New to AP and have questions!

[Missyrose]

We have purchased our APs and want to order our Magic Bands. When I go on My Disney Experience it shows my AP but no place to order my Magic Band. I know you get a Magic Band with your AP but can't figure out how to order it....any suggestions?

Your AP Magic Band won't show up in your account until a few weeks after you activate the pass in the parks.

 

[LAS321]

We aren't going until the summer and will activate then. But I would need to order my magic band prior to my trip so I can use it at that time. If I wait to order it when I first go into the park, it will be waiting for me when I get home. That doesn't make sense....

 

[Missyrose]

We aren't going until the summer and will activate then. But I would need to order my magic band prior to my trip so I can use it at that time. If I wait to order it when I first go into the park, it will be waiting for me when I get home. That doesn't make sense....

You don't get the band for your first AP trip. The AP card they'll give you will work for park admission and FP. If you want a Magic Band for that trip (and aren't staying onsite) then you can purchase one.

 

[AngiTN]

We aren't going until the summer and will activate then. But I would need to order my magic band prior to my trip so I can use it at that time. If I wait to order it when I first go into the park, it will be waiting for me when I get home. That doesn't make sense....

That is the way it works
You just use the physical AP on the first trip
A MB is not required

 

[CAS239]

We aren't going until the summer and will activate then. But I would need to order my magic band prior to my trip so I can use it at that time. If I wait to order it when I first go into the park, it will be waiting for me when I get home. That doesn't make sense....

It's because you currently don't have an AP that the system reads as active, therefore doesn't pop up that you have a band to customize.

Like mentioned, you don't need a band so it's not that big of a deal..but is a slight inconvenience. I would either just use the plastic card they'll give you and use that, or buy a special edition character band when you get to WDW.

Once you activate your AP in person, almost immediately your band will pop up as available to be customized

 

[rteetz]

We aren't going until the summer and will activate then. But I would need to order my magic band prior to my trip so I can use it at that time. If I wait to order it when I first go into the park, it will be waiting for me when I get home. That doesn't make sense....

Are you no staying onsite? You would get magicbands with your resort stay.

Once you activate the AP you can get a magicband inside the park at the Ticket location in Liberty Square. This wouldn't be customized of course but you can get a MB if you want.

 

[Robo]

Once you activate the AP you can get a magicband inside the park at the Ticket location in Liberty Square.

First I've heard of that.

(Or, do you mean that the guest can buy a MB?)

 

[rteetz]

First I've heard of that.

(Or, do you mean that the guest can buy a MB?)

When I activated my AP in January they told me I could go to the ticket location in Liberty Square to get a MB if I wanted. They could have told me incorrect info but that is what the CM told me.

 

[Robo]

When I activated my AP in January they told me I could go to the ticket location in Liberty Square to get a MB if I wanted. They could have told me incorrect info but that is what the CM told me.

Thanks.
As I said, I've not heard of that before.
If it was a "thing" I'd think it would be all over these boards.
The AP MB thing (or lack, thereof) is always a major discussion.

 

[AngiTN]

When I activated my AP in January they told me I could go to the ticket location in Liberty Square to get a MB if I wanted. They could have told me incorrect info but that is what the CM told me.

Interesting. It should be possible, in theory at least. No idea if that really would work though. Wouldn't be the first CM that really had no idea what they were taking about.

 

[rteetz]

Interesting. It should be possible, in theory at least. No idea if that really would work though. Wouldn't be the first CM that really had no idea what they were taking about.

Yeah the CM said I can wait and customize it online or go to the Liberty Square ticket office and get a magicband. Obviously if it was for purchase I could buy one from more than just that place. I customized online of course but it would be interesting to see if it is indeed possible.

 

[Robo]

Interesting. It should be possible, in theory at least. No idea if that really would work though. Wouldn't be the first CM that really had no idea what they were taking about.

Yeah the CM said I can wait and customize it online or go to the Liberty Square ticket office and get a magicband. Obviously if it was for purchase I could buy one from more than just that place. I customized online of course but it would be interesting to see if it is indeed possible.

Seems even more sensible that when an AP is activated, the guest would get a "credit" for the cost of a basic MB to be used
at any location at WDW selling MB's.
The guest could choose a basic MB (for no additional cost) or (s)he could choose to pay the difference
for any of the specialty MBs available.

 

[wendow]

I'm going to definitely look into those. We were there for two whole days and two half days and still dropped $850 on food for two. I'm surprised how fast those food bills can run up but I love me some table service!

Our family of six spends that much for a week's dining. Are you sure you really spent that much on just dining!?! Dining plan does not save us any money. We buy gift cards at a discount and pay for all food (and merchandise) with those.

ETA: just re-read your post about liking TS! We do mostly CS so that is probably why the big difference.

 

[AngiTN]

DH and I do all TS at Disney but still can't come close to spending $850 in 2 1/2 days. We are big eaters but that's more than we can do

 

[Daisybell911]

Lol Yeah. We kept it in spreadsheet form. We did BOG dinner with all three courses, Akurshus lunch ( I can need spell it right), Ohana dinner, Crystal Palace breakfast, Sci Fi lunch, Pecos Bill and Yak and Yekti with all three courses and a drink for most. And a pit stop at Trader Sam's.

We ate a lot! lol But its good fun for us.

 

[Daisybell911]

So, I saw someone mentioning buying something to do fast passes? What is that? Luckily, we upgraded our ticket halfway through our trip so we got to activate the AP. I have to remember to customize our bands.

 

[CAS239]

So, I saw someone mentioning buying something to do fast passes? What is that? Luckily, we upgraded our ticket halfway through our trip so we got to activate the AP. I have to remember to customize our bands.

There's nothing you can buy to make fast passes.

Maybe they were talking about paying more to book more fast passes

 

[Missymoe4]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passholder-program/passholder-benefits-and-discounts/

I do agree with AngiTN, TiW works out better. The other advantage is once you suck in some of your friends for a trip or two they can reap the benefit of your TiW discount.

Thank you for this list! I have so much to consider before purchasing an AP. Is there a way I can find out room discounts? Or is that information private?

Thank you!

 

[alliecat523]

So, I saw someone mentioning buying something to do fast passes? What is that? Luckily, we upgraded our ticket halfway through our trip so we got to activate the AP. I have to remember to customize our bands.

This could be the MaxPass at Disneyland that someone mentioned.

 

[Robo]

Have you actually used your AP yet? You won't get a chance to order the MB until you have activated and used your AP the first time

Agreed.

Which gives me the opportunity to say that this is one of THE most odd, unexplainable rules that
Disney has.
Why on earth do they not simply offer to send a MB to guests who have ordered an AP?

If nothing else, it would eliminate the dozens and dozens of times we on the DISboards
have to explain this stupid "rule" to first-time AP guests.

That said...
It is possible (POSSIBLE) that a guest who has just bought new AP can actually PICK UP an
AP MagicBand while visiting WDW for the first time using that new AP.
It is said (and with a few confirmations... very few) that guests who go to the new Frontierland Guest Relations
in MK, can be issued (on the spot) a new AP MagicBand.
It won't be "customized" (another really unimportant and overly promoted piffle) with the guest's
(hidden) name, but it will work just fine for the guest's needs for the entire AP year (and beyond,) nonetheless.

There.
I feel better.