Park Reservations and AP Renewal

[TiggerBouncy]

I contacted Disney because at the time when I looked at the current park availability there were certain parks unavailable up to a month and a half away. It obviously isn't two months but nobody has any idea what may happen in the future. When I called the passholder desk I basically got a shoulder shrug over the phone and told I could buy regular tickets and just apply the cost towards our annual pass renewal when it came time to purchase the annual passes.

This is what I got as well, although she didn't mention buying cash tickets (I already knew I could do that though). She did go away for a while and asked a bunch of other people what to do, and gave me the number for AP sales (I was on the line with DVC) but I could tell she was just passing the buck.

I am going to keep an eye on the reservation system and wait it out. Worst case scenario, I will call at 60 days out if the parks are booked and tell them my son already has reservations for that park. Although, if the parks are fully booked, that might be a foreboding indication about the trip.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

<snip> Although, if the parks are fully booked, that might be a foreboding indication about the trip. <snip>

Just because the parks are 'booked up' doesn't mean the parks are 'full.' It means Disney has willingly chosen not to allow any more reservations for people who may have perfectly valid paid tickets. (I know you know that. I'm just reiterating the point with broader emphasis.)

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I renewed mine on Tuesday. the original was gold expiring July 3. I renewed it as a sorcerer pass. I made park reservations for August today.

It's unusual to have sellouts two months out except for holidays or special events like the Guardians opening, so if you're worried about sellouts maybe renew as soon as you enter the 60 days. October 15 isn't a holiday, so if you renew in August it should not be an issue

 

[Sandisw]

I just want to share an experience that just happened. When I was looking at my MDE before I left for my trip this week, I noticed that my 10 day ticket I had sitting in my account as extra only showed 9 days remaining.

Not sure why so I stopped to discuss at GR....apparently, when I visited March 8th, even though I had a valid AP, it pulled from the ticket, even though the system showed I had the AP chosen first. Of course, because it was a non expiring pass, it was no longer good because it wasn't used within 14 days...i bought this in 2018...

Come to find out, he asked if I had made park reservations with that before I renewed. I said I didn't think I had (but honestly, wasn't sure). When I renewed in January, I didn't use this to help offset my renewal because I had another ticket from 2020 that was of better value and used that.

Make a long story short...they made it right by giving me the value of it toward a new AP renewal certificate even though I am way early...my 60 days is not until January...

So, if you do have an extra ticket sitting in your account for use on reservations and end up not using it to cover part of the renewal cost, be sure to have the CM check that the AP is listed first or that you won't have an issue...

 

[k5xs]

My AP is going to expire Oct 10th, and I am going to WDW with my Son on Oct 15th. He's going on a cash reservations, so he can make his park reservations. But since my ticket expires, I do not have a valid ticket to make a park reservation. I called member services, and they told me I can only renew 60 days in advance.

So what happens if I go to renew 60 days in advance, and all the park reservations are sold out, but my son got in because he had valid tickets?

Is there no way to resolve this other than by purchasing a second set of daily tickets for DW and I? That doesn't make sense.

DW and I went through this exact scenario last summer. I asked the same question of guest services, politely arguing that they were treating non-AP holders better than AP holders, as ticket-holding guests with reservations at any resort are free to make park reservations, while AP holders are forced to wait until their AP renewal window opens, hoping reservations are then still available.

I was polite but persistent and escalated the issue up two layers of WDW management requesting to either be permitted to make park reservations based on our resort reservation dates (and having a long steady history of being AP holders), OR being allowed to renew our APs early. I was told, essentially, too bad, there's nothing anyone can do.

I was polite to every CM with whom I spoke, and the experience left a bad taste in my mouth.

They have created a mess for guests on so many levels with the park reservation system. And a company that used to show care abundantly for its guests doesn't seem to care very much nowadays.