Heading down Friday with AP vouchers. Need advice!

[tessieg]

So my extended family and I have decided to buy AP's for Christmas! We are headed down on the 26th, staying at ASMu. If the bus leaves us at the MK gates how do we get in with vouchers?!
Are we better off buying tickets at the hotel and upgrading later that day? Some family are FL residents and were planning to do the payment plan each month. If we buy tickets that day will they still, be able to set up payment plan when they upgrade or is that no longer an option if they are just upgrading?
Also, how will magic bands be affected? Will we just get bands at the hotel?
Thanks for info. We used to be disney experts but the new magic band system is something we've only used once for a weekend trip!
Thanks for any guidance. I know it will be a zoo in the parks this week. Our only real goal is to see the holiday decorations this weekend.

 

[MouseMomx2]

So my extended family and I have decided to buy AP's for Christmas! We are headed down on the 26th, staying at ASMu. If the bus leaves us at the MK gates how do we get in with vouchers?!
Are we better off buying tickets at the hotel and upgrading later that day? Some family are FL residents and were planning to do the payment plan each month. If we buy tickets that day will they still, be able to set up payment plan when they upgrade or is that no longer an option if they are just upgrading?
Also, how will magic bands be affected? Will we just get bands at the hotel?
Thanks for info. We used to be disney experts but the new magic band system is something we've only used once for a weekend trip!
Thanks for any guidance. I know it will be a zoo in the parks this week. Our only real goal is to see the holiday decorations this weekend.

When you get to the MK you will need to go through Security. Once through, go all the way to the right side of all turnstiles. There are several Guest Relations windows there and they will be able to process your vouchers. I doubt it would save you much time buying regular tickets and then upgrading. You will need to stand in a Guest Services line either way. I do not know how it all works with Florida Resident passes but, again, I wouldn't bother getting regular tickets and upgrading.

As for your bands, if you did not customize them in advance and have them shipped you will get them at check in. When you have your APs processed make sure the CM links them to your MDEx profiles and you'll be good to go.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

When you get to the MK you will need to go through Security. Once through, go all the way to the right side of all turnstiles. There are several Guest Relations windows there and they will be able to process your vouchers. I doubt it would save you much time buying regular tickets and then upgrading. You will need to stand in a Guest Services line either way. I do not know how it all works with Florida Resident passes but, again, I wouldn't bother getting regular tickets and upgrading.

Actually, if you have a physical printout from MDE (so choose Print at Home rather than Will Call), you don't need to go to Guest Relations. Go right to the tapstile, and a CM there will call over an iPad-wielding GR "roamer" and will activate your APs for you. We stood in the GR line last week for over an hour after we were told by one of the iPad people that if we just had a paper printout they'd be able to help us at the tapstile. I'm not sure why--it makes no sense to me.

 

[tessieg]

Thanks for the replies! So if you have a paper print out at the gate, what will they put our AP on? We didn't order magic bands ahead of time.
Thanks!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Thanks for the replies! So if you have a paper print out at the gate, what will they put our AP on? We didn't order magic bands ahead of time.
Thanks!

You don't get a MB with an AP until after you activate it. When you get home, log into MDE and you can personalize your bands then.

They'll give you an RFID-enabled card at the gate. You need that anyway to get your AP discounts. Not everyone has (or wants) a MB, and the cards do nearly everything the bands do. You'll see lots of guests--offsiters--who are using cards instead of bands in the parks.

 

[tessieg]

Perfect!! Thanks so much!!!

 

[js]

Perfect!! Thanks so much!!!

See you there! Leaving on Friday too!