Buying an AP directly from Disney - how does it work?

[ninafeliz]

I decided to buy an AP for myself this year and regular tickets for the rest of the family because I figured out that with the Memory maker inclusion, the extra discounts on dining, and the extra discount on purchases we will likely at least break even with only this one trip if not end up saving money. Then, if we take another trip and I use it again that's a bonus. I've had an AP before but always upgraded another ticket at guest relations once we were there, I've never bought it ahead of time from the disney website. So how does it work? If I buy it tomorrow do I get an email that I print out and take to GR when we get there to get the actual AP? Can I do that at the resort or do I have to go to a park ahead of time to do it (our first park day is EMM, so I don't want to wait and try to do it before that in case there are any issues). If I buy it tomorrow but don't activate it until we go in a few weeks can I still put it in MDE tomorrow to make more days of FP? Lastly, I thought I remembered getting the AP discount on the Shop Disney Parks App. I wanted to get a few things for the trip before we leave - will I be able to get that discount now, or won't it work until I actually get the pass during our trip?

I looked on the site but didn't think it was obvious, and I thought about calling to ask but figured I would probably be more likely to get accurate info here than from some of the phone CMs

 

[Robo]

1. If I buy it tomorrow do I get an email that I print out and take to GR when we get there to get the actual AP?
2. Can I do that at the resort or
3. do I have to go to a park ahead of time to do it (our first park day is EMM, so I don't want to wait and try to do it before that in case there are any issues).
4. If I buy it tomorrow but don't activate it until we go in a few weeks can I still put it in MDE tomorrow to make more days of FP? Lastly, I
5. thought I remembered getting the AP discount on the Shop Disney Parks App. I wanted to get a few things for the trip before we leave -

1. You just need a photo ID. It will help if you also have the credit card that you used
to purchase the AP. It can speed things up at Guest Relations (or any ticket booth.)
If you buy the AP through your MDE account, the AP will automatically "show up"
in your MDE account.
2. Nope.
3. Outside any park, or at TTC, or at Disney Springs' Welcome Center.
4. Yes.
5. I don't know about a discount on Shop Disney Parks (may be one... I just don't know.)

 

[softball chick]

When you purchase your AP, you will need to stop at a park to activate your pass. This can be done either at GR or (my suggestion) a ticket window at any park. You will need to have your photo ID with you in order to have it activated. It's a fairly quick process (I was a Vacation Planner on my College Program so I activated passes all the time) - they'll just input your personal info, give you the card you need to get your discounts, and you'll be good to go.

You should be able to link the AP in MDE after purchasing it so you can make your FPs. I didn't purchase my AP online, so I'm not sure exactly where the info you need will come from but I'm sure it will be in an email. I know personally, I got a physical card with a 12 digit code on the back which I put into my MDE to link the ticket well before I actually activated it. I'm guessing there will be a similar code or something for you.

 

[AngiTN]

When I bought my AP I just signed on to MDE, put the AP in my cart, checked out and that's it. The AP was then connected to my MDE account. When I went to Disney the next time, which was about 2 months later, I just stopped at GR, showed my ID, got my AP, bought TiW card and went in the park. That's it. Simple as could be.
And because I was signed on to MDE when I bought the AP, there was nothing to link, nothing to print out, nothing to do period. It was all connected to me, to my MDE account. I could book AP room discounts etc. I was from that point forward, as far as everything was concerned, an AP holder. Even though I hadn't activated my AP yet.
If I haven't wanted to buy an TiW card too I could have done it all at a ticket window. But I wanted the TiW card so it was just as easy to do it all at the GR window since I had to go there for it anyway

ETA - The one thing I am not sure about is the Shop Disney App and the AP prior to it being activated. I know it will recognize the AP discount for an activated AP connected to the MDE account. That works great, unless there is another Discount code active, if there is, it overrides the AP discount and it won't work, which is annoying because usually, those exclude things like Dooney bags and the AP discount doesn't so if they are running a discount code you have to wait till it expires to shop for something that code excludes. Anyway, I'm off on a tangent to say that I'm not sure what the Shop Parks App will do but I bet it works since it's tied to MDE and MDE will see your AP.

 

[ninafeliz]

Thanks everyone for the info! I am very happy to hear that if I buy it online it will show up automatically in MDE - so I shouldn't have to worry about an email or number to input or anything. Here's hoping it is that smooth.

I guess I'll just have to find out about the discount with the Shop Disney App. I'm going to purchase a few things regardless, and I need to do it now to have the stuff before we leave, so I'll find out when I check out.

 

[disneyvoice]

Yes, the Shop Disney Parks App will recognize your AP discount as soon as your purchase it. I bought a few items after I purchased our APs but before we activated them. I didn't even think about trying to use my AP discount but when I went to check out it automatically gave me the discount. Just make sure you are logged into your MDE account when you purchase the APs so they are automatically linked to you.

 

[gatorlisa]

You'll have access to the discount via the Shop Parks App as soon as you purchase. I purchased an AP in late December. Have not activated it yet (doing that in a month). The app shows the 20% discount applied any time I add anything to my cart.

 

[bhardy]

I decided to buy an AP for myself this year and regular tickets for the rest of the family because I figured out that with the Memory maker inclusion, the extra discounts on dining, and the extra discount on purchases we will likely at least break even with only this one trip if not end up saving money. Then, if we take another trip and I use it again that's a bonus. I've had an AP before but always upgraded another ticket at guest relations once we were there, I've never bought it ahead of time from the disney website. So how does it work? If I buy it tomorrow do I get an email that I print out and take to GR when we get there to get the actual AP? Can I do that at the resort or do I have to go to a park ahead of time to do it (our first park day is EMM, so I don't want to wait and try to do it before that in case there are any issues). If I buy it tomorrow but don't activate it until we go in a few weeks can I still put it in MDE tomorrow to make more days of FP? Lastly, I thought I remembered getting the AP discount on the Shop Disney Parks App. I wanted to get a few things for the trip before we leave - will I be able to get that discount now, or won't it work until I actually get the pass during our trip?

I looked on the site but didn't think it was obvious, and I thought about calling to ask but figured I would probably be more likely to get accurate info here than from some of the phone CMs

I was thinking about doing the same thing, but our trip isn't until next August.

 

[Chimaera]

I was thinking about doing the same thing, but our trip isn't until next August.

If you can afford it, there's no reason not to buy your pass early - as has been said above, you get the 20% off in the Parks store app, it's one less thing you have to pay for later and it's unlikely that prices will go down before next August (or ever!).

 

[DiannaVM]

I wish I saw this thread before I went ahead and purchased a park hopper, with the plan on upgrading once I got to Disney. You live and you learn I guess. I was just worried about it activating way before I even get there so didn't want to risk loosing time on it.

 

[bhardy]

Had a question.... can you buy discounts party tickets before activating AP. Also can you more than discounted tix?

 

[Robo]

I was just worried about it activating way before I even get there so didn't want to risk loosing time on it.

It is simply not possible for a guest to purchase an AP and have it "self activate" if the guest is not actually at WDW.

AND... if an AP showed an error in dates, that error could be corrected by Disney.

 

[AngiTN]

Had a question.... can you buy discounts party tickets before activating AP. Also can you more than discounted tix?

Yes to party tickets.
When you purchase an AP you are an AP holder and get all discounts any activated AP holder gets.
I'm afraid I don't understand the 2nd question

 

[Robo]

When you purchase an AP you are an AP holder and get all discounts any activated AP holder gets.

However, I can see the possibility for a lot a "discount abuse" in this situation.

If you buy an AP certificate (some say "voucher,") it will be good until Dec. 31, 2030.
So, you could buy one and just let it sit, unactivated, in your MDE for over a DECADE...
and use it to make unlimited purchases (the AP holder, her family, here friends...) at a discount rate year-after-year.

No?

 

[AngiTN]

However, I can see the possibility for a lot a "discount abuse" in this situation.

If you buy an AP certificate (some say "voucher,") it will be good until Dec. 31, 2030.
So, you could buy one and just let it sit, unactivated, in your MDE for over a DECADE...
and use it to make unlimited purchases (the AP holder, her family, here friends...) at a discount rate year-after-year.

No?

Yeah, I guess. And if that became a rampant problem I reckon Disney will deal with it.
For now, the way their systems work, once you purchase the AP through MDE, or link it to MDE, you are an AP holder as far as MDE is concerned and you get all the discounts an activated AP holder gets.
As with anything else, subject to change at Disney's whim

 

[Robo]

Being able to order virtually every single thing that Disney offers at a 10-20% discount for the next 10+ years seems like a decent deal.

People seem to be willing to walk on their knees from Cleveland to pay for the TiW card that
does not offer nearly that kind of savings, for nearly that kind of extended time.

 

[ninafeliz]

I wish I saw this thread before I went ahead and purchased a park hopper, with the plan on upgrading once I got to Disney. You live and you learn I guess. I was just worried about it activating way before I even get there so didn't want to risk loosing time on it.

I've done that before, but always bought the greatest discounted ticket from UCT or parksavers with the plan of upgrading when we arrived to get the savings from that. However, this time, since we are only getting 1 AP and I got tired of all of the anxiety regarding upgrading (worrying about getting the price bridging correct, getting a CM who knew what he/she was doing, my uncertainty regarding the new tickets that now do have expirations dates if not activated and the differences with upgrading them vs ones bought prior to that change, the question of if you have to use a day first before upgrading or not) my DH made the executive decision that I should buy directly from disney and then not have to worry about it and mess with the upgrading. It does go kind of against my better judgement to pass on a savings, but it's also nice to not have to worry about it. He is a big proponent that it is worth it to spend money if it saves a lot of time or adds convenience, which does benefit me as he likes to do dessert parties and fireworks cruises to avoid waiting for a spot for fireworks, EMM for multiple rides without waiting, cabanas at the resorts, club level to have breakfast and assistance right in our building without waiting, and my absolute favorite that I am so sad is not around now, the Disney After hours, etc...!

So now with all of your help I alleviated my worry about how to activate it and get it into MDE, so I'm ready to buy!

 

[ninafeliz]

Well, I did it. In the process I also applied for the Disney Premier Visa card that gives 2% back on disney purchases and a $200 statement credit if you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Well, I just spend ~ $800 so that's done, and I had been thinking about the card anyway so took the leap to get the 2% in points with the purchase to get some discount (I have the regular chase Disney card with no annual fee already). It took a while on the phone with chase to figure out a way to do it that I would be able to purchase my AP with it today and get the 2% back instead of waiting for the cards in the mail, but the girl was able to figure it out and it actually worked. So the only downside I see is the credit check and annual fee, but I had been debating about the card anyway so this was my push to do it. Just to let everyone know it did populate into MDE automatically, when I went to my reservations and tickets it showed my AP right away. I haven't been able to see on the Shop Disney Parks app yet, for some reason it isn't automatically populating my password and I can't seem to remember it!

 

[bhardy]

Yes to party tickets.
When you purchase an AP you are an AP holder and get all discounts any activated AP holder gets.
I'm afraid I don't understand the 2nd question

Sorry 2nd question does not make sense... my daughter was climbing all over me at the time. Can you buy more than 1 party night ticket or does each person need there own annual pass? For example, could I buy party tix for me, DH, DD6, and other DD2 (will be 3 when we go)?

 

[AngiTN]

Sorry 2nd question does not make sense... my daughter was climbing all over me at the time. Can you buy more than 1 party night ticket or does each person need there own annual pass? For example, could I buy party tix for me, DH, DD6, and other DD2 (will be 3 when we go)?

I'm fairly sure MDE will let you add as many as you need to your cart but honestly, not sure. @Robo Do you know?