Should Jenn Get A WDW Annual Pass Or What?

I just don’t know, guys. Should I buy a WDW annual pass?

The facts, as they say, are these.

Yes, thank you.

• Disney is currently offering 13 month APs if you buy by January.

• I currently have three WDW trips on the docket: November for the Wine & Dine, January for the WDW Marathon, and April for the Dark Side Half.

• I haven’t received or found any runDisney discounted ticket promotions for W&D. Even if discounted tickets are offered in conjunction with the marathon and Dark Side, I’m already paying full price for one three day hopper.

• There has also been some light chatter from my mom about going again during the Christmas season. If that trip was in the combined last week of November/first week of December, given the 13 month promotion that trip would come in under my AP’s expiration date (assuming a W&D-spurred start date).

• Disney’s also added a 20% AP discount at a bunch of restaurants on property. Wouldn’t hurt to have that.

HOWEVER.

• APs have gotten EXPENSIVE. Like, crazy expensive. I should save money and can save it on tickets, starting by:

• I could not purchase tickets for the WDW Marathon weekend and just hang around the gateless parts of WDW, a la last year.

• I could also use my Disney Visa points to pay for a good chunk of the AP, but if I do that I can no longer use those points for hotel rooms or food, which are other money sucks associated with WDW trips.

BUT.

• I have a Southwest Visa and use those points to fly… well, Southwest, so I’m pretty exclusive with the airline. And for some reason, fares on Sunday, January 8 (the day of the WDW Marathon and the day I planned to return) are INSANE.* I save a good $300 worth of points if I fly back Monday instead. But then I’m in WDW for three days instead of two, and do I really want to hang around for three days without playing in the parks?

• This would give me more opportunities to see and do stuff I otherwise wouldn’t be able to or would have to wait much longer for. Rivers of Light, for example, should be running by then. I can finally get a brioche ice cream sandwich.

THEN AGAIN.

• There are lots of things I can do outside the parks that would be fun. I could actually check out the Disney Springs post-marathon weekend party. Maybe splurge on a massage, which would be expensive but still cheaper than a ticket. Go bowling or see a movie at that fancy one that has food.

• That would be a second three day trip all by myself. I’m a strong, independent introvert, but do I want to double down on that? At least Pat should be coming with me in April.

• If I keep waiting Southwest might lower the prices on Sunday, allowing a 2-day trip for the marathon again and thus saving me money.

Frankly I’m at a loss. The pro/con lists come out even-ish by my reckoning. People of the internet, advise me!

* Flights are also weirdly expensive the days surrounding Wine & Dine. Is Southwest on to the runDisney community?

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