AP discounts. ID required?

[kangaand2roos]

This is the first year that my kids will be old enough to go into the parks on their own, but they aren’t old enough to have drivers licenses. It has been a few years since I have had an AP, but I seem to remember them asking for ID when I used it for discounts. I did call and ask Disney if the kids would need ID to take advantage of food and merchandise discounts and the CM said that he didn’t think they would, but I’m not sure that he was sure.

Has anyone had hands on experience with this? My daughter has a high school ID, but my son does not yet. Would a school ID be sufficient? The only government ID they have is their passports, but I don’t really want them carrying those around the parks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Disnsyncey]

I had to show my ID for all my discounts last month....not to make your planning more complicated, but isn't a normal government ID from the drivers license place like $10? that way you could be sure.....

 

[caliope]

This is the first year that my kids will be old enough to go into the parks on their own, but they aren’t old enough to have drivers licenses. It has been a few years since I have had an AP, but I seem to remember them asking for ID when I used it for discounts. I did call and ask Disney if the kids would need ID to take advantage of food and merchandise discounts and the CM said that he didn’t think they would, but I’m not sure that he was sure.

Has anyone had hands on experience with this? My daughter has a high school ID, but my son does not yet. Would a school ID be sufficient? The only government ID they have is their passports, but I don’t really want them carrying those around the parks.

Thanks in advance!

Not sure if this works everywhere but one time I was ordering food at Pecos Bill and didn't have my ID on me. The CM told me he could give me the AP discount if I showed him in MDE that I had an active AP. I had my phone and pulled up the MDE app and he gave me the discount.

 

[Spridell]

I was at Epcot and MK last week and used my AP discounts a lot. I DID NOT once have to show my ID. The only thing I had to show was my AP card.

 

[buzznina]

Like Spridell mentioned, you need the AP card. You can get this at any park guest services.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

We were in the parks this past week and were always asked for an ID card along with our AP card. Does your child have a student ID or anything with their pic and name on it? If so, that may work!

 

[iheartglaciers]

I think it depends on the CM. Once my cousin and I switched AP cards by accident (we grabbed the wrong ones from our dinner check folder!) and I went to pay for something after we parted ways. The CM asked for ID and I realized I had the wrong card and he put in the discount anyway (maybe because it was only a $10 item).

That said I would think any photo ID would work, like a school ID.

 

[Happy_2_B]

Seems like there are answers here on both sides. IMHO you should call guest services and get the answer directly from Disney.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I had to show my ID for every purchase. And since they'd never given DH an AP card, I had to purchase everything.

 

[tjmw2727]

In the 6/7 years we have had AP I have always had to show my AP card and my ID to get the discount, as recently as late August.
When my dd's were younger they used a school ID and it was accepted.

 

[mountdew1]

Seems like there are answers here on both sides. IMHO you should call guest services and get the answer directly from Disney.

Won't matter. I've had to pull up the discounts at times to show CMs that "Yes, I should be getting a discount of X% here". Disney CMs are helpful, but getting a straight (and correct) answer can be very difficult. And telling a CM in the park that someone on the phone told you something different won't usually matter.

Technically you do need to show ID when getting an AP discounts. From the terms on the AP discount page here -> https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passholder-program/passholder-benefits-and-discounts/

A valid annual pass card and government-issued photo ID must be presented at time of purchase to receive discount.

I've usually been asked for ID when paying for TS meals, or when doing a largish merchandise purchase. CMs at CS locations or small merch purchases tended not to care as much. But the terms say you need to provide ID, so you may be denied the discount without valid ID. But if it's a 14 yo buying fries, I don't think most CMs would prevent them from getting the discount.

OP, as a PP said, getting a photo ID not valid for driving usually doesn't cost too much, think the ones in my state are $10. And if I was letting my kids go to the parks alone, it wouldn't hurt for them to have an ID on them, just in case something happens.

 

[NH-to-FL]

My experience is that I have been asked for ID. I can recall a couple of times at a QS when just the AP card was requested but that was the exception.

 

[kangaand2roos]

Seems like there are answers here on both sides. IMHO you should call guest services and get the answer directly from Disney.

I did, but as you’ve seen from the above replies, the tail doesn’t always know what the head is saying.

 

[Spridell]

So weird all the different answers here.

Last week I used the AP discount at 3 different hotel restaurants, and the emporium. NOT once was asked for ID. Only asked for the AP card and thats it.

I guess it depends on the CM.

 

[BillFromCT]

My niece had purchased something from the store in France and showed her AP card for the discount. The CM asked for an ID. She responded “I’m twelve. I don’t have an ID.” The CM let her have the discount.

 

[Happy_2_B]

I did, but as you’ve seen from the above replies, the tail doesn’t always know what the head is saying.

I am sitting here leafing through the benefits booklet to get an answer for you and the requirement for showing an ID along with an AP is on the first page of the Passholder Guidebook.

 

[Allison]

I have always had to show it.

 

[Mom2m&k]

Last April my son tried to use his at World of Disney and they would not let him because he didn’t have an ID. He was a bit crushed because he was paying for something himself. I thought it was rediculous that they were going to charge me for an adult annual pass and not let him use the discounts because he didn’t have an ID (he was 11). In any case he’s excited to have one this year and be able to use it. I have been asked for ID every single time I have used my AP for a discount.

 

[MarBee]

A CM told us just to take pictures of our APs and our licenses. We would show our pics as proof so we didn’t have to carry anything. We never had a problem at stores or restaurants.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I’ve always been asked for the car and ID. A couple of times I have not had the card on me, and showing the pass on the MDE app did the trick.

I have run into some ridiculousness when my 7 year old nephew was importantly buying things himself, and the CM got insistent on ID. “Well he is 7. . .sooooo what do you want to do.”
Finally we showed the name on his magic band and they let it go (thank god this was not one of the bands we had printed with BobaFett) but it was pretty stupid. WHY even offer these entitlements on a pass for a kid if you’re going to make it that difficult to use?