Does it matter where/how I buy my tickets?

[sharona]

We're buying 1 day PH tickets so not expecting any discount or MM benefit. Are there any other differences between a ticket bought at the gate or one bought in advance?

Our hotel has a Disney Desk. Should I order online, buy at the hotel or wait until we get to the park? Will the ticket window be open before park opening? Planning on starting at DCA on a non EMH day and getting there about 30 minutes before rope drop.

Edit - just called the hotel and the Disney Desk is open 8am-8pm. I don't think we'll be there before 8pm so looks like that is off the table.

 

[lovebug33]

Don't buy online. We did that and never got the email with the tickets. They said that is a common occurrence. So then we had to go before and pick them up. Okay no big deal, right? However there is a huge protocol that has to be followed to make sure you are telling the truth etc. After standing in line for twenty minutes because they apparently only open 2 windows first thing in the morning, it took them another twenty minutes to get me my tickets. If I hadn't already bought them it would have taken me five. The cm even said not to buy online.

 

[sharona]

Thanks for that advice. Now I have ruled out everything except buying at the park window. Hopefully they open before rope drop or stay open later the night before.

Is there a place in Downtown Disney to purchase park tickets? We may go there when for a quick visit after checking into our hotel.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

Don't buy online. We did that and never got the email with the tickets. They said that is a common occurrence. So then we had to go before and pick them up. Okay no big deal, right? However there is a huge protocol that has to be followed to make sure you are telling the truth etc. After standing in line for twenty minutes because they apparently only open 2 windows first thing in the morning, it took them another twenty minutes to get me my tickets. If I hadn't already bought them it would have taken me five. The cm even said not to buy online.

I've bought them online and have had no problems. I've also bought them online have had to stand in the line and go through something similar where something didn't go quite right. I wouldn't rule out online, but I think I might try to sort it out over the phone if something like that happened again. Disney also apologized for the mix-up and gave us some FP's to compensate. Tip: If asked what your favorite ride is, say one that normally does not have a FP. We said POTC and got a FP to the front of the line, front of the boat. We even passed up the VIP line.

 

[lovebug33]

It was open before rope drop. Just don't get behind a group of 10 who all want buttons that the cm has to personalize with their names.

 

[lovebug33]

They won't do anything over the phone. I tried that three times and was told my successive levels of management that my only recourse was to go to the ticket window.

 

[sharona]

It was open before rope drop. Just don't get behind a group of 10 who all want buttons that the cm has to personalize with their names.

Ugh. Sounds like another chapter for my someday to be written book "My Life Behind Idiots".

 

[LizzyS]

Those of you that say not to buy online- are you talking about buying directly from Disney?

I've done that three times now and it's worked like a dream every time.

I've never seen anyone discouraging it before.

 

[lovebug33]

Yep it was direct from Disney.

 

[LizzyS]

That's interesting.

I wonder how often people have issues?

 

[Liltx]

I can see where tickets get "lost". Fedex literally threw $900 in tickets on my front door. If you lived in an apartment or had someone come across your door I am sure it would be tempting for some to take an envelope marked Anaheim Ca.
Thats what $10 shipping gets you I guess?

 

[lovebug33]

This was through email. The cm sai that the program often sends the email to the wrong address. Or don't send them at all!

 

[LizzyS]

I can see where tickets get "lost". Fedex literally threw $900 in tickets on my front door. If you lived in an apartment or had someone come across your door I am sure it would be tempting for some to take an envelope marked Anaheim Ca.
Thats what $10 shipping gets you I guess?

Oh shoot, I told a lie up there. I've only gotten electronic tickets twice. Stupidly, when I was a newbie, I ordered tickets from Disney to be MAILED to me. Don't ever do that! They took FOREVER to get to me. I called Disney a couple of times because they weren't at all on point with how long the website said it would take. Luckily, I ordered them in plenty of time before our trip, but still!

 

[LizzyS]

This was through email. The cm sai that the program often sends the email to the wrong address. Or don't send them at all!

And they can't correct that if you call them?

Sorry, that sounds like inefficient customer service to me!

 

[Liltx]

These were the youth in education tickets so only mail option. We got them fast but I couldnt believe that they were just thrown on the doormat!

 

[Liltx]

This is probably not possible anymore but can you buy them at the disney store in your city?

 

[ArchOwl]

I usually advise folks to buy their tickets ahead of time as it is just one less line to stand in once you arrive. I have bought tickets and annual passes online without a problem, but I have heard that yahoo email address can be a problem for the tickets to be emailed. Has anyone else heard this?

You can buy them from the Disney store I believe and Safeway stores often have them ( at least in my area).

 

[mummabear]

I recommend buying direct from Disney, one trip we lost our tickets in park and because we had bought directly the were able to track our ticket #, cancel them and reissue. We were told because agents get batches of tickets they would not have been able to help.

 

[momof6princesses]

I recommend buying direct from Disney, one trip we lost our tickets in park and because we had bought directly the were able to track our ticket #, cancel them and reissue. We were told because agents get batches of tickets they would not have been able to help.

FYI, if you buy some where else just take pictures of your tickets, the back side, you will have the numbers and can get them reissued.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

They won't do anything over the phone. I tried that three times and was told my successive levels of management that my only recourse was to go to the ticket window.

Your situation seems oddly specific, unfortunate, and not really representative of the norm. I've been able to address problems over the phone before. While there are certainly some improvements that can be made, I'm not ready to write-off the entire online process yet.

I would still try to buy the tickets early if I could.