We redeemed our Vouchers Just back From Disney

[giasmom]

I know there have been allot of questions regarding how the GAD program works. We just returned from Disney World and can answer some of those questions for you.

When you want to redeem your vouchers, go to the Guest Relations station at the park of your choice. We redeemed ours at MK. You need to have your voucher, photo id, and park ticket if you are not redeeming it for a day at the park.

We had 3 vouchers and decided to redeem them two different ways. The first day we wanted to get the fast passes. You would need all park tickets for those in your party to do this option. You should know that you will get a fast pass for everyone in your party that you have park tickets for, not just those that volunteered. We redeemed ONE voucher and received 8 fast passes for that day. The fast pass is this card with donald on it.

You are given a piece of paper with a list of 8 rides on it. You will pick 3 rides from the Donald group and 3 rides from the Daisy group. We used ours on Big thunder mountain, Space Mountain, Peter Pan, Buzz, Philharmagic, and the Speedway if i remember correctly.

When you insert your donald card into the fastpass machine, you are given an immediate fastpass for the ride. You can use that fastpass anytime you want during the day. If all fast passes are distributed for the ride that you want, then you need to go to a fastpass attendant and they will get you on the ride. You do not have to worry about all fast passes being sold out, you will always get a fast pass.

Since we had two vouchers left we decided to use them for the ears. You are given a goofy ticket which you take to the group tour building anytime after noon to pick up your ears.

In addition you will receive buttons stating that you were a volunteer. Wear these all day, you may be picked to be in the daily parade as a volunteer family of the day .THey pick more than one family so your chances are good.

This is the package we received with our ears in it:

Close up of the ears:

The bottom comes off of the ears so you can store stuff in the ears if you want. My daughter calls it her secret stash place.

I hope this answers all your questions, let me know if you have any other.

Kim

 

[megan10310]

Thanks for the info! I am trying to figure out what the plan will be for our gad tickets.

 

[MickeysFans]

GREAT information. Thank you!

 

[SerinaEmily]

Thanks for the info .. am I reading it correctly that you got fastpasses for all 8 of you with one voucher? Even though the site says the FP is for you and up to 5 people in your group? If you have 8 (like I will) then they will give all 8 of you the fastpasses?

 

[giasmom]

Since someone asked, here is a photo of the pins you are given to wear around the park.

 

[giasmom]

Thanks for the info .. am I reading it correctly that you got fastpasses for all 8 of you with one voucher? Even though the site says the FP is for you and up to 5 people in your group? If you have 8 (like I will) then they will give all 8 of you the fastpasses?

Yes that is right, we got 8 fast passes for the entire group using one Voucher. The gentleman at the guest relations just asked for park tickets for all in our group, he scanned them, which prompted him to scan a donald card for fast passes. I wasn't even aware of the 5 person rule, he didn't say anything about it at all.

 

[luvmylilangels]

We had 3 vouchers and decided to redeem them two different ways. The first day we wanted to get the fast passes. You would need all park tickets for those in your party to do this option. You should know that you will get a fast pass for everyone in your party that you have park tickets for, not just those that volunteered. We redeemed ONE voucher and received 8 fast passes for that day. The fast pass is this card with donald on it.

Thanks so much for posting this information. Quick question did everyone in your group have to be present or did you just need to have their tickets in hand. And when you say you received 8 fast passes you mean you received 8 fast pass cards for 8 people? And when you say guest services you mean "guest services" right not the will call?" Thanks

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

We will probably get the figurines. On another thread for Disneyland, they had the same figurine in the OP's pic, and the one with 4 pins is for Volunteers that already have multiday passes. There was another figurine with 3 additional pins for AP holders. (the additional pins were Mickey ears with "2010" and went on the front covering the logo that is the same. Then there was a Donald and a Goofy, one on each side, holding a balloon like Mickey and Minnie.

I don't think that the FP cards are generous enough. We usually do fine without any extra FPs, so we will be cashing in for the figurine with 7 pins.

 

[giasmom]

Thanks so much for posting this information. Quick question did everyone in your group have to be present or did you just need to have their tickets in hand. And when you say you received 8 fast passes you mean you received 8 fast pass cards for 8 people? And when you say guest services you mean "guest services" right not the will call?" Thanks

Guest Services is will/call.

Not everyone has to be present you just have to have all the tickets because they scan the tickets. You get 1 donald fast pass card for each park ticket that is scanned.

 

[luvmylilangels]

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Jess6001]

Thanks for the info! We're probably going to do exactly what you did!

 

[lindsayp]

awesome! i love the fast pass idea! i really want to use it at mgm for toystory mania

 

[thunderbird1]

Guest Services is will/call.

Not everyone has to be present you just have to have all the tickets because they scan the tickets. You get 1 donald fast pass card for each park ticket that is scanned.

I know this is getting really nitpicky, but do you know if all the tickets had to be activated? I only ask because the FAQ's say FP's may not be available after 11 am, and dh usually sleeps in. But I could easily take his ticket over in the morning and pick up the FP exchange cards so we could make sure we have them for later that day. TIA, and thanks for all the info!

 

[giasmom]

I know this is getting really nitpicky, but do you know if all the tickets had to be activated? I only ask because the FAQ's say FP's may not be available after 11 am, and dh usually sleeps in. But I could easily take his ticket over in the morning and pick up the FP exchange cards so we could make sure we have them for later that day. TIA, and thanks for all the info!

the man at guest services/will call told me that it doesn't matter if fastpasses are given out you can still get a fastpass for the ride.

 

[lklasing]

I have a question - did you get one button to wear (for the person who turned in their voucher), or did you get a button for everyone in your party who received the Donald FP card (all 8 of you)? Just curious.

Thanks for the report! We have 10 in our group and I'm hoping to be able to get 10 FP cards per voucher so we can make the vouchers stretch for more park visits.

 

[luvmylilangels]

I have a question - did you get one button to wear (for the person who turned in their voucher), or did you get a button for everyone in your party who received the Donald FP card (all 8 of you)? Just curious.

Thanks for the report! We have 10 in our group and I'm hoping to be able to get 10 FP cards per voucher so we can make the vouchers stretch for more park visits.

I am so hoping for this too!

 

[giasmom]

I have a question - did you get one button to wear (for the person who turned in their voucher), or did you get a button for everyone in your party who received the Donald FP card (all 8 of you)? Just curious.

Thanks for the report! We have 10 in our group and I'm hoping to be able to get 10 FP cards per voucher so we can make the vouchers stretch for more park visits.

If you are turning in one voucher, then you get one Volunteer pin. By the end of the vacation you will have 10.

 

[doconeill]

Although they only advertise they will give up to 6 cards per group, I haven't heard anyone say they've been denied more.

I know this is getting really nitpicky, but do you know if all the tickets had to be activated? I only ask because the FAQ's say FP's may not be available after 11 am, and dh usually sleeps in. But I could easily take his ticket over in the morning and pick up the FP exchange cards so we could make sure we have them for later that day. TIA, and thanks for all the info!

Everyone is supposed to be physically present. But we also haven't heard of anyone unable to get the cards after 11am.

 

[thunderbird1]

Everyone is supposed to be physically present. But we also haven't heard of anyone unable to get the cards after 11am.

Thanks! I'm glad to hear they don't seem to be cutting off the FP card distribution at 11. IMHO, that's sort of the point of choosing the card--you can still get FP's for everything without having to get to the parks so early.

BTW, love your tag--how appropriate that you'd be answering questions on this thread!

 

[scottmel]

Is the hat wearable? how big is it? Did those cute pins come on it - kermit, mss piggy, etc or are they decals?What is the hat made of? THANKS!