Annual Passholder Help

[Tnkrbelle565]

Okay, this one is for all you annual passholders. DD is finally getting old enough to enjoy a Disney trip. We are planning to take her next fall and then we are planning a grand gathering in 1/07 with additional family members. Thus we are considering getting an annual pass. But I'm unsure of how it works...here are my questions:

When do I buy the pass? I don't quite understand how the pass gets activated. Does it activate on 1st day of use or date of purchase? I think I read somewhere that when you buy it, you get a temp voucher that gets activated at Disney.

Depending on the answer to that question, I have additional questions. If it activates on first date of use, I'm guessing that I can't use it for a passholder rate on the first trip? Also should I be buying MYW tickets and then upgrading them when I get down there?

So confused

 

[cara76]

Sorry cant' help you as we bought ours at the park the day we went, so it was activated right then and there.

 

[twojo21]

the annual pass voucher becomes activated when you go to wdw & activate it at one of the approved locations ie guest services at the themeparks. you can use an annual pass voucher for the discounts/best rate program.

 

[goofy4tink]

I bought my latest AP from the official WDW site. I received it about a week later. I will use it for my trip in late Nov. If I wanted to, I could have gotten the BR using the voucher. Then I activate it the first day I get to WDW. My last AP was activated on Aug 14, 2004 and it expired on Aug. 15, 2005. It's very easy to do.

 

[elgerber]

Just make sure if you get the vouchers from mail order, like I did, to double check the expiration dates of the pass before you leave the guest relations window. I just activated ours on the 15th of October, and they came out with May and September expiration dates, the dates I purchased the vouchers. She had to make a call and find out how to override the expiration date in the computer, and was able to fix them, but it made me very nervous for a few minutes.

 

[julfre]

there are numbers on the vouchers that you can use to get into the annual pass best rate program. I've seen messages about them, but don't remember exactly where the numbers are.

I would advise against buying MYW passes early since several of the better deals lately have been package deals that require you to purchase tickets with the package to get the good room rate. Normally I would say buy early to avoid a price increase, but I would hold off for a while to see how the latest deals work out.

 

[Robo]

You can buy various ticket media at the Disney Store in the Orlando Airport.

We bought our AP's this February right after we got off the plane and before we took the Limo to WDW.

Those AP's are convenient to buy as (depending on the time of day) there is usually no one in line in front of you.

NOTE, these AP's were activated at the time of purchase (certain locations do this).

This was EXACTLY what I wanted, however, as I had AP rates at the resort we were about to check into AND we would not need to stop by Guest Relations when we first went to a park to get our "real" tickets.

It was a very fast purchase and we had zero delay as we strolled into MK just over an hour after our plane had landed.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

OK, so if I'm understanding everyone... I can either purchase the tickets at WDW or online and have them "activated" at the park. BUT I will get a voucher number that I could use (prior to activating the tickets) so I could log onto the BR site?

I'm still trying to weigh the options and do the math out. I'm a AAA member so I have that option too. Also trying to weigh out the savings with an AP over having MYW with dining. And my daughter will turn 3 in between trips so we wouldn't be buying a ticket for her for the 1st trip but will need one for a 2nd trip! It's all so much math

 

[philaround]

Tnkrbelle

If you order the AP on line and get the voucher be sure to check into the Disney Dining Experience [DDE] card. As an AP holder this card will cost you $50.00 for a 1 year membership and will give you 20% discount at just about all the table service restaurants in the parks and at the resorts. With just $250.00 worth of meals purchased the card will pay for itself. This past May I saved $20.00 on the Hoop De Doo revue alone.