Annual Pass renewal not used within a year; what happens?

[Claudia1]

(I've searched for this and didn't find a recent answer. Please point me to the info if it is already specifically discussed.)

We are DVC members and renewed our AP's last October. Then life happened with multiple life-threatening medical issues and it looks like we will be unable to return to WDW within our renewal year. We have a trip planned 3 weeks after the final renewal date.

Is the money lost? Will I be able to get a renewal even tho we don't have active tickets?

In over 20 years of APs, this is the first year we have never been able to go but it is what it is. Just trying to figure out our next move when October rolls around.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Tickets keep the money value. You don't loss the money.
If you paid $500, you apply that $500 to your next ticket purchase. You just have to pay the difference.

 

[gharter]

If you renewed your AP last October, it automatically became active (from a date standpoint) as soon as your previous AP expired (no matter when it was renewed). Unlike a new AP (which you can't currently purchase), but that becomes active only when you activate it.

 

[Marionnette]

I agree with @gharter. If you renewed your APs then they were active from the day that your old APs expired. They will expire one year from that date...some time in October 2022.

You should still be able to renew your AP as early as 60 days prior to its expiration or 30 days following. This assumes that Disney continues to allow renewals.

 

[hcortesis]

If you renewed your AP last October, it automatically became active (from a date standpoint) as soon as your previous AP expired (no matter when it was renewed). Unlike a new AP (which you can't currently purchase), but that becomes active only when you activate it.

Not for us.

We were in the same position as the OP, and even a bit worse as we had been away for 2 years and renewed for each of those 2 years. When we returned in March of this year, we went to Guest Services at Epcot and they extended our 2 years of (unused) passes so that they won't expire until March 2024.

Good luck. I think you will be fine.

 

[erionm]

If you renewed your AP last October, it automatically became active (from a date standpoint) as soon as your previous AP expired (no matter when it was renewed). Unlike a new AP (which you can't currently purchase), but that becomes active only when you activate it.

If you renewed by phone, that renewal will NOT self activate since it's actually in certificate (voucher) form. Online and in-person renewals will automatically activate at the anniversary date.

 

[AnnaS]

Interesting - I had no idea that if we renewed and for whatever reason, did not end up using that renewal AP for the year - they would credit money towards a new renewal/new year? - am I understanding this right?

 

[hcortesis]

Interesting - I had no idea that if we renewed and for whatever reason, did not end up using that renewal AP for the year - they would credit money towards a new renewal/new year? - am I understanding this right?

I believe that technically, the passes expired. I don't think you can renew this year and expect to come back in 3 years and activate them. But in our case, because of Covid, we were unable to travel (from Canada). So as a kind gesture, they did something extremely generous and extended 2 years worth of unused passes for us.

 

[AnnaS]

I believe that technically, the passes expired. I don't think you can renew this year and expect to come back in 3 years and activate them. But in our case, because of Covid, we were unable to travel (from Canada). So as a kind gesture, they did something extremely generous and extended 2 years worth of unused passes for us.

I did not think so - I must be not understating the question.

We have APs and will keep renewing. Sometimes we take a break when our trips are more than 7 months apart but not taking any chances for now in case they stop selling them. We shall see what we do in the future.

 

[hcortesis]

Sometimes we take a break when our trips are more than 7 months apart but not taking any chances for now in case they stop selling them

That was exactly our thinking.

 

[HopperFan]

I believe that technically, the passes expired. I don't think you can renew this year and expect to come back in 3 years and activate them. But in our case, because of Covid, we were unable to travel (from Canada). So as a kind gesture, they did something extremely generous and extended 2 years worth of unused passes for us.

Sounds like some pixie dust, and understandable with COVID situation. Not sure anyone should be expecting that would work out for them now.

 

[gharter]

I believe that technically, the passes expired. I don't think you can renew this year and expect to come back in 3 years and activate them. But in our case, because of Covid, we were unable to travel (from Canada). So as a kind gesture, they did something extremely generous and extended 2 years worth of unused passes for us.

That makes sense. My understanding was when you renew an AP, you don't "activate it like a new one", it activates as soon as the previous expires.
It was very nice of them to extend. I doubt that is the norm.

 

[preemiemama]

If you renewed by phone, that renewal will NOT self activate since it's actually in certificate (voucher) form. Online and in-person renewals will automatically activate at the anniversary date.

So if you renew by phone, you could activate the voucher at a later date? It won't immediately go into use?

 

[erionm]

So if you renew by phone, you could activate the voucher at a later date? It won't immediately go into use?

Yes, but your new expiration date will still be one year after the expiration of the pass being renewed.

 

[Skippyboo]

Yes, but your new expiration date will still be one year after the expiration of the pass being renewed.

So you don’t gain any extra time on your AP and then have to stand in guest services line to activate them. That’s doesn’t sound like an advantage over renewing online.

Plus add in the phone waiting on hold

 

[erionm]

So you don’t gain any extra time on your AP and then have to stand in guest services line to activate them. That’s doesn’t sound like an advantage over renewing online.

Plus add in the phone waiting on hold

DVC Members that want the Sorcerer Pass must renew by phone or in-person at WDW. FL Residents Passes and the top-tier Incredi-Pass can be renewed online.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Be sure to renew. When you go to activate your renewal and show your DVC/ID, they will see that your original pass was never used and extend your expiration date. That’s what happened to us. While others were canceling their APs, we kept ours even though we didn’t get to use it. They acknowledged that we hadn’t been there for a long time and changed our expiration date accordingly. Don’t worry.

 

[gharter]

Be sure to renew. When you go to activate your renewal and show your DVC/ID, they will see that your original pass was never used and extend your expiration date. That’s what happened to us. While others were canceling their APs, we kept ours even though we didn’t get to use it. They acknowledged that we hadn’t been there for a long time and changed our expiration date accordingly. Don’t worry.

I wouldn't count on that happening. Sounds like you got lucky. If you read through the AP information, that's not what should have happened. Happy for your pixie dust.
We have had an AP for many years. As many did, we lost 2 trips due to closing and Co-Vid. Our expiration date was extended for the time the park was closed. Nothing more.

 

[supersnoop]

I wouldn't count on that happening. Sounds like you got lucky. If you read through the AP information, that's not what should have happened. Happy for your pixie dust.
We have had an AP for many years. As many did, we lost 2 trips due to closing and Co-Vid. Our expiration date was extended for the time the park was closed. Nothing more.

Since DVC AP's have to be activated, you'd actually be holding a renewal certificate. If you didn't show up to activate it within that year, you'd still have the certificate, but you wouldn't have an active AP to renew. That's where it gets complicated. What should happen is they apply the value of the renewal certificate to a new AP, but since AP's are being sold right now, they're going to have to come up with a new solution. It sounds like one option is that they treat it as a new AP. Since no ticket would cost as much as that AP renewal, I can't imagine what else they'd do.

 

[Claudia1]

My happy update: when we attempted to activate our passes, it was past our old pass expiration date but within the 30 day renewal window. They explained that they could not renew our passes because they would already be expired BUT they could sell us new passes for the price difference between a new sale and renewal, with an expiration date a year away. For an extra $140, we got an extra year. So basically they 1) sold us a new pass, which they aren’t doing yet and 2) we got 2 years out of one purchase.

I honestly don’t know if that is their regular policy or if we got pixie dusted. I’m just reporting back with my experience. But it could’ve been a lot worse if they made me pay for a renewal price for next year instead of just the difference between the renewal and the new one.