Annual Pass question...when does it start and end?

[CarolMN]

I was just hoping somebody could clarify for me. I made reservations for August this morning, and the agent at MS suggested that I buy my annual passes today, over the phone, to lock in the current price. I did so, and she explained that I can pick up my passes upon check in at AKL. She also said that they will not be activated until my check in date, 8/7. Is that indeed correct? I've been confused lately with the talk of vouchers vs PAP's that activate on the date of purchase.

TIA!

Yes, the information the CM gave you is correct. You may have to go to the concierge desk to get your annual pass, but your year will begin when you pick up the pass.

I'm moving this to the TP&A Board since it's not really a DVC topic.

 

[sorcerermick]

Thanks for confirming!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you purchase an AP online or by phone, you will either get a voucher/certificate or it will be set up for "will-call".

When you activate the voucher or will-call, or you purchase an actual AP, either of which can be done at any Park Ticket Window, including the water parks, DTD, TTC and Epcot International Gateway. At this time the ticket will be live, and it is valid from that day up to and including the same day the following year.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Yes. Disney considers AP years to actually be 366 days.

and this being a leap year means 367 days

 

[mesaboy2]

and this being a leap year means 367 days

I would sure think so, but the external website in Post #18 above suggests otherwise. I bet it's wrong.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

If you purchase an AP online or by phone, you will either get a voucher/certificate or it will be set up for "will-call".

When you activate the voucher or will-call, or you purchase an actual AP, either of which can be done at any Park Ticket Window, including the water parks, DTD, TTC and Epcot International Gateway. At this time the ticket will be live, and it is valid from that day up to and including the same day the following year.

Is there a way to assure that you get a voucher?

We'd like to buy annual passes, before ticket prices go up. But we aren't planning to go until October of 2013 though... if this is possible.

 

[Robo]

Is there a way to assure that you get a voucher?

We'd like to buy annual passes, before ticket prices go up. But we aren't planning to go until October of 2013 though... if this is possible.

Voucher or Will Call, if you actually purchase your new AP now, even if the prices do go up, you'll still not be charged the extra amount when you activate the AP.

There's no advantage to doing either Voucher or Will Call because when you arrive at WDW,
you'd have to go to a Ticket Booth, Will Call Window or Guest Relations (any of those will work) to activate the AP, regardless.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

Voucher or Will Call, if you actually purchase your new AP now, even if the prices do go up, you'll still not be charged the extra amount when you activate the AP.

There's no advantage to doing either Voucher or Will Call because when you arrive at WDW,
you'd have to go to a Ticket Booth, Will Call Window or Guest Relations (any of those will work) to activate the AP, regardless.

Will they hold it in Will Call for a year and a half though?

 

[Robo]

Will they hold it in Will Call for a year and a half though?

They don't actually physically "hold" anything.

The info of your purchase is stored in the computer (along with your background file) and they actually wait to print your tickets for you, on-the-spot, when you show up at the ticket booth/Will Call/Guest Relations location of your choice.

All that said, they can send you a voucher.

I'm just pointing out that you'd still have to go to a "booth" of some kind for activation when you get to WDW.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

They don't actually physically "hold" anything.

The info of your purchase is stored in the computer (along with your background file) and they actually wait to print your tickets for you, on-the-spot, when you show up at the ticket booth/Will Call/Guest Relations location of your choice.

All that said, they can send you a voucher.

I'm just pointing out that you'd still have to go to a "booth" of some kind for activation when you get to WDW.

Gotcha. Right, I understood we had to go to a booth to have it activated.

Next quandry. LOL

My oldest turns 10 in Feb 2013 and we plan to go in October 2013. Do I buy a child's annual pass now or an adult's annual pass?

 

[Robo]

My oldest turns 10 in Feb 2013 and we plan to go in October 2013. Do I buy a child's annual pass now or an adult's annual pass?

The age of the child when (s)he first enters a park using a new ticket determines which ticket that you'd need.

If the child is 10 on the day the ticket (AP in this case) is first used, then that ticket needs to be an "adult" AP.

Otherwise, guests could purchase a whole pile of child tickets when their child is under 10 years old, then continue to use new tickets from that pile even after the child became an adult.
(Doesn't work that way.)

It's not the date on which you first BUY buy at ticket that matters, it's the date which you first USE it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Once something gets into Disney's Automated Ticketing System computers it never leaves. My wife died over eight years ago and last time I looked her old AP data was still in ATS.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

The age of the child when (s)he first enters a park using a new ticket determines which ticket that you'd need.

If the child is 10 on the day the ticket (AP in this case) is first used, then that ticket needs to be an "adult" AP.

Otherwise, guests could purchase a whole pile of child tickets when their child is under 10 years old, then continue to use new tickets from that pile even after the child became an adult.
(Doesn't work that way.)

It's not the date on which you first BUY buy at ticket that matters, it's the date which you first USE it.

I see. So if we were to go the day before her birthday and activate it, it would be a child's pass for that year. Got it. I was just trying to figure out how it worked. I wanted to buy the right thing.

Thank you for your help, Robo! You've been a gem!

Once something gets into Disney's Automated Ticketing System computers it never leaves. My wife died over eight years ago and last time I looked her old AP data was still in ATS.

Bittersweet I'm sure.

 

[DisneyElite4]

Do people tend to buy just one annual pass and use it for hotel and TIW discounts, or is the trend to buy one for every member of your party? What is the most economical - to buy just one and use it to buy discounted regular park tickets for everyone else, or to buy an AP for the whole party?

 

[Robo]

Do people tend to buy just one annual pass and use it for hotel and TIW discounts, or is the trend to buy one for every member of your party? What is the most economical - to buy just one and use it to buy discounted regular park tickets for everyone else, or to buy an AP for the whole party?

You can't buy discounted park tickets using an AP.

You can get free parking at the theme parks, and (sometimes) discounts on resort rooms, and TIW cards, and discounts on some meals (usually lunch) and some merchandise discounts.

But, the main use of most AP's is to make multiple trips to Disney parks for a year (and an AP is automatically a "hopper.")