AP Card for Benefits

[NJ Goofy]

My wife and her Mom went to WDW in April. Since we decided on an October trip, I told her to upgrade her ticket to an AP. However, no one mentioned an AP card to her to use for discounts. How does she go about getting one now. Can we get it at our resort when we check-in ?? Or do we need to go to Guest Services ??

 

[Fangorn]

You can get a card at any Guest Services location or at any ticket booth (including the water parks). You cannot get them at the resorts.

Steve

 

[NJ Goofy]

Thank you, our 1st night we're going to AK, we'll pick it up there.

 

[CarolynFH]

FYI the AP card is actually the AP ticket. If for some reason you don’t have your MB, the AP card will get you in to the park and the FP lines.

 

[georgina]

I had to ask for an AP card for discounts when I upgraded to an AP. The upgrade was done using my magicband, and I'm pretty sure he just handed me a card because I asked for one, but it was never connected to my actual AP.

 

[Searc]

I had to ask for an AP card for discounts when I upgraded to an AP. The upgrade was done using my magicband, and I'm pretty sure he just handed me a card because I asked for one, but it was never connected to my actual AP.

The AP card is your actual AP ticket.

 

[georgina]

The AP card is your actual AP ticket.

I don't see how it could be. The guest services CM was going to let me walk away without a card. When i asked for one he didn't take my magic band back to scan anything. Nothing was done to link it to my account. This has come up before - other people have reported that they were told they didn't need the card when they asked.

 

[anomamatt]

FYI the AP card is actually the AP ticket. If for some reason you don’t have your MB, the AP card will get you in to the park and the FP lines.

Well, it’s simply an rfid card. Just like any other card. It’s a link to your account. Just like a magic band.

There is nothing stored on any card, including the AP card. Just an rfid link.

 

[mamapenguin]

That sounds strange. When we activated APs at the ticket and transportation center they gave us cards and wrote our names on them. You need it for discounts and parking. This afternoon they scanned mine and asked me for my last name, sometimes they just wave me through...

 

[MischaOz]

You need to have your AP card for parking and discounts. As with anything, some CMs are more lenient than others. I find that to especially be true with parking. But for discounts I have ALWAYS been asked to show my card AND photo ID. Every single time.

 

[soccermom54]

DH and I renewed our FL resident AP's on Friday at Disney Springs. They gave us AP cards/tickets and wrote our names on the back. He checked each AP card to make sure the mickey head turned green on his desk scanner before we left. I told him I would link it to my Disney account and my magic band. He also gave us the updated booklet "passholder perks 2018" and said once I linked the new AP ticket to my account, I could order new magic bands if I wanted to since they are free for AP holders. As already mentioned, I always hand my AP card and ID to the parking attendant and have never had a problem. They always want my AP card and ID at stores and restaurants to get the AP discount.

 

[tjmw2727]

I don't see how it could be. The guest services CM was going to let me walk away without a card. When i asked for one he didn't take my magic band back to scan anything. Nothing was done to link it to my account. This has come up before - other people have reported that they were told they didn't need the card when they asked.

I think its just lack of training, with a regular park ticket there is no need to issue a "hard ticket" or card if the guest has a MB as there is nothing the card can do that the MB can't so they are probably just more used to dealing with regular tickets.

With the AP you do need the actual AP "hard ticket" or card for discounts and parking. Some places will accept the MB slider or seeing your AP entitlements on the MDE app on your phone others will require the card and an ID.

I had the same issue last year when we renewed our APs, the CM kept saying we didn't need the card but I knew different, finally he asked a manager and we were issued the AP Card.

 

[Searc]

I don't see how it could be. The guest services CM was going to let me walk away without a card. When i asked for one he didn't take my magic band back to scan anything. Nothing was done to link it to my account. This has come up before - other people have reported that they were told they didn't need the card when they asked.

If a CM tells you you don't need the AP card, go to another ticket window or GS elsewhere to get one. You will need it for parking if you don't have a magicband and any time you want to use an AP discount. You will be asked for your AP card and your ID.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

The AP card is your actual AP ticket.

I don't see how it could be. The guest services CM was going to let me walk away without a card. When i asked for one he didn't take my magic band back to scan anything. Nothing was done to link it to my account. This has come up before - other people have reported that they were told they didn't need the card when they asked.

This whole thread is really confusing to me. My DD does not have the "discounts" card. When we became passholders two years ago, I picked up my card at Epcot. I asked about one for my DD as I understood the card to function the same way a MagicBand does, which is that it would be like a ticket (in addition to a discount card). I really wanted one as my DD was at an age where she often took off her band and forgot about it (more than once, we arrived at a park to discover she had no band...after the second time, I put an extra MagicBand of hers in the bottom of my park bag). The CM told me my DD shouldn't have one. I told him I wanted one. He said it was only necessary if I was going to allow my child to shop. He said it wasn't used for anything else. My DD had just turned 5 and was certainly not going to be shopping on her own so I assumed what I'd understood about the cards to be wrong and thought it was silly for my DD to have one.

My DD is now only 7 and won't be shopping on her own for a while...so, now I'm really confused. Is the card actually like a ticket (as I'd first understood it to be)? Or is it just for discounts (as the CM told me)? If it's only for discounts, I don't care; my DD doesn't need it. But if it actually serves as a pass and can be used for park entry, I want to pick one up for DD. I'd just like to understand what the card does before I go stand in a lengthy line on our next trip.

 

[Searc]

This whole thread is really confusing to me. My DD does not have the "discounts" card. When we became passholders two years ago, I picked up my card at Epcot. I asked about one for my DD as I understood the card to function the same way a MagicBand does, which is that it would be like a ticket (in addition to a discount card). I really wanted one as my DD was at an age where she often took off her band and forgot about it (more than once, we arrived at a park to discover she had no band...after the second time, I put an extra MagicBand of hers in the bottom of my park bag). The CM told me my DD shouldn't have one. I told him I wanted one. He said it was only necessary if I was going to allow my child to shop. He said it wasn't used for anything else. My DD had just turned 5 and was certainly not going to be shopping on her own so I assumed what I'd understood about the cards to be wrong and thought it was silly for my DD to have one.

My DD is now only 7 and won't be shopping on her own for a while...so, now I'm really confused. Is the card actually like a ticket (as I'd first understood it to be)? Or is it just for discounts (as the CM told me)? If it's only for discounts, I don't care; my DD doesn't need it. But if it actually serves as a pass and can be used for park entry, I want to pick one up for DD. I'd just like to understand what the card does before I go stand in a lengthy line on our next trip.

It serves as a hard AP ticket and it must be shown for AP discounts.

 

[CarlyMur09]

This whole thread is really confusing to me. My DD does not have the "discounts" card. When we became passholders two years ago, I picked up my card at Epcot. I asked about one for my DD as I understood the card to function the same way a MagicBand does, which is that it would be like a ticket (in addition to a discount card). I really wanted one as my DD was at an age where she often took off her band and forgot about it (more than once, we arrived at a park to discover she had no band...after the second time, I put an extra MagicBand of hers in the bottom of my park bag). The CM told me my DD shouldn't have one. I told him I wanted one. He said it was only necessary if I was going to allow my child to shop. He said it wasn't used for anything else. My DD had just turned 5 and was certainly not going to be shopping on her own so I assumed what I'd understood about the cards to be wrong and thought it was silly for my DD to have one.

My DD is now only 7 and won't be shopping on her own for a while...so, now I'm really confused. Is the card actually like a ticket (as I'd first understood it to be)? Or is it just for discounts (as the CM told me)? If it's only for discounts, I don't care; my DD doesn't need it. But if it actually serves as a pass and can be used for park entry, I want to pick one up for DD. I'd just like to understand what the card does before I go stand in a lengthy line on our next trip.

It should be an RFID card that's like a ticket. During our trip in April, I forgot my MagicBand in the room, but had the AP card and was able to use that for entry and for FP at MK that morning. No issues with using it.

 

[tjmw2727]

It serves as a hard AP ticket and it must be shown for AP discounts.

Yes ^^ the AP "card" is your ticket and can be used to enter the park, tap in for FP, discounts and parking.

I don't love wearing the MB so when staying offsite I often use my AP instead to enter the park and access FP+.

 

[mrsap]

Sorry

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Sounds like I spoke to a misinformed CM, and the card is like a MagicBand. I will go back to guest services next month to get a card for my daughter. Thanks everyone.

 

[CarolynFH]

Sounds like I spoke to a misinformed CM, and the card is like a MagicBand. I will go back to guest services next month to get a card for my daughter. Thanks everyone.

Yes, I think the CM was misinformed as well. Several years ago (maybe before MBs?) we got two cards. One was the AP ticket used for park entry and the other was the discount card. Yes, didn’t make sense then either. Anyway, maybe that CM never saw the memo that AP ticket & discount card are now combined, so your daughter should have one for times she doesn’t have her MB.