Renewing Annual Pass and Will Call Number

[Ukladmok]

Good Day. I was wondering if anyone could help me with a question I have regarding Annual Passes.

I had purchased an Annual Pass last year that expired on May 25th, 2011. At the time I wasn’t sure how many trips we were going to take this year so I didn’t renew it.

Then about two weeks later the opportunity to make two visits this year popped up so I decided to renew our AP’s. Even thought the expiration date had passed, it was within the 30 day grace period so Disney allowed me to renew at the discounted renewal rate.

The passes were purchased and I was given a Will Call number to use when I arrive at the parks to be able to claim them. I was under the impression that since I renewed the passes, they were valid from the date that last years expired (May 25th) and valid for a year from that date. (May 25th 2012)

We are planning a trip in January and I was hoping to be able to book rooms with the AP discounts when they become available. Not sure about how I was to do this with nothing but a Will Call number, I decided to call Disney to find out what I needed to do.

The Cast Member I spoke to said that I was unable to get an AP room discount because my passes were not valid until I activated them at Will Call. She told me that once the passes are activated I would be eligible for discounts and that the passes would be valid for a year from the date I picked them up and activated them at the park.

That doesn’t sound right to me at all and I was wondering if anyone out there had any similar experience. We have a trip planned in November using our DVC points but would like to go again in January booking a room with the AP discount if it comes out. If I don’t activate my pass until November, all of the AP discount rooms will most likely be booked already for our January trip.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[stargazertechie]

You don't need an annual pass to book AP rates. You won't be able to access the website, but you can call in and they will book it. You will just have to have a valid AP during your stay.

 

[purple figment]

The Cast Member I spoke to said that I was unable to get an AP room discount because my passes were not valid until I activated them at Will Call. You can get a room with the AP rate, then show your valid AP when you arrive in January.

She told me that once the passes are activated I would be eligible for discounts and that the passes would be valid for a year from the date I picked them up and activated them at the park. Only if it's a new AP. For your renewal AP you are correct that the expiration will be one year from the current expiration date.



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[Scraper]

I would call back and get a different CM. If you just remewed it then it is then the date will be May 25 2012. We renwe ours every year.

 

[Ukladmok]

I figured she was incorrect on that. It seemed too good to be true.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

You renewed even though your next trip isn't until November? Is the renewal discount worth wasting 6 months of a pass?

 

[Robo]

You renewed even though your next trip isn't until November? Is the renewal discount worth wasting 6 months of a pass?

In general, the AP renewal discount amounts to about a "month's difference" in price.

Therefore, if your next trip will not be until over one month from your current AP's expiration date,
it can make more sense to NOT "renew" the AP, but simply wait and buy a NEW AP at the time of your next WDW trip.
That would be because the new AP would then offer another full year of validity from the date of its activation.

 

[Rachaelt]

You do not have to have the AP to book the AP rate at the time of booking. But you do have to have the AP when checking in. I've sold AP's and booked the rooms in the same call. I just make sure to tell them to pick it up before checking in, or it will revert to rack rate.

 

[Robo]

You do not have to have the AP to book the AP rate at the time of booking. But you do have to have the AP when checking in. I've sold AP's and booked the rooms in the same call. I just make sure to tell them to pick it up before checking in, or it will revert to rack rate.

Now, hold on there.

Countless DISer's know that's not really the case.

While it might be true in the strictest interpretation of a "rule" someplace,
in practice it's a different story.

If (if) (IF) (IF) [did I make that point?] a guest is asked to "show" his AP upon check-in, and that guest has not yet picked up his AP... that guest can have a day to go to a park or DTD location and get the AP, then return to the desk with it to assure the resort that he is, in fact, an AP holder.

Yes, the guest DOES need to have an AP,
but if he does not actually have the hard AP in his possession at check-in,
the resort won't be required to actually (and ultimately) charge the rack rate...
the guest will have the opportunity to (within a day) pick up the AP and set the record straight at the resort desk.

No need to start a "panic attack" in future AP holders.


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[Rachaelt]

True. In practice, they would just need to show it at some point during the stay. But you know how those quality monitoring people are with policies.

If I didn't spiel it "correctly", and there was an issue at the front desk, it would become a guest service issue and come back to bite me.

 

[Robo]

True. In practice, they would just need to show it at some point during the stay. But you know how those quality monitoring people are with policies.

If I didn't spiel it "correctly", and there was an issue at the front desk, it would become a guest service issue and come back to bite me.

But, we are not under such constraints here.

We are here on an informational discussion board, trying to tell WDW guests
what to actually expect during their trips.

Like I said, no need to cause unnecessary "panic attacks" over something that is so easily remedied in common practice.

 

[Rachaelt]

Common practices change though. And sometimes when it does, we hear "But it said so on Disboards!"

To which the answer is "Is Disboards an official Disney website?"

 

[Robo]

Common practices change though. And sometimes when it does, we hear "But it said so on Disboards!"

To which the answer is "Is Disboards an official Disney website?"

You're just a cheery little bowl of soup, aren't cha?

 

[Rachaelt]

Actually I was giggling when I typed that. I have used that response before though. Especially when I got calls asking about Downtown Disney's fourth of July fireworks. Which in Disboards defense, I never saw it posted on here that DTD had fireworks on the fourth.

 

[Ukladmok]

It made more sense financially for us to buy now and get the renewal discount. We’re going for a week in November and then a week in January for the marathon. After that we won’t be back until the marathon in
January 2013.

Would love to be able to sneak in a few day trips in between , but the 2000 mile round trip commute is a bear.

 

[doconeill]

It made more sense financially for us to buy now and get the renewal discount. We’re going for a week in November and then a week in January for the marathon. After that we won’t be back until the marathon in
January 2013.

Would love to be able to sneak in a few day trips in between , but the 2000 mile round trip commute is a bear.

I was going to say that it CAN make sense to save the money if you are guaranteed not to return for a while...but you did that!