Activating DAP's

[pigby]

At the moment intending to buy our DAP's online before our visit in a few weeks. Main reason for this is so we can get AP rate at HoJo's when we check in late on Friday.

We know we won't have access to the parks on our first full day so have other things planned - Goofy's Kitchen for a character breakfast to begin with. Can we go to the park gate and activate our DAP's on a Saturday without going into the park so that we can save time on Sunday morning - want to go early on the Sunday and hit the rides with no messing. I presume you need to go to a Guest Services window or something to do this - can u advise?

 

[dismom73]

We have the AP rate booked at HoJo's for Oct. When I made the reservation I told them that we will be getting our AP's the day after we get there(we have GAD vouchers so we can't buy them online). She said it was no problem, we just had to show them the AP before we checked out.

Ok, just read through the second part of your post....sorry I didn't answer your question. This is our first time getting AP's so I'm not sure of the answer, but I'm sure someone here will know.

 

[wdwfan22]

At the moment intending to buy our DAP's online before our visit in a few weeks. Main reason for this is so we can get AP rate at HoJo's when we check in late on Friday.

We know we won't have access to the parks on our first full day so have other things planned - Goofy's Kitchen for a character breakfast to begin with. Can we go to the park gate and activate our DAP's on a Saturday without going into the park so that we can save time on Sunday morning - want to go early on the Sunday and hit the rides with no messing. I presume you need to go to a Guest Services window or something to do this - can u advise?

I'm sure I'm just missing something, but why won't you have access to the parks on your first full day?? Is it because it is a blackout day? If so, and you want to go to the parks, (which is a good idea on blackout days I have read), then buy a shorter pass ahead of time, like a 6 day hopper, use it on Saturday, then upgrade to an annual pass on Sunday. However....

We I booked our room at HoJo's, they told me I had to have the AP at Check-IN, I could not show it to them the next day. I even called more than once So I am confused by the last poster.

So what I am doing, is buying the Ent Card, - you can get them for like $15 on line, so I can show that to them when I check in. Since AP and Ent rates are the same now. Then we are going to MM on Saturday morning, since we are buying a 6 day hopper, then upgrading to AP on Sat afternoon, so we can get AP discounts on dining.

 

[bumbershoot]

(assuming you're buying the voucher through disneyland.com...)

The online AP voucher will be initially taken to the turnstile, where they will give you a ticket-looking pass for the day. Later in the day, when you have time, you will go to an AP processing center and give them your info, have a picture taken, and be given your AP. Since the turnstile process only takes a moment, and I'm doubtful you can do it ahead of time, don't worry about it, and just do it the day that you plan on going to the parks.

HoJo is easy, don't worry about showing it right at checkin...

This is from their message board:

"Can you present Annual Pass e-tickets on check-in (i.e before you have had them changed into Annual Passes on first entering the park.)?"

"You can definitely present your e-ticket at check in, because that verifies that you have, in fact, purchased an Annual Pass, and are a Passholder! So you will be all set!"


Nice, eh?

 

[pigby]

So what I am doing, is buying the Ent Card, - you can get them for like $15 on line, so I can show that to them when I check in. Since AP and Ent rates are the same now. Then we are going to MM on Saturday morning, since we are buying a 6 day hopper, then upgrading to AP on Sat afternoon, so we can get AP discounts on dining.

I thought the general discount for AP holders was 20% and ENT was 15% - sure I read this somewhere - I also have an Entertainment card and if the rates were the same then we could do as suggested above - I know that the 50% off rates are the same if you have AP or ENT. Just wondered why u are buying the 6 day hopper if you are upgrading so soon (as opposed to a 3 day for example)

Also didn't realise that you had your photo taken with a DAP - we have never done this at WDW (although it was a little while ago since we had AP's for WDW)

 

[bumbershoot]

Yes, the DLR APs have your picture on them (and they are hard plastic), while the WDW APs are Tyvek material with NO picture.

HoJo keeps changing their discounts around, so I really recommend looking at their message board (I linked to the specific post in my previous reply, but you can go from there ot the rest of their board) and the Discounts forum and subforums to get all the more recent answers.

FWIW, we booked a package and bought 5 day tickets with that even though we knew we were upgrading...just wanted to get the bulk of the expense out of the way ahead of time, so there was minimal money changing hands when upgrading.

 

[tink929]

How late are you checking in on Friday? If the park is open, you could just go get your APs that night.

 

[LavenderPeach]

It is my understanding that you can still enter the parks on a blockout day if it's the first day you're using your AP. I've never done this but I'm pretty sure I've read about other people doing this. So you could look into that and see if it's true, if you think that would help you.

 

[wdwfan22]

I thought the general discount for AP holders was 20% and ENT was 15% - sure I read this somewhere - I also have an Entertainment card and if the rates were the same then we could do as suggested above - I know that the 50% off rates are the same if you have AP or ENT. Just wondered why u are buying the 6 day hopper if you are upgrading so soon (as opposed to a 3 day for example)

Also didn't realise that you had your photo taken with a DAP - we have never done this at WDW (although it was a little while ago since we had AP's for WDW)

I guess I am just getting a six day ahead of time so I can spend as little as possible while there, and pay more ahead of time. Just helps fake me out that I am spending less money while there. It doesn't really matter since you just have to pay whatever the difference is to get an AP.

Yes, you are right it is 15% and 20%, I guess I assumed you had the 50% discount. Although for me, depending on how much per night we are talking about, and how many nights you are staying, it might still be worth it to me to have a MM and to go one more day when AP's are blocked and the park less crowded. I'm not sure I could go and wait one whole day to go in the parks. I'm a little psycho that way.

 

[pigby]

I'm not sure I could go and wait one whole day to go in the parks. I'm a little psycho that way.

LOL -These are DH's sentiments exactly - we are staying at HoJo for 14 nights though so we'll have plenty of park time - even though we are going to other places as well. However on our first full day ie the Saturday we expect to be exhausted anyway - the previous day we leave home around 8am for a flight to London then change flights at 4pm (our time again) and land at about 7pm (LA time) when it's really 2am over here so the journey will take around 18 hours or so. We'll probably be ready for bed early afternoon (and stay there till morning). This is why we aren't THAT bothered about DL parks on the Saturday.

Interesting re Lavenderpeachs comments about letting u on a 'Blockout day' in if it's your first day using an AP as I had never heard of this - anyone know - if not I might e-mail Disney to see what they say.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Interesting re Lavenderpeachs comments about letting u on a 'Blockout day' in if it's your first day using an AP as I had never heard of this - anyone know - if not I might e-mail Disney to see what they say.

Another thread on this topic just popped up recently. Here's the link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2470422

 

[Queen Elisabeth]

I also just posted this is another thread but I'm pretty positive that you can have the AP rate applied to your whole stay even if you don't have the AP at the start of your stay. That's what I was told when I booked about 2 months ago and I confirmed it about a week or two later.

 

[bumbershoot]

The tricky part in *this* case is if the OP buys the AP vouchers online ahead of time, and if they let you simply activate them on a blockout day.... Buying and upgrading are one (er, two) thing...but just activating would make even me wonder!