AP and DDE ?

[lauriegs]

I'm new to DVC and considering buying an AP this year, but not sure if I want to activate it our first trip or not..my question is, when can you buy the DDE, is that onsite? and do you have to have your AP activated already to do that?

 

[Cruelladeville]

One has nothing to do with the other. The DDE is the dining experience, where you get 20% off food, and you can either get it thru the mail with your DVC card, or you can pick up a temporary card over at Downtown Disney. Your AP is your admission to the parks, and I don't understand why you wouldn't want to activate it right away. At any rate, they can send a voucher thru the mail, but you activate it in person, at either the entrance to the park or at Downtown Disney, and you get a discount with your DVC card too.

 

[JSTX]

I'm new to DVC and considering buying an AP this year, but not sure if I want to activate it our first trip or not..my question is, when can you buy the DDE, is that onsite? and do you have to have your AP activated already to do that?

No, when we bought it last year we first purchased the APs and waited for the Exchange Certificates to come in the mail. Then we called and purchased the DDE card. They will send your the DDE when it is made in the mail. If you are arriving before the timeframe needed, they arrange for you to pick up a temporary card at Member Services at a park. Keep in mind, unless it has changed, the DDE is activated almost immediately. Because of this, we waited until right before we went to purchase it, so that we could get the most usage possible out of it.

 

[lauriegs]

Well it was my understanding that the DDE is only for florida residents or AP holders, which is why I wondered about the AP being purchased but not yet activated.

since we're taking 3 trips this year, and still have some other tickets left we can use up, we thought we'd hold off using the AP until our 2nd trip of the year. this way, we can use it again in the spring for whenever we go again, and not have to renew right away. (our first trip begins April 27th which is an earlier travel time for us, usually we're further into May). does that make sense? LOL

edited to add: - oops, was posting before I saw the second answer.

 

[lauriegs]

ok, so then I can get the APs early, but should hold off on DDE til closer to my trip? thanks!

 

[lauriegs]

Well I guess I should have just called myself. LOL! Talked to disney and they aren't taking the AP vouchers anymore for DDE, if we don't have the regular AP beforehand, we can't order the DDE. So I would need to activate the AP in person and then buy the DDE right there as well.

Oh well, guess I'll have to think on this a bit more!

 

[Cruelladeville]

If you have other tickets that you can use, trade those in on your AP"s to lower the cost. You will have to go to Downtown Disney for that. Also, unless you have trips very close together, it probably doesn't make any difference when you get the DDE. For example, I am travelling to Disney in March, September, and December. If I buy the DDE in January or March doesn't make any difference to my trip, but if I buy it in December, then it does, because that DDE card could be used to extend my DDE membership for 3 months when I am at home, and mess up my next trip the following December. And I buy my APs every year when the renewal arrives, so it doesn't enter into my calculations at all.

 

[lauriegs]

so now I know there is a dvc discount for APs, but is there anything for the DDE? that's $65 right?

 

[Chuck S]

One has nothing to do with the other. The DDE is the dining experience, where you get 20% off food, and you can either get it thru the mail with your DVC card, or you can pick up a temporary card over at Downtown Disney. Your AP is your admission to the parks, and I don't understand why you wouldn't want to activate it right away. At any rate, they can send a voucher thru the mail, but you activate it in person, at either the entrance to the park or at Downtown Disney, and you get a discount with your DVC card too.

This is incorrect, DVCers can not get the DDE by virtue of their DVC membership. DDE is only available to AP holders or Florida residents. I think the DDE actually went down in price to $60 this year.

 

[BCV23]

If you have other tickets that you can use, trade those in on your AP"s to lower the cost. You will have to go to Downtown Disney for that.

Guest Services at the parks can do that for you as well. No need to go to DTD just to purchase an AP.

But the rules for exchanging tickets for APs have tightened I believe. I'd check Cheshire Figment's sticky on the Parks and Attractions forum for the latest info on admission media.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684

 

[BCV23]

so now I know there is a dvc discount for APs, but is there anything for the DDE? that's $65 right?

I think the price has been reduced to $60 for AP holders. No additional discount for DVC.

 

[lauriegs]

So whichever park we go to first, I can go to the window and buy my AP and DDE then for $60? cool! thanks for all the input everyone!

 

[mwehttam]

Also, if i remember correctly, you can purchase the DDE card from any Guest Services location. So go with your AP Voucher and get your AP. Then say you want to buy the DDE card. They will do it there. It won't be the nice plastic card that used to be mailed to you; it will be of the same material as the AP's.

 

[SusieStone]

How long is the DDE card could for?