Annual pass-buy on-line, or when we arrive??

[Uncleromulus]

Just curious about buying an AP. Seems that if you buy on-line, you get a voucher that has to be redeemed in WDW. Is there any particular advantage to that?
Can I just buy them when I get to WDW?? And if so, at any ticket counter at park entrance, or is it some "special" ticket window??
Thanks in advance for any advice!!

 

[Skylarr29]

When I buy my ap's every year I always buy them at my local disney store. I recieve a voucher and it takes about 2 min at the gate for them to enter everything in the computer and get the real passes. I don't know if there is any advantage per say but I just like knowing that I have them , they're packed etc. For me it's one less thing I have to worry about when I get there even though I have to exchange them. You could of course buy them at the window if that suits you better. Also with ordering offline I don't know how far away your trip is but I have heard of people on these boards that didn't recieve their tickets in time and had to go through a huge ordeal to straighten it out once they arrived. I hope I have helped lol. Good luck.

 

[jimmytammy]

If you buy the vouchers at TDS, you save around $12-15 per adult ticket. If you buy online its the same deal but you spend around $3 per ticket for mailing and processing and still get the voucher. It takes just as long with or without the vouchers. We have done both.

 

[arizonacolbys]

Last time we purchased our AP's we actually purchased them from the large Disney Store in the MCO Airport. It was pretty quick & when you purchase them here they are activated on the spot - no vouchers to turn in later. This worked out very well for us - after we arrived at the Polynesian, we just hopped on the monorail & headed straight to the MK.

I think a lot of people buy them ahead of time in case prices are due to go up before their trip. Sometimes it's nice to have one more thing paid for up front, too.

This year we'll be waiting until we arrive to get our AP's thru the SOG.

HTH!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by jimmytammy
If you buy the vouchers at TDS, you save around $12-15 per adult ticket. If you buy online its the same deal but you spend around $3 per ticket for mailing and processing and still get the voucher. It takes just as long with or without the vouchers. We have done both.

Disneyworld.com charges $3 per order - not per ticket.

Financially, there is absolutely no advantage to buying your Annual Pass in advance - as someone said, with the exception of when prices increase.

I bought mine in advance the day before the last price increase, but I'd have bought them anyway, just cause I wanted one less expense to worry about when we get there.

 

[jazznms]

great info thanks everyone i have two questions.
If i buy the voucher can i redeem it at the store at mco?
and if not will the towncar services swing buy TDS?

Was woundering the best way to get our passes befor we check in to AKL?

 

[seashoreCM]

I have always bought annual passes at WDW when I arrive, so I can never forget. I hadn't heard of the discount for buying them at a Disney store so maybe next time I will do that if the discount is still there.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I bought my AP's online because I read on the DIS that prices were going up on Monday. They did and I saved a few dollars.

I think I remember that you can do a "will call" with the vouchers and save the $3 but I may be mistaken.

JAZZNMS - the towncar service may charge you for a stop but any DS will sell you the passes. Just be careful. In some stores, they don't sell allot of AP's and they may not realize they are selling vouchers instead of the passes themselves.

 

[Penny12]

You don't have to pay the $3 shipping if purchasing relatively close to your trip, you can use the 'Will Call' option - buy your ticket online or by phone and then just pick it up at the special window they have for this now at the parks on the way in. I did this last year at least 6 weeks in advance and there was no problem but I don't know if there is a time limit.

I'm unaware of any discounts being available on Annual Passes since the demise of The Disney Club Card.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by jazznms
great info thanks everyone i have two questions.
If i buy the voucher can i redeem it at the store at mco?
and if not will the towncar services swing buy TDS?

Was woundering the best way to get our passes befor we check in to AKL?

No - you can't activate the pass at MCO. It will have to be done at Disney World proper. You can do it at any major park ticket window, or guest relations window (either at the parks or Downtown Disney). It can't be activated at the resort either.

I'm not sure what the "TDS" means, but chances are that's something you'd have to ask your towncar company.

If you won't have your own transportation, it sounds like your easiest option timewise is to buy the passes at Earport store. Even though they can't activate a voucher, the passes they sell are active - not vouchers. If you really want the passes before you leave, you could simply ask your towncar if they could stop at Downtown Disney. If they can't, just check in, and then hop a bus to your first park and do it on the way in.

originally posted by seashore CM
I have always bought annual passes at WDW when I arrive, so I can never forget. I hadn't heard of the discount for buying them at a Disney store so maybe next time I will do that if the discount is still there.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

There's no discount for annual passes at the Disney Store. Same price as everywhere else.

 

[GoldenOldie]

I'm just sitting back and watching Dan handle everything. He's learned his lessons so well, hasn't he?

Keep up the good work, Dan. It's nice to know that I finally have some help. LOL!

 

[NMAmy]

I bought my ap's online to avoid the prices going up and so they would all be paid for before we left. There was a mixup and they didn't get to me as soon as they were supposed to (luckily, I had ordered them several months ahead of our trip.) My email was responded to immediately, they were overnighted to me at no charge. I was also given the alternative of having them waiting for me at the hotel, but I felt that there was too much of a chance of a problem that way and that I preferred to have the vouchers in my hot little hand.

We activated them at the MK on a Saturday morning in late February. There was no one in front of us in line at Guest Services and it probably took 5 minutes total to get them. I'd sure do it this way again.

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by SnackyStacky

I'm not sure what the "TDS" means, but chances are that's something you'd have to ask your towncar company.

TDS = The Disney Store. I don't think there is one between MCO and WDW. I believe there are 2 stores at MCO that sell passes - Earport and The Magic of Disney. I'm not sure where Earport is, but Magic of Disney is right outside of security for gates 1 to 60.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by GoldenOldie
I'm just sitting back and watching Dan handle everything. He's learned his lessons so well, hasn't he?

Keep up the good work, Dan. It's nice to know that I finally have some help. LOL!

Woo hoo!

I saw you posted and thought I'd gotten somethng wrong!!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by DebbieB
TDS = The Disney Store. I don't think there is one between MCO and WDW. I believe there are 2 stores at MCO that sell passes - Earport and The Magic of Disney. I'm not sure where Earport is, but Magic of Disney is right outside of security for gates 1 to 60.

Gotcha.

There are outlets at the Premium Outlet Center, and the Belz Mall. But again - you'd have to check with your towncar company to see if that could be substituted for a grocery stop.

Personally, I'd use the grocery stop for groceries, and just activate the pass somewhere on property!

 

[CarolMN]

I can think of only two advantages of buying the voucher in advance vs buying the actual pass:

* You may avoid a price increase. No one really knows when the next increase for PAPs/APs will be, so this may be an advantge.

* If you have several passes to buy, you can spread the cost over a period of time by buying one at a time as you can spare the $$.

In my experience, it only takes a little longer to buy the actual pass than it does to exchange the voucher. Either way, it speeds things up a bit if you can give the CM a photo ID with your name and address printed on it. Saves the back and forth spelling, etc.

Best wishes -