Need help with timing of DVC AP purchase

[tiggercrew]

I thought I knew the right timing to purchase the AP and order DDE since I had done it before, but obviously I was wrong. I went online to purchase the DVC discounted AP and was going to select the "will call" option but decided to contact the DDE office first to make sure that I would have the necessary info they needed. According to DDE, the "will call" option will not provide me with a voucher number, but she suggested I call MS and order the AP and have MS transfer me to the DDE office to confirm my AP purchase. I tried that but 2 different CM's did not seem to know what I was talking about. Instead, MS suggested I wait until 21 days prior to my trip and then order the AP through them and they would then send me a voucher number (but apparently would not send me one prior to 21 days out). I could have sworn I received a voucher in the mail (or maybe even by email) the last time I did this.

Anyway, I could use some advice. We leave for vacation on May 25th. Thanks for you help.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you order the AP, have them send you the voucher (takes about a week), and when it arrives, use the number on the voucher to order the DDE card. This can be done online as well. The DDE card will take about 3 weeks to get to you, so you will want to allow plenty of time for that. We are leaving for WDW May 13. We ordered our APs the beginning of April, and I ordered the DDE April 15. By ordering the DDE after the 15, it will have a May date on it, so will be good as long as our APs. Our DDE has not arrived yet, but I am hoping it does before we leave. If not, there is a number you can call to have them prepare a temporary card for you that can be picked up at guest services.

 

[castleri]

I ordered my AP and had the voucher sent to my house. I then called DDE and gave them the number on the voucher. I picked up the temporary DDE card at EPCOT guest services as there was not time enough to get it before I left for the trip. The AP will be dated from when you turn the voucher in at Disney and the DDE from the time you order it. It is usually 13 months since it takes them so long to send the card. You can order the DDE as late as the day you leave if it is a weekday as they are not open Sat or Sun and the temporary card will be at EPCOT that day about 5PM. I would get the AP ordered and you should be fine. I think it took about 7-10 days to arrive after I ordered mine online. I even ordered DDE after activating my voucher one time at DTD when they opened in the morning. It was a week day and then picked up the voucher as we entered EPCOT that evening to go to dinner.

 

[tiggercrew]

Thank you both for the information. I was able to purchase on line and have the voucher sent to my home (obviously, I was so excited yesterday I wasn't reading all the info carefully ) The good thing is the vouchers are expected to arrive by May 8th and that will be perfect timing for ordering the DDE card so that the expiration date will be June 2008 which will get us 3 trips on one card.

Thanks again for helping me through my mental lapse!

 

[summergolf]

If you order the AP, have them send you the voucher (takes about a week), and when it arrives, use the number on the voucher to order the DDE card. This can be done online as well. The DDE card will take about 3 weeks to get to you, so you will want to allow plenty of time for that. We are leaving for WDW May 13. We ordered our APs the beginning of April, and I ordered the DDE April 15. By ordering the DDE after the 15, it will have a May date on it, so will be good as long as our APs. Our DDE has not arrived yet, but I am hoping it does before we leave. If not, there is a number you can call to have them prepare a temporary card for you that can be picked up at guest services.

We are going the same day as you are....how difficult would it be to buy AP and get DDE while we are there...understanding we would have temporary DDE card

thanks

 

[castleri]

We are going the same day as you are....how difficult would it be to buy AP and get DDE while we are there...understanding we would have temporary DDE card

thanks

You can do this easily if you buy your AP early in the day and call DDE right after you have it so you can give them the number. They will deliver the temp card to EPCOT guest relations about 5PM that same day. This only works if it is a weekday as DDE is closed on the weekends.

 

[MrBill64]

We are going the same day as you are....how difficult would it be to buy AP and get DDE while we are there...understanding we would have temporary DDE card

thanks

We bought an AP at DTD on Friday, April 6th at about 11am. Called DDE right after receiving my AP to order the DDE. They had a temp card waiting for me at 5:30pm at the guest services area in front of Epcot. Everything can be done in one day as long as it is Mon-Fri and not a holiday.

Bill