MM & GAD FP Option Question

[planaholic]

I am going to DLR for the first time in early December and am planing on using my GAD voucher for the FP option & attend MM on Sunday 12/5. While we will be there several days, Sunday will be the only full day my sister has for the park as she will be attending a conference the rest of our trip - hence the plan to use both the GAD FP & MM options the same day.


Anyways, I understand that normal FPs are not available until regular park hours. However, can I exchange my GAD voucher for the FP during MM - my understanding is that part of this exchange has to be done INSIDE the park. Mind you, I wouldn't use my GAD FPs until later in the day, but I feel the need to redeem the voucher earlier rather than later.

So I guess I really have several Qs:
1.) Do you have to start the GAD voucher redemption process before entering the park for the day? (Is the voucher pick up prior to entering the park?)

2.) Do you have to pick up the GAD FP right away after the 1st step (I read you get a voucher at 1 place (after showing you have a multi-day ticket and won't need the free entry) and then get the FPs some other location)?

3.) Can you do this during MM?

4.) Or can I skip all that, do my MM, and then try to do the whole redemption thing after the crowds build up?

I'm also terrified that I'm going to waste all the less-crowds time trying to deal with getting the GAD FP. I don't wake up early for nothing!

I could better envision this whole process at WDW, but having never been to DLR - I am a little more anxious because I do not know where guest services or any other type of counters are where this whole redemption process is to take place.

Thanks for any input/suggestions!

 

[Ariel224]

I'm going to subscribe to your thread because I'm wondering exactly the same things for our trip 11/12-11/20.

I'm also still on the fence about whether to use our GAD vouchers for the FP option or to use them towards our tickets and save a little money. Can anyone confirm for certain if the parkhoppers purchased at the gate as a GAD voucher upgrade do or don't have MM??

 

[planaholic]

*bump* - we've got a lot of q's between the two of us...

 

[skiingfast]

4.) Or can I skip all that, do my MM, and then try to do the whole redemption thing after the crowds build up?

I'm also terrified that I'm going to waste all the less-crowds time trying to deal with getting the GAD FP. I don't wake up early for nothing!

You should be scared. I don't know about exchanging the GAD vouchers. But absolutely do not waste MM in guest services.

In fact you would be much wiser to get your FP in the DCA guest service location. This will be faster any time of day. Don't waste good morning hours getting something you won't need until later morning.

 

[skiingfast]

Can anyone confirm for certain if the parkhoppers purchased at the gate as a GAD voucher upgrade do or don't have MM??

Any 3 days or more hopper will have a MM credit. Even if you apply your GAD credit to it. But for a multiday park hopper it is cheaper to buy it ahead of time online from Disney. So you will loose $20 of savings doing this. But your GAD is worth $76. So in essence if you are getting a 3 day PH you are really only getting $56 for your GAD. Still better than nothing.

 

[camouseketeer]

I am going to DLR for the first time in early December and am planing on using my GAD voucher for the FP option & attend MM on Sunday 12/5. While we will be there several days, Sunday will be the only full day my sister has for the park as she will be attending a conference the rest of our trip - hence the plan to use both the GAD FP & MM options the same day.


Anyways, I understand that normal FPs are not available until regular park hours. However, can I exchange my GAD voucher for the FP during MM - my understanding is that part of this exchange has to be done INSIDE the park. Mind you, I wouldn't use my GAD FPs until later in the day, but I feel the need to redeem the voucher earlier rather than later.

So I guess I really have several Qs:
1.) Do you have to start the GAD voucher redemption process before entering the park for the day? (Is the voucher pick up prior to entering the park?)

2.) Do you have to pick up the GAD FP right away after the 1st step (I read you get a voucher at 1 place (after showing you have a multi-day ticket and won't need the free entry) and then get the FPs some other location)?

3.) Can you do this during MM?

4.) Or can I skip all that, do my MM, and then try to do the whole redemption thing after the crowds build up?

I'm also terrified that I'm going to waste all the less-crowds time trying to deal with getting the GAD FP. I don't wake up early for nothing!

I could better envision this whole process at WDW, but having never been to DLR - I am a little more anxious because I do not know where guest services or any other type of counters are where this whole redemption process is to take place.

Thanks for any input/suggestions!

1. No. Assuming you will already have a multi-day ticket, you can enter the park, leave at your leisure, like after MM, and then go to the ticket booth to get your FP.

2. No. You will get your FP voucher from the ticket booth and, again, at your leisure, you will head into the park to exchange the voucher for the actual FP's. We did this at the Information booth in DCA. You can get your FP's whenever you want to.

3. You can do this when the ticket booths open. I'm not sure how early they open.

4. Yes. That is what we did. The whole process took us at least 30 minutes including waiting in line, dealing with 2 difficult CM's , and all the walking from booth to booth.

If you are exchanging several GAD vouchers for FP's, be sure to have the tickets from everyone in hand (and have the people close by just in case.) The CM's need to see everyone's ticket in order to give you a FP voucher..

 

[Ariel224]

Any 3 days or more hopper will have a MM credit.

Not true. Another poster awhile back did the GAD upgrade and did not get MM. I want to find out if anyone else has gotten them with MM to determine if that poster's experience was an isolated incident or the norm.

I do understand the whole financial situation surrounding the upgrade and that I am devaluing the GAD voucher. However, when that savings is multiplied by an entire family, it becomes a significant amount of cash. Also considering that one or another of my kids is scared of practically every single FP ride, I'm not sure if the FP option is really going to be worth it. If I could confirm that I won't lose out on MM, I would do the ticket upgrade in a heartbeat.

 

[Nala83]

1. No. Assuming you will already have a multi-day ticket, you can enter the park, leave at your leisure, like after MM, and then go to the ticket booth to get your FP.

2. No. You will get your FP voucher from the ticket booth and, again, at your leisure, you will head into the park to exchange the voucher for the actual FP's. We did this at the Information booth in DCA. You can get your FP's whenever you want to.

3. You can do this when the ticket booths open. I'm not sure how early they open.

4. Yes. That is what we did. The whole process took us at least 30 minutes including waiting in line, dealing with 2 difficult CM's , and all the walking from booth to booth.
If you are exchanging several GAD vouchers for FP's, be sure to have the tickets from everyone in hand (and have the people close by just in case.) The CM's need to see everyone's ticket in order to give you a FP voucher..

This was my experience as well. I would definitely use your MM, enjoy the crowd-free time, and then pop back out to redeem your vouchers for FPs. You're not going to use any of those FPs in the first hour or two the park is open, so no rush.

 

[planaholic]

Thank you skiingfast, camousketeer & Nala83! I just wasn't sure if the there was some sort of secret "once you enter the park you can't exchange your GAD voucher for anything rule" or a threat of there being no GAD FP redemptions allowed mid-morning or later...as if they run out at park opening or something.

It sounds like I can enjoy my MM in peace...and then deal with the redemption stress!