All you need is a friend to buy it for you, do not need AAA card once you are there and there is no date by which you must redeem it (when you must begin 15 month pass). It's a pretty good deal if you can work around the blackout dates (which are much less restrictive than Disney). You can find out more on the www.aaa.com site under attractions. I usually like the strategy where one person buys the preferred pass just for the discounts and free parking.