DVC Annual Pass Question

[TeleoDeum]

All,

How far in advance can I purchase DVC APs? We are not going to WDW again until October 2015, but I want the AP discount. Can I purchase now and just not redeem until trip time, or better to risk it and hope for a better or newer deal?

Thoughts?

Thanks - Greg

 

[drusba]

There is no stated time limit between purchasing and activating and you can buy now and activate October 2015. Time limits have applied to the PAP special deals from the last two years and the latest one was for passes that had to be activated by January 31, 2015. If there is to be another special deal I would suspect it will not appear before year end.

 

[LoveKermit]

To follow up.....

Please help me understand AP and FP+. As I understand FP+ happens 30 days out unless you are staying on property, then 60. However, if you go with the OP's question, if the AP is not activated, then can FP+ really be reserved? It seems--no.

We are in the process of a transfer of membership from my in-laws to us. We don't know if it will be done before our trip Labor Day weekend. If it is not, we are thinking of buying tickets for our summer trip and upgrading then. Is that what people are doing?

Thanks!

 

[rlovew]

Y9ou can use the will call number for the AP to get FP+ in advance- I did it this summer.

 

[DebbieB]

I also used my PAP will call confirmation # to link to my MDE.

 

[cpc430]

How often does Disney offer a DVC discount on the Premiere Pass? Ours currently expires towards the end of November (we weren't DVC members then and purchased it at the park direct). We don't plan on renewing it right away but I'd like to renew if a DVC deal comes up again.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

How often does Disney offer a DVC discount on the Premiere Pass? Ours currently expires towards the end of November (we weren't DVC members then and purchased it at the park direct). We don't plan on renewing it right away but I'd like to renew if a DVC deal comes up again.

I think you mean the Premium Annual Pass (PAP). The Premier pass covers both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. To my knowledge, there's never been a DVC deal on the Premier pass.

There's no way to know whether Disney will repeat the special deal on the PAP. They've done it twice, now, and in both cases there was no forewarning that it was coming until it was actually announced. In cases where people had another ticket/pass already purchased, it did appear that Disney worked with them to convert that to the DVC deal. There’s no guarantee that would be the case again, though.

 

[erionm]

I think you mean the Premium Annual Pass (PAP). The Premier pass covers both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. To my knowledge, there's never been a DVC deal on the Premier pass.

During the last promo on the PAP, there was also a promo for the Disney Premier Passport (WDW/DL Annual Pass).

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

To follow up.....

Please help me understand AP and FP+. As I understand FP+ happens 30 days out unless you are staying on property, then 60. However, if you go with the OP's question, if the AP is not activated, then can FP+ really be reserved? It seems--no.

We are in the process of a transfer of membership from my in-laws to us. We don't know if it will be done before our trip Labor Day weekend. If it is not, we are thinking of buying tickets for our summer trip and upgrading then. Is that what people are doing?

Thanks!

If you are making FP+ associated with a room reservation, you can use the will-call or voucher number for your AP to make your selections. If you don't have a room reservation, though, I don't think you can take advantage of the FP+ advanced bookings until you've actually activated your passes. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

During the last promo on the PAP, there was also a promo for the Disney Premier Passport (WDW/DL Annual Pass).

Thanks. I stand corrected.

 

[erionm]

If you are making FP+ associated with a room reservation, you can use the will-call or voucher number for your AP to make your selections. If you don't have a room reservation, though, I don't think you can take advantage of the FP+ advanced bookings until you've actually activated your passes. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Will Call vouchers can be used to make advance FP+ selections with or without a room reservation. The presence of a room reservation will open the window at 60 days from check-in, otherwise it's 30 days from day of use.

 

[SkyMedik]

Ok....so what if I have a DVC room confirmation number but don't plan on buying the annual passes until I arrive at the parks? How far in advance can I book FP+ without linking any form of ticket media but having a room reservation?

 

[erionm]

Ok....so what if I have a DVC room confirmation number but don't plan on buying the annual passes until I arrive at the parks? How far in advance can I book FP+ without linking any form of ticket media but having a room reservation?

You need to have park admission (will call voucher or actual ticket/pass) linked to MDE in order to make advance FP+ selections.

 

[SkyMedik]

You need to have park admission (will call voucher or actual ticket/pass) linked to MDE in order to make advance FP+ selections.

Thanks, appreciate the response.... I feel this is lame because I don't have the $2,000 to buy vouchers with just yet and the trip is close to 60 days out. Oh, well...! :-/

 

[LoveKermit]

If you are making FP+ associated with a room reservation, you can use the will-call or voucher number for your AP to make your selections. If you don't have a room reservation, though, I don't think you can take advantage of the FP+ advanced bookings until you've actually activated your passes. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, thank you. We always stay on property, so I knew I was good at the 60 days. But I needed a way to reserve FP+ if I didn't yet have the season pass.

In fact, we may wait till spring to purchase instead of upgrading. Though it would be "cheaper" to upgrade, we might get an extra use if we wait to activate till 2015 so worth the price.

Ooh--one more question: the annual pass starts from first day of use, not anything else (like purchase date)? Thanks!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Ooh--one more question: the annual pass starts from first day of use, not anything else (like purchase date)? Thanks!

For a new annual pass (as opposed to a renewal), it's the date your pass gets activated that determines the expiration date.

If you buy in-person at the park, you'll be given an active pass. The pass will be valid for 365 days from that date.

If you buy online or over the phone, the pass will not be activated until you go to a guest relations window at either a park or Downtown Disney to exchange your will-call number or voucher for the active pass. The pass will be valid for 365 days from the date you do that exchange.

In either case, it doesn't matter if you enter a park on that day or not. The expiration date is set as soon as it's activated.

 

[LSchrow]

For a new annual pass (as opposed to a renewal), it's the date your pass gets activated that determines the expiration date.

If you buy in-person at the park, you'll be given an active pass. The pass will be valid for 365 days from that date.

If you buy online or over the phone, the pass will not be activated until you go to a guest relations window at either a park or Downtown Disney to exchange your will-call number or voucher for the active pass. The pass will be valid for 365 days from the date you do that exchange.

In either case, it doesn't matter if you enter a park on that day or not. The expiration date is set as soon as it's activated.

actually, you can buy an AP voucher at the parks' GR window. we did so last year (& during the prior "special") to take advantage of the DVC PAP special pricing offered.
our PAP vouchers are linked to MDE, FP selections (mostly) booked, and will exchange our vouchers for active PAPs when we arrive in sept.

 

[wind in the willows]

I have a related question regarding the DVC annual passes. We purchased 4 during the promotion and planned on activating them during our upcoming New Year's trip. Meanwhile , our DL passes will expire in November. I'm wondering if I can upgrade to the Premier, either at DL or WDW and still retain the savings I got with the promo...


Mary

 

[erionm]

I have a related question regarding the DVC annual passes. We purchased 4 during the promotion and planned on activating them during our upcoming New Year's trip. Meanwhile , our DL passes will expire in November. I'm wondering if I can upgrade to the Premier, either at DL or WDW and still retain the savings I got with the promo...


Mary

If you upgrade to the Disney Premier Passport (valid at both WDW & DL), they will give you credit for the price you paid for the pass being used to upgrade.

 

[wind in the willows]

Thanks! That's what I was hoping!

Mary