Annual Pass Question

[jackal]

Not sure where to ask this, but you can buy an Annual Pass just to get a room discount. We have an upcoming trip and there is a discount on rooms for pass holders. It may be cheaper for me to by the pass and get the room discount, but I'm not sure that is allowed? or if you have to have the pass first to get a room discount.

 

[erinkpoole]

I have made a AP reservation before I purchased my annual pass. You can the reservation line and book the AP rate. You must show proof of your AP within a certain time frame of checking in -- 24 hours, I think.

I upgraded 10 day tickets from Undercover Tourist to my AP. I wanted to activate the tickets at the park before I upgraded. So later that first day, I showed the front desk my proof of AP.

Hope this helps!

 

[bearlyanne]

Do you mind if I ask where are you seeing the discounted rooms for pass holders?

 

[Stinkerbell1973]

I did this just last month. Had reservations beginning 2/19; on 2/12 we purchased AP's and I immediately called WDW to see if there were AP discounts available. Sure enough, there were. Saved almost $100!!

 

[disneychic2]

When I called in early January, they gave me an AP discount rate for WL for September. Don't know why. There was a general discount in effect at the time too, but cm said the AP was the better discount.

 

[jackal]

I have made a AP reservation before I purchased my annual pass. You can the reservation line and book the AP rate. You must show proof of your AP within a certain time frame of checking in -- 24 hours, I think.

I upgraded 10 day tickets from Undercover Tourist to my AP. I wanted to activate the tickets at the park before I upgraded. So later that first day, I showed the front desk my proof of AP.

Hope this helps!

Do I get my AP before or after I enter the park? And do I do it at Guest Services? Can't I just upgrade when we check in at the resort?

 

[jackal]

Do you mind if I ask where are you seeing the discounted rooms for pass holders?

on Mousesavers! I just saved $910. I booked the Beach Club and saved $1,140 with the AP room only discount, the upgrade to AP was $230 for me so a Savings of $910 Plus that will give me incentive to go back within a year, too!

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Do I get my AP before or after I enter the park? And do I do it at Guest Services? Can't I just upgrade when we check in at the resort?

You can upgrade at any point in your trip where you could buy your tickets. You can present a used ticket and they will upgrade it with an effective date of the first day that ticket was used. I'm not sure about resorts. In the past you couldn't but rumor has it that with their system upgrade it is now possible. (We haven't had to upgrade yet ... so I don't know from personal experience.)
Most people go through the turnstyle first if they bought from undercover tourist because otherwise you lose the money you saved using undercover tourist. Depending on how many people you are upgrading and what kind of savings it can add up. If you are only looking at a difference of $10 for one person it might not be worth the effort. For our family it can save us about $90!

 

[PEANUT1]

Do I get my AP before or after I enter the park? And do I do it at Guest Services? Can't I just upgrade when we check in at the resort?

you need to get the annual pass before you check in but not before you make the reservation. You can either buy it online and they will send you a voucher that you redeem at the parks or you can buy it at the ticket windows before you enter the park.

 

[jackal]

Now I'm not so sure what I should do. I was going to call back and add tickets for us all, 6 day park hoppers, to my current reservation with the AP discount, and then I wanted to upgrade my ticket to an AP when I got there and still get the AP room discount.

So, when I go to check in at the Beach Club, they will give me my key with my tickets attached to it, can't I take it to a park and then upgrade to an AP and then go back to the Beach Club and show them I upgraded to an AP and still get the room discount. I saved $910 but I don't want it to be a hassle either!

 

[bearlyanne]

Jackel - you are the best. Just got off of the phone with a CM and you saved us $240 for our impromptu trip in five weeks!

As you can see from my siggy, I have three planned trips within this year. Yesterday, Chesire Figment mentioned something about Annual passes which I had not thought off . Just from admission and parking, the AP saved me over $100....and that was before I started to add in hotel discounts!!!

(ofcourse in the long run, it means that I will want to make a couple of extra trips-lol)

 

[jackal]

Jackel - you are the best. Just got off of the phone with a CM and you saved us $240 for our impromptu trip in five weeks!

As you can see from my siggy, I have three planned trips within this year. Yesterday, Chesire Figment mentioned something about Annual passes which I had not thought off . Just from admission and parking, the AP saved me over $100....and that was before I started to add in hotel discounts!!!

(ofcourse in the long run, it means that I will want to make a couple of extra trips-lol)

Congrats! Glad I could help. I just went on Mousesavers a little bit ago and there it was. Then I got to thinking, maybe this would work for my upcoming trip! We were booked at Pop! I get to move to BC affordably now.

 

[funcinderella]

Now I'm not so sure what I should do. I was going to call back and add tickets for us all, 6 day park hoppers, to my current reservation with the AP discount, and then I wanted to upgrade my ticket to an AP when I got there and still get the AP room discount.

So, when I go to check in at the Beach Club, they will give me my key with my tickets attached to it, can't I take it to a park and then upgrade to an AP and then go back to the Beach Club and show them I upgraded to an AP and still get the room discount. I saved $910 but I don't want it to be a hassle either!

Yes, you can check in first, and then go back. Many, many people have done this, including myself. Actually, about half the time they never even ask to see my AP. I wouldn't suggest trying it without the intent to get one, but you can absolutely do it after. Call the hotel directly if you have a concern.

 

[piperdown]

Don't mean to hijack, but I was about to start a thread to ask a very similar question.

For clarification, to get an AP room discount, do all people listed on the reservation have to have APs?

Also, if one person has an AP, and I add tickets for the rest of the people, can we purchase the dining plan? I realize it would be full price, no double dipping on discounts.

 

[jackal]

Don't mean to hijack, but I was about to start a thread to ask a very similar question.

For clarification, to get an AP room discount, do all people listed on the reservation have to have APs?

Also, if one person has an AP, and I add tickets for the rest of the people, can we purchase the dining plan? I realize it would be full price, no double dipping on discounts.

When I just booked, I was told only 1 needed the AP. but it has to be an adult. Not the child AP. And I could add the dining to it. Apparently that is new. I didn't only because I wanted to figure out if getting the Tables In Wonderland would be a better deal. I am going to call in a few days though and add the dining plan, I think.

 

[StrwLady]

There are several more small discounts that come with being an AP holder (as well as AP holder trading pins and occasional special events) so make sure you check out the little booklet they give you when you get your AP. Basically refer to it every time you go to spend money.

 

[jackal]

There are several more small discounts that come with being an AP holder (as well as AP holder trading pins and occasional special events) so make sure you check out the little booklet they give you when you get your AP. Basically refer to it every time you go to spend money.

So there is a bigger bonus than saving $910??

 

[aubriee]

So there is a bigger bonus than saving $910??

You can also get dining discounts at several restaurants in DTD that don't even take the DDP (Fulton's, Ghirardelli, HOB, Paradiso 37, Portobello, RFC, and T Rex (lunch is frequently 20% while dinner is 10% or none), and dining discounts Mon-Fri at some Epcot restaurants and at Yak & Yeti and H&V. You can get merchandise discounts at the Yak & Yeti Retail Village, DTD Disney Store and at Mouse Gears in Epcot, Arribas Bros, the Basin, HoB, Lego, PH, RFC, T Rex, and Sammy Duvall's. You get 15% off most of the backstage tours, 20% off car rentals from Alamo, 10% off Sammy Duvall's water sports, 15% off marina rentals, 10% off Fishing Excursions, 30% off golf, 10% off spa treatments at GF, SSR, AKL, YC, CSR, BW, WL, and Cont, 10% off salon treatments, discounts on MNSSHP and MVMCP tickets, 50% off mini golf at both locations, and $4.00 off tickets to either of the water parks and Disney Quest. Also last year during Dec, most of the stores in the parks were also giving discounts if you showed your AP.

 

[Mamu]

Not sure where to ask this, but you can buy an Annual Pass just to get a room discount. We have an upcoming trip and there is a discount on rooms for pass holders. It may be cheaper for me to by the pass and get the room discount, but I'm not sure that is allowed? or if you have to have the pass first to get a room discount.

We have had AP's for years now. This past fall we booked 2 rooms at GF Sugarloaf Lodge with an AP rate of 42% off. We are returning in May 2 rooms booked at BWI CL with an AP pin for 40% off.

You also get 10% off all purchases in the stored, some of the restaurants also give discounts, plus you get discounts on lots of other things. I always ask if there's a discount with an AP. When I figured out the the total for our fall trip savings came to over $3900.00.

You can pre-purchase your AP at a Disney Store, or order it on line. You will get a voucher that need to be activated at Guest Services or you can wait till you arrive and purchase your AP at Guest Service.

You also get a extra discount on special events like MNSSHP and MVMCP. Plus they have special nights at these parties that are Passholder Nights where you get an additional discount. I think it was an extra $10.00 off. So if you plan to attend one of these parties you get the passholders discount and if you attend on a passholders night you get another $10.00 off.

Plus free parking if your using a car.

If you go to Disney multiple times in a year an AP is worth the price. A little over a year ago when you renewed your card you got 15 months instead of 12. This will be our 3rd trip using the same AP. Sadly they are not offering this special anymore.

 

[snykymom]

Now I'm not so sure what I should do. I was going to call back and add tickets for us all, 6 day park hoppers, to my current reservation with the AP discount, and then I wanted to upgrade my ticket to an AP when I got there and still get the AP room discount.

So, when I go to check in at the Beach Club, they will give me my key with my tickets attached to it, can't I take it to a park and then upgrade to an AP and then go back to the Beach Club and show them I upgraded to an AP and still get the room discount. I saved $910 but I don't want it to be a hassle either!

While you can upgrade a ticket to get the AP, I don't think you can get an AP room discount with tickets attached (at least per CheshireFigment's latest post in a different thread). You book a "ticketless" package for an AP rate if you want the dining plan.

Your better bet is to book an AP room-only without dining or ticketless package with dining, and buy your tickets separately. Not attached to your room reservation at all - there's no financial benefit to buying them with your room. Buy the 6 day hoppers from Undercover Tourist, using the Mousesavers discount. Then go to a park, enter using the 6 day hopper, and upgrade that one ticket to an AP. You can show it after you check into the Beach Club (if they ask - I've never been asked to show my AP even with an AP discounted room).