Just got distrubing info.re BRP and AP...

[Sammie]

Based on Matt's and Lives4Disney experience, I would say then it was more a situation of the CM being confused and the possiblity that a few slipped through and booked the rate without the voucher or AP in hand by calling, and DRC has clamped down on that.

 

[Lives4Disney]

I ordered my APs online about 3 weeks ago. I received my vouchers two days ago. We logged into the passholder system and were able to book a room at POFQ for February. The difference in price was at least 450 from the advertised rate to the public.

So, you can get into the site easily and book a room with your voucher number.

So, when I get to Disney in February, do I have to first go to a park and activate my cards before checking in??

Last year they did not even ask to see an AP at check in at any resort I stayed in (5 trips and some split with 2 resorts). They may be getting more strict about asking to see the AP at check in now, though. I can't imagine they would have a problem with a voucher, though. If they do, I will just show it to them the next morn. I am not going to lose sleep over it.

Maybe somebody has had different experiences checking in & I know there are people that won't be happy that I was NEVER asked to show an AP, but we did have them (all 5 of us) and were never asked to show them.

Good luck. Maybe somebody has more concrete answers, but my experience was that the front desk or concierge didn't really care to see an AP.

Lives4Disney

 

[LakeAriel]

Last year they did not even ask to see an AP at check in at any resort I stayed in (5 trips and some split with 2 resorts). They may be getting more strict about asking to see the AP at check in now, though. I can't imagine they would have a problem with a voucher, though. If they do, I will just show it to them the next morn. I am not going to lose sleep over it.

Maybe somebody has had different experiences checking in & I know there are people that won't be happy that I was NEVER asked to show an AP, but we did have them (all 5 of us) and were never asked to show them.

Good luck. Maybe somebody has more concrete answers, but my experience was that the front desk or concierge didn't really care to see an AP.

Lives4Disney

That's because they already know you are AP holders, it's in their system. They should still verify but they know.

 

[boomhauer]

I just went back thru and read what Boonhauer has said, nowhere in the in the post does it mention if she has a voucher. She only states that she hasn't purchased her AP. She may have purchased the voucher & just not activated it... she didn't say (yes, I do know that purchase means buy). If she has no voucher & goes to check in and has no proof when they ask, she will not get that rate. Disney may not care who books, if they show up with no AP or voucher, Disney makes more money off of them. I booked two rooms for this past October trip. When I booked I asked if my friend & her family had gotten there before me could she still check in since I am the one with the AP (her daughter has one but is only 12). The CM said yes, as long as I showed up before the end of the night to show my pass, or the rate would automaticly be changed to the regular room rate. So if Boonhauer has no voucher, she will more than likely not be getting that rate at check in (and from reading her 2 posts, it sounds as if she will be having one). Disney may be allowing those to book without, but they will not allow you to stay at that rate without the proof. As I said, I went back & read her post & didn't see where she said if she did or didn't have a voucher.....

Let me just answer this.

First off, I'm a he, not a she.

Also, no, I didn't have the voucher. I had an AP last year, which expired in September. I will be buying one next month for my trip in January, but the CM gave me the BRP rate.

Maybe they saw that I've been 12 times and was cutting me a break. Maybe he saw that I was AP holder last year and gave me a break. Honestly, I don't know.

Either way, as I've said, it's of no concern to me. When I arrive in January, I'll have my AP (or my voucher).

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Hi, I just rechecked now, and yes I can still book a room with my voucher. It allowed me into the passholder site and allowed me to book a room (I just didn't follow thru with the cc info etc.)

I did just use this site for booking a March spring break trip with my voucher - I think it was just about a week and a half ago.

There are numbers on the voucher that you use just like an AP to access the site. No problem.

Good luck & happy planning!

Lives4Disney

That is what I had thought.. thanks for double checking for us

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Let me just answer this.

First off, I'm a he, not a she.

Also, no, I didn't have the voucher. I had an AP last year, which expired in September. I will be buying one next month for my trip in January, but the CM gave me the BRP rate.

Maybe they saw that I've been 12 times and was cutting me a break. Maybe he saw that I was AP holder last year and gave me a break. Honestly, I don't know.

Either way, as I've said, it's of no concern to me. When I arrive in January, I'll have my AP (or my voucher).

I just usally say she, but why are you jumping on me? If you read my post, I wasn't saying you were not telling the truth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"nowhere in the in the post does it mention if she has a voucher. She only states that she hasn't purchased her AP. She may have purchased the voucher & just not activated it... she didn't say "

The point I was making there was you didn't say if you had a voucher or not???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If she has no voucher & goes to check in and has no proof when they ask, she will not get that rate. Disney may not care who books, if they show up with no AP or voucher, Disney makes more money off of them."

The point I was making there was that if you didn't, you wouldn't get the rate...no harm by saying that.. I didn't say you did not have an AP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"(and from reading her 2 posts, it sounds as if she will be having one). "

Can you not see from that I was actually on your side????

In no way was I putting you down and saying that you were just trying to get that rate when you had no intentions of getting an AP. Please re-read my post. I am sorry if you got what you got out of it, that is by no means what I was doing... only thing I did wrong was say she instead of he & that was just an honest mistake...

" Either way, as I've said, it's of no concern to me" as you have said, it really is no concern of mine either ...whether you have one or not... I could care less. I have also posted that I didn't think those bookings (ones without currently holding the AP) really take away from one that holds an active AP. Disney had always done this before. I just do not like being accused of something that I didn't do... and I didn't jump on you or single you out. As I have said... I was actually in agreement with what you had done...

 

[dcgrumpy]

I just usally say she, but why are you jumping on me?

That's jumping on you?

 

[A Mickeyfan]

That's jumping on you?

No that isn't, but that along with the rest of the post is, at least the way I read it. I didn't ask for an explination & could care less if he had an AP or not. I was merely responding to someone that was questioning how he could have gotten that rate & not had an AP (if you read my post on that you will see). So I do not know why he directed his post to me He didn't need to defend himself & explain why the CM let him book, I didn't ask. Had my original post been read by him, he would have seen that he didn't need to explain to me about being in the system for x amount of years etc.. I have that in my post, how Disney is like the FBI, that they have all your info.

Once again, I do not care who books without the AP, it isn't up to me to judge anyone. If they book... they book, so what??? Disney had always allowed the non AP holder to book, just not check in..... and that was the whole point of the thread he was responding to me on...
Maybe I took his post wrong, but when someone starts of by saying first off, it usually isn't in a nice way...

 

[boomhauer]

I just usally say she, but why are you jumping on me? :

I was jumping on you????

Wow - Talk about misinterpreting something. I was simply explaining what happened as part of the conversation for other people's benefit. I thought others might like to know. Can't see how you took my post as "jumping on you".

Yikes.

 

[Sammie]

No that isn't, but that along with the rest of the post is, at least the way I read it. I didn't ask for an explination & could care less if he had an AP or not. I was merely responding to someone that was questioning how he could have gotten that rate & not had an AP (if you read my post on that you will see). So I do not know why he directed his post to me He didn't need to defend himself & explain why the CM let him book, I didn't ask. Had my original post been read by him, he would have seen that he didn't need to explain to me about being in the system for x amount of years etc.. I have that in my post, how Disney is like the FBI, that they have all your info.

Once again, I do not care who books without the AP, it isn't up to me to judge anyone. If they book... they book, so what??? Disney had always allowed the non AP holder to book, just not check in..... and that was the whole point of the thread he was responding to me on...
Maybe I took his post wrong, but when someone starts of by saying first off, it usually isn't in a nice way...

I see nothing in Boomhauer's post to make you feel "jumped on" he was simply responding to your comments, just as you were commenting about his.

I would relax on this one.

 

[Sammie]

I ordered my APs online about 3 weeks ago. I received my vouchers two days ago. We logged into the passholder system and were able to book a room at POFQ for February. The difference in price was at least 450 from the advertised rate to the public.

So, you can get into the site easily and book a room with your voucher number.

So, when I get to Disney in February, do I have to first go to a park and activate my cards before checking in??

Matt, the official policy is you must have a valid AP to check in and receive your rate. However as many have posted not all CMs seem to follow policy and you might be allowed to check in with the voucher, and yet again you might not.

I guess you can try and if you can't check in then go get your pass validated. You can also do this at DD Guest Services which I find usually not to be as busy and very quick in and out.

 

[boomhauer]

Matt, the official policy is you must have a valid AP to check in and receive your rate. However as many have posted not all CMs seem to follow policy and you might be allowed to check in with the voucher, and yet again you might not.

I guess you can try and if you can't check in then go get your pass validated. You can also do this at DD Guest Services which I find usually not to be as busy and very quick in and out.

I wonder what will happen when I go to check in. I'm buying my AP next month, but I assume I will only get the voucher in the mail.

Not a huge deal as I always head right to Epcot when I arrive, but I do like to drop my bags off and change before heading out. Oh well, no biggie either way.

 

[Sammie]

I wonder what will happen when I go to check in. I'm buying my AP next month, but I assume I will only get the voucher in the mail.

Not a huge deal as I always head right to Epcot when I arrive, but I do like to drop my bags off and change before heading out. Oh well, no biggie either way.

No way to know for sure, staff has been trained to ask for verification unless it shows up in the computer as the guest already having one. This has been brought to the attention of Front Desk staff to be diligent in making sure the guest has a pass. However as we all know not every CM will be diligent.


Of course if they had stuck to their orginial policy of only booking online with a voucher or pass then checking to see if the guest has a pass would have been a moot point at check in.

 

[boomhauer]

No way to know for sure, staff has been trained to ask for verification unless it shows up in the computer as the guest already having one. This has been brought to the attention of Front Desk staff to be diligent in making sure the guest has a pass. However as we all know not every CM will be diligent.


Of course if they had stuck to their orginial policy of only booking online with a voucher or pass then checking to see if the guest has a pass would have been a moot point at check in.

True.

Eh, whatever. If need be, I can change in the bathroom at the resort before heading out to Epcot. I'm the least picky person about things like that.

 

[LvsTnk]

I just wanted to throw this out there. I have been a passholder for many years and while I usually don't get asked to see my AP there is that occasion.

I have been asked at the Polynesian concierge, BWI regular desk, and AKL.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I was jumping on you????

Wow - Talk about misinterpreting something. I was simply explaining what happened as part of the conversation for other people's benefit. I thought others might like to know. Can't see how you took my post as "jumping on you".

Yikes.

I guess I felt that way because you quoted from me (meaning you were directing your post to me) and started out with "first off". 99.9% of the time a "first off" in the first sentence isn't coming from "friendly" conversation. They were the reasons why I thought you were jumping. I couldn't understand why you were explaining why you think you got the AP rate (when quoting me). I do see what you are saying for others to see. But honestly, there is no reason to explain. People need to get over the fact that Disney does what Disney wants... if they want to let you book without having the active AP, then it is up to Disney, not anyone on this board. I am sorry for thinking that you were jumping. I am getting so use to people doing that here lately. Hope my apoligy is accepted.

 

[boomhauer]

No reason to apologize. Just a bit confused.

I explained what happened because I thought it might be of interest to other posters. There are a lot of AP holders who are getting different answers from different CM's about the new policy. I was simply sharing my experience with the situation with others. It seems right to me that if I was able to book without having the AP yet, I should pass the information on to others who could benefit from this information.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

No reason to apologize. Just a bit confused.

I explained what happened because I thought it might be of interest to other posters. There are a lot of AP holders who are getting different answers from different CM's about the new policy. I was simply sharing my experience with the situation with others. It seems right to me that if I was able to book without having the AP yet, I should pass the information on to others who could benefit from this information.

That makes sense. Now all the others have to do is get a CM that will allow it. Disney really should have all of the CM's on the same level. I remember one time I called to see if there was availability at AS-Movies with AP rate. I had AS-Sports but dd & her friend really wanted Movies. The first CM I had gotten said no right off the bat, you could tell that she didn't even look, her "no" was way too fast. I hung up, called back & guess what... I was switched from Sports to Movies.... that CM took at least 3+ minutes before giving me an answer too. You were able to tell that she really looked.

 

[oxfordcircus]

That makes sense. Now all the others have to do is get a CM that will allow it. Disney really should have all of the CM's on the same level. I remember one time I called to see if there was availability at AS-Movies with AP rate. I had AS-Sports but dd & her friend really wanted Movies. The first CM I had gotten said no right off the bat, you could tell that she didn't even look, her "no" was way too fast. I hung up, called back & guess what... I was switched from Sports to Movies.... that CM took at least 3+ minutes before giving me an answer too. You were able to tell that she really looked.

That happened to me too. I called 3 times before I finally got a CM who would even give me a BRP quote. I just had to be persistent and keep calling until I got the answer I wanted.

 

[srfrgrl07]

FYI- I just verified with a CM that active AP's and also AP vouchers are acceptable at check-in. Just a voucher number, however, is not. So don't lose your vouchers before check-in because you will have to go to a Guest Relations location to have the the AP issued.

As far as getting the CM's on the same page...I agree that it should be excpected, but with 55,000 people it is not always possible to ensure that everyone has the same information. Much like not everyone here on the board is always correct. If you encounter a CM that declines this policy, politely ask for them to double check either with another reservation agent/guest services/front desk/manager cast member. While they may not be willing to admit they were wrong, at least you have the issue resolved. Teamwork and partnering are the name of the game, and sometimes "re-educating" is necessary when things change so often.