DVC Member & APs

[Buckeye Fan]

I have a few questions I'm hoping you can help me with if you own APs. We've never purchased APs, because it just didn't make sense for us. However, it probably will this year. We're leaving a week from Friday for 7 nights at AKV , we're going this summer for 7 nights at BCV, I'm about 75% sure we'll be going down for a week in November, and will be back again spring break of next year (April 2 - 9).

With that said, spring break for us next year falls one week earlier than this year, which means the APs would still be good for that week. So, here are my questions:
1) If I buy APs now and pick them up when we arrive on 4/10, when do they become effective (e.g., the day I purchase? when we pick them up? the first day we use them?)?
2) If I buy the standard theme park passes (not premium), are there any discounts (e.g., mini-golf, boats, etc.)?
3) I know people have mentioned that you can buy a "discount" card for restaurants? What is this card, and is there somewhere I can get additional information (e.g., price, participating restaurants, discount amounts, etc.)?

Is there anything else I should know or take advantage of if we decide to purchase them?

Thanks!!!

 

[daisyduck123]

Hi! I can't help with all of your questions, but will do my best with a few.

We have APs. We purchased them at the International Gateway in Epcot last July. I'm assuming that the APs one year expiration date becomes effective when you buy it, because right away ours had an expiration date on the back. Ours state "Valid thru July 28, 2009".

We also purchased the Tables In Wonderland (TIW)card, formerly known as the Disney Dining Experience (DDE) for about $60.00-$65.00. I think I saw someone post here on the DIS though, that the price is going up. This card gives us a 20% discount on may table-service restaurants, drinks, etc. We purchased our TIW cards at the same time we purchased our APs, but our TIW card states "Valid thru August 31, 2009".

Here is some info. on TIW
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm

Hope this helps!
Btw, we'll be at BCV this July for 8 nights. Can't wait!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have a few questions I'm hoping you can help me with if you own APs. We've never purchased APs, because it just didn't make sense for us. However, it probably will this year. We're leaving a week from Friday for 7 nights at AKV , we're going this summer for 7 nights at BCV, I'm about 75% sure we'll be going down for a week in November, and will be back again spring break of next year (April 2 - 9).

With that said, spring break for us next year falls one week earlier than this year, which means the APs would still be good for that week. So, here are my questions:
1) If I buy APs now and pick them up when we arrive on 4/10, when do they become effective (e.g., the day I purchase? when we pick them up? the first day we use them?)?
You will receive a voucher in the mail (or you could choose will-call for pick-up). The activation date will be the day you exchange the voucher or pick-up the pass. Renewals are different than they used to be and begin when your old pass expires so that's something to keep in mind if you end up thinking about a renewal.
2) If I buy the standard theme park passes (not premium), are there any discounts (e.g., mini-golf, boats, etc.)?
Sorry - not 100% on this but you will get discounts on boat rentals etc. with the standard pass. AFAIK the main difference with the premium is gets you the water parks as well. It may also get a greater discount on some things but I'm not certain.
3) I know people have mentioned that you can buy a "discount" card for restaurants? What is this card, and is there somewhere I can get additional information (e.g., price, participating restaurants, discount amounts, etc.)?
It's called Tables in Wonderland and is $75. It will be good for 1 year+ (I think ours is around 13 months). Here's more info on allears TIW

Is there anything else I should know or take advantage of if we decide to purchase them?

Thanks!!!

Sounds like a good choice for the number of trips your taking. We're doing three within a year also and did the AP's and TIW.

 

[Sandisw]

Last time I checked, DVC members could get a discount on the water parks. I believe that it is $4.00 off per person. There may be discount on mini golf as well but I am not sure.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[IggyLans]

I thought the AP's expire 365 days from the date of 1st use?

 

[BCV23]

APs do become effective when you exchange your voucher or purchase the AP at the parks or DTD. There is no advantage to purchasing them ahead of time unless prices increase before you arrive. They will expire one year from the date you obtain the actual AP.


There are many discounts for AP holders including 50% for minigolf. Here's the list on this site:http://www.wdwinfo.com/discounts/discounts-ap.htm

 

[BCV23]

I thought the AP's expire 365 days from the date of 1st use?

No, they start ticking as soon as you buy them at WDW or exchange a voucher. That's one reason we don't purchase them at DTD as many DVCers seem to do. Why buy before you're actually going to a park unless of course your plans for the following year are already set and you know you won't need the extra day.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I thought the AP's expire 365 days from the date of 1st use?

If you buy a VOUCHER it doesn't start ticking until you first use it, but if you buy an AP at the park, it starts ticking right then....but of course that is also your first use LOL! In reality, you actually get 366 days on an AP. It is good on the date of purchase one year later, so that is actually 366 days of use.

We have always had APs since joining DVC....even before we got the discount. We have always gone at least once a year, and by skewing our trips by a week, we could get even a once a year trip covered on one AP. Now we tend to buy an AP...use it for 2-3 trips, and then take a few months break. We then buy a new AP and start the process over again. That way we aren't "wasting" days of the AP ticking while we are home between trips. The renewal thing has never made much sense to me, since the clock is still ticking on the pass even though you might not be going back for 6 months.

Also, You can time the buying of your vouchers for the AP so that you purchase extras before the price goes up. You don't have to use them right away, so it's just another way to save a little off the price.

 

[Inkmahm]

Also, You can time the buying of your vouchers for the AP so that you purchase extras before the price goes up. You don't have to use them right away, so it's just another way to save a little off the price.

You can also buy the renewal vouchers in advance to save money from future price increases. I have our renewals purchased for the next 2 years.

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

If you buy a VOUCHER it doesn't start ticking until you first use it, but if you buy an AP at the park, it starts ticking right then....but of course that is also your first use LOL! In reality, you actually get 366 days on an AP. It is good on the date of purchase one year later, so that is actually 366 days of use.

If you buy a voucher the pass starts ticking when you exchange the voucher for the actual pass, not first use.

 

[BCV23]

The renewal thing has never made much sense to me, since the clock is still ticking on the pass even though you might not be going back for 6 months.

We've been buying APs since the mid 90s. Way back then renewing was a great deal. We received the discounted renewal price and the renewed AP only started ticking at first use. Miss that benefit.

These days renewing can still make sense if you will be returning close to the anniversary date. I haven't done the math for a while but it was something like 30-45 days. The savings from getting the discounted renewal price would make up for the lost days. Of course, plans for the following year can affect that as well.

 

[karrit2000]

The standard AP's qualify for a 50% discount on the Mini-golf courses. There are also $ off discounts on TL, BB, DisneyQuest. I'm not sure about the watercrafts but I think there are. Also discounts on many Theme park Tours and 10% off purchases at World of Disney. There is also a dicount code for car rental through Alamo.

 

[Silver Queen]

We purchased both APs and TiW when we stayed at SSR in december. We arrived iin the morning and took the boat over to DTD and both both of them at Guest Relations. It was easy and fast. Since we were going to the parks later that day we didn't lose any time on the APs. This year we are going back again at the end of April and in August, October, and early. December so it made sense for us to get the APps een though we still have 6 days worth of non-expiring passes left. We also bought the TiW for $60 before the price went up. We have already recouped that money so the rest will be gravy. (Having the discount apply to alcoholic drinks is a big help.) From what you described this might be the year for you to do the APs. We saw no advantage in purchasing the APS through a voucher before we went down. The process was fast and easy and you can get them at Guest Relations at any of the parks. Good luck with your decision!

 

[mecllap]

I ordered my DVC APs online in advance, in hopes of being able to access the Passholders site on the Disney site -- but no luck logging in. Can't get any combination of the numbers and card choices to work -- it keeps saying "invalid." I tried calling ticketing and she couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work, and I tried changing how I allow cookies, and that didn't work either. So, I guess I could have waited and bought them when we arrived. (Last time I had APs it was pre-DVC and it was fun to have access to the passholders site -- well, maybe only a little bit).

Anyone have any luck accessing the PH site with a DVC Exchange Certificate card?

 

[doconeill]

I ordered my DVC APs online in advance, in hopes of being able to access the Passholders site on the Disney site -- but no luck logging in. Can't get any combination of the numbers and card choices to work -- it keeps saying "invalid." I tried calling ticketing and she couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work, and I tried changing how I allow cookies, and that didn't work either. So, I guess I could have waited and bought them when we arrived. (Last time I had APs it was pre-DVC and it was fun to have access to the passholders site -- well, maybe only a little bit).

Anyone have any luck accessing the PH site with a DVC Exchange Certificate card?

I have had a number of issues with the Passholder web site in general, not the least of which is even though my information has been saved, when I next access the site I get redirected back to the main WDW site.

First thing - delete any cookies for the site "go.com" that begin with "ph". If you can't tell which ones, it may be a pain but delete all go.com cookies. You'll have to log back in to and go.com (i.e. Disney, ABC, ESPN, etc.) sites.

If you've got the voucher, there is a string of letters and numbers with the date of purchase in there somewhere. Depending on the format, you need to select either "Type 1" or "Type 2".

If the date on the data entry on the web page says "YY" for the year, enter the last two digits only. If it shows "YYYY" enter four digits - regardless of what it is on the voucher itself.

If using the "Type 2" entry, for the very last box, you enter a number from 1 to 5 digits long. At the end of the string is going to be something in the form of "TR X Y". X and Y can be multiple digits. Enter the value for Y ONLY - ignore X. This was very confusing to me originally.

Hope that helps.

 

[alice99]

No, they start ticking as soon as you buy them at WDW or exchange a voucher. That's one reason we don't purchase them at DTD as many DVCers seem to do. Why buy before you're actually going to a park unless of course your plans for the following year are already set and you know you won't need the extra day.

Yes. I bought my daughter's pass the night we got there and we lost that day. Oh well. Live and learn

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Thanks for all of the great information, everyone. Sounds like my best bet is to hold off purchasing, and buy them on our first day at the park. The only way I'm going to be able to use them for spring break next year is to make sure that they aren't "active" until our first day in the parks (which will be either 4/10 or 4/11).

We've never had them before, so it will be neat to know that we can hop over to a park one evening, even if it's just for dinner. I'm looking forward to trying them!

 

[mikeandkarla]

When you purchase your AP's at the park, you will recieve a passholder program pocket booklet that explains all the perks and discounts associated with the AP.

 

[BCV23]

Thanks for all of the great information, everyone. Sounds like my best bet is to hold off purchasing, and buy them on our first day at the park. The only way I'm going to be able to use them for spring break next year is to make sure that they aren't "active" until our first day in the parks (which will be either 4/10 or 4/11).

We've never had them before, so it will be neat to know that we can hop over to a park one evening, even if it's just for dinner. I'm looking forward to trying them!

That's one of the pleasures. Or hopping over to do a couple favorite rides on departure day. Hitting the fireworks the night you arrive too late to do anything else. etc, etc.

 

[BCV23]

When you purchase your AP's at the park, you will recieve a passholder program pocket booklet that explains all the perks and discounts associated with the AP.

Has anyone gotten a passholder sleeve this year? When we've asked, we've been told they're on back order.