Buying AP online

[DharmaLou]

My AP expired a year ago, and I'm going to renew when I go back at the end of March. I see you can now pay with Disney Gift Cards online, so I was thinking of doing that instead of standing in line (since likely my first day I will want to get there early to try to get a boarding group for ROTR). I can go pick it up when I get into town the night before my first park date.A couple questions:

I still have my old AP card, will it connect to that and should I bring it?

Is the AP valid from date of purchase or date of first use?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

My AP expired a year ago, and I'm going to renew when I go back at the end of March. I see you can now pay with Disney Gift Cards online, so I was thinking of doing that instead of standing in line (since likely my first day I will want to get there early to try to get a boarding group for ROTR). I can go pick it up when I get into town the night before my first park date.A couple questions:

I still have my old AP card, will it connect to that and should I bring it?

Is the AP valid from date of purchase or date of first use?

Yes, bring your old card, just in case. Some people have reported not needing it and others have reported getting scolded for not having it. So just bring it -- if they use it, at least it saves some plastic!
Your AP will be valid from the activation date, not the purchase date. (So double check that when you pick it up!)