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When visiting Disney World, what type of park admission do you buy? Do you buy 4 or 5 day park hoppers, annual passes, length of stay passes, or something else? Why does this type of ticket work best for you and your family?

Answers posted to the list:

We usually buy annual passes. We stay longer than the break even point for LOS passes and are not willing to ration our time, ie buy a 7-day pass and only go to the parks 7 out of 10 days. We want to have the total flexibility to come & go as we please. Plus, sometimes we have the opportunity to come back to WDW before the passes expire, so it feels like a "free" visit.

Bryan

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Once or twice many years ago, we would buy packages which came with the Length of Stay - now we have been buying 7 day hopper plus. Perhaps one day when we know we might be back within the year, we will buy an Annual Pass.

Ann

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I always get the multi day Park Hopper. Since I usually get the resort package deal, its what comes with it.

Mel

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As DVC members, we try to fit three trips during a 12 month period, so we always get Premium Annual Passes. We like to hit the Waterparks (especially Typhoon Lagoon) as many times as possible, plus always plan on going to Disney Quest at least once if not twice during the trip. We don't renew, but get new passes each time since it may be another 8-10 months between the third trip in the year and the next trip.

Deborah

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This our family's forth year for annual passes. We are members of DVC and stretch our points out to make at least 3 trips a year. This year is a record for us, six trips. Dividing the cost per day for the pass by about 30 days a year makes it a great value. We haven't moved up to premium annual passes as DH doesn't particularly like the water parks.

Shelley

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I always buy the Premium Annual Pass, and just renew it each year. It's not worth worrying about whether I can go somewhere or not, at any point in time. I don't spend much time in the actual theme parks, but I like being able to pop into Epcot for lunch, and the PAP gives me that flexibility.

Sue

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We're here in the World right now :) and, as usual, we bought ultimate park hoppers. We can't fit in more than 1 trip per year, the kids like DisneyQuest and the water parks, and as DVC members we get a 10% discount so it works out to be the best option for us.

Kim

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We get 5 annual passes every year and have done this for the past few years. Thought pricey, this really does work out because we will go one year during winter break, then go the following Thanksgiving week, before the last year's trip had begun. So I think you actually save $ that way. We sure do use them to the max while down there, not by being park commandoes or anything like that, but by doing whatever we want during the day or night whenever we want it. I figure, where else can you get this kind of flexibility. Now that's a real vacation.

Kathy

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Well I started out by buying hoppers. Then I was a CM so I had some free admission tickets, then for awhile we got to use our IDs. But now I've purchased an AP. And they are EVIL! LOL I used to go to WDW once a year for my Food And Wine Festival trip and MNSSHP. But now I go before the holidays to celebrate my bday and go to MVMCP and CP. And of course I try to throw in a few weekend trips. I live in Chicago so it's not always easy to do. So now I'm spending more time down there. I also like the AP in that I don't feel like I have to do commando style to try and get my monies worth from my pass. I also like the discounts that come with it. Ah well - I enjoy it and that's all that matters.

Pam

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We purchase annual passes for ourselves. As DVC members we tend to visit more than 8 days every year, so when you break down the per day cost, an annual pass becomes more economical than the park hoppers. We will activate new passes in December this year, plan of returning for food and wine sometime next fall and then our annual December trip. We try to plan our December trips so that we get two years off one annual pass by going later one year and earlier the next. We always have 7 day park hoppers on hand for guests that come with us. We stopped purchasing the hoppers with plus features as we have lots hoppers with no park days left, but several plus features left. We seldom go into PI, and don't tend to go that often to the water parks. Length of stay is something we avoid. We find that even with the 10% DVC discount for this ticket media the value just isn't there. You're paying for park entry every single day of your vacation..and we typically don't spend that much time in the parks to justify the expense. I've heard surveys went out to some DVC members a few months ago asking what type of ticket discount they would like to see. Annual Passes were one of the options. I would love it if DVC would offer a 10% discount on Annual Passes like they do for the length of stay passes.

Peggy sue

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