Archive for July 23rd, 2009

Park Tickets can be one of the most costly components of a Disney vacation, and there are seemingly infinite combinations of days, park hopping, water parks, and expiration options to choose from.  We thought we’d pass along a few suggestions for minimizing the ticket turmoil:

• Extra days can help you save!  Many people on a tight budget purchase park tickets for only a few days of their stay in an effort to economize, not realizing that after four days, the cost of additional days is minimal.  As an example, the difference in price between one adult (ages 10+) Park Hopper for FOUR days and one for TEN days is less than $20.00, or about $3.00 per day,  substantially reducing the cost per day to visit the parks.   Don’t forget that you can always add days to a ticket as long as the total admissions do not exceed ten days.  These upgrades must be made prior to, or within, 14 days of first use.  Taking advantage of the low prices for extra days allows you to visit a park at night for the fireworks only, or enjoy a farewell character breakfast on your departure day.

• Decide whether you truly need the Park Hopper option.  If your children are very small, or you are first-time visitors, there is generally more than enough to see and do in a single park to fill an entire day.  Arrive early, take a break, and return to the same park for the evening entertainment.  Plan your dining reservations in the “park of the day” or at a resort restaurant located nearby.

• Consider an Annual Pass.  Now that Annual Passholders have access to packages that include the dining plan, the pass becomes even more attractive for anyone making multiple trips within the span of a year, or planning an extra-long stay.  Historically, excellent room discounts have been made available to Passholders for selected dates throughout the year.  Annual Passholders are also entitled to a number of additional perks which currently include discounts on dining, merchandise, special events, tours, spa treatments, and recreation, as well as a subscription to the Mickey Monitor quarterly newsletter, and eligibility for Tables in Wonderland membership.

• Remember that a hard ticket to a special Magic Kingdom event such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will generally get you into the park around 4:00 p.m.  If you’ve decided against the Park Hopper option, this is a great way to visit two parks on the same day, using your regular park ticket for one park, and your party ticket for the Magic Kingdom.  The parties don’t begin until 7:00 p.m., giving you several hours before the festivities begin to enjoy the attractions or grab an early dinner.

• Tickets can get lost.  If possible, make photocopies of your tickets and keep the copies some place other than where you’re storing the tickets.  While Disney makes every effort to resolve lost-ticket issues, replacements can be issued far more painlessly if you have all the ticket information available.   If you purchase your tickets after arrival, take a clear picture of the backs using  a digital camera, or simply write down the numeric information.  If  you’re staying at a Disney Resort and purchased tickets separately rather  than as part of a package, you can generally have new, unused tickets loaded onto your Key to the World (resort ID) card.