Best Place to buy AP's ?

[disney daft dad]

we are purchasing for the 1st time annual passes this year... what we really need to know is where is the best place to buy them.... should we buy them in advance as suggested by CRO (surprise, surprise) or on arrival at MCO at Disney Store... we shall be taking a town car to POFQ so no hire car to stop at DD... please any suggestions quickest/easiest way....

 

[Goofyish]

We bought ours direct from Disney for our trip in August. A simple phonecall and the AP vouchers arrived about a week later.

 

[UKDEB]

We've always bought in advance, but there's really little benefit so we've decided not to bother this time. The problem is that you don't get the passes themselves, just certificates which you exchange for APs when you arrive. The process for exchanging or simply buying is identical. The only possible benefit is that you might beat a potential price-hike, but then you have to weigh that against having to shell out earlier.

I'm always keen to leave MCO as soon as possible so I wouldn't buy them there. Will you go to a park during your first evening? If not your pass will start a day earlier than it needs to - probably not really an issue, but you'd kick yourselves if you happened to be booking a trip a year on and the dates fell wrong.

If you will be visiting a park on the first morning, I'd be inclined to wait and get them there. You'll be 'up and at it' early, so it shouldn't be too busy.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

We've always bought them when we arrive at WDW. I'd rather not buy them in advance so that I can keep the money in my bank account rather than put it in Disney's account. Like Deb, I like to leave MCO as quick as possible. The last time we bought APs we did think about getting them at the MCO Disney Store, but in the end just did not have the energy. The last thing we wanted to do after a 12 hour journey was faff around buying APs.

Buying APs at the theme parks is painless. You use any ticket window, and it takes hardly any time at all. They ask you for your name and address (for the Mickey Monitor that you won't get sent!), you hand over your cash/credit card and your ticket is issued there and then. We've not encountered queues for the ticket office even at the start of the day, so that's not an issue either.

Regards

Rob

 

[disney daft dad]

we're staying on site and are hoping to use AP discount... so need AP's at check-in... have read somewhere that they could be purchased at resort, but not sure how much truth there is to that.. we usually go to DD on our first night... just about as much action as we can handle after such a long flight...

 

[Peebee]

A few thoughts about this. If you're not going until the end of the year there is a good chance that prices *may* increase between now and then. It isn't certain of course, but there sure won't go down!

Also the dollar to pound exchange rate has recently been pretty good, and depending on what you feel might happen later in the year you might want to lock in that rate now (last few days it seems to have been a bit of a jack-in-the-box).

Final thing that sprang to mind - do you have a Disney club membership ? If so, you will save money with the DC discount but you will need to buy the passes before the card expires. If you don't then it's a moot point as you can't join any more.

We've tended to buy our passes early in the past to beat price increases, but it all really depends on your circumstances.

Paul

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

ddd, if you do get an AP discount on your on-site accommodfation you do not need to show an AP when you check in. Cast Members at the check-in desk seem very relaxed about this, and just so long as you show them a valid AP within a day or two of check in you will have no problems.

As far as I know you will not be able to buy APs at your resort hotel - only ticket offices at the parks, Downtown Disney and the Transport and Ticket Centre at the Magic Kingdom.

Regards

Rob

 

[disney daft dad]

thanks guys for all the advice... feel loads more relaxed now, think we'll just wait till we get there... less hassle I think... thanks again you've been FAB!!!!!

 

[Peebee]

No problem, have a great time.

Christmas is a wonderful time to visit the world, and i'm sure you'll have a ball.

Paul

 

[Penny12]

If you happen to be anywhere near the Boarwalk area at a reasonable time of day, you can buy AP's in the Swan & Dolphin hotels (but I seem to recall the desk shuts at about 6pm or something) - that said, if you are there, you can just nip across to Epcot's International Gateway to buy them there - that is usually pretty quiet too. They definately can't be bought at the regular Disney hotels for some reason though Or of course, you can buy them at DD as you'll be there anyhow.

Like Rob says, the CM's at the resorts aren't usually difficult about this when checking in as many people are in this situation and you can usually show it later on during your stay.