Any advantage to buying park tickets in advance?

[fatfish]

We have finally used up our old Park Hopper tickets from 2004. I'm looking to get new tickets for our trip in Dec. Is there any advantage to buying our 10 day tickets in advance versus buying them when we get to Disney? I want to use the new $500 gift card bonus for buying into AKV to pay for them, so I want to but from a Disney location. I know they have park tickets at the Disney store that used to have a small discount from gate prices, but I don't know if that is still the case.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

thanks!

 

[Grumpy3]

I don't think you will get a discount on tickets at any Disney location. Have you considered buying your tickets from someone like UT and then use your card to pay for meals.

 

[fatfish]

Its just me and dd. It will take a long, long time to eat $500 of meals.

I'd planned on buying the tix when we got there. I just wanted to see if there was any advantage I did not know about to buying them in advance. Like many other things, there used to be a discount for buying at the Disney store or on the website.

thanks!

I don't think you will get a discount on tickets at any Disney location. Have you considered buying your tickets from someone like UT and then use your card to pay for meals.

 

[eliza61]

You'll save a few dollars. Since you've just purchased you're dvc, I would hold the gift cards and use them around the park and for food. They don't expire and you know you'll be back.

 

[leebee]

The only real advantage to buying in advance from a non-Disney source is that you can get small discounts or "buy x days, get y days free" deals from the various discounters. Sign up for Mousesavers and buy through Uncercover Tourist- they give a bigger discount to mousesavers newsletter suscribers. You can also buy the tickets one at a time, if you don't wnt to put that much on your credit card at once. Then use the gift certificates in the parks for souvies and food, and save the balance for a future trip.

However, I don't think there is a huge savings (maybe $40 for 2 tickets?) by buying from some place like UT. While it might not be the most cost-effective way to do it, if you use the gift cards, you won't have the ticket price on your credit card bill!!

 

[BounceyOne]

I like to buy thm in advance just to have them paid for before we get to disney and spend lots of money. It is one less thing to pay for whe we get home.

 

[mountdew1]

I believe at this point the only benefit to buying them in advance from a non ticket broker would be to save the time once you are actually at the parks. And depending on if you get a voucher or an activated ticket you may still need to spend the same time doing the activation. I would just buy them on check in.

 

[CleveRocks]

There is no monetary advantage to buying the tickets from Disney in advance as opposed to buying them at WDW at the beginning of your trip.

There used to be a discount, but not any more.

 

[OB1]

I hope you sit down before checking prices. We had non expiring tickets that were purchased in 2005. A 10 day hopper pass back then was $335 with a pre purchase discount (which was very small). I just purchased a new ticket and the price was right at $500 with tax. WOW. We get 3 or more trips out of the tickets, but that is a big increase.

I will be purchasing an annual pass with the DVC discount. You save $100 by being a member.