! When we were in DL in the summer of 2011, one of the princesses in the parade went to school with my kids. It was so fun to see her. She was doing the parade wave to everyone, but when she saw us her smile was so different. She was beaming! You would approve too, Brain, she is a real beauty! That day she was riding on that cute Mary Poppins horse that DL had. I most definitely approve! Say hello for me, please. Ha. |
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Post by helenabear on Jan 12, 2023 13:02:09 GMT -5
And not in the summer Once I find out his parade time, I'll let you know. I’m there! Have my park reservation! When we were in DL in the summer of 2011, one of the princesses in the parade went to school with my kids. It was so fun to see her. She was doing the parade wave to everyone, but when she saw us her smile was so different. She was beaming! You would approve too, Brain, she is a real beauty! That day she was riding on that cute Mary Poppins horse that DL had. I cannot wait! Kid gets to repeat a memory I had as a teen. Though in his case he won't have to do it in the summer while marching backwards conducting. Those trolly tracks are no fun when marching like that  |
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Post by krisephillips on Jan 12, 2023 13:16:30 GMT -5
We will be making the same decision later this year as well when it comes to AP renewal. We have been thinking for awhile about taking a 1-2 year break from the Parks and cruising a bit more again. We also struggled to get an AP for our daughter after she turned three when the sales stopped even though the rest of us had APs.
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Post by MinnieMom on Jan 24, 2023 15:40:58 GMT -5
I wonder how many APs are considering letting passes lapse & if that had anything to do with the recent decision to ditch reservations for after 2pm. Probably not - but on the other hand, I'd be willing to bet Disney watches % of renewals on a routine basis. It would be fascinating to learn if that % dipped prior to the reservation after 2 rule change.
I'm finding that the relaxed reservation rule makes a bigger difference than I thought it would. I had MK reservations for this week just to keep it simple so I didn't have to check which park for what day. I've cancelled most of those because this trip I'm working as much as I'm playing. I love just wondering in a park and chilling. That makes sense with AP but not day pass.
The next few months will be watch & see. By then I should know if I'll have time to visit more 2023-2024 or if we will be crazy busy with campground.
Reading the comments on the thread is helpful. Most of us are considering the same things for making the decisions.
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