Any idea when we can buy WDW annual passes?

[CaptAwesome]

We just moved back here a couple of weeks ago and were hoping to get annual passes as well. I kept hoping as things eased up a bit that they would at least open it up to locals, but no such luck yet.

 

[20minutesaway]

From reading the AP cancellation thread, it seems like those who made Disney go to the trouble and expense of issuing a refund are being welcomed back with open arms and are allowed to buy Annual Passes. The rest of us can pound sand (excuse me, I mean buy day passes for the same number of days we would have entered the parks with an annual pass). Can anyone explain to me the logic of this decision? The way I see it, as of today, you either own an annual pass or you don't. It shouldn't matter if you used to own an annual pass. If you got a refund, you don't own an annual pass. That makes you the same as me, someone without an annual pass. Why do you now get to buy one and I can't?

 

[Naomeri]

From reading the AP cancellation thread, it seems like those who made Disney go to the trouble and expense of issuing a refund are being welcomed back with open arms and are allowed to buy Annual Passes. The rest of us can pound sand (excuse me, I mean buy day passes for the same number of days we would have entered the parks with an annual pass). Can anyone explain to me the logic of this decision? The way I see it, as of today, you either own an annual pass or you don't. It shouldn't matter if you used to own an annual pass. If you got a refund, you don't own an annual pass. That makes you the same as me, someone without an annual pass. Why do you now get to buy one and I can't?

Hear, hear!!

 

[tlmadden73]

Is an AP (at least for an entire family) even worth it right now? The thing is .. I just don't know if this is the year I WANT an AP. Even with the 50th coming up .. between the lack of M&Gs, and all the entertainment cuts, and no idea when the "new" rides will be opening, getting an AP just isn't as appealing as it was pre-COVID. Without character photos, the Photo Pass "freebie" is worth less. Without free parking at resorts, the free parking at the parks is worth less. Without entertainment .. there is just less to do at the parks. Without park hopping .. the value of that AP is shrunk considerably. (as it now takes like 3 trips of 4-days each to make an AP pay for itself) .. otherwise you are better off buying individual tickets.

That being said, I have an AP for my daughter (bought pre-covid, never asked for refund). I am going to try and call today to see if they will let me buy APs for the rest of my family. I heard from someone on hear he was buying an AP (because he had cancelled) and was allowed to buy APs for the rest of his family (who didn't have an AP previously). Won't hurt to call.

If I do get APs though .. I'll have to plan to go at least 3 times in 2021 .. which just simply may not be worth it.

I may just go with the plan to use my daughter's AP for discounts and her ticket (she is now over 3) and just use old tickets for the rest of the family.

 

[skeeter31]

Is an AP (at least for an entire family) even worth it right now? The thing is .. I just don't know if this is the year I WANT an AP. Even with the 50th coming up .. between the lack of M&Gs, and all the entertainment cuts, and no idea when the "new" rides will be opening, getting an AP just isn't as appealing as it was pre-COVID. Without character photos, the Photo Pass "freebie" is worth less. Without free parking at resorts, the free parking at the parks is worth less. Without entertainment .. there is just less to do at the parks. Without park hopping .. the value of that AP is shrunk considerably. (as it now takes like 3 trips of 4-days each to make an AP pay for itself) .. otherwise you are better off buying individual tickets.

That being said, I have an AP for my daughter (bought pre-covid, never asked for refund). I am going to try and call today to see if they will let me buy APs for the rest of my family. I heard from someone on hear he was buying an AP (because he had cancelled) and was allowed to buy APs for the rest of his family (who didn't have an AP previously). Won't hurt to call.

If I do get APs though .. I'll have to plan to go at least 3 times in 2021 .. which just simply may not be worth it.

I may just go with the plan to use my daughter's AP for discounts and her ticket (she is now over 3) and just use old tickets for the rest of the family.

Just keep in mind, they’ve only been letting people buy additional APs if they have originally met the criteria for buying one right now (ie having a pass expire or cancelled during the shutdown period). You don’t qualify for that exception, so the odds of them letting you just purchase new APs is slim to none. But I do agree it doesn’t hurt to call. Just be prepared for a let down.

 

[tlmadden73]

Just keep in mind, they’ve only been letting people buy additional APs if they have originally met the criteria for buying one right now (ie having a pass expire or cancelled during the shutdown period). You don’t qualify for that exception, so the odds of them letting you just purchase new APs is slim to none. But I do agree it doesn’t hurt to call. Just be prepared for a let down.

"So you say there's a chance?" .. For sure -- I've gone from just being resigned to not bother to calling for a slight chance.

Not even sure I'd be let down if they said no. .. $1200x3 is a lot to pay for .. for what's going to be a very different year. I've been wanting to get APs for us all .. for 2021 and plan on going again in the fall of 2021 to get the value out of that .. but really . .the more I think about it .. and the more cuts they announce, I may just stick with my original plan of just using my daughter's AP for just her tickets and then make up the value with the discounts on the room, food and souvenirs (which already has saved several hundred dollars). and "see" how the unnormal trip is before committing to a full year for everyone.

 

[dbprimeaux]

I’m not sure what to do either.... I have rescheduled our trip 5 times now! The first four times was due to COVID, and this last times is due to Hurricanes Laura and Delta. We got hit twice....house is totaled. So, I scheduled us for the week of Christmas (because we need a break), and we are DVC Members and we might lose our points.
Anyway, it’s going to cost us a fortune to buy day passes....as much as our usual APs..... do I wait and see when APs will be available or do I buy day passes....

 

[The Jackal]

I’m not sure what to do either.... I have rescheduled our trip 5 times now! The first four times was due to COVID, and this last times is due to Hurricanes Laura and Delta. We got hit twice....house is totaled. So, I scheduled us for the week of Christmas (because we need a break), and we are DVC Members and we might lose our points.
Anyway, it’s going to cost us a fortune to buy day passes....as much as our usual APs..... do I wait and see when APs will be available or do I buy day passes....

Several people have stated that when you buy tickets let them know you wanted the AP, people have stated they note this on your account and they will put the money towards a AP when they go on sale. We still had AP and were allowed to renew.

 

[Dean Marino]

Well, we got in under the wire, for 2021. The short story: everyone has been fired. I would suggest that you avoid OUR mistake: Avoid an AP, until there is a park to use this at .

 

[coaster32]

I just hope we can get them for our trip Next November!

 

[tlmadden73]

So .. I did try and call the AP line today to see if they would let me get APs for the rest of my family (since I already have one). I didn't press it, but they said .. no .. I'd just have to buy regular tickets for the rest of my family. But, as stated above, if you do buy tickets for a future trip they will be happy to upgrade those to an AP when they do start selling them. Which I don't think is anything special, I think they always would let you upgrade your tickets to an AP.

Didn't hurt to try, and frankly I am just not sure if I'd want to commit to January 2021-January 2022 right now. If anything I'd just want to get APs and hang onto them for the far future before the prices inevitably go up. But hey .. who knows .. maybe Disney will be desperate and lower season pass prices to entice guests to come often? *lol* .. I know .. who am I kidding?

It's probably more economical to just use the one AP for the discounts at this point -- I don't see myself going three times in 2021 the way things are going.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

So .. I did try and call the AP line today to see if they would let me get APs for the rest of my family (since I already have one). I didn't press it, but they said .. no .. I'd just have to buy regular tickets for the rest of my family. But, as stated above, if you do buy tickets for a future trip they will be happy to upgrade those to an AP when they do start selling them. Which I don't think is anything special, I think they always would let you upgrade your tickets to an AP.

Didn't hurt to try, and frankly I am just not sure if I'd want to commit to January 2021-January 2022 right now. If anything I'd just want to get APs and hang onto them for the far future before the prices inevitably go up. But hey .. who knows .. maybe Disney will be desperate and lower season pass prices to entice guests to come often? *lol* .. I know .. who am I kidding?

It's probably more economical to just use the one AP for the discounts at this point -- I don't see myself going three times in 2021 the way things are going.

Because they are not fingerprint scanning.. how do they know who's pass you are using? Or even ticket?

 

[awestbrook23]

So .. I did try and call the AP line today to see if they would let me get APs for the rest of my family (since I already have one). I didn't press it, but they said .. no .. I'd just have to buy regular tickets for the rest of my family. But, as stated above, if you do buy tickets for a future trip they will be happy to upgrade those to an AP when they do start selling them. Which I don't think is anything special, I think they always would let you upgrade your tickets to an AP.

You say that Disney will credit used day pass tickets toward an upgrade when APs go on sale? So if I go to guest services during a day-pass trip in December and tell them I would have upgraded my family's tickets to AP if available, they will then do so in the future and back-date the start date to the original trip? Is it an official policy somewhere in writing? I have a long weekend booked for December, but it seems silly to go spend thousands on day passes for the husband and kids if the funds are not applied toward a pass for next year

I currently have a Platinum AP, but the rest of the family was planning to upgrade to AP during our December trip, which would cover them for June and again for the anniversary next October. We have the money set aside in gift cards to purchase the tickets and upgrades, but I don't want to throw that money away on day passes. I would much rather skip the December trip and just plan to bring the family in June and October when I expect APs will probably be available again.

 

[SL6827]

Because they are not fingerprint scanning.. how do they know who's pass you are using? Or even ticket?

I have no idea. But I would imagine there has to be some fraud going on in regards to such. Me and my husband were discussing this last week.

 

[DisMommyTX]

You say that Disney will credit used day pass tickets toward an upgrade when APs go on sale? So if I go to guest services during a day-pass trip in December and tell them I would have upgraded my family's tickets to AP if available, they will then do so in the future and back-date the start date to the original trip? Is it an official policy somewhere in writing? I have a long weekend booked for December, but it seems silly to go spend thousands on day passes for the husband and kids if the funds are not applied toward a pass for next year

I currently have a Platinum AP, but the rest of the family was planning to upgrade to AP during our December trip, which would cover them for June and again for the anniversary next October. We have the money set aside in gift cards to purchase the tickets and upgrades, but I don't want to throw that money away on day passes. I would much rather skip the December trip and just plan to bring the family in June and October when I expect APs will probably be available again.

Yes, this is not in writing, but it has been confirmed by multiple guest services reps in person. They also confirmed that multiple tickets used by the same person cab be applied towards the pass. Unlike previous rules, all days of the ticket could already be used and the cost could still be used towards the pass purchase. The start date of the AP will be backdated to the first day the ticket was used.

 

[Lewisc]

I read Disney resumed using the finger scan. Not sure Disney wants more AP until capacity limits are increased.

 

[awestbrook23]

Yes, this is not in writing, but it has been confirmed by multiple guest services reps in person. They also confirmed that multiple tickets used by the same person cab be applied towards the pass. Unlike previous rules, all days of the ticket could already be used and the cost could still be used towards the pass purchase. The start date of the AP will be backdated to the first day the ticket was used.

That's great news. Do we know if this will be possible over the phone once the APs go on sale, though? Otherwise how would park reservations be made for the future trip?

 

[rteetz]

I read Disney resumed using the finger scan. Not sure Disney wants more AP until capacity limits are increased.

I have not seen this yet.

 

[skeeter31]

I read Disney resumed using the finger scan. Not sure Disney wants more AP until capacity limits are increased.

No, UO resumed finger scans. Disney has not.

 

[Lewisc]

No, UO resumed finger scans. Disney has not.

My bad.