Ordering APs and DDE Cards

[Paul in CT]

My DW and I are going to WDW and staying at our home resort, OKW, and BWV in early December. I would like to order new APs with the DVC discount and the DDE card as well. I am planning to order these through DVC at the end of October/early November so that I will have the AP vouchers and, hopefully, receive the DDE card in time for early December. Does the DDE card still run one year from the date of ordering? If so, should I order the DDE closer to our arrival and just pick up the "letter" at Guest Relations?

Any advice would be aprreciated.

 

[DebbieB]

The DDE is effective immediately, usually expiring at the end of the next month. Do you plan to go around the same time next year? If so, I would get the letter so that your card will last longer.

 

[Paul in CT]

We do plan to go the same time next year, but maybe a little earlier for the F&W Festival. Thanks for the info.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you order the vouchers now, you can use the number from the vouchers to order the DDE card. We have done that, and last time, I ordered the DDE card the first of November so it would have a December date on it. Now I have had it since then, and it will expire on December 31, so we will have gotten Dec. 06, May '07 and Nov. '07 trips with that DDE card. It took about 3 weeks to arrive, so make sure you allow enough time for that. The APs came in less than a week.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

If you order the vouchers now, you can use the number from the vouchers to order the DDE card. We have done that, and last time, I ordered the DDE card the first of November so it would have a December date on it. Now I have had it since then, and it will expire on December 31, so we will have gotten Dec. 06, May '07 and Nov. '07 trips with that DDE card. It took about 3 weeks to arrive, so make sure you allow enough time for that. The APs came in less than a week.

If I understand this correctly, the DDE card is active when you buy/order it but the expiration will occur and additional month later than the month you bought it in? So it allows me enough lead time to get it before a Sept. trip, Yes?
Thanks
Chris

 

[Corinne]

If I understand this correctly, the DDE card is active when you buy/order it but the expiration will occur and additional month later than the month you bought it in? So it allows me enough lead time to get it before a Sept. trip, Yes?
Thanks
Chris

Unless they have changed recently, I think it will have the following month's expiration only if you call to order after a certain date...I do not recall which date but for some reason I have the 10th in mind.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If I understand this correctly, the DDE card is active when you buy/order it but the expiration will occur and additional month later than the month you bought it in? So it allows me enough lead time to get it before a Sept. trip, Yes?
Thanks
Chris

To have it expire in the correct month, you need to order the card in the last half of the month preceeding. In my example, I ordered the card late in October. It arrived in plenty of time to use early in December, and came with a December 31 expiration date.

 

[flechette]

Do you hvae to order the passes and DDE in advance or can you get them at WDW once you've arrived?

once we've bought in it look like we'll have a trip in mid Nov 2008 then the next early Oct 2009 so I'm hoping to work the system and do AP's and DDE for both - if I can.

Michelle

 

[Disneynut4ever]

Dde?

 

[LisaS]

Do you have to order the passes and DDE in advance or can you get them at WDW once you've arrived?

You order the DDE by calling their office which is open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. If you are too close to your trip dates for the card to arrive in the mail, they will leave a temporary card for you at the front of Epcot. It will be there by 5pm on the day you order the card. So if you wait until you are at WDW to purchase the AP and then call to order the card, best case is that you arrived at WDW early in the day on a weekday and can call the DDE office right away. In this case you can pick up your DDE card at the front of Epcot at 5pm that day. Worst case, you arrive late on a Friday, purchase your AP after 5pm and can't call the DDE office until 9am the following Monday morning, losing the use of the card for the entire weekend.

For most people it works out better to order the DDE card about 4 weeks before your trip so there is time to get it in the mail to avoid a trip to Epcot that first day to pick it up. If you want to spread out the cost of the APs, then purchase just one in late September and have the voucher mailed to you so you can use it to purchase the DDE. Since you plan to go back in Oct 2009, you could call the DDE office as soon as your voucher arrives and get a DDE card with an Oct 31, 2009 expiration date. If your Oct trip might extend a bit into Nov 2009, then wait until the 2nd week of Oct to call the DDE office and verify that you will get a Nov 30, 2009 expiration date. Ordering it by the 2nd week of Oct '08 should allow enough time to get the DDE card in the mail for your mid-Nov '08 trip.

ETA: This assumes that what we now know about DDE (how to order, delivery timeframe, expiration dates, etc.) is still true a year from now!

 

[flechette]

LisaS

Thank you so much Lisa! That was exactly what I needed to know! I will keep in mind this and the DDP can change drastically by then. The 10/2009 trip should be in early to mid Oct so a Oct 31 2009 expiration date will work out fine.


Now if I can just get the stars, moon, and other celestial bodies to align so the trips work out that way! One trip is w/ my family and the other is a group of friends

I'm a glutton for punishment can't ya tell?


Thanks again!


Michelle

 

[DISNEY FIX]

To have it expire in the correct month, you need to order the card in the last half of the month preceeding. In my example, I ordered the card late in October. It arrived in plenty of time to use early in December, and came with a December 31 expiration date.

You order the DDE by calling their office which is open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. If you are too close to your trip dates for the card to arrive in the mail, they will leave a temporary card for you at the front of Epcot. It will be there by 5pm on the day you order the card. So if you wait until you are at WDW to purchase the AP and then call to order the card, best case is that you arrived at WDW early in the day on a weekday and can call the DDE office right away. In this case you can pick up your DDE card at the front of Epcot at 5pm that day. Worst case, you arrive late on a Friday, purchase your AP after 5pm and can't call the DDE office until 9am the following Monday morning, losing the use of the card for the entire weekend.

For most people it works out better to order the DDE card about 4 weeks before your trip so there is time to get it in the mail to avoid a trip to Epcot that first day to pick it up. If you want to spread out the cost of the APs, then purchase just one in late September and have the voucher mailed to you so you can use it to purchase the DDE. Since you plan to go back in Oct 2009, you could call the DDE office as soon as your voucher arrives and get a DDE card with an Oct 31, 2009 expiration date. If your Oct trip might extend a bit into Nov 2009, then wait until the 2nd week of Oct to call the DDE office and verify that you will get a Nov 30, 2009 expiration date. Ordering it by the 2nd week of Oct '08 should allow enough time to get the DDE card in the mail for your mid-Nov '08 trip.

ETA: This assumes that what we now know about DDE (how to order, delivery timeframe, expiration dates, etc.) is still true a year from now!

Thank you Diane and Lisa!
I just ordered my 3 AP's this morning for a mid Sept. trip. I figure we will order the DDE around mid Aug. Allowing 1 month should be enough time? Even if it doesn't arrive by the time we leave will they issue us a voucher when we get to Disney? Since we are staying at the BCV it should be easy enough to go to Epcot to pick up AP's.
Thanks for answering all my dopey questions
Chris

 

[BCV23]

Thank you Diane and Lisa!
I just ordered my 3 AP's this morning for a mid Sept. trip. I figure we will order the DDE around mid Aug. Allowing 1 month should be enough time? Even if it doesn't arrive by the time we leave will they issue us a voucher when we get to Disney? Since we are staying at the BCV it should be easy enough to go to Epcot to pick up AP's.
Thanks for answering all my dopey questions
Chris

The DDE takes about 3 weeks to arrive.

I ordered our latest DDE cards on April 9 and they expire end of May '08. We will get 5 trips out of this set.

I marked the 9th in my calendar because someone had posted the 9th as the day to ensure the next month. But another DISser ordered a few days before me and also reported an end of May expiration.

However, the good folks in the DDE office are excellent about helping with this. They will tell you when the card will expire so you know whether to wait for a day or two to order.

 

[Paul in CT]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I have a good idea about what to do now.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I have a good idea about what to do now.

Yes,thank you for the answers.
Chris

 

[flechette]

Hmm okay given my latest round of planning revisions, could you call on a Thurs or Fri to order a DDE and pick it up at Epcot on Sunday?

Family decided Nov wouldn't work but Oct might. Now we're (hubby and I)planning to go to Hawai'i Sept 2008 for our 10th anniversary so Oct 2008could work but it will need to be late Oct~ which may still work out for annual passes and DDE but it is looking more unlikely....

(any non Disney folk wonder why we start this stuff so early out)