AP check in question

[mullysmom]

My husband an I are thinking of booking a last minute trip to WDW, I've called CRO and they have the Pop Century available for $49 a night for an AP member.The question is, I don't have the AP right now and was going to wait until I got there to purchase it, would it be easier to buy it at the airport in orlando? Do you have to have it the minute you check in? Thanks!

 

[kevind65]

Mullysmom:
We have never been asked to show our AP's at check-in. although there could always be a first time...we have always had our AP's in our posession at the time of check-in just in case...I think you can purchase an AP at check-in or worst case you purchase it at the park and then come back to the resort later and have them apply it then...I don't think you'll have any problems either way....

 

[JayCT]

You do not need an AP to make your reservation or even to check in. We never even showed ours when we were at the Poly on an AP rate stay in 2002. This has been discussed many times in this forum. We had purchased a Childs AP voucher at our local Disney Store (best price around) and got the actual AP at the Park the day after we arrived. We never showed it to the staff. If anything you may be asked to show it at check-out.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I've never been asked to show my AP ... but I was asked by a CM at AKL if I did have my AP. It's pretty easy to get your AP at the airport but it will be an activated AP not a voucher. It only takes a few minutes for each pass but I've read that there is only one person at the airport who can issue an AP.

 

[CamColt]

We stayed at both the Swan and the Poly last month on AP rates. Upon checking in at both places we were asked for an AP and they did look it over.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

mullysmom -

Hi! We had this same dilemma in Dec. 2003, we made AP res. and wanted to purchase AP's when we got to WDW. From what I read at that time, you cannot purchase AP's at your resort, they are only available at the Guest Relations windows at the parks. We got nervous as we could not seem to get a definitive answer on whether we needed them to check in, so we drove about a 100 miles to the nearest Disney store to purchase vouchers (which then have to be activated at the parks - which means your anniversary date is the day you actually start using it rather than when you purchase the vouchers.)

When we checked in at the Beach Club, the CM said "We have you in a std. view, AP rate," and when I asked if she needed to see it, she said "NO, that's not necessary." This seems to be where it gets fuzzy, not everybody has to show their pass!! My only guess was that we have stayed at a WDW resort in July '02, Mar. '03, and Dec. '03, they probably thought it was a given that we had AP's, as they always seem to know how often we have gone and where we have stayed, etc.

 

[mullysmom]

Thanks for the reply guys!!

 

[CamColt]

Geez, we must look guilty or something.
We have stayed on property 10/00, 9/01, 7/02, 8/02, 8/03, and this trip was 12/03, but they made sure to ask for the APs. NOw Im curious to see what happens in July if we are lucky enough to get AP rates then.

BTW, Mullysmom, welcome to the Dis!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Hey, CamColt - Are you nervously sidling up to the counter, furtively looking around, before whispering you would like to check in? Ha!

I don't know, you have just blown my theory out of the water - I guess that's why I never could find out if I would need my AP's before check-in. Each CM must be winging it!?

 

[Whitegloves]

We had to show our AP's at Coronado Springs on our trip this past December. We didn't have to at Ft. Wilderness Cabins or Caribbean Beach in July. You just never know. =0)

 

[Geoff_M]

We were asked to show them one of the two times we used an AP discount. We showed her the vouchers and that was good enough for her.

Also, my guess is that offering to a CM to show them without prompting is probably evidence enough for them that you've got them in hand.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Geoff_M -
You're probably right, but what I actually said was "Oh, do you need to see them... I just left them with my luggage at bell services." I should have put that in my post - I didn't actually have them with me during check-in.

 

[DMRick]

We bought ours at the airport. By the time we checked into Allstars last year, the computer info that we owned AP's came right up in the CM's face. So when I asked if she needed to see our AP's, she said no, they showed up on the computer.