Annual Pass Holder Purchase Question

[tamaraten]

Is there a way to buy an AP other than at the gates?

I'm trying to save time in the morning for the early morning entry to IOA but still need to buy my AP and then the discounted tickets for my family. I read on one of the threads that line-ups can be really long at ticket counters at the parks. Is there anyway to purchase AP some other way beforehand that I'm missing?

Thanks for the help!

 

[damo]

You can buy APs online or over the phone. You still are going to have to activate it though, which means going to guest services.

 

[tamaraten]

You can buy APs online or over the phone. You still are going to have to activate it though, which means going to guest services.

Damo, as usual, thank you for sharing and answering! I think this was answered already (I think by you! Now I remember....sorry!), but if you could just reconfirm, in order to buy my discounted by 15% tickets, does the AP have to be activated? ie. can I not buy the AP and discounted tickets at the same time on the phone?
(I just seem to remember that I have to buy at the park ticket counters. I'm trying to figure out timing for the first day we're at IOA after changing hotels and all that and trying to make it for early hours).

 

[Metro West]

Damo, as usual, thank you for sharing and answering! I think this was answered already (I think by you! Now I remember....sorry!), but if you could just reconfirm, in order to buy my discounted by 15% tickets, does the AP have to be activated? ie. can I not buy the AP and discounted tickets at the same time on the phone?
(I just seem to remember that I have to buy at the park ticket counters. I'm trying to figure out timing for the first day we're at IOA after changing hotels and all that and trying to make it for early hours).

AP discounted tickets need to be purchased at the gate with an activated AP or by phone...not online.

 

[tamaraten]

AP discounted tickets need to be purchased at the gate with an activated AP or by phone...not online.

Do you mean by phone after activating AP at the gate?

ie. Is the only way to activate the AP at the gate? If so, that means I have to wait until I'm at the park to purchase the discounted tickets? Are the lines long?

I'm trying to understand how this works and figure out the fastest (non-waiting in line) way to buy the AP and the discounted tickets for the rest of my family!

thanks so much for the help!

 

[Metro West]

Do you mean by phone after activating AP at the gate?

ie. Is the only way to activate the AP at the gate? If so, that means I have to wait until I'm at the park to purchase the discounted tickets? Are the lines long?

I'm trying to understand how this works and figure out the fastest (non-waiting in line) way to buy the AP and the discounted tickets for the rest of my family!

thanks so much for the help!

They have to be activated at the gate.

 

[damo]

You may not want to rush and do the early morning entry the first morning. Since you will be arriving so late, you are not going to want to get to RPR at 7 am to check in and boot it over to IOA for 7:30. If you do want to get up early...this should be your time frame.

Just get to RPR as early as possible. Head over to IOA. Go to guest services to activate your pass and purchase the other tickets. Enter the park and head for WWoHP. Go into Hogwarts.

The next morning, do early entry and do Ollivander's first.

 

[tamaraten]

You may not want to rush and do the early morning entry the first morning. Since you will be arriving so late, you are not going to want to get to RPR at 7 am to check in and boot it over to IOA for 7:30. If you do want to get up early...this should be your time frame.

Just get to RPR as early as possible. Head over to IOA. Go to guest services to activate your pass and purchase the other tickets. Enter the park and head for WWoHP. Go into Hogwarts.

The next morning, do early entry and do Ollivander's first.

This is exactly my question on another thread. I'm really worried about the early morning rushing after the very late previous night. I don't think we'll manage the early morning of that first day. Because of that, I was wondering, should I maybe do US on the first day instead of IOA? The only problem with that is the kids' excitement factor in going to WWoHP. Also IOA is open late that first day (Sunday Dec. 5) and it's the only day during our time that has later hours. I think that we might get to WWoHP too late on the first day and get stuck in long lines.

(btw, never considered park-to-park, but after all my questioning on the threads, am starting to consider it, just don't want it to be a waste considering it's our first time and I figure we'll have a ton to keep us busy in each park. I also don't want to feel stressed about having to be in one park when we're in the other. On the other hand, maybe it will help with all this).

Damo, again, thank you so much for all your time. I really feel that you get inside people's questions and are so interested in helping. It's amazing. Even your first line of your response here, that we may not want to rush, is so understanding....You must be an AMAZING mom!!

 

[battymum]

I intend to buy an annual pass as well, even though we will only be making the one trip,
I understand that I can only buy discounted tickets for my family at the gate, no problem, (can I get a cheaper discount online?)
However, we plan on arriving midmorning on Sunday, 2nd October 2011, i am assuming this will be a Halloween Horror Night, will it be ok to wait until that day to purchase the HHN tickets or do they sell out?

 

[Metro West]

I intend to buy an annual pass as well, even though we will only be making the one trip,
I understand that I can only buy discounted tickets for my family at the gate, no problem, (can I get a cheaper discount online?)
However, we plan on arriving midmorning on Sunday, 2nd October 2011, i am assuming this will be a Halloween Horror Night, will it be ok to wait until that day to purchase the HHN tickets or do they sell out?

October 2, 2011 will probably not be a night HHN is staged since it's the first weekend. On the first weekend, it's usually only Friday and Saturday nights...that could change of course but that's the way it's been done for years.

 

[battymum]

Bother! We are only there 3 days, was counting on going that night!

Pretty sure it ran on the 3rd this year.

 

[Metro West]

Bother! We are only there 3 days, was counting on going that night!

Pretty sure it ran on the 3rd this year.

It did run on the 3rd this year but the dates don't line up next year. HHN always starts the last weekend of September and next year the last weekend is 9/30 and 10/1. If they start it next year on 9/23 and 9/24, then you will be able to go but if it starts on 9/30, it won't be staged on 10/2. If the schedule is done as it has been done for the past several years, the first Sunday HHN will be staged is 10/9.