Ordering Annual Pass and DDE card for 2008 trips?

[dcibrando]

My wife and I are planning on going to WDW in 2008 in early January, June, and late December. We are new DVC members and wanting to purchase an annual pass and the Disney Dining Experience card.

When do I purchase the Annual Pass and Disney Dining Experience card so we can use them for all 3 of our trips? Also how do I go about ordering both of these with the DVC and annual pass discount?

Thanks!

 

[goofy4tink]

Order your AP via the DVC site now. Then, as soon as you get the voucher, you can call DDE and get that. If you called DDE today, Oct 5, your card would expire Oct 31. '08, if you order it on Oct 18, it would expire on Nov 30 '08. If you order past the middle of the month, it expires at the end of the next month. So, you might want to order yours mid-Nov. But, it does take awhile to get it in the mail. So, plan accordingly...takes about 4 weeks or so. If you don't get it before your Jan trip, you can get a letter stating you are eligible to use it for dining.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

My wife and I are planning on going to WDW in 2008 in early January, June, and late December. We are new DVC members and wanting to purchase an annual pass and the Disney Dining Experience card.

When do I purchase the Annual Pass and Disney Dining Experience card so we can use them for all 3 of our trips? Also how do I go about ordering both of these with the DVC and annual pass discount?

Thanks!

I would purchase the AP now. You need to have the AP voucher # in order to order the DDE card. I believe it takes between 6 to 8 weeks to receive the DDE card. Have a great time!

 

[dcibrando]

but if I order my AP now... does it become active now or active the first day I use it? Remember we want to use it early Jan and late Dec. 2008

and if I don't get my DDE card before the Jan trip... how do I get a letter or temp card?


thanks

 

[browniemtb]

With our AP's we did the DDE last minute before our trip. A week prior to departure we called for the DDE card. Disney got everything ready we just had to go pick up the temp card at Epcot customer service area by the monorail. I beleive you can get the temp card at MK as well. Once activated it was good for a year.........pretty much like the AP.
Brownie

 

[kaseyC]

but if I order my AP now... does it become active now or active the first day I use it? Remember we want to use it early Jan and late Dec. 2008

and if I don't get my DDE card before the Jan trip... how do I get a letter or temp card?


thanks

If you order your AP now you will get a voucher. You will not activate your AP until the first day of your Jan. trip. But you can use the AP voucher number for to order the DDE card.

 

[n2mm]

As others have said, order your AP now....beware! don't do willcall. Have the vouchers mailed to your home. Willcall is free and the mailed vouchers have a small fee. You can not order your DDE card with the willcall. YOu need the voucher. The voucher is traded in for the actual pass and your pass begins that day. Since you want the DDE card for Jan/June/Dec, order your DDE card mid-November and the expiration date will be December 2008. Or you could wait until mid December and order it and the expiration date would be January 2009--just in case you want to go in January TOO.

 

[BCV23]

I'll be a voice of slight dissent. I would wait until mid November to order the AP. Why not keep the money in your pocket as long as possible? APs are delivered quickly. It has always been less than 2 weeks in our experience.

I've seen various dates for the turnover date for DDE but it is early in the month. DDE will help you with that. I called the 9th and ours expire at the end of the following month but others have called as early as the 5th. Some have posted that it is the first Monday of the month. Delivery time is 3-4 weeks but ours have come in about three weeks every year. If it doesn't come by the time of your trip, you can pick up the temporary card at Epcot.

If that timing is too close comfort, you could order early Nov. and then order DDE as soon as you receive the APs and get a Dec. 08 expiration for DDE.

 

[dcibrando]

So to get the annual pass discount, I need to order it off of the DVC website which gives me a voucher to get the annual pass when I arrive in WDW?

 

[BCV23]

So to get the annual pass discount, I need to order it off of the DVC website which gives me a voucher to get the annual pass when I arrive in WDW?

You can also call MS to order the AP. But yes, you will receive a vouchers which you exchange at any Guest Services or ticket window at the parks or DTD. The resorts don;t handle APs.

As n2mm said, don't choose will call since you want to order DDE.

 

[petbren]

You can also call MS to order the AP. But yes, you will receive a vouchers which you exchange at any Guest Services or ticket window at the parks or DTD. The resorts don;t handle APs.

As n2mm said, don't choose will call since you want to order DDE.

I read somewhere that DDE is not open on weekends?
If I order my AP through the MS website, get my voucher, and phone DDE to order the card, can I still get a temporary card at the Epcot front entrance area on a Saturday?
I was hoping to just buy the AP at Guest Relations at International Gateway(we'll be at BWV) when we arrived to keep my money as long as possible, but if I do that, I can't call DDE until the Monday and get a temp. card, therefore, I loose two days of being able to use DDE.

By the way, what's the phone number for DDE

 

[LisaS]

I read somewhere that DDE is not open on weekends?

Correct. The DDE office is open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.

If I order my AP through the MS website, get my voucher, and phone DDE to order the card, can I still get a temporary card at the Epcot front entrance area on a Saturday?

Yes provided you order your DDE card no later than the preceding Friday. The DDE folks drop off temporary cards at Epcot at the end of their work day each day.

I was hoping to just buy the AP at Guest Relations at International Gateway(we'll be at BWV) when we arrived to keep my money as long as possible, but if I do that, I can't call DDE until the Monday and get a temp. card, therefore, I loose two days of being able to use DDE.

You are correct. If you are arriving at WDW on the weekend and wait until then to purchase your AP, you will have to wait until Monday morning to order the DDE and until 5pm-ish on Monday to pick it up at Epcot.

By the way, what's the phone number for DDE

The DDE office phone number is (407) 566-5858.

 

[nboicepardee]

Can someone explain to me about why the willcall # is not the way to go? They told me I could call back and order the DDE once I decided. We are becoming annual passholders for the first time for our trip in January. When I bought the tickets, they asked me if I was interested in the Disney Dining Experience. We will be at WDW for 8 nights (9 days, we are flying in early and flying out late on the last day). Our current plan is to do one table service restaurant each day for this trip. My husband and I are hoping to do a 3 day weekend trip next fall and we will definitely eat at least one table service restaurant meal each day, probably one of the nicer TS. Then, we will be taking another family trip the following early January for 7-8 days again. Do you think it is worth it? We are a family of 4, with my youngest only being 2 for the first trip. We would probably have one glass of wine each with dinner (I was told the 20% off includes alcohol). Friends may join us on our second trip, but that is not guaranteed, so I am not including that in my decision.

The reason I need your assistance is since I only have a will call #, I cannot access the website and won't be able to until I pick up our annual pass in January. I need the information now for our planning.

If anyone has a list of restaurants that are eligible (or not), that would be so helpful!

Thank you for your input! I appreciate it!
Natalie

 

[BCV23]

Natalie, the reason we've said not to do will call is that you need the number off the voucher or AP to order DDE. But if MS offered to help you get it, then there should be no problem. Please let us know if that works. One other person posted that MS helped them with I think a 3 way call.

As for restaurants that accept DDE, it is accepted at almost all Disney owned and operated table service restaurants. It is also accepted at most Epcot TS as Planet Hollywood in DTD. Almost all CS are excluded except the foodcourts at the values, POFQ and SSR.

To figure out if it's worth it for your family, you'll have to do some homework with the menus. But remember since the membership is $65 for one card, you will not realize any savings until you have spent $325. After that point, you will save 20%. And yes, it is good for alcoholic beverages.

 

[nboicepardee]

Natalie, the reason we've said not to do will call is that you need the number off the voucher or AP to order DDE. But if MS offered to help you get it, then there should be no problem. Please let us know if that works. One other person posted that MS helped them with I think a 3 way call.

As for restaurants that accept DDE, it is accepted at almost all Disney owned and operated table service restaurants. It is also accepted at most Epcot TS as Planet Hollywood in DTD. Almost all CS are excluded except the foodcourts at the values, POFQ and SSR.

To figure out if it's worth it for your family, you'll have to do some homework with the menus. But remember since the membership is $65 for one card, you will not realize any savings until you have spent $325. After that point, you will save 20%. And yes, it is good for alcoholic beverages.

Thank you! I will call member services as the time gets closer. I didn't realize CRT was included and we are doing lunch there one day, so right there we save $21.19. I have been doing some homework today based on where we want to eat, and so far, with the restaurants we have planned for 6 out of the 9 days, I already totalled $81.65, so I think we will definitely get it. We may meet friends for dinner one night, so they will be able to save some money too!

 

[BCV23]

Oh, I forgot. DDE is also valid at 3 CS in AK since there are no Disney owned TS spots there. There is speculation that once Tusker House reopens as a buffet, DDE will no longer be accepted at the remaining 3 CS.

 

[nboicepardee]

Oh, I forgot. DDE is also valid at 3 CS in AK since there are no Disney owned TS spots there. There is speculation that once Tusker House reopens as a buffet, DDE will no longer be accepted at the remaining 3 CS.

I was wondering that myself. I think it is supposed to open right around the time we go. I will report back!

 

[Steve@BWV]

Natalie, the reason we've said not to do will call is that you need the number off the voucher or AP to order DDE. But if MS offered to help you get it, then there should be no problem. Please let us know if that works. One other person posted that MS helped them with I think a 3 way call.

This is exactly what we did for our trip in September. We order the AP's in August and received the will call number. Shortly there after a call to MS was placed to get the DDE card. MS transferred me to the DDE people and successfully got our card 2-3 weeks later. We had expected to go to Epcot to get the temp card but there was no need.

There are no problems using the will call # to get the DDE card.

 

[BCV23]

This is exactly what we did for our trip in September. We order the AP's in August and received the will call number. Shortly there after a call to MS was placed to get the DDE card. MS transferred me to the DDE people and successfully got our card 2-3 weeks later. We had expected to go to Epcot to get the temp card but there was no need.

There are no problems using the will call # to get the DDE card.

Great to know, Steve. Did you order your AP online or over the phone?

This changes timing for the OP too especially if he/she's OK with a temporary card. Even for a permanent card, a will call purchase could be made as late as early Dec and still allow for delivery of the DDE.

 

[Steve@BWV]

We ordered the passes through phone with MS. They provided the will call #. I was very pleased with the ease and speed the DDE card was obtained.

We used a temporary card in the past with no problems.