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Alpha1mom
10-10-2002, 05:13 AM
Hi
I was just wondering how many AP's out there are not for the L.A.
area?

I'm northern California and thought it might me better to buy a AP and go to DL 3-4 times a year instead of just our yearly trip for 7 days.

What are the costs? Benefits?
I'd appreciate any info.


Thanks!

EandCDad
10-10-2002, 05:42 AM
We live in the San Diego area (about 72 miles from DL). My wife has a Premium AP and myself and two daughters have So. Cal. AP's.

Costs: Well, the cost of the AP is your main cost. Unless you are planning on only going during the week or on Sunday and not during Sundays or Holidays, you need a Deluxe or Premium AP. That should still come out to be less than the 7 days of tickets that you normally get. You also get food discounts with all passes and merchandise discounts with the Premium AP.

Another cost is transportation and lodging multiple times a year, rather than just once.

Benefits: If you are gonna go more than once a year for multiple days, it's cheaper to get the AP. If you want to go at some point (sorta more spur of the moment) you have the pass and can just go.

After writing the above and re-reading your post, I'm thinking you might be asking about the actual cost of the AP and the actual benefits the AP gives you. That can be found at the Disneyland web site. (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneylandresort/ResortInfo/Tickets/index?id=6073&Grouping=TG)

kranders
10-10-2002, 06:41 AM
Alpha1mom,
We live in Santa Maria which is about 200 miles and a 3-4 hour drive. We went to DL last April for the first time in about 7 years and had a ball. The posters on MP convinced me to buy an AP and I have never regreted it! My concern was that we were too far away and wouldn't get enough use out of the APs.

It's amazing how often we manage to get down there now!:) We've been 4 times with the APs, not including the initial visit in April, and have hotel reservations for 4 more visits before the end of the year!! Each visit for multiple days.

Since we stay at least one night when we go, and like to stay on site, the AP discount at DLH has more than covered the cost of our APs(we bought 3 Premium).

We seem to come down for any excuse, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. We have made a few of the MP meets and now can't wait to get down for some more. Next trip is for Mouse Adventures and we'll be there 10/19-21!:D

It trully is the "Happiest Place on Earth"

kranders
10-10-2002, 06:50 AM
Check this link (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5740) that i made last April and you'll see that your not alone. A lot of APers have quite a drive!

LibraryGirl
10-10-2002, 06:51 AM
I have a friend who lives in the Sacramento area who got her AP about a year ago. She and her family have gone about 6-7 times for short 2-3 day trips.

While the price of the AP is the same, she tells me that they stay in cheap hotels because they go only to enjoy Disneyland and not for the "experience" of a vacation (again, for a short trip over the weekend).

I, too, live about an hour south from her and will (hopefully) be getting my AP when I visit in November.

disguy
10-10-2002, 06:52 AM
I live about 360 miles from LA and I have a premium that has paid for itself time and time again since Nov of 2001. As long as you know your going to at least come back once or twice more...it's worth it especially when you look at park hoppers..They are 126 and a Deluxe AP you can get for 139.00.

teri
10-10-2002, 07:19 AM
There is absolutely no question - if you go twice within a 12-month period then you have already covered the cost of park-hopper. The discounts make it worth your while for at least one person in the family to have the PAP.

mad4mky
10-10-2002, 08:20 AM
I too am from No. California...well, from the San Francisco Bay Peninsula to be exact...Redwood City...and our family bought Deluxe AP's...

I will be at Disneyland next weekend...it's my third trip this year...

And as everyone says, if you use them more than once...they're worth it.

Bill Catherall
10-10-2002, 08:38 AM
I'll be buying Deluxe APs when we're down there for MouseAdventure, and I live in the San Francisco East Bay Area. Since we're definitely going to be going again in the next year, it will pay for itself in admission alone. If we go a third time (I'm talking at least 2 days in the park for each visit) then that third visit is "free."

disguy
10-10-2002, 08:43 AM
Not to mention all the discounts you get. They truly add up if you follow them well.

bjensen71
10-10-2002, 09:39 AM
We have Deluxe AP's and live in North Idaho. We do make it down at least 2 times a year, usually for a week each time. It pays for itself on the first visit since buying the extra days is more expensive than upgrading to the AP!

roberts1398
10-10-2002, 10:16 AM
I live in Sacramento, and just bought myself a Premium and my son a SoCal last week. I loved the discounts with my premium! And for kids... a 3 day (or 5 day for the price of 3) park hopper is $90, so for $9 more, you get an AP and every subsequent visit is free... I totally think this is the way to go, unless you live so far away that you won't make it back again in a year.

BELLEH5
10-10-2002, 11:23 AM
I live in Sacramento, which is about 5 or 6 hours away and about 417 miles. I love my Premium Pass. It is totally worth it**** I bought my AP in March and I have been there 6 six times since. Free parking, no block out days and a discount in the shops and resturants.

Mythgard
10-10-2002, 11:58 AM
A GREAT deal! I live in Santa Rosa, about 45 miles north of San Francisco, and have gone 3 times this year with my Premium Passport, and am going again for the Halloween weekend:D! The price of my familys first visit paid for the pass.

hawaiimouse
10-11-2002, 04:27 AM
I'm definitely one of the crazies...live out here in Hawaii and still get an AP.
I bought my Deluxe Annual Pass in May when I figured out that I would be back in December and it would be cheaper than getting another passport. Can't wait to use it!!!:D

Alpha1mom
10-11-2002, 05:17 AM
For the info!

I live in Sonoma neighbor to Santa Rosa!)

I think I will get the AP next time we go.

Bill Catherall
10-11-2002, 08:29 AM
Originally posted by disguy
...a Deluxe AP you can get for 139.00.
I just did a double take on this. Disneyland.com has them priced at $159. Where are you getting this $139 price?

hefferdude
10-11-2002, 04:08 PM
I just did a double take on this. Disneyland.com has them priced at $159. Where are you getting this $139 price?

We received the $20 discount on Dlx AP's ( $159-$20 = $139 ) when we continued our AP's through a flyer they sent us in the mail. There was a $1 service per AP charge so it was $140 per person.

Basically, if you purchased your next year AP before your current one runs out with this deal, you got a $20 break.
Each envelope also contained a 20% off coupon. We used one of ours at RB's Jazz Kitchen. It was a nice break on the dinner cost.:)

Only eight days to MPMA!!!!!:D WooHoo!!! Go Halos!!

Morrigoon
10-12-2002, 12:02 PM
Compared to some, I have a relatively short 4.5-hour drive from Las Vegas to DL. But I have lived as far away as Texas, and even Leeds, England. Okay, I admit I didn't go to DL while I was on foreign exchange, HOWEVER, the other 7 months of the year I still managed to get my money's worth!

Premium AP is the way to go. Look at it this way: will you go 3 weekends out of the year? That's 6 visits. 6 x $45= $270.