AP and Magic Bands - I'm clueless

[Nanabug02]

Okay, I'm considering buying APs this year for me & DH. We have a 9 day trip planned for June 2015 and are thinking of squeezing in another 7 day trip in May 2016. That would be worth the price, correct? Also, are there frequently room discounts offered for AP holders?

What I don't understand is how APs work with Magic Bands. I'm guessing you connect your AP to your DME account. But, if I don't want to activate the AP until right when we get there in June (to make sure it is good through our trip in the end of the next May), how are you able to order and personalize Magic Bands before you get to the park? I'm sure this is a stupid question, I'm just not familiar with how these work.

We are so used to buying packages with room/tickets at the same time. Are there any downsides to buying APs instead? You still get Magical Express and all that, right?

Thanks!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Putting the ap voucher onto MDE doesn't start the clock ticking. You don't get the special ap magic bands until after you have activated them though. So if this first ap trip is onsite, you'll get normal onsite magic bands. Once you get home from that first ap trip you will have the ability to make the ap bands and they will be shipped to you. Magic Express comes from having an onsite reservation booked. The type of admission you have (or even if you have admission) and how you booked the stay, doesn't matter.

 

[illinidp]

Okay, I'm considering buying APs this year for me & DH. We have a 9 day trip planned for June 2015 and are thinking of squeezing in another 7 day trip in May 2016. That would be worth the price, correct? Also, are there frequently room discounts offered for AP holders?

What I don't understand is how APs work with Magic Bands. I'm guessing you connect your AP to your DME account. But, if I don't want to activate the AP until right when we get there in June (to make sure it is good through our trip in the end of the next May), how are you able to order and personalize Magic Bands before you get to the park? I'm sure this is a stupid question, I'm just not familiar with how these work.

We are so used to buying packages with room/tickets at the same time. Are there any downsides to buying APs instead? You still get Magical Express and all that, right?

Thanks!!

APs would be worth the price in your case.

You can link the invoice number from the purchase and start using the AP to make FP+ selections before you activate it. You will not receive MBs for your APs until after your first trip however. You can link them to any other MBs you may have.

You still get DME and you can still purchase the DDP as part of a package.

 

[LATJLP]

Price wise, yes, an AP is going to be a better deal for 16 days. The room discounts, food discounts and free parking etc are just added perks at that point.

The AP voucher won't be activated until you enter a park for the first time if you purchase it online or at a Disney store (like in the mall). If you purchase it at Walt Disney World park/resort/onsite it activates immediately.

The Magic Band is not a ticket into the park, it's really just the device that you carry to connect the Mickey Head scanner to your MDE account....the plastic AP card does the exact same thing. The Magic Band remains useable long after your AP (or days-long) ticket media has been used up and expired.

Once you have your ticket voucher loaded into MDE you will be able to personalize your Magic Band (i.e. choose the color and whatever name/nickname you want printed on the back). They will mail these to you a few weeks before you arrive for your June trip. Ordering your MB has nothing to do with activating your tickets (be they day or AP tickets). In fact, if you receive your Magic Band and then end up cancelling/postponing your trip....the Magic Bands stay in your MDE account and can still be used the next trip. As I said above, they are simply the conduit to connect your MDE account with the scanners inside parks/restaurants/shops, etc.

Unless things change from current practice, when you book your onsite stay for your May 2016 trip, you'll be able to personalize another Magic Band.....the first one will still work, but for some reason each subsquent visit they send another set of Bands. I always thought that was an added cost that Disney would close up, but not so far. I have one band of every color, lol.


Magic Express is not tied to tickets, it is for guests staying at the resorts.

 

[LATJLP]

APs would be worth the price in your case.

You can link the invoice number from the purchase and start using the AP to make FP+ selections before you activate it. You will not receive MBs for your APs until after your first trip however. You can link them to any other MBs you may have.

You still get DME and you can still purchase the DDP as part of a package.

You won't receive the special AP band until after your AP is activated, but since OP asked about Magical Express, the assumption is that they are staying onsite.....in which case they will receive Magic Bands by virtue of their Disney hotel reservation. The AP bands will arrive later, but aren't necessary for entry or FP, the MBs from the resort stay will do those. For AP discounts at stores or restaurants, you will need to bring along your physical AP (the AP MB still won't fix that need, but for some odd reason they send along a different little card for discounts. Gotta say that hasn't made sense to me, because the AP works exactly the same way, I never carry my discount card, because the AP works for FP and entry if/when the MB fails. The only purpose I personally see in the discount card is if you are prone to losing cards, I'd rather lose the discount card rather than the actual AP, though easily replaced at any Guest Service location).

 

[Nanabug02]

Great, thanks for all the info! It makes more sense to me now.

Here is a follow-up question. We eat at table service restaurants a lot. I'm interested in purchasing the TIW card. Will I be able to purchase it, once I have my AP voucher? Or do I purchase it once I am actually at WDW in June and have activated my AP?

 

[DebbieB]

Great, thanks for all the info! It makes more sense to me now.

Here is a follow-up question. We eat at table service restaurants a lot. I'm interested in purchasing the TIW card. Will I be able to purchase it, once I have my AP voucher? Or do I purchase it once I am actually at WDW in June and have activated my AP?

You can purchase it at guest services at the same time as your activate your AP.

 

[LATJLP]

Great, thanks for all the info! It makes more sense to me now.

Here is a follow-up question. We eat at table service restaurants a lot. I'm interested in purchasing the TIW card. Will I be able to purchase it, once I have my AP voucher? Or do I purchase it once I am actually at WDW in June and have activated my AP?

You have to have an activated AP to purchase it, so once you activate your AP in June go to any Guest Services. Disney has put together a great website to tell you who honors it, blackout dates, benefits etc etc.