First Day MM entry procedure?

[wdwfan22]

I've tried reading some other threads, but I can't get my head wrapped around the entry process on your first day.

I will be buying 3 day hopper passes ahead of time. We arrive very late on Jan 3 and want to use our MM on Jan 4. During that day I will be upgrading to APs. We have a Blue Bayou Fanstasmic dinner that night that I want to use my discount on.

So can you tell me how the entry will work, how and where do they take a picture? Will this slow down our MM entry. We plan on being to the gates at least 30 mins prior to opening.

And where do I go during the day to upgrade to an AP and what is that process?

Thanks so much!!!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I am confused...if you are getting an AP on your first day, why did you even bother buying a 3-day hopper?

I imagine that yes, getting signed up for an AP would take some time. But I haven't had one since 2007 so I can't really remember the process much.

 

[SMD]

There is a CM at the gate with a hand scanner. They will scan you tickets, and if you name isn't printed on them, you will have to sign them. Then they will take your picture with the hand scanner. It shouldn't take too long, just have your tickets out and photo ID easily accessible if something goes wrong with the scanner. To upgrade to an AP you will have to leave the park and go to a ticket booth. They will take your personal info, like billing address and print out a contract. It does take a few minutes. Then when you go back into the park with your AP you will need to find a Photopass photographer to take your picture again for your AP. You can also go to the photo supply on Main St. The entry photo on park tickets and the AP photo aren't the same. So if you are doing first entry and upgrading on the same day you will have to take 2 pictures.

 

[wdwfan22]

I am confused...if you are getting an AP on your first day, why did you even bother buying a 3-day hopper?

I imagine that yes, getting signed up for an AP would take some time. But I haven't had one since 2007 so I can't really remember the process much.

I am getting a 3 day pass because I want to use a MM.

 

[wdwfan22]

There is a CM at the gate with a hand scanner. They will scan you tickets, and if you name isn't printed on them, you will have to sign them. Then they will take your picture with the hand scanner. It shouldn't take too long, just have your tickets out and photo ID easily accessible if something goes wrong with the scanner. To upgrade to an AP you will have to leave the park and go to a ticket booth. They will take your personal info, like billing address and print out a contract. It does take a few minutes. Then when you go back into the park with your AP you will need to find a Photopass photographer to take your picture again for your AP. You can also go to the photo supply on Main St. The entry photo on park tickets and the AP photo aren't the same. So if you are doing first entry and upgrading on the same day you will have to take 2 pictures.

Thanks! Sounds great. I will have my printed at home tickets with me. So It sounds like its basically the same as when I went a couple years ago, only now they also snap your pic.

We are planning to hop to CA after a couple hours, so we will stop at a ticket booth and upgrade to an AP then.

I like having a clear picture in my head of what I'm doing. I hate wandering around asking questions.

 

[BoomerThePirate]

Thanks! Sounds great. I will have my printed at home tickets with me. So It sounds like its basically the same as when I went a couple years ago, only now they also snap your pic.

We are planning to hop to CA after a couple hours, so we will stop at a ticket booth and upgrade to an AP then.

I like having a clear picture in my head of what I'm doing. I hate wandering around asking questions.

im the same way! just make sure to hop in the correct line for MM. random families hop in line way too early and screw up the entry process for MM or EMH people. a lot of people dont pay attention to the signs above the turnstyles

 

[SMD]

Ok, if you have print at home tickets they won't take your picture until you have the actual ticket in hand. But they've recently switched from a CM holding the scanner in front of the turnstile to the actual turnstile CM operating the scanner. You may get to pass through with just the ticket and then be prompted for your picture when you hop/re-enter, or they may ask you to stop for the pictures when the turnstile pops out the ticket. I'm not sure how it's going right now. If they don't do picture on first entry, you can probably skip a little headache by just upgrading before you park hop the first time.

 

[figment_jii]

im the same way! just make sure to hop in the correct line for MM. random families hop in line way too early and screw up the entry process for MM or EMH people. a lot of people dont pay attention to the signs above the turnstyles

It might also depend on when you arrive at the gate in the morning. I was there one MM-morning right before MM started and there were no signs that I saw above any of the turnstiles. It seemed like you could use any of them you wanted to enter the park. Maybe they don't change over the turnstiles until closer to regular park opening.

You may get to pass through with just the ticket and then be prompted for your picture when you hop/re-enter, or they may ask you to stop for the pictures when the turnstile pops out the ticket. I'm not sure how it's going right now.

I don't think it's consistent at this point...there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to how things went. I was there with a group of eight; five had to take their photos right when the went through the first time, the other three did not (but had to take them when they hopped later in the day).

 

[Ryan120420]

There is a CM at the gate with a hand scanner. They will scan you tickets, and if you name isn't printed on them, you will have to sign them. Then they will take your picture with the hand scanner. It shouldn't take too long, just have your tickets out and photo ID easily accessible if something goes wrong with the scanner. To upgrade to an AP you will have to leave the park and go to a ticket booth. They will take your personal info, like billing address and print out a contract. It does take a few minutes. Then when you go back into the park with your AP you will need to find a Photopass photographer to take your picture again for your AP. You can also go to the photo supply on Main St. The entry photo on park tickets and the AP photo aren't the same. So if you are doing first entry and upgrading on the same day you will have to take 2 pictures.

Disney has streamlined this process.

Annual Pass photos are now taken at the turnstiles with the iPod scanners just like Multi-Day ticket holders.

Photopass photographers no longer take AP photos.