HELP: Booking an AP rate

[Candice30]

a few posters suggested i look into purchasing an annual pass for a break on the deluxe resorts. if i purchase one, do i have to purchase it before i make the reservation? how do i find out the AP rates for my dates? has anyone else done this?

i will most likely being going only once this year because of a week long trip in june to universal. does the pass last for 365 days from my purchase date or from the first date i use it?

 

[georgina]

You do not need to have an AP already to make a reservation at AP rates. You can make your room-only reservation, and if AP rates are announced, call and have the rate applied to your reservation. There are usually a limited amount of rooms available at AP rates, so you would need to call as soon as the rates are released. There is no guarantee that there will be AP rates at any given time. You can find out when they are available here or at mousesavers.com. Sometimes travel agents who specialize in Disney travel have a few days notice and can call immediately when they come out. If you get a good AP rate, you can go out and buy the AP to present at check-in.

Most times, you buy a voucher that you activate when you get to the parks, so the 365 days would not start until activated. I believe there are some places in Orlando where you are buying an activated pass. We bought our vouchers at the Disney store, which they had to order, and then called me when they came in.

 

[Candice30]

if i book first and then buy an AP how do i checkin without it? i read on mousesavers that i have to trade the voucher in at guest services at downtown disney or at the theme parks. has anyone checked in with a voucher? how is this done?

 

[Candice30]

bump.......anyone check in with the voucher for an AP or know if i can check in with the voucher?

 

[pogo123]

You can check in with the voucher. If anything they might ask you to come back and show the activated pass. From what I've read there isn't a problem doing this. Some people have claimed to not be asked for anything at all. But I'd have at least the voucher just in case.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Yes, you can check-in with your voucher. It's as good as having the ap.

If you only go to WDW 7 days a year I'm not sure you'll save much by using the ap rate anyway. Many times there are codes available to the general public that are just as good.

 

[cdpa4d]

TigrLvsPooh,
What rates are you referring to? I thought AP rates where pretty much the best. I would like to know as I am buying an AP for the hotel discounts. I plan on using the AP for 8 or 9 days over the course of the year since I live in Indiana. If I can avoid buying an AP let me know of the discount codes made available to the public that beat the AP discounts. Thanks for your help.
ADP

 

[safetymom]

If you are buying the AP because of hotel discounts think again. There is no guarantee that there will be any AP discounts. Think of the AP as a great deal on admission with a sometime bonus of better hotel rates. You will save yourself a lot of stress worring about AP rates.

 

[pogo123]

AP rates can indeed get you a great discount, however as mentioned it is not guaranteed you will get it for the time you want or need. Also you should figure out if the savings will outweigh what it would have cost compared to any other discount (how long will you be there, how many times a year you would use it). Your best bet would be to wait to buy the pass until you secure an ap rate reservation (you don't need it when you make the reservation, only when you check in). Mousesavers has a good page on all of this.

 

[Candice30]

thanks everyone! looks like i will wait and see if there are any AP rates offered and if so, i will purchase the pass. i usually only get to disney once a year but the cost of the room and tickets are much more than the pass if i can get a room discount. i guess i will wait and see! thanks again.

 

[cdpa4d]

Candice30,
One other piece of advice. If you only go to Disney World once a year you could possibly get more use out of your AP by going twice within the same year. For example, if you go May 5th - 12th your pass would begin on May 5th. You could then visit Disney World on April 25th - May 2nd the next year and possibly get 10, 11, or 12 admissions with the AP. That would make the AP a better value than buying the 7-day park hopper. Plus the other discounts you get with the AP makes it even smarter.
ADP

 

[Candice30]

cdpa4d: trust me, i say i only visit disney once a year but if i purchase the annual pass, i am sure to be there a lot more. nothing could keep me away. i'm laughing as i write this because i am going to florida twice in 2004; i'm just going to disney once and then universal the other time. if i time it right like you said, i will probably go 2 more times on the pass.

 

[Candice30]

i contacted guest services just to see what they said about this issue. they informed me that i must come to the resort, leave my lugguage with bell services and then take the bus to downtown disney and obtain my annual pass from guest services and then return to check in. I DON'T THINK SO!

 

[bjb]

When the AP rates came out I made reservations at the Poly and AKL Concierge and then bought a pass. The pass cost about $100 more than a 6 day Hopper but I booked two rooms at each resort and saved about $100 a night on each room. Even if I never go again the AP paid for itself. When I read the post that said you can check in with the voucher I figured I could save myself a trip to Downtown Disney, but Candace30's call changed my mind. I'm arriving a day ahead of my family so I'll go to DD then and save myself a headache at checkin.