Annual Pass Question

[Wislodgers]

Sorry if this has been asked a bunch of times, but where is our best place to purchase our DVC discount annual passes? We leave in 19 days, so we will just purchase them at Disney World.

I know we will go to the MK first thing. Should we buy them at the TTA or at the MK? Years ago we went to purchase the military discount passes, and when we went to get them they were clueless at TTA. They sent us over to MK, where we did not have any problems.

I was just wondering what everyones experience has been for getting the discount? Is any one place better/faster than the others?

We are going with 14 family members, and two of my nephews are on their maiden trip! Everyone else already has their vouchers, so I know everyone is going to be anxious to get into the parks!

Thanks for any information!

 

[lllovell]

I don't know this to ALWAYS be true, but the line at the MK Guest Services area is usually shorter than the line at the TTA.

It is my understanding that you can also get them at Downtown Disney. I have not called yet, but I want to check and see if I can exchange my voucher for tickets at the Official Disney Ticket center in Ocala on the way down 75 (not long before you hit the turnpike) because it will be MUCH easier for my son's to wait while we get our tickets there than it is for them to wait just outside the gates at the MK when they are anxious to get inside.

 

[Wislodgers]

Thanks for the quick reply. I had visions of our whole group standing around waiting for us to get our tickets. 6 kids at the turnstiles to MK could get ugly!

I am actually leaning toward just going to MK and getting them there. The kids can sit and drool waiting to get into the park. The year we got the military tickets it took forever at TTA, and then they just sent us to MK anyway. Once we were at the MK it went very fast. If anyone has any info on why NOT to get them at MK please let me know!

 

[tjkraz]

I don't know this to ALWAYS be true, but the line at the MK Guest Services area is usually shorter than the line at the TTA.

But note that the MK only has one combined Guest Services / Ticketing line. Epcot, MGM and probably AK (not certain) have a dedicated Guest Services line.

On our last trip, the first park we hit was Epcot. All of the ticket windows that were open had lines 20+ deep. I didn't see any mention of APs on the ticket windows, and was reasonably certain that we wanted Guest Services. So I went scouting. Lo and behold, Guest Services had only 3 people ahead of us in line with 3 windows open.

Later in the trip I had to get an AP replaced. Waited in line at the MK for at least 20 minutes, even with 6-8 windows open, just to complete this simple task. I swear some windows had the same group standing there for 15+ minutes trying to figure out which passes to buy.

Until proven otherwise, the MK will be my last stop for any AP-related transactions. I've heard things are usually very slow (as in, not busy) at Epcot's International Gateway, and we've also had good luck using the Guest Services location at Downtown Disney.

 

[btrim]

We just purchased our annual passes when we were at WDW Jan 7-16. We first ask about them and the DVC discount at EPCOT Guest Services outside the park. Very nice young man was very helpful and gave us the little folder before we purchased so we could see all the discounts. We weren't ready to purchase until the following day because we were leaving the park at that time and didn't want to waste even one day on the pass. Then we purchased at MGM the next day. No line at all, but the CM was not very nice. We asked about the DDE and he first said that it was for FL residents only and we told him they had changed it so annual pass holders could have it even if they weren't FL residents. He didn't want to give us any information on that and said that we could call the 800 number inside the annual pass folder. We did and got a letter faxed to guest services that day in time to use if for our priority seating at 50's Prime Time Cafe. Either place was less crowded than MK. Just a thought.

Enjoy your trip. I already miss the Mouse

 

[DebbieB]

The International Gateway entrance at Epcot usually does not have a line, especially later in the day.

 

[GDUL]

Until proven otherwise, the MK will be my last stop for any AP-related transactions. I've heard things are usually very slow (as in, not busy) at Epcot's International Gateway, and we've also had good luck using the Guest Services location at Downtown Disney.

Where is the Guest Services location at in Downtown Disney? Thanks!

Gary

 

[tjkraz]

Where is the Guest Services location at in Downtown Disney?

The one we went to was on the Marketplace side. I get so turned-around at DD that I couldn't give you an exact landmark. I seem to remember it being near the swimwear shop. I do know that it's clearly marked on the DD maps--that's how we found it.

 

[btrim]

The Guest Services at DD is close to the Swimwear and Once Upon a Toy stores. We were just there and had to ask where it was and the nice DVC representatives told us where we should go.