Is DL still doing the AP renewal discount?

[tarheelalum]

My PAP is going to expire in less than two months and I have yet to get anything in the mail from DL concerning the renewal discount. Last year at this time I had already received post cards offering the discount but I had a SoCal select back then. I was wondering if they discontinued it? A friend suggested that maybe DL eliminated it for the PAP? Has anyone been offered any discounts, recently, to renew their PAP?

 

[SMD]

First, the renewal period is 45 days, so you won't hear anything until you're within 45 days. But yes, they still offer the discount. It's based on what level you're renewed to, not what level you currently have. Second, with the new anniversary parties, they likely won't contact you until the party date that applies to your pass. I didn't get anything about my expiring AP. The best thing to do is register your AP online and log in when your window opens. Don't wait for Disney to remind you, because they might not. I'm not sure they even do renewal by mail anymore. Of they do, I'll be you have to print a form online and send it in.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I haven't received an renewal reminder in the mail for years. It is good advice not to wait for Disney to remind you to renew -- you might miss your expiration date that way! (That happened to us once.) I read a post from someone who said that they went to renew after their expiration date (not sure how long after) and were not given the renewal discount. They were told that the discount is only given to people who renew before their pass actually expires. Don't know if this is true, but we now make sure to renew at least a day or two before our expiration date.

 

[SMD]

As of the latest increase there is no longer a grace period on the renewal discount. They sent a letter that explained the change in the parking add on and specifically mentioned that you now had to renew by your expiration for the discount. I'm not sure if every AP was sent the letter, but I have the parking add on, and it was primarily about that.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We didn't receive that letter, but took warning after the other person's post. I keep our expiration date circled on the calendar just to make sure we don't miss it.

 

[Avery's mom]

We got 2 emails, and 2 postcards reminding us to renew. It was hard to miss

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We got 2 emails, and 2 postcards reminding us to renew. It was hard to miss

I wish Disney would be consistent about these things. With all the "encouragement" to register my AP online and link it to my account, you'd think they could send at least one email reminder!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

My Deluxe AP expires on Friday December 4th. I will be at Disneyland that day and weekend. Would I need to renew on Friday in order to get the discount or am I able to renew on Saturday the 5th? This is something I've been wondering about for a while. If I do renew on the 5th, my new expiration date would be 12-5-16, right? (As opposed to 12-4-16). Thank you!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Of course this depends on the CM at the ticket booth, but I wouldn't risk losing the discount by waiting until the 5th. If the expiration date on your pass is the 4th, I would renew before or by the 4th to make sure you keep your renewal discount. The year we renewed one day after our expiration (which was the absolutely last year we waited for Disney to send us a reminder), it took quite a bit of persuading a CM and the lead at the ticket booth to apply the discount. You may or may not be so lucky.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

^Thank you! One other question and forgive me if this is obvious. Say I renew on the 3rd...would my expiration date then be 12-3-16 or still 12-4-16? I was wanting to renew on the 5th only to give me an extra first weekend in December day for Candlelight. I did just look and in 2016 the first weekend is December 3rd and 4th. Oh and do I need to bring anything with me like a printout (or the email/letter some of you have mentioned) or is all they need do is scan my AP?

 

[SMD]

If you renew before your AP expires you keep the expiration date. So you could actually renew online in November and it would expire 12/4/16. If you want the expiration to be the 5th you'll need to buy a new AP and forgo any discount. They used to have an unpublished grace period where if you forgot to renew, and showed up on 12/10 you could renew, and get the discount, and keep the 12/4 expiration date. They've explicitly said that as of this most recent increase they won't do this any more.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Got it SMD and thank you. I will renew then either on the 3rd or 4th at DL. I need to do it in person because I'll be paying with a lot of Target Disney Gift Cards and I know online only a few are able to be used. I will keep an eye out in a couple months for a renewal email or letter.