buying AP at disney store?

[karliebug]

If I buy an AP at my local disney store do I pay my state's sale tax or Florida's sale tax? They have them listed for less than the disney's web site.

 

[minnie1928]

I'd like to know this as well...are there any benefits to buying an AP at the Disney Store vs. buying them when we arrive?

 

[cajunfan]

You pay Fl Tax

 

[hhartill]

I've heard undercover tourist is the best place to buy an AP, anyone have any experience with them?

Also, what is the deal with the room discounts, I have tried to follow along but I can't figure it out, codes, AP disc, its all so confusing.

 

[Golf4food]

I'd like to know this as well...are there any benefits to buying an AP at the Disney Store vs. buying them when we arrive?

None. You end up paying the same amount. All you get from the Disney stores is a voucher that you trade in for the real pass at the parks. Either way you have to go to a ticket booth once at the parks to either swap out the voucher or buy an AP straight out. No real difference.

The only possibly advantage is that once you have the voucher you can use it to book AP resort rates, etc. The actual AP dates won't start until you exchange the voucher, but you can use the voucher on the AP holder website even before you exchange it.

 

[donaldtutter]

I've heard undercover tourist is the best place to buy an AP, anyone have any experience with them?

Also, what is the deal with the room discounts, I have tried to follow along but I can't figure it out, codes, AP disc, its all so confusing.

I don't think Undercover sells AP's. Even if they did they don't discount them.

 

[fristbytte21]

Actually getting them at a Disney Store is the same HOWEVER if you do pick them up at your local Disney Store and you live outside of Florida you pay Florida tax. My favorite advantage (which I work at the store and tell guests all the time) is that if you buy you AP at the Disney Store, you get a hard plastic ticket compared to down in Disney where they give you a paper one which will get wet on rides and fold and bend. The Disney Stores tix is a hard plastic and will last you through out the whole year. Hope that helps!

 

[Fire14]

For me buying my AP VOUCHER at DS is a plus so I can spread out my expenses a bit and last I knew you get a bunch of coupons good for various places at WDW when you buy tixs at DS.

You still end up with Tylex paper tix for AP once you redeem voucher at Park.

 

[thomas998]

Actually getting them at a Disney Store is the same HOWEVER if you do pick them up at your local Disney Store and you live outside of Florida you pay Florida tax. My favorite advantage (which I work at the store and tell guests all the time) is that if you buy you AP at the Disney Store, you get a hard plastic ticket compared to down in Disney where they give you a paper one which will get wet on rides and fold and bend. The Disney Stores tix is a hard plastic and will last you through out the whole year. Hope that helps!

Are you sure about that... I thought you only got a voucher at the Disney Store that you had to exchange at Disney... where you end up with the paper ticket.

 

[mantaz]

Actually getting them at a Disney Store is the same HOWEVER if you do pick them up at your local Disney Store and you live outside of Florida you pay Florida tax. My favorite advantage (which I work at the store and tell guests all the time) is that if you buy you AP at the Disney Store, you get a hard plastic ticket compared to down in Disney where they give you a paper one which will get wet on rides and fold and bend. The Disney Stores tix is a hard plastic and will last you through out the whole year. Hope that helps!

That "paper" ticket can go through the wash and still work at WDW. It actually doesn't get messed up that easily. Think about all the AP holders. If the ticket didn't last then they would go to the plastic. The only problem I ever have with them is demagnatizing it with my cell phone. Normally the ticket spends weeks in my pocket and still looks great!

 

[labdogs42]

I have purchased one at the Disney Store before and you don't get to keep the plastic card as your ticket. You turn in the plastic card for the same paper-y ticket as everyone else at WDW. I bought mine at the Disney store to spread out the cost of the trip. I bought it when I had the $$, so I wouldn't have to pay for it when I got to the world!

 

[aribelle]

Are you sure about that... I thought you only got a voucher at the Disney Store that you had to exchange at Disney... where you end up with the paper ticket.

Yep...you get a hard plastic VOUCHER at Disney Stores, but when you go and activate it you end up with the little paper/Tyvek AP. If you feel you MUST have the plastic AP, then the only way to get that is to order it from the Disney website. But since you then have to pay shipping, that makes it more expensive. HOWEVER, it's my understanding that when you renew your AP you are sent a new card and it's the plastic one.....I don't have first hand knowledge of this because we don't renew APs....our trips are months apart so it's not worth renewing, we simply go at least twice on an AP and then let it expire and get a new one months later for our next trip.

BUT......so far this year we have used our paper AP for 31 days, and I've carried mine in my wallet since we got home in February and it's held up just fine. So don't think the paper one will be trashed with use....it's held up just fine. It's a tough little guy.....tried tearing it just for fun, and I couldn't.



One big reason to buy it at the Disney Store.......especially this time of year.....historically Disney has raised the prices early August....so if you buy it now then you'll lock in the current price and not the raised price. Your voucher is good forever and the year of use doesn't start until you activate it at the park, so buying it now for a future trip is a way to save a few bucks (of course if you can't pay cash for it now, it may not be worth using a credit card if you'll have to pay finance charges, that may defeat the savings.)

One word of warning......Disney will replace lost APs, but they have to be APs, that is activated and all they need is your ID to do so. If you lose your voucher before it's activated you're in trouble because it's not yet in their system. SO....if you buy a voucher keep it safe, but ALSO, write down (or photograph) both the receipt and the voucher. I put those photos in my cell phone so I'd have it if I forgot/lost the ticket before we got to Disney. Maybe even leave a copy at home with family in case something happens on your trip to Disney. Without those numbers from the receipt/voucher they can't issue the AP.

 

[Fire14]

Actually getting them at a Disney Store is the same HOWEVER if you do pick them up at your local Disney Store and you live outside of Florida you pay Florida tax. My favorite advantage (which I work at the store and tell guests all the time) is that if you buy you AP at the Disney Store, you get a hard plastic ticket compared to down in Disney where they give you a paper one which will get wet on rides and fold and bend. The Disney Stores tix is a hard plastic and will last you through out the whole year. Hope that helps!

I can only base this on my experiences but:
AP Voucher bought at DS or WDW site got me a voucher that I had to redeem and got the Tylex Paper tix.
My nieces MYWPH Tix bought at DS was her tix to park so yes her tix did remain the hard plastic.

 

[mantaz]

HOWEVER, it's my understanding that when you renew your AP you are sent a new card and it's the plastic one.....I don't have first hand knowledge of this because we don't renew APs....our trips are months apart so it's not worth renewing, we simply go at least twice on an AP and then let it expire and get a new one months later for our next trip.

No, you still get the same paper ticket. We renew ours and get the paper ticket still.

 

[n2mm]

No advantage in buying it at the DS. I buy all of my tickets to include hoppers, parties, and APs (new and renewals) online. Been doing it that way for years. You get a certificate (usually with Tink on it) and you bring it to guest relations to pick up your tickets (you can pick up regular hoppers and party tickets at your resort with the certificate). Since you actually print the certificate, I print two of them so that I have a backup in case I lose one. (Of course they could look it up too, I've been told). When you order online you name is attached to the purchase whereas when you buy a voucher at the store it is just a blank check. As others have said, that neat plastic voucher is turned in for the paper AP.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I purchase my APs through Disney's website with Will Call pick-up. No shipping charges!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The only way you can get a "live" Annual Pass (any variety) is at a Park (including water parks and TTC) Ticket Booth or a Park (or DTD) Guest Relations Office.

You cannot get anything related to an AP at a Resort.

Anything you physically get off-property, including from a DS or in the mail, is only a voucher for an annual product which must be exchanged at a Park Ticket Booth or GRO.

 

[Fire14]

The only way you can get a "live" Annual Pass (any variety) is at a Park (including water parks and TTC) Ticket Booth or a Park (or DTD) Guest Relations Office.

You cannot get anything related to an AP at a Resort.

Anything you physically get off-property, including from a DS or in the mail, is only a voucher for an annual product which must be exchanged at a Park Ticket Booth or GRO.

ONe exception would be EARport stores correct? I thought DH got a live AP at Earport store.