AP Renewal Question??

[jwfla422]

Last year when my AP expired the beginning of June I called the middle of May to renew.

It wasn't activitated until my August trip though so now it doesn't expire until August 19th. Coincidentally, we have a trip planned for that time in which my pass actually is good through the last day we're there.

Must your pass be renewed before the expiration date? The idea is that I don't want renew during my trip because I assume it will activate the day after the old one expires since we'll be there then or will they just give me a voucher and then I can activate it on our next trip.

Does this make sense??

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by jwfla422
Last year when my AP expired the beginning of June I called the middle of May to renew.

It wasn't activitated until my August trip though so now it doesn't expire until August 19th.
If that's the case, you were the beneficiary of a major CM screw up. All AP/PAP renewals run from the expiration date of the old expiring one. The renewal doesn't have to be activated. The voucher you get when you renew needs to be turned in just like a new one to get the actual AP/PAP pass but the expiration date should be the same as your old one was (June) only one year later.

Must your pass be renewed before the expiration date? The idea is that I don't want renew during my trip because I assume it will activate the day after the old one expires since we'll be there then or will they just give me a voucher and then I can activate it on our next trip.
Disney's written policy now is that it must be renewed before it expires. But in real world situations, the CM's at Guest Relations have had a little latitude in being able to extend the time frame of getting the renewal price after the pass has expired. But they do backdate the renewal.

I think the voucher thing is confusing you. A renewal voucher is not at all like a voucher for a brand new pass. With the new AP voucher, you turn it in at GR and get your activated pass and your one year begins on that day. With a renewal voucher, you turn it in at GR and get your pass but the expiration date remains the same as your old expired one but one year later. A renewal AP/PAP does not start when you turn in the voucher.

 

[jwfla422]

Well I'm guessing I was confused because of the CM screw up? I always thought when you renewed (like we did years ago) that it did start the date of expiration of the old pass.

I was real surprised to see that when I exchanged my voucher last August for my AP that the expiration was when I activated it then in August (and not in June).

I do understand turning in a voucher, the answer to my main question then was that it was a mistake by the CM at GR.

I'll know for sure if it's a mistake when I renew dd's ap before our next trip, her pass expires the last day, but I will not exchange the voucher for the renewal til our trip after that in August.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by jwfla422
Well I'm guessing I was confused because of the CM screw up? I always thought when you renewed (like we did years ago) that it did start the date of expiration of the old pass.
You've got it backwards. The old renewal policy prior to October 2000 allowed you to get a renewal voucher and hold on to it for as long as you wanted. The one year of renewal wouldn't start until the day you turned in the voucher and got your actual AP/PAP, even if it was a year later. That was changed in 2000 to the current system where all renewals are backdated to start from the original pass' expiration date regardless of how long you hold onto the renewal voucher.


...I'll know for sure if it's a mistake when I renew dd's ap before our next trip, her pass expires the last day, but I will not exchange the voucher for the renewal til our trip after that in August.
Keep in mind that if you're planning to renew it while you're at WDW, you won't get a voucher. You'll turn in the old pass and get the new active pass immediately. There are no ticket vouchers issued for anything at WDW.

 

[freediverdude]

I also think it depends on the cast member you get as well, because I renewed a friend's pass over the phone for her. Her anniversary date at the time was in April 2002. Disney sent her a renewal voucher, but she saved it until August 2002 when she went back to WDW. When she turned in the voucher, the cast member made the new expiration date August 2003, with no extra charge (I paid the renewal rate, not the new pass rate). So sometimes I think the cast members are kind and give the new date to you anyway, even though it's technically not supposed to be that way.

 

[Disney Adventurer]

How much of a discount do you get for a renewal as opposed to the purchase price of a new AP?

 

[jwfla422]

I saved about $25 renewing instead of getting a new pass.

We had passes (FL season aps) back in the early to mid 90s for a few years and at that time whenever you renewed it always activated the day after your pass expired . Maybe they changed it in the later 90s to activate when you exchanged your vouchers and then changed it back again in Oct 2000 and the CM who activated my pass last August didn' t know?

Also keep in mind these are FL seasonal passes so maybe there's a different set of rules??

I am aware WDW GS doesn't issue vouchers (why would they when you can get the pass right there?) I was planning to do it by phone prior to my trip and save the voucher to turn in for my following trip.