Annual Pass - How to buy

[queenie82]

I know there is a large amount of information on here and this is likely discussed, however I haven't yet found an answer yet to how to PRE BUY an annual pass... so I am hunting for a simple answer please pretty please

From what I understand the CURRENT system means that if you buy the cheapest of the 3 annual passes you CANNOT use it for two days after you buy it? For this reason they suggest you pre buy it.
I'm fine with that except I want to know IF I can if I'm not in France and HOW to pre buy it.

As those who have been to it know, the Disneyland Paris Website is in French and when you hit links will often not stay in a translate mode.
So I don't want to try and do this only to find out I can't buy the cheapest annual pass if I'm in Australia?

I have previously bought an annual pass at the gate and then had the 30 min wait at the office in the park to process it. So exactly how does the pre buy system work?

I'm looking at perhaps buying the next one up at the gate then for simplicity sake. It's still cheaper overall. And you get free parking. Should I just do this?


Help GREATLY appreciated

 

[Carrie_Cat]

The cheapest AP (Francilien) can't be used the 2nd and 3rd day after activation in the park.

Doesn't matter if you pre buy it or not, the delay is from activation not purchase

The next one up is the Fantasy which runs at 159€ on the official site, includes free parking and has 45 blackout days

The top one is 199€, has every thing the Fantasy has and more plus no blackout days

If you purchase one in advance all it means is that you can go directly into the park and have your permanent AP made out during the day of your visit.

Also depending on which CM you get at the entrance to the car parks you might have to pay the 15€ parking as it's not included officially until you have a "real" AP

You can buy one now from a site like the Fnac in eticket form or wait for a flash sale where they can be a bit cheaper

 

[queenie82]

Thank you so much for the prompt reply.

Makes a lot of sense. Just the names and rules have changed since 2009....and it really gets you coming and going...

I think I'll go for the middle one and just get it there if there's no advantage to prebuy


Can you explain more the site and 'flash sale'?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

The Fnac is a French cultural site that also sells tickets to events

People have less pbs buying through them than buying from the official site and you can print off your tickets for an extra 50 cts.

A flash sale is when they offer a special rate for a short period of time.

There was one just recently on another French site - Ticketnet - where a Fantasy AP was at 119€.

Depending on when you are going it's worth waiting as I think that there will be others before too long.

I guess you've checked out the blackout dates for the Fantasy and that they work for you

 

[Carrie_Cat]

http://www.fnactickets.com/recherche/rechercheRapide.do?search=disneyland+

Forgot the Fnac link

For your 1st visit you can also park for 8€ for 24 hours instead of 15€ in the Disney parking lot if you go to the Vinci parking.

It's sign posted Disney Village and it's even closer to the parks

 

[queenie82]

Is there a way to get notified of flash sales? It's not quite as user friendly as out ticketmaster website where you can do this...
I don't want offers on everything and lots of newsletters

I HAVE looked at blackout dates but the information varies from site to site

On this one - http://www.dlrpmagic.com/calendar/annual-passport-blockouts/

It says -

October
9th, 16th, 23rd, 27th, 28th and 31st

On fnac it says

2012
les 24, 25 et 31 mars
le 8 avril
les 18 et 27 mai
les 2, 16 et 30 juin
le 1er juillet
les 22, 23, 29 et 30 septembre
les 27, 28 et 31 octobre inclus
du 1er au 4 inclus et le 10 novembre
Les 1er, 8, 9 et du 29 au 31 décembre inclus

The only one that 'matters' is the 16th October, which isn't a big issue. But I don't understand what's special about the 16th. Nor why there is the inconsistencies

 

[queenie82]

http://www.fnactickets.com/recherche/rechercheRapide.do?search=disneyland+

Forgot the Fnac link

For your 1st visit you can also park for 8€ for 24 hours instead of 15€ in the Disney parking lot if you go to the Vinci parking.

It's sign posted Disney Village and it's even closer to the parks

Oooo...noted

 

[queenie82]

I presume fnac is just wrong...

And is basing it on PRE 29th March purchases without updating information...

 

[Carrie_Cat]

The correct blackout dates for a Fantasy activated after the 29th of March this year are as follows (taken from the official site)

2012
MARS : 31
AVRIL : 8 ;
MAI : 18, 27
JUIN : 2, 5, 12, 16, 19, 26, 30
JUIL : 1
SEPT : 4, 11, 18, 22, 23, 29 et 30
OCT : 9, 16, 23, 27, 28 et 31
NOV : 1 au 4 inclus, 10
DEC : 1, 8, 9 et du 29 au 31 inclus.

2013
JAN : 1, 15, 22, 29
MARS : 30 et 31
AVR : 1
MAI : 11, 19
JUIN : 4, 11, 18, 25, 29
JUIL : 6
SEPT : 3, 10, 17, 21, 22, 28 et 29

Looks like the Fnac have not been given the new ones from Disney as they correspond to my Fantasy AP which is last years edition with 30 blackout days

No idea on the 16th of October as yet, but there are a load of Tuesdays blackout this year so there must be something going on

For the flash sales pop back from time to time as I soon as I hear of them I post it up

 

[queenie82]

Thank you Will do. Much appreciated

Only just added DLP to my plans so a bit frazzled too with all the changes.

 

[A Small World]

Where are you planning to stay? You do know that if you stay in a Disney hotel you get tickets included dont you? And you dont really need parking as the hotels are all so close.

Im assuming you do know as looking at your ticker youve been before (Youve done all 5 parks - wow) but just thought Id mention it anyhow incase youd forgotten

How many days are you going for and where else are you going on your Europe trip?

 

[queenie82]

Yep. I wasn't planning to go to DLP but I got a cheap getaway for 7 nights at the Marriott. I stayed there the first time. So I added that to the start of the trip. Ironically I have the two weeks of the accom (the other week in Switzerland which I got free) but not finalised the airfare

I did stay onsite with the full package the second time but it's quite a bit more expensive for this week (as the 20th anniversary discount doesn't apply...again I don't know why as it's not school holidays) so I just snapped up the Marriott.

Still deciding about renting a car or just using the shuttle. The first time we did 7 nights at the Marriott with a car and wandered up to Versailles one day etc. This time I'm thinking of Monet's Garden. Then would go into the parks at night as we had the annual pass which was nice.