AP Renewal + (and++, and +++...)

[shellbelle1971]

Does anyone know whether I can renew our premium annual passes for more than one year at a time? I'd love it if I could renew them for enough years that they would expire at the same time our DVC does!

 

[Off-The-Deep-End]

Does anyone know whether I can renew our premium annual passes for more than one year at a time? I'd love it if I could renew them for enough years that they would expire at the same time our DVC does!

You can buy AP 'vouchers' which never expire (and at the current price!), but I don't know if Disney offers a multi-year AP itself.

 

[LisaS]

Does anyone know whether I can renew our premium annual passes for more than one year at a time? I'd love it if I could renew them for enough years that they would expire at the same time our DVC does!

You can only renew for one year. The expiration date of a renewed AP/PAP is one year from the expiration date of the previous one so depending on the timing of your trips, it often makes better financial sense to buy a new AP/PAP when you need it rather than renew an old one.

If you are looking to avoid the annual price increases you could buy a few PAP vouchers. They never expire so you can convert them into PAPs as you need them. But you should also consider what you lose by having that money tied up in vouchers rather than investing it.

 

[Cruelladeville]

IF you would invest it. Most of us have that money in savings accounts, at 1 1/2%, which isn't enough to bother with.

 

[LisaS]

IF you would invest it. Most of us have that money in savings accounts, at 1 1/2%, which isn't enough to bother with.

The current DVC member price for a PAP is $483.53. The OP was talking about renewing a PAP for the duration of her DVC membership. (PAP renewals are currently $440.92 but it's not possible to buy more than one of those per person.) Buying just 10 years worth of PAP vouchers would be $4,835.30 per person. I can't see handing that kind of money over to Disney for tickets I might not even use. As much as I want to believe I will still be going to WDW in 10 years I'm not willing to buy 10 years' worth of AP vouchers up front. But I do agree having those funds sitting in an account earning 1-1/2% doesn't make sense either!

 

[shellbelle1971]

The current DVC member price for a PAP is $483.53. The OP was talking about renewing a PAP for the duration of her DVC membership. (PAP renewals are currently $440.92 but it's not possible to buy more than one of those per person.) Buying just 10 years worth of PAP vouchers would be $4,835.30 per person. I can't see handing that kind of money over to Disney for tickets I might not even use. As much as I want to believe I will still be going to WDW in 10 years I'm not willing to buy 10 years' worth of AP vouchers up front. But I do agree having those funds sitting in an account earning 1-1/2% doesn't make sense either!

For us, it's definitely not about saving any money. It's a nice idea to think, "Well, no matter what else, we'll always be able to go to WDW." DH would cheerfully buy a lifetime pass, if such a thing were offered!

 

[MichelleB]

I thought I heard that starting in 2007, the AP vouchers were only good for 2 years. Anyone have more info on this????

 

[shellbelle1971]

I thought I heard that starting in 2007, the AP vouchers were only good for 2 years. Anyone have more info on this????

This is what I got from allearsnet:
I hear there is a new policy on purchasing Annual Passes. What is it?

On October 2, 2000 Disney changed their policy on Annual Passes. Any AP purchased at WDW now receives an activated pass, not a voucher. (NOTE: vouchers may be purchased by request at any of the Guest Relations locations at WDW.) This pass will expire one year from the date of purchase, not the previous one year from first use. The date of expiration is clearly printed with the words "Expires on" on the AP itself.

If you purchased the AP from any other source (The Disney Store, online or by phone from WDW, the Disney shops at Orlando International Airport, or any of the Florida mall locations) and it doesn't have the word "Expire" (or any form of the word) on it....then it is not an admission media with the clock ticking. It is a voucher which must be exchanged at WDW Guest Relations for the activated pass. Most vouchers are a bright yellow/green color. Your one year will start upon exchanging the voucher.

I want to buy an AP now for financial reasons but my trip is still 18 months away. Will my voucher expire before I can use it?

No it won't. There is no expiration date on new AP vouchers. They can be exchanged for an active AP at no additional charge from when you purchased it. People have reported activating vouchers that were as old as five years.

But there has been a change in the policy regarding any renewal vouchers still outstanding from the days when your renewal didn't start until you exchanged the voucher. Unless you have had an active AP within the previous 12 months from the date you want to activate it, Disney will no longer consider these to be a renewal when you go to exchange them. You will have to pay the difference in price between the cost of the old renewal voucher and a current new (not renewal) AP.