AP Renewal Discount

[ChloroformSdxn]

This year my older son and I got APs. I think we'll get them again for next year, however, I'm wondering about renewing.

Apparently I'll get a renewal offer before they expire that will give me a discount on the next AP, provided I renew it before the first one expires. Does anyone know how much this is? I'm wondering if I should budget to renew them then, OR, if I should just buy new ones. The time between expiration of our APs and the next trip to DL will be in the 45-60 day mark

 

[SMD]

It ranges from $10 for the lowest level to $60 for the highest. It's around a 5% discount at all levels. For a lapse of more than 30 days I would just buy a new one. Unless you are grandfathered in to something like the parking add on or a So Cal level or happen to be in the grace period for a significant AP cost increase, then it might be worth renewing.

 

[grnflash]

Agree with SMD. We lapse every year so we can start during a blackout period. If one of the exceptions SMD listed applied, then I would reconsider that strategy.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'd buy a new one. Get park hoppers elsewhere, even at a discount, so you can use magic morning.

 

[Ryan120420]

Premier- No Discount ($1,439)

Signature Plus- $60 ($989)

Signature- $50 ($799)

Deluxe- $40 ($559)

SoCal- $20 ($439)

SoCal Select- $10 ($319)


Disneyland no longer allows for expired APs to be renewed. So if you do not renew on or before your expiration date, you lose your renewal discount (or SoCal AP tier), there is no longer a 30 day grace period.

 

[Ryan120420]

- Double post.

 

[SDdisneyguy]

Quick question

If my signature AP expires in late November and I want to visit around Christmas (during a blackout). Can I buy a new AP online and visit on a blackout day. Say ....dec 24??

I'm just wondering if I should renewal for $799 and be blocked or those two weeks in December or just let them expire and get new ones and visit in December.

Any thoughts ?

 

[Ryan120420]

Quick question

If my signature AP expires in late November and I want to visit around Christmas (during a blackout). Can I buy a new AP online and visit on a blackout day. Say ....dec 24??

I'm just wondering if I should renewal for $799 and be blocked or those two weeks in Decmber or just let them expire and get new ones and visit in December.

Any thoughts ?

If you renew online, your block out dates apply for any future visits. However, if you renew IN PERSON on a blockout date your pass will un blocked for the day. Some things to keep in mind, your parking privilege will be blocked and they will not give you credit if you decided to visit on a Signature blockout day. Also since December 24th is one of the busiest days of the year, I highly suggest that you get to the park early as they may start restricting admission and may not allow you into the park on a blockout day.


edit: I miss read your post. Blockout dates never apply on your first day of use of any Annual Pass.

 

[Angrose]

Quick question

If my signature AP expires in late November and I want to visit around Christmas (during a blackout). Can I buy a new AP online and visit on a blackout day. Say ....dec 24??

I'm just wondering if I should renewal for $799 and be blocked or those two weeks in December or just let them expire and get new ones and visit in December.

Any thoughts ?

I think the previous poster assumes that you are renewing online, but the way I read your post is that you will let your current AP expire and then purchase a NEW AP online and then activate it on a blackout day, correct? If that is the case then YES, you should be able to get in on the day you activate it, just ask for a pass for that day.

 

[bkoyle]

Also, if your Annual Pass expires, and you plan to renew later, be sure to keep your card. My son's pass expired 2+ years ago while he was away at college. Last month, we bought him a new pass, and they charged us $20 for a new card.

 

[SDdisneyguy]

I think the previous poster assumes that you are renewing online, but the way I read your post is that you will let your current AP expire and then purchase a NEW AP online and then activate it on a blackout day, correct? If that is the case then YES, you should be able to get in on the day you activate it, just ask for a pass for that day.

Thanks for the info guys

That is correct. I will let my pass expire on November 28. But I do want to visit during the holidays so I can either A). Renewal only for $799 AND then buy a one day ticket at the peak price of $119 for my December visit.

Or B). Let the pass expire and Show up on December 24 with my old pass and do a renewal in person or online.

It looks like I can extend my AP dates into mid December by letting it lapse and save a little bit of money as long as Disney doesn't raise the prices too much this year.

 

[Angrose]

Thanks for the info guys

That is correct. I will let my pass expire on November 28. But I do want to visit during the holidays so I can either A). Renewal only for $799 AND then buy a one day ticket at the peak price of $119 for my December visit.

Or B). Let the pass expire and Show up on December 24 with my old pass and do a renewal in person or online.

It looks like I can extend my AP dates into mid December by letting it lapse and save a little bit of money as long as Disney doesn't raise the prices too much this year.

Also, and I just now thought of this, you could get a regular ticket for that day or days that you are going and upgrade it to a new AP before you leave. It's the same deal, you would be able to get back in on the block out day with your new AP.

 

[grnflash]

Also, if your Annual Pass expires, and you plan to renew later, be sure to keep your card. My son's pass expired 2+ years ago while he was away at college. Last month, we bought him a new pass, and they charged us $20 for a new card.

I've never heard of this nor experienced it.

You didn't actually renew, you purchased a new ap (which is what we do every year.) They can use an old card if there's still one on file but it doesn't save you any money. We've never been charged - and actually after remembering to bring our old cards last year will never do so again (intentionally.)

 

[SMD]

I've never heard of this nor experienced it.

You didn't actually renew, you purchased a new ap (which is what we do every year.) They can use an old card if there's still one on file but it doesn't save you any money. We've never been charged - and actually after remembering to bring our old cards last year will never do so again (intentionally.)

It's been mentioned on this site recently. This happened to my friend whose AP was lapsed 5 weeks when he bought a new AP in May. But on the other hand, my barcode couldn't be scanned by the DL app when I renewed, so they replaced the card for free. The CM did make a comment about protecting the back, and I thought, well, maybe the cards weren't built to last for 3+ years!

 

[grnflash]

It's been mentioned on this site recently. This happened to my friend whose AP was lapsed 5 weeks when he bought a new AP in May. But on the other hand, my barcode couldn't be scanned by the DL app when I renewed, so they replaced the card for free. The CM did make a comment about protecting the back, and I thought, well, maybe the cards weren't built to last for 3+ years!

So odd. My card gets replaced annually without a word.

 

[ChloroformSdxn]

I'd buy a new one. Get park hoppers elsewhere, even at a discount, so you can use magic morning.

This is actually what we did last time - we save about $35 (with the exchange rate from Canada), buying from our Canadian travel agent.

Premier- No Discount ($1,439)

Signature Plus- $60 ($989)

Signature- $50 ($799)

Deluxe- $40 ($559)

SoCal- $20 ($439)

SoCal Select- $10 ($319)


Disneyland no longer allows for expired APs to be renewed. So if you do not renew on or before your expiration date, you lose your renewal discount (or SoCal AP tier), there is no longer a 30 day grace period.

This is really helpful, thank you. We have the Deluxe (lowest tier before loa discounts.) So between saving that money anyway by buying park passes locally then upgrading, it doesn't make sense to renew. Thank you!

Also, if your Annual Pass expires, and you plan to renew later, be sure to keep your card. My son's pass expired 2+ years ago while he was away at college. Last month, we bought him a new pass, and they charged us $20 for a new card.

Weird! It looks like this is disputed but just in case, I'll keep our cards in the travel folder so I have them. Thank you! If they do charge us, that would suck.

 

[grnflash]

Maybe that's the difference - upgrading regular tix to ap (vs buying an ap outright.) Idk but that's what we always do and is perhaps why we don't get charged (because that's how the system is programmed.) I'll be bringing along our cards too though next time we start passes just in case.