Annual passes at time of visit?

[janni518]

I've been trying to get my hubby to consider buying annual passes for WDW. My thinking is if we have annual pases, we'll need to go more than once a year, that means we need to buy more points...see where I'm going with this?

One of his questions is when the pass is activated. It's my understanding that it's when you pick it up, not when you frst use it. Is that right? And if so, wouldn't it be better to buy it at the time of stay? How would I do that? If I want to use my DVC discount do I have to go somewhere special?

Oh, and do you get additional discounts in following years for renewing? Thanks!

 

[CraftyMouse]

I've been trying to get my hubby to consider buying annual passes for WDW. My thinking is if we have annual pases, we'll need to go more than once a year, that means we need to buy more points...see where I'm going with this?

One of his questions is when the pass is activated. It's my understanding that it's when you pick it up, not when you frst use it. Is that right? And if so, wouldn't it be better to buy it at the time of stay? How would I do that? If I want to use my DVC discount do I have to go somewhere special?

Oh, and do you get additional discounts in following years for renewing? Thanks!

It really doesn't matter if you buy it beforehand or when you arrive. If you buy it beforehand you will get a voucher to turn in when you do arrive, so the clock won't start ticking until that time anyway. We tend to buy the vouchers if we know the price is going up. If it's not then we wait to get the passes when we get to WDW since we'll still have to go through to step to activate them.

To purchase or activate an AP you'll need to go to Guest Services at one of the parks or at Downtown Disney. They cannot do this at the resorts.

APs can be quite a money saver and there may be no need to purchase additional points with them. If you tend to go to WDW at the same time every year you can plan your trips so that two fall within one AP cycle. For example, if you travel in June, you can book one stay for June of '09 and then one for June '10, just before your pass expires. That's what we tend to do. We book one trip for December and then the next trip for the following October. That's two trips on one pass, but still just one trip per year. Of course we do tend to sneak one additional trip in there, but even if we didn't the passes would still be a better deal, financially.

 

[cherylp3]

You can get a voucher mailed to you. I'm not sure when a voucher would activate. Yes you do get discounts for renewing. Member services can handle AP's along with any guest relations at the parks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you get a voucher (purchase online), they are activated when you swap the voucher for the AP. If you buy at a window, they are activated at that time.

We always get PAPs and plan our one trip a year so that the next year's trip falls into the same time frame. For example, we went in mid-June last year. This year, late May/early June.

 

[justwinnie]

To get the discount, you'll have to show your blue DVC membership card. We had vouchers and forgot to bring the membership card with us when we activated (well, tried to) our APs. Had to go back to the room!

We were able to get two trip on one card, but didn't renew b/c we weren't going to be back in 12 months.

The DVC discount is about $100 off the regular AP and renewal prices.

 

[janni518]

Excellent information! Thanks I knew I could count on you guys.

 

[photobob]

I've been trying to get my hubby to consider buying annual passes for WDW. My thinking is if we have annual pases, we'll need to go more than once a year, that means we need to buy more points...see where I'm going with this?

One of his questions is when the pass is activated. It's my understanding that it's when you pick it up, not when you frst use it. Is that right? And if so, wouldn't it be better to buy it at the time of stay? How would I do that? If I want to use my DVC discount do I have to go somewhere special?

One thing you can do as well is try to go one week earlier the next year to get more use out of an AP. We went late June in 07 and Early June 08 so we were able to get both trips within on year. We didn't renew, we will wait until our next trip to buy again and repeat the previous process.

 

[richardsa98]

Maybe you guys would know the answer to this one...we are contemplating Ap's does the pass expire one year to the day you first use it, or does it go to the end of the following year's month??? I remember reading on a thread about getting 13 months out of a pass if bought at the right time

 

[Deb & Bill]

Maybe you guys would know the answer to this one...we are contemplating Ap's does the pass expire one year to the day you first use it, or does it go to the end of the following year's month??? I remember reading on a thread about getting 13 months out of a pass if bought at the right time

If you bought a pass on Aug 15, 2008, the last time you could use it would be Aug 15, 2009. You may be thinking about the Disney Dining Experience card (now called Tables in Wonderland) that you can usually get almost 13 months worth of use out of it. You either have to be a FL resident or an annual passholder to purchase that dining card.

 

[richardsa98]

Thanks, that probably is what I was thinking of!

If you bought a pass on Aug 15, 2008, the last time you could use it would be Aug 15, 2009. You may be thinking about the Disney Dining Experience card (now called Tables in Wonderland) that you can usually get almost 13 months worth of use out of it. You either have to be a FL resident or an annual passholder to purchase that dining card.