Annual Pass - When to buy and when to renew?

[DVC Grandpa]

This will be my first opportunity to renew or buy an Annual Pass as a DVC member. We have always renewed but looking at the price difference between the DVC Regular Price ($314.18) and The DVC Renewal price ($298.20), a savings of $15.98 which includes tax. I am wondering at what point a DVC Member new ticket would be the smart way to go?
Our renewal date is 9/5/05 and we will be going to WDW in November so a renewal may be in order, however if I were not to go until some later date, I would think a new pass would be appropriate.
Does anyone have a calculation on the purchase date of a renewal ticket and the actual time used should be before a new AP is purchased?

 

[slimplaw]

I have an annual pass but had not paid attention to the DVC price of renewal. I don't believe I would renew for that close of a price difference. I would wait until Nov and purchase. Mine expires in May and unless I plan on going in early June I'll wait to purchase a new pass. I have not seen a calculation of when it is best to purchase one over the other.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

In our case, we only go once a year and have used all of our 06 points so I think that this time I will renew my pass. I'll use it for 20+ days in November and not renew it in 06 but wait until out January/February trip in 07. If I renewed it in 06 I would have 4 months before it was used. I liked it when the renewal date and activation date could be different, I always renerwd it then, now I have to give it some thought.

 

[DebbieB]

If you renew, the new pass will expire 9/5/06. If you get a new pass in November, it will not expire until 11/??/06. Do you think you will have another trip between 9/5/06 and 11/06?

 

[DVC Grandpa]

Most of our trips are in the January/February time period. We went during September 2002 when we could activate our renewal voucher at any time. He have renewed it under the new rules ever since.