DDE card- why is it so slow to produce?

[mrsminniemouse]

I realise that there was a massive amount of interest when the DDE was announced as available to AP holders earlier in the year. You would expect that to cause some delays.

However, I ordered my card back at the start of March. It has not arrived and my email will expire April 30 and I arrive on May 1. When I called DDE about this last week they said my application has been processed but the card had been sent to Pennsylvania for printing so would not arrive in time. I will have a letter waiting for me at WDW so I can still use the discount, no concerns there.

I just don't understand why the card takes so long to produce and why it goes to Pennsylvania to be printed. At resort check in they produce a card there and then.

Am I missing something? Is the card fancy or something?

Not complaining, just wondering....

Mandy

 

[TLinden16]

It is annoying that it takes so long to get the card. I ordered mine the end of March, and they just finally charged my credit card for it the end of last week. I've read that people usually get the card within ten days of their credit card being charge, so I'm hoping I will get mine before I leave for my trip on May 7th. I'd much rather throw a card in my wallet than walk around with a letter.

Karen

 

[princess jackson]

Where do you find the information about this, I can not seem to find it. We are looking at different options for June 06 holiday, yes i know it ages yet. We are thinking about leaving our rental car at the airport, if we can get the DDE.

If not we will need the car, to get around.

Another Q, when is it best to order the AP. Taking into account we live in the UK, the delivery can take up to 3 weeks.

 

[mrsminniemouse]

I am in the UK too, our AP vouchers arrived within one week of ordering them online. They dont start until you activate them in the parks so you can order them early, it wont matter.

Next Feb or so I would start looking at how long it has taken people to receive their DDE cards and order accordingly. The card is valid for a year so if you will only get one trip from it anyway you may as well order it a bit early to be sure you have it in time. People wait to nearer to their trip if they want it to be valid for a later trip too.

I expect the DDE card turn around time will be quicker by next year, hopefully there wont be a backlog. I would still allow over 2 months though.

Karen, I agree, the card will be easier to remember to use as you can store it in your wallet next to your room charge or credit card. I bet I forget to get the letter out!

Mandy

 

[kathleena]

Here's my history:
Called to order card: 1/26
Credit Card charged: 3/2
Called to ask where cards are and told they will arrive soon: 4/8
Called again to ask where cards are and find out the address is all messed up so cards are probably lost: 4/22

On the last call, the CM told me that 1) she would put my order "on the top of the pile" so it would go out first and 2) that their mailing system routes and re-routes the mail (I guess around WDW) and that it takes a "few days" for it to actually hit the USPS.

Other than that, everything else is just speculation. I would call back and ask them why it takes so long.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Kathleena, I would hope they would extend your card date when you finally get it too!

 

[CarolA]

As I understood it the cards are acutally not produced by the DDE office (which seems to be a very SMALL office!)

Mine however, went just fine.... ordered when you first could and got it sometime in Feb.

 

[marymrg]

I ordered at the end of Feb, got charged April 1 and still waiting.

I have to give thanks though to the DDE office. They faxed another letter to my resort very promptly when I needed another copy.

 

[kathleena]

Kathleena, I would hope they would extend your card date when you finally get it too!

They did on the last call. It will now expire end of May 2006. I didn't ask them about it, nor was I complaining about the wait, she just told me there would be a new date.

 

[TwirlerGirl]

The DDE card is causing more problems than ME and that's hard to beleive. I have called numerous times tring to get information so I could order the card. I know I have a odd situation which is causing part of the problem but I was able to gleen some info that shreds some light on the problem.

I wanted to ungrade my old hopper passes which have 2 days left on them to AP's and then purchase the card. Since I would need to do this at Guess Services, I would buy the AP and then purchase the DDE. - Oh but there is a hitch. I'm arriving on a Sunday. The office for DDE cards are open Mon - Fri 8 am - 4:45pm. So you can't buy a DDE card Sat or Sun according to the CM I spoke with. I called back the next day to check that out with the DDE office and found out that on site purchases can be made Mon - Fri but the letter confirming the purchase would be delivered to EPCOT's GS for pick up after 5 pm. After several more calls a great CM (David) convinced me to purchase one AP now, order the DDE when I get my voucher, get my confirmation letter and wait to purchase second AP when we arrive using hopper tickets for upgrade. That's better than the CM who told me you can't upgrade hoper passes because they are now using MYW tickets instead.

David (CM) said they hadn't anticapated the volume on DDE. He lead me to beleive there had been many complaints do to poor service, lenght of time to get card, and the limited office hours.

 

[zurgswife]

Where do you find the information about this, I can not seem to find it. We are looking at different options for June 06 holiday, yes i know it ages yet. We are thinking about leaving our rental car at the airport, if we can get the DDE.

If not we will need the car, to get around.

Another Q, when is it best to order the AP. Taking into account we live in the UK, the delivery can take up to 3 weeks.

DDE is the Disney Dining Card....I think you are refering to the Magical Express which is transportation to and from the airport...

here is a link http://allearsnet.com/pl/airport.htm

 

[princess jackson]

No soory i do mean the DDE dinning card.

We will not need the car if we can get the DDE, transport from airport not a problem.

Sorry for any confusion.

 

[MickeyBabe]

.... I ordered mine the end of March, and they just finally charged my credit card for it the end of last week. I've read that people usually get the card within ten days of their credit card being charge...

I ordered my AP discounted DDE card at the beginning of the week, that gives me a little over 8 weeks for them to get here. The CM told me that temporary cards would be in the mail to me.

To those of you who have been charged or recieved your cards, could you tell me...

What is the final total cost including tax for the AP discounted DDE card?

I want to make sure I have budgeted for it correctly and the CM failed to give me a total.

Thanks.

 

[Mickey527]

I ordered my AP from Members Services on 3-10. My AE bill had the charge on it for 3/10 but I haven't received the papers yet.
I couldn't buy the DDE card without the AP number and they said they couldn't give me the number over the phone.
I called on Monday 4/25 to find out where my AP was. The woman who researched it said that they had never mailed it out to me but she would take care of it right away. She gave me the number so I could order the DDE card.
I called DDE on 4/25 and ordered the card.
The letter for DDE came today and says my membership is valid until May 31, 2006. I hope it is usable in May and doesn't start on May 31, 2005 because I am arriving in WDW on May 21 and want to use the card.
I still haven't received the AP letter so as of now I still have no AP.
Peggie

 

[ssnelle]

Just curious...what is AP?

 

[DebbieB]

Just curious...what is AP?

Annual Pass
http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/apass.htm

On a similiar subject, I've been waiting over 6 weeks for a new DVC member card. The numbers on my 5 1/2 year old card are worn off. I e-mailed them the middle of March, they said 4 to 6 weeks. It's over 6 now and I have a trip a week from tomorrow. I kind of forgot about it, it just hit me, so I e-mailed them again tonight and asked if it could be sent to OKW.

 

[GoldenOldie]

... After several more calls a great CM (David) convinced me to purchase one AP now, order the DDE when I get my voucher, get my confirmation letter and wait to purchase second AP when we arrive using hopper tickets for upgrade...

Keep in mind that when you do the transaction for your AP at Guest Relations that you will only be able to apply the current dollar value of only one old pass to each new AP you get.

 

[KathyR]

I ordered mine on April 8th, and they just charged my cc on the 27th. Hopefully it arrives before May 22, so we can use it instead of the letter Best of luck to you all. I hope yours arrives soon as well!

 

[goofy4tink]

Called and ordered my DDE on March 23, recv'd the email confirming it on March 23, my cc was billed on April 20! I guess I should be seeing my card in the next few weeks based on other time lines. Glad I didn't wait until May to order it for our mid-June trip!!!

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

I'm kind of glad our DDE card took a long time to get here. We ordered it just before our trip in February, and used the temporary letter while there. Then I asked about where my card was the end of March. Rosa sent me another letter to get me through the end of April (which I didn't need as we aren't going back for a while). Then I got my card, which should have had a Feb 2006 expiration date, but actually goes through April 2006, so I got 2 months free due to the processing time! I'll get at least two more trips on this card, which will really REALLY pay for the card! YUM!!