Feeling extremely frustrated with Premier Passport and WDW

[Amystoneus]

UPDATE:
Initially, the $200 or so we'd be saving with the Premier Passports seemed worth the frustrations and disappointments incurred by the system's shortcomings. However, after driving to the park on a hot and crowded August day just to stand in the ticket queue to purchase our passports--because you can't renew, you can only purchase anew--we're still locked out of being able to make our FP+ reservations for our mid-September trip more than 48 hours later. Disney's tech dept. guessed that it could take up to 24 hours for the online system to catch up to our purchase, as the website was still seeing our old passports a mere 5 hours after getting our new passports.

So, after spending several hours in transit, more than an hour all told on the phone with Disney, and easily another hour clicking buttons and achieving error messages on the My Disney Experience website, that $200 no longer seems like such a bargain. Worse, the Premier Passport is probably such a small purchase niche that there's likely very little motivation on Disney's part to put time and money into promoting, educating and improving the technical backbone of the system.

We've now said "Grrrrrrrr" too many times as a result of this experience, and even the last Disney rep I spoke to suggested that Eeyore should be the avatar for the Premier Passport. Agreed.

Best advice: Pass on the Premier Passport.

 

[2102raven]

I have Premier AP and live in CA (15 min away from DL). Purchased it in WDW, and no problems getting into the parks in either state (knock on wood), booking FP+, accessing MDE, etc.

 

[Amystoneus]

I have Premier AP and live in CA (15 min away from DL). Purchased it in WDW, and no problems getting into the parks in either state (knock on wood), booking FP+, accessing MDE, etc.

Oh to be 15 minutes from DL! We're 45, but usually winds up being an hour and 45 thanks to the 405, but regardless... it's not the getting in the parks that's problematic, it's making the FP+ reservations 30 days in advance when your passport is due to expire just shy of the window opening, and purchasing the new passport before your old one expires has no effect: the system will continue to see the old passport until the new one kicks in.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

We had the Premier Passport the year it came out (back when it was $700 which seems like a bargain now) and we had tons of problems with it ie couldn't get fastpasses, problems with park admission even in the same day when hopping, problem getting in-park discounts. It got to the point where I almost demanded to have a separate DL AP and WDW AP because I had to spend so much time in guest services. Nice to see they've jacked up the prices but have done nothing to alleviate the issues.

While I rarely defend Disney. I got one this year. It's worked perfectly everywhere and on DME>

 

[Amystoneus]

While I rarely defend Disney. I got one this year. It's worked perfectly everywhere and on DME>

For us, a lot has had to do with timing; but also the enormous lack of convenience where purchasing is concerned: If you could do it online, by phone, or even at the front desk of a hotel, that would go a long way. Most of the Disney representatives don't even know that you can only purchase at the ticket counter at the park.

 

[smiths02]

Could you have purchased just regular tickets and put them in your MDE account, made FP, etc. and then used those tickets towards the premier when it was time to "renew"? (This would work with a regular AP, I believe)

ETA: You shouldn't have to do this. Disney should offer better service in this area. I was just thinking of a work around.

 

[Amystoneus]

Could you have purchased just regular tickets and put them in your MDE account, made FP, etc. and then used those tickets towards the premier when it was time to "renew"? (This would work with a regular AP, I believe)

Interesting idea. We considered it at some point, but never followed through. Will definitely make a point of inquiring! Thanks!

 

[DMCastner]

We're in a similar situation - our trip is January and our 60-day FP+ window opens 11/23. Our current DLR PAP expires 12/26 and our renewal window opens 11/16. After reading this thread I wonder if we should just purchase a WDW AP voucher so we can book our FP+ when our window opens. Then, when our DLR PAPs expire we can upgrade our vouchers to the Premier. Can I do this at DLR or will I have to wait until I get to WDW? Sucks that I'll lose that renewal discount and financing option by doing this though... But I really don't see anyway around it unless I chance it and just wait until 12/26 to renew/upgrade to the Premier and then book FP+ for our Jan trip. Any thoughts?

 

[bumbershoot]

Interesting idea. We considered it at some point, but never followed through. Will definitely make a point of inquiring! Thanks!

Of course you could. I wouldn't ask, though, because it seems like if the CM gives you a different answer it'll be more frustrating.

Sucks that I'll lose that renewal discount and financing option by doing this though...

Does the Premier have a renewal discount? I *know* I just read that there is no financing for it since there's a CA and a FL part of it, and you have to be a resident to do monthly payments and you can't be a resident for both.

 

[DMCastner]

Does the Premier have a renewal discount? I *know* I just read that there is no financing for it since there's a CA and a FL part of it, and you have to be a resident to do monthly payments and you can't be a resident for both.

Since I have a DLR PAP, how it works is they will renew this pass first with my renewal discount. In this instance, it is a $60 renewal discount per DLR PAP. Because I am a CA resident, I have the option of financing this portion of the pass. Then, once this is completed, they can upgrade my pass to the Premier, in which I would pay the remaining full amount up front. We have done this in the past with no issue. This is what I would sacrifice to accommodate my FP+ reservations.