Activating Annual Pass "Remotely"

[carlbarry]

I will probably pay for Membership Magic Beyond to get tickets to Disneyland for my visit this October.
I was also considering getting a WDW AP through this. However, I won't be going to WDW until January 2027.
I was on the phone this morning with a CM to make a waitlist and asked: how long after purchasing an AP through MMB do I have to activate it? She answered it must be activated by December 31, 2026. I said that that's great, as I hope to go January, September, and early December 2027. She said that would work.
When I got off the phone I realized that the other 3 times I bought an AP I activated it at Disney World. But I won't be at WDW on December 31, 2026.
So my question is: Can the AP be activated some other way other than being in WDW?
Thanks.

 

[erionm]

When I got off the phone I realized that the other 3 times I bought an AP I activated it at Disney World. But I won't be at WDW on December 31, 2026.
So my question is: Can the AP be activated some other way other than being in WDW?
Thanks.

Annual passes can only be activated in person at WDW.

 

[lanejudy]

To answer your specific question -- activating an AP remotely means you want the AP to start when you aren't even at WDW and "lose" some of your 12 months. To my knowledge there is no way to do this.

To add on... I suggest you confirm that Dec. 31, 2026 date. Unless buying an AP through MMB gives you something different than a regular Sorcerer AP voucher, you have 1 year from date of purchase to activate it or it reverts to a credit. I believe you have until 12/31/2025 to purchase the AP voucher with this year's MMB benefits, in which case you will then have until the end of December 2026 to activate that voucher if you purchase it that late this year.

 

[Fangorn]

To answer your specific question -- activating an AP remotely means you want the AP to start when you aren't even at WDW and "lose" some of your 12 months. To my knowledge there is no way to do this.

To add on... I suggest you confirm that Dec. 31, 2026 date. Unless buying an AP through MMB gives you something different than a regular Sorcerer AP voucher, you have 1 year from date of purchase to activate it or it reverts to a credit. I believe you have until 12/31/2025 to purchase the AP voucher with this year's MMB benefits, in which case you will then have until the end of December 2026 to activate that voucher if you purchase it that late this year.

I have purchased the Sorcerer Pass through MMB. You're correct. The voucher is good for 1 year from date of purchase. In my case, I purchased it on April 21, 2025. The pass shows in MDE with the clear note: Activate by 04/21/2026. It does have to be activated in person. I will be activating it in December.

Steve

 

[carlbarry]

To answer your specific question -- activating an AP remotely means you want the AP to start when you aren't even at WDW and "lose" some of your 12 months. To my knowledge there is no way to do this.

To add on... I suggest you confirm that Dec. 31, 2026 date. Unless buying an AP through MMB gives you something different than a regular Sorcerer AP voucher, you have 1 year from date of purchase to activate it or it reverts to a credit. I believe you have until 12/31/2025 to purchase the AP voucher with this year's MMB benefits, in which case you will then have until the end of December 2026 to activate that voucher if you purchase it that late this year.

I don't mind losing time on the AP. For example, the last time I had an AP, I activated it the middle of January, and the last time I used it was early December. I'm always going to "lose" some time.
In this instance, I would activate it end of December. First use would be middle of January, and last use would be early December. That would work fine for me. But it won't work, because I won't be able to activate it in the one year period.

 

[Sandisw]

I don't mind losing time on the AP. For example, the last time I had an AP, I activated it the middle of January, and the last time I used it was early December. I'm always going to "lose" some time.
In this instance, I would activate it end of December. First use would be middle of January, and last use would be early December. That would work fine for me. But it won't work, because I won't be able to activate it in the one year period.

Just to clarify…you have until Dec 31st, 2026 to activate this certificate if you buy it on Dec 31st 2025 before your current MMB for 2025 expires.

If you buy it today, it’s only good for one year from purchase.

I just did this and must activate it by June 11th 2026 since I bought June 11, 2025.

If you are not going until January, 2027, then this will expire…unless you make a trip down just to enter a park.

 

[carlbarry]

To answer your specific question -- activating an AP remotely means you want the AP to start when you aren't even at WDW and "lose" some of your 12 months. To my knowledge there is no way to do this.

To add on... I suggest you confirm that Dec. 31, 2026 date. Unless buying an AP through MMB gives you something different than a regular Sorcerer AP voucher, you have 1 year from date of purchase to activate it or it reverts to a credit. I believe you have until 12/31/2025 to purchase the AP voucher with this year's MMB benefits, in which case you will then have until the end of December 2026 to activate that voucher if you purchase it that late this year.

What kind of a credit does it revert to? If paying cash, I could understand that they then hold that money until you again buy a pass. But with this Membership Magic Beyond, you pay with points.

 

[Sandisw]

What kind of a credit does it revert to? If paying cash, I could understand that they then hold that money until you again buy a pass. But with this Membership Magic Beyond, you pay with points.

My guess is that it would revert to the cash value at the time you purchased it.

And, you would not be able to use that toward a new AP you want to pay for with points.

 

[carlbarry]

My guess is that it would revert to the cash value at the time you purchased it.

And, you would not be able to use that toward a new AP you want to pay for with points.

That would work out for me. If I were to use points to buy the AP via Membership Magic Beyond, it would be because I determined that it is cheaper for me to use points than pay the full amount for the AP.
Let's say I determine that the points cost me $900. If they credited those points as the amount needed to purchase an AP with cash, $1,079 let's say, I still come out ahead.
Of course, Disney states that you have to pay the difference if the price has gone up. But how will they determine that if I bought it with points? I'm sure they'll have a method.

 

[muppets3d]

There is no benefit to buying the annual pass before you need it. Why would you give Disney an interest-free loan? I could see the argument being, you have points that are in distress with MMB. If that is the case then I could see it being useful.

 

[erionm]

That would work out for me. If I were to use points to buy the AP via Membership Magic Beyond, it would be because I determined that it is cheaper for me to use points than pay the full amount for the AP.
Let's say I determine that the points cost me $900. If they credited those points as the amount needed to purchase an AP with cash, $1,079 let's say, I still come out ahead.
Of course, Disney states that you have to pay the difference if the price has gone up. But how will they determine that if I bought it with points? I'm sure they'll have a method.

The amount credited would likely be based on the current price of that pass on the day you purchased it.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I guess it might come down to a slight gamble regarding whether or not MMB is offered again in 2026? If so, you could buy MMB next year and just take care of purchasing the AP in January, 2026, as long as you can activate it in person less than12 months later. The question around what kind of credit a member might get for an AP purchased with points is an interesting one - a situation that hasn't come around before!

 

[muppets3d]

The amount credited would likely be based on the current price of that pass on the day you purchased it. Based on current pricing for the Sorcerer Pass, it would be $989.39 (tax included).

That's the renewal rate, the full price for a new pass is $1079 plus tax. So $1149.14 after tax.

 

[Sandisw]

That would work out for me. If I were to use points to buy the AP via Membership Magic Beyond, it would be because I determined that it is cheaper for me to use points than pay the full amount for the AP.
Let's say I determine that the points cost me $900. If they credited those points as the amount needed to purchase an AP with cash, $1,079 let's say, I still come out ahead.
Of course, Disney states that you have to pay the difference if the price has gone up. But how will they determine that if I bought it with points? I'm sure they'll have a method.

Once it expires, you would forget about it being paid with points.

It would ne the cash value and you could only use that voucher toward a new AP paid in cash.

It would not be eligible to be applied toward a new AP via MS for points.

So, if it was worth $1079 today and it expires, you would have $1079 to use toward a new cash AP and would have to pay the difference in cash.

 

[Fangorn]

My understanding, (based on my conversation with MS and the email receipts I received when I purchased the pass with points) is that when you use points, DVC takes those points from you and then purchases the pass from Disney Ticketing just like any other ticket purchase. I received two receipts - one from DVC showing the points were taken, and then another one from Ticketing showing the purchase of the Sorcerer Pass and showing the amount paid ($1149.14).
This is consistent with the very knowledgeable and informative CM I was working with in MS. She outlined the process for me before she started and kept me informed throughout each step. She took my points (they disappeared from my Dashboard, and I received an email from DVC showing that. Then, she had to put me on hold while she spoke to Ticketing to "actually purchase the pass". By the time she came back, I had an email from ticketing with my receipt for my purchase. She then connected my AP to my MDE account.

I was then told that it had to be activated within one year, but if that didn't happen, the full value would be available to be applied to future ticket purchases.

Now, I'm not one to believe everything a CM tells me, but in this case, I have a very high confidence level that she knew exactly what she was taking about.

Steve