Best location to activate AP?

[Farro]

Hi!

Going May next year, first time with an AP.

We are staying at Boardwalk. Assuming we arrive around the time we usually do, (between noon and 1 pm) where would you say the best place would be to activate my AP? Any park will do or DS.

Can we walk and activate at International Gateway or does it have to be at front of park guest relations? Or would you do an afternoon at DS and activate there?

Can you activate in your hotel?

thanks!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Hi!

Going May next year, first time with an AP.

We are staying at Boardwalk. Assuming we arrive around the time we usually do, (between noon and 1 pm) where would you say the best place would be to activate my AP? Any park will do or DS.

Can we walk and activate at International Gateway or does it have to be at front of park guest relations? Or would you do an afternoon at DS and activate there?

Can you activate in your hotel?

thanks!

Your best bet is walking over to IG and doing it there. You cannot do it at the hotel unless something changed since March.

 

[rteetz]

Your best bet is walking over to IG and doing it there. You cannot do it at the hotel unless something changed since March.

Nope hasn’t changed. Have to do it at a park or Disney Springs.

 

[Farro]

Thanks!

Can I use the magic band that I will be getting with my resort reservation or do I have to get the AP one?

 

[brewhome]

You can use your resort Magic Band. I did mine at Hollywood Studios and it was super easy and a quick process. Enjoy!

 

[Farro]

thanks!

 

[SaintsManiac]

You won't get the AP band until later.

 

[Karl66]

Last year we stayed at Boardwalk and had APs to activate. We walked to the International Gateway and activated them there. Easy peasy. No line and the CM was very friendly.

 

[choirbird]

I upgraded my ticket to an AP at All Star Music last month. Not exactly the same, and I didn’t get a physical card, but I was able to use it to enter the parks. I had to go to Guest Relations at IG to get TIW, at which point I should have asked them for a physical AP card but it didn’t occur to me that I might need one for discounts etc.

When I got my HDDR discount refunded, they were able to look up that I had an AP, as could all the places I ate, but I would imagine merch places wouldn’t do that.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Gonna add a somewhat related question. Do you have to activate the AP at guest relations first? Or are you able to enter a park and get the AP card later?

 

[SaintsManiac]

Gonna add a somewhat related question. Do you have to activate the AP at guest relations first? Or are you able to enter a park and get the AP card later?

You must activate your AP to enter the park.

 

[QueenElinor]

I upgraded my ticket to an AP at All Star Music last month. Not exactly the same, and I didn’t get a physical card, but I was able to use it to enter the parks. I had to go to Guest Relations at IG to get TIW, at which point I should have asked them for a physical AP card but it didn’t occur to me that I might need one for discounts etc.

When I got my HDDR discount refunded, they were able to look up that I had an AP, as could all the places I ate, but I would imagine merch places wouldn’t do that.

So you activated your AP at the hotel, but they didn't have the card to give you?

I also had heard people were activating at their resorts recently, but didn't know that the resort wouldn't have the actual pass on hand. We're staying at BWI but are going over to DS that first night so I guess we can do it over there, I assume they'll have the passes.

 

[choirbird]

So you activated your AP at the hotel, but they didn't have the card to give you?

I also had heard people were activating at their resorts recently, but didn't know that the resort wouldn't have the actual pass on hand. We're staying at BWI but are going over to DS that first night so I guess we can do it over there, I assume they'll have the passes.

I can’t be 100% positive that they didn’t have the card, but I did not receive one and was too tired after my flight to think to ask. I wasn’t thinking about occasions on which I might need a physical card. But at least you could activate it that way and enter parks from the start, and then choose a slow time to go to Guest Relations

 

[SaintsManiac]

Why wait in line twice? I've heard various reports about people upgrading tickets at the resort, but they couldn't get the Memory Maker refund, or they couldn't get the AP card. Why waste time?

If you're staying at an Epcot resort it will take minutes to do it at IG.

 

[QueenElinor]

Why wait in line twice? I've heard various reports about people upgrading tickets at the resort, but they couldn't get the Memory Maker refund, or they couldn't get the AP card. Why waste time?

If you're staying at an Epcot resort it will take minutes to do it at IG.

It's a timing issue. We'll be waiting as DH has to pick ups DS20 from the airport, i.e. I'll have time to kill.

 

[choirbird]

It's a timing issue. We'll be waiting as DH has to pick ups DS20 from the airport, i.e. I'll have time to kill.

I chose to do mine at the resort to let me rope drop (I didn’t know how early GR would open)

 

[gharter]

We usually stay at Boardwalk in the fall when we are due to renew our APs. WE activate them at the IG. has always been super easy and quick. Did it once at MK. Still easy, but had a few people in front of us.

 

[abuck75]

Do we need to bring anything to activate? If it’s already linked to MDE is that enough?

 

[Farro]

Do we need to bring anything to activate? If it’s already linked to MDE is that enough?

I have that email they sent with the certificate with the bar code and my drivers license.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Do we need to bring anything to activate? If it’s already linked to MDE is that enough?

I.D.