# WDW Tickets



## hopetotimeshare (Apr 22, 2006)

We are in the process of purchasing our first TS in Orlando!  What is the cheapest, smartest way to buy your passes to the attractions?  I have AAA but I don't know what the discount is.  Some say an annual pass...any tips would be appreciated.  It seems like it could cost $1000 for our family of 5 to get 5 days of Hopper Passes.


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## happybaby (Apr 22, 2006)

I have AAA also and I think I am purchasing my tickets thru them     Our 5 day hopper will be 204 for a child and 239.50 for an adult ticket.  We also get the AAA Diamond Parking voucher.  Parking is not free, but get to park closer near the handicap area if available.

Ordering on line is a little more expensive.  Adding tax and shipping.  I think with AAA I am saving about 12.00 per ticket, not much , but helps.  Plus I will get the parking voucher.


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## hopetotimeshare (Apr 22, 2006)

Hey, every bit helps!  It's still going to be like $1000 for us.  Although, I may only get a 4 day hopper pass.  This way we are forced to enjoy the resort for 3 days.



			
				happybaby said:
			
		

> I have AAA also and I think I am purchasing my tickets thru them     Our 5 day hopper will be 204 for a child and 239.50 for an adult ticket.  We also get the AAA Diamond Parking voucher.  Parking is not free, but get to park closer near the handicap area if available.
> 
> Ordering on line is a little more expensive.  Adding tax and shipping.  I think with AAA I am saving about 12.00 per ticket, not much , but helps.  Plus I will get the parking voucher.


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## calgal (Apr 22, 2006)

I just got back from a week at WDW today. I bought one ticket from AAA online in order to get the AAA diamond pass, the rest of the tickets by subscribing to the mousesavers newsletter and using their ticketmania link. I used the diamond pass every day and got great parking spots, always a short walk to the main gate for each park. Officially there was a blackout on usage this week at MK but they honored the AAA Diamond pass there all week, no problem. The spots are just beyond the handicap spots at each park. Parking fee is $9/day.
I did not get the park hopper option, nor did I miss it.


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## EAM (Apr 22, 2006)

If your first timeshare in Orlando is DVC, I think one of the benefits is a significant discount on an annual pass.  

Is anyone in your group active or retired military?  I think there is a discount if you buy them at a base.


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## klynn (Apr 22, 2006)

Maybe this will help you.
http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/ticketchart.htm

Personally, I think Annual Passes are a great deal.  We have bought them for years and always get 2-3 trips per year with them.  Last time we went for 3 weeks and went to the parks almost everyday and it still wasn't enought for us! LOL!  I know, we are disney fanatics!


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 23, 2006)

We have annual passes again this year.  With FF miles, our timeshare weeks paid for, and annual passes, a third or fourth trip per year is cheap!  We also bought Universal annual passes this time.  What a deal!  

For one week, I would buy tickets from a DVC owner.  They get good deals and will save more than anyone.


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## Detailor (Apr 23, 2006)

If you find four-day or five-day park hopper passes at $1000 or less for a family of five you will have done very well. 

Ticketmania (www.ticketmania.com) currently has five day expiry park hopper passes at $237 for adults and $200 for children (3 - 9 yoa).  Oddly, they list the four day version at the same prices as the five day, so I guess they give bigger discounts for the higher priced passes.  I'm pretty sure that they charge a small shipping/handling fee as well, but taxes are included in their quoted pricing.

You might check out Mousesavers for a lot of good information about saving money for a Disney vacation - www.mousesavers.com. If you sign up for their monthly newsletter you'll get access to monthly specials for various ticket/pass combinations and you might be able to save a few more dollars.

Dick Taylor


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## gjw007 (Apr 23, 2006)

rickandcindy23 said:
			
		

> We have annual passes again this year.  With FF miles, our timeshare weeks paid for, and annual passes, a third or fourth trip per year is cheap!  We also bought Universal annual passes this time.  What a deal!
> 
> For one week, I would buy tickets from a DVC owner.  They get good deals and will save more than anyone.


DVC owners get a discount on annual passes but they are limited to certain members of the family.  I also have annual passes at Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld.


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## littlestar (Apr 23, 2006)

Sign up for the Mousesavers newsletter. Mary mails it out on the 15th of the month. In her newsletter she has links for discount passes for Ticketmania and Undercover Tourist. I have bought tickets from both vendors with no problems. On their websites, they also include the TAX and have free shipping. A lot of sites don't include the tax on the tickets and that makes a difference on price. The link through the Mousesavers newsletter gets you a better price than the normal website. 

Since you know you are going to vacation repeatedly in Orlando, I would buy hoppers with no expiration. And if you think you want the water parks or Disneyquest, I think it's called the water park fun and more feature now. The last time I bought tickets I bought 10 Day Hopper water park fun and mores with no expiration. If you don't care about the water park feature, definitely check out your local AAA prices. Although I don't think AAA offers any 10 day passes. 

The only discounts DVC members get are on annual passes and it has to be for you or family members that live in your household.


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## sully4 (Apr 23, 2006)

I know you specified WDW tickets, but Costco has Universal Studios  *3 month* passes on-line for $85.00 per person ( plus tax, S/H).


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## hopetotimeshare (Apr 23, 2006)

Our resort is Vistana.  We considered DVC but one of my biggest peeves was that I thought the should give you FREE entry to the parks seeing as it's part of the Disney network.  We are not military but I think my husbands union gives a discount too.  




			
				EAM said:
			
		

> If your first timeshare in Orlando is DVC, I think one of the benefits is a significant discount on an annual pass.
> 
> Is anyone in your group active or retired military?  I think there is a discount if you buy them at a base.


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## hopetotimeshare (Apr 23, 2006)

Cool - we are Costco members and want to do Universal this time around.  I will keep that in mind.




			
				sully4 said:
			
		

> I know you specified WDW tickets, but Costco has Universal Studios  *3 month* passes on-line for $85.00 per person ( plus tax, S/H).


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## spiceycat (Apr 23, 2006)

hopetotimeshare said:
			
		

> Our resort is Vistana.  We considered DVC but one of my biggest peeves was that I thought the should give you FREE entry to the parks seeing as it's part of the Disney network.  We are not military but I think my husbands union gives a discount too.



we did get free tickets when DVC are new.

I brought in 1993 until 12/31/1999 - DVC members got free tickets... they stopped in to new buyers when BWV opened. but the old members (and anyone who brought their timeshares) were entitled to the tickets...I think it still existed at both OKW and VB for a while.

saved me a bunch of money....

but it was a temporary program to get DVC selling.

right now we get a $100 annual pass discount so instead of it being $415 it is $315 for DVC members.

the catch with this is the other members of your family must live with you..to also receive this discount - everyone must have the same address...

Disney won't get us free tickets again - accept for special things. they learned that people did not believe the tickets were free. didn't believe them and therefore didn't buy.....

so I won't except them to do this again.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 23, 2006)

Call Vistana to see if they can get you a discount on tickets.

Disney Vacation Club members get a small discount on hopper tickets.  I saw that on disboards.


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## spiceycat (Apr 23, 2006)

sorry DVC member only get a discount on annual passes.

Since Disney came out with the new tickets (since they are cheaper than the old ones with you don't get everything).

you can only have good deals with discount tickets brokers

I also have brought from ticketmania and can highly recommend them.


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## gjw007 (Apr 23, 2006)

As stated by several DVC owners, DVC only gives a discount off the annual pass.  It does give a discount off the water parks, DisneyQuest, and Pleasure Island but not Hopper tickets.  To ensure that this was correct, I logged onto the member site and looked at the member benefits.


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## Carl D (Apr 24, 2006)

Since you will own a timeshare in Orlando and will be returning to WDW, the best choice would be purchasing 10 day tickets with the no expiration option.
The cost drops dramtically as you add days, so the 10 day is the best. The no expiration option costs money, but you can get two trips from your tickets that way. It's most certainly cheaper than buying two sets of 5 day tickets.


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## Carl D (Apr 24, 2006)

rickandcindy23 said:
			
		

> Disney Vacation Club members get a small discount on hopper tickets.  I saw that on disboards.


DVC Members got 10% off the old length of stay passes, but that ended when the annual pass discount came into effect.
Now DVC Members get approximately $100 off the annual passes for each family member living in the household.


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## gjw007 (Apr 24, 2006)

Carl D said:
			
		

> DVC Members got 10% off the old length of stay passes, but that ended when the annual pass discount came into effect.
> Now DVC Members get approximately $100 off the annual passes for each family member living in the household.


Carl,

I thought there was discount prior to the annual pass discount but I couldn't remember what it was.  Thanks.


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## elaine (Apr 25, 2006)

*our strategy---since you are going to go a lot--think about 10 days!*

get a 10 day with park hopper, with no expiration and add on the water parks/disneyquest option.  Then spend 2 days in the parks--1 at front and back of trip and 1 day at water park---if you can swing the initial up-front fee, the tickets will last you for 4-5 years and the per day fee is much lower.  
For a week trip, we go 2 semi-marathan days (2 parks a day) with 2 days of resort time and then 1 day of waterparks--that was just perfect for us (kids 4/4/8)---we have done 2 years this way and it worked great--this a esp. good at crowded times, where you do better limiting park time, anyway.  
You can also add character meal at a hotel (polynesian, contemporary) and get another disney-themed day without a park admission.  We also enjoy going early PM to AK Lodge, walking around, looking at animals and then eating a Bomas to jazz up a resort pool day. Also, the water parks/disneyquest add-on works out only to be under $10 each day---very good value.
We got our tickets from ticketmania.


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## swwoods (Apr 25, 2006)

If you have any intentions of going more than once, I second the suggestion of the 10 day pass.  I know it is a chunk of change to put out on the front end, but we have gotten 3 trips out of this.  So the second two trips just cost us the lodging.... well almost.  Anyway that was our strategy.  Use some days in between for down time.  Although, I got to admit the pool with two small children really isn't all that relaxing, but they enjoy it almost as much as the parks.


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## chkvtzn (May 17, 2006)

We are going to WDW soon, my wife and our 2 kids.  My sister in law is going with her husband and 2 kids soon after us.  I know that 10 day park hopper passes say that they are non transferable, but how do they really know if we purchase this with sister in law and share the cost?  As it is stated here, one 10 day is cheaper than two 5 day passes.


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## calgal (May 17, 2006)

For the adults, they do some computerized biometric data storage on your ticket, so they can't be shared. The kids' tickets could probably be passed on, as they did not use biometric data for them when I was there in April. Remember a Disney kid is ages 3-9. 10 or older is "adult".


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## chkvtzn (May 17, 2006)

What is biometric data?

Also, What if a child ticket is purchased for a 7 year old and partially used; what happens to the ticket value if this child goes back in 5 years when he is 12 yrs old and thus an adult admission is required?

Thanks


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## wfillion (May 17, 2006)

Biometric data in this case means scanning the tips of your index and forefingers. When you enter WDW you insert your pass and then 2 fingers for identification.

As for child tickets, you can get a full credit for remaining time if you need to upgrade to adult ticket though I believe you lose any plus features like the water parks.


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## Bee (May 18, 2006)

If I purchase 10 day tickets without the hopper feature can we visit more than one park a day?  We are going for a week and will not visit more than one park every day, but may on a couple of days.  If this is allowed this would be a cheaper option.

Thanks, 
Sandy


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## calgal (May 19, 2006)

According to the experts on the disboards, the non hopper ticket will not allow you to do that.


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## crisby (May 24, 2006)

wfillion said:
			
		

> Biometric data in this case means scanning the tips of your index and forefingers. When you enter WDW you insert your pass and then 2 fingers for identification.



We were planning to buy five 4-day hopper passes with no expiration, and let our kids use them for the week we are at Disney, then keep the leftover days for future use ourselves. Does this biometric data feature mean that the passes are for one user forever and we won't be able to use them later? Or is it just for one day so we don't reuse a single pass in one day?

Thanks
Chris


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## spiceycat (May 24, 2006)

these tickets are for one person FOREVER...

it is to stop the rebuying and reselling of used tickets - especially the tickets that weren't any good.

:annoyed:


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## topcop400 (May 24, 2006)

Ticketmania and mousesavers are wonderful sites for money-saving ideas.  When shopping for tickets online, beware of inexpensive prices combined with high shipping rates.

All things considered, I've not found WDW tickets any cheaper than what they sell at the guest services desk at my T/S resort -- Cypress Pointe Grandvillas.


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