Few annual passport questions

[my2mickeykids]

I am considering getting an annual passport just for me. It makes sense if I go for 3 days or more twice a year which I am planning. My family however will most likely be going only once so I am just getting them hopper passes. It will save me almost $80 if I get the deluxe (the black out dates are not when I would be traveling). Plus, the discounts on food. Here are my questions:

1.) Where is the best place to buy one? (I am not a AAA member) Is there one place cheaper and/or easier? Does anyone sell the pass where you get other perks like a pin or package or anything?

2.) Does the 1 year start from Jan. 1st or when you buy it or the first time you use it?

3.) Do you have to take your picture at the park once you get the pass?

4.) Is the 10% off food at most places in DL?

Thank you so much!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

It starts from the first day you use it.

You do need to have your picture taken. We upgraded from hoppers on about the 3rd day we were there. When we upgraded, we had the pictures taken. I figure if you buy a voucher ahead of time, either through that westways AAA site, or through disneyland.com, etc, you'd need to go in and get your actual pass, and to do that, I imagine you'd have your picture taken at that time.

Remember that unless you're staying onsite, you won't be able to join your family for EE (or whatever they are going to call it in '08) b/c they will have hoppers and you won't. Now, to me, EE is great but not worth more than the AP! But it's worth thinking about.

If you buy the voucher online at disneyland.com, I hear you also get a discount coupon, which doesn't bring the price down, but brings down the price of another purchase you'll likely make!

Assuming you're getting the deluxe, the 10% off food is at most places in DL and DCA. The two places I can think off from the top of my head that do NOT participate are Royal St. Veranda in New Orleans Square and Burr-bank ice cream in DCA. (if you're getting a premium, then it's 15%, and 10% off most merchandise)

If your family will have EE through their hoppers on this upcoming trip, you might consider just getting the hopper for yourself, going to the Early Entry day, and then upgrade from the hopper. Of course, that doesn't necessarily make sense if you want the AP and discounts from day one, so maybe you could just sleep in that day. And of course if you're staying onsite you get EE days through the hotel, but I don't know your hotel plans!

 

[ShawnaF]

Considering your questions, why don't you just get everyone park hoppers to start with and get the package that way with pins etc? Once you're there, you can upgrade to the parkhopper - and yes, you have to get your pic taken at the park. Annual passes only come from Disney as far as I know, I don't know of other places that are allowed to issue them.

The date will start either on the day your purchase it or if you get a parkhopper first and upgrade, it would start on the first day you used the parkhopper.

If you're really into discounts - the package with hoppers has the card that issues 10% at most places, BUT the Disney Visa offers LOTS of fantastic discounts and I've found it more lucrative than my Deluxe AP for savings.

You can't really go wrong as long as you're certain you'll break even on the number of days you can visit.

 

[my2mickeykids]

Thank you! That helps so much!