Annual pass question

[CJK]

I hope someone can help with our situation. Dh and I have annual passes that expire in early February. We are spending a fair bit of time in Disney this winter, so we will definitely renew. Here's the situation. We will be in Disney in March, and our current AP's expire in February. Do we have to renew NOW in order to book fast passes in March? If we do, is it possible to renew but not activate until the old AP's expire? Are un-activated AP's eligible to book fast passes? I hope I'm making sense. lol Dh doesn't like the thought of forking out that money for renewal, when we still have 1.5 months left on the old pass. He also doesn't want the new AP's to activate until the old ones expire, yet we need to book fast passes in March. Thanks for your insights!

 

[Robo]

I hope someone can help with our situation. Dh and I have annual passes that expire in early February. We are spending a fair bit of time in Disney this winter, so we will definitely renew. Here's the situation. We will be in Disney in March, and our current AP's expire in February.

1. Do we have to renew NOW in order to book fast passes in March?
2. If we do, is it possible to renew but not activate until the old AP's expire?
3. Are un-activated AP's eligible to book fast passes? hope I'm making sense. lol

4. Dh doesn't like the thought of forking out that money for renewal, when we still have 1.5 months left on the old pass. He also doesn't want the new AP's to activate until the old ones expire, yet we need to book fast passes in March. Thanks for your insights!

1. Yes.
2. The old AP will automatically NOT expire until its current original anniversary date, and the new renewal AP will not activate until the original AP anniversary date.
3. Yes.
4. The current AP will automatically NOT expire until its original anniversary date, and the new renewal AP will not activate until the original AP anniversary date.
Renewals do not supersede current APs.
Renewals are just that... "renewals" of the current AP... extending the validity for another full year from the anniversary date.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I hope someone can help with our situation. Dh and I have annual passes that expire in early February. We are spending a fair bit of time in Disney this winter, so we will definitely renew. Here's the situation. We will be in Disney in March, and our current AP's expire in February. Do we have to renew NOW in order to book fast passes in March? If we do, is it possible to renew but not activate until the old AP's expire? Are un-activated AP's eligible to book fast passes? I hope I'm making sense. lol Dh doesn't like the thought of forking out that money for renewal, when we still have 1.5 months left on the old pass. He also doesn't want the new AP's to activate until the old ones expire, yet we need to book fast passes in March. Thanks for your insights!

Yes, you need a renewed AP to book FPs. Said another way, you need valid admission media associated with your account to book FPs, which in this case would need to be the renewed AP.

I learned this the hard way when I recently sat down at my 60 day window to make FPs and it wouldn’t let me book them - I had forgotten my AP had an expiration date before the date of that trip. I had to quickly renew the AP, then book the FPs.

 

[supersnoop]

If we do, is it possible to renew but not activate until the old AP's expire?

Your focus on activation makes me concerned that you’re misunderstanding how a renewal works. It extends the expiration of your current pass by a year. That should be have any effect on the situation.

 

[MarkinMA]

If you renew your current AP - it will extend the expiration date out one year. So if you activated your AP 2/5/17 - it is set to expire 2/5/18. The renewal will push this to 2/5/19. No 'activation' is needed. If you want to gain the extra month or so...you would buy a new AP. That new one wouldn't get activated until your visit your first park - and then you would get a new expiration date one year after this new activation date. So if you buy a new one, then activate it with your first visit on 3/20/18 - your new expire date would be 3/20/19. You gain the extra month or so - but of course the new AP is more expensive than the renewal.

Now to your point - you have to have current tickets to make fast passes - so either an AP renewal - or a 'ready to activate' ticket, be that a new AP or regular tickets...so if your AP is set to expire before your trip (and you haven't done anything to either renew or get new tickets) you won't be able to book fast passes.

 

[KurtC]

Slightly relevant question: do they offer discounts for renewal? If so, how close to the expiration date does that happen?

 

[HopperFan]

Slightly relevant question: do they offer discounts for renewal? If so, how close to the expiration date does that happen?

From Disney -

My Annual Pass will expire soon. Is there a discount for renewing?

Yes. As a courtesy, we offer a discount for renewing your Walt Disney World Annual Pass up to 30 days after your Anniversary Date.

Annual Passes can be renewed up to 60 days before and 30 days after expiration.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

A renewal is just that, a renewal. It extends the validity of your AP for another year from its expiration date.

You don't really "activate" it, but you do need to visit Guest Services when you are at WDW and pick up your yellow card, because you will need it to redeem discounts.

A renewal currently costs about 15% less than a new pass.

If there is only a month between expiration and the trip, I'd go for the renewal. If it's a long time, a new pass might have been a better option.

At the time you make fastpasses, you need to have valid park admission that covers your trip dates linked to your MDX account.

 

[Bonnie1222]

I missed most of the radio advertisement this morning but I heard the end something about Florida annual passes for 15 months instead of 12. I didn't see anything on the website. Has anyone else heard this?

 

[CAS239]

I missed most of the radio advertisement this morning but I heard the end something about Florida annual passes for 15 months instead of 12. I didn't see anything on the website. Has anyone else heard this?

I haven't heard anything of a 15 month. Most they've done is 13 month for a limited time. Maybe they were talking about something else. Highly doubt Disney will offer a 15 month AP

 

[CJK]

I missed most of the radio advertisement this morning but I heard the end something about Florida annual passes for 15 months instead of 12. I didn't see anything on the website. Has anyone else heard this?

I believe that is for a Universal annual pass.

 

[KurtC]

Any chance you can renew slightly more than 60 days before expiration? Our AP's expire on Nov. 29 and we have a trip scheduled from Nov. 24 through Dec. 2. So are we only go to be able to book fastpasses for Nov. 24-28 at my 60-day mark of my room reservation and won't be able to book FP's for the rest of the trip until we are 60 days prior to Nov 29 and can renew the passes?

 

[achang2001]

Ran into an AP snafu. My AP expired yesterday 12/18. I called to renew it. It is paid for and should extend to 12/18/18 or so I thought. I have family there now and all the photopass photos have the photopass words so you can’t view or download. I called and they said that I have to go to guest relations to activate the renewal to get the photopass pics. If I would’ve known that, I probably would’ve just purchased a new AP to use for 2018 and 2019 for Toy Story Land and then Star Wars Land. We aren’t returning until Oct 2018.

 

[CAS239]

Ran into an AP snafu. My AP expired yesterday 12/18. I called to renew it. It is paid for and should extend to 12/18/18 or so I thought. I have family there now and all the photopass photos have the photopass words so you can’t view or download. I called and they said that I have to go to guest relations to activate the renewal to get the photopass pics. If I would’ve known that, I probably would’ve just purchased a new AP to use for 2018 and 2019 for Toy Story Land and then Star Wars Land. We aren’t returning until Oct 2018.

Why would you renew your AP if you aren't returning until October?

 

[Robo]

Any chance you can renew slightly more than 60 days before expiration?

Yes.
Call WDW Ticketing at (407) 566-4985 (option 5)
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm ET Mon-Sat
and explain the timing situation.

 

[KurtC]

Yes.
WDW Ticketing at (407) 566-4985 (option 5)
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm ET Mon-Sat
and explain the timing situation.

Thanks @Robo

 

[randumb0]

I missed most of the radio advertisement this morning but I heard the end something about Florida annual passes for 15 months instead of 12. I didn't see anything on the website. Has anyone else heard this?

That's Sea World and Busch Gardens