AP trade-in question

[GatorChris]

I bought some plastic Deluxe AP cards from Safeway a while back (thanks to Malcon10t), and I have some questions about them.

We're planning on heading down on a Sunday in November, getting to the hotel around 8pm (when the parks usually close that time of year). Will one of the ticket booths still be open for us to trade these cards in, or do they close early in the day? What if I went to one of the Disney hotels - can they do it?

Can I even get in through the gate with these plastic cards if we try to get into DL on that Monday? And what do I use for Fastpass until I get the cards activated? I'm just trying to avoid hitting the place to get the APs activated (wherever that is) when everyone else is doing the same thing, burning that precious morning "ride time" to just get a picture made.

 

[Girimama33]

The DL hotels will not be able to provide your permanent AP.
Read the back of the cards you purchased. It should tell you if you can take them directly to the turnstiles or if you have to go to the ticket booth. If you have to go to the ticket booth first, there is usually one ticket booth open an hour later than the park. Otherwise, just get there early...more booths will be open and it does not take too long. If you can go to the turnstiles first, they will exchange the voucher for a cardstock PH ticket that can be used for FP...you will need to visit the ticket booth at some point that day to get the AP.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Just be aware that if you turn them in at the ticket booth the night before, that actually becomes your activation date, not the date you first go through the turnstile.