Passholders question

[Zooey]

Hi, I plan on becoming an AP before a trip with my wife and in-laws, but I had a question about using the discounts. If we use the AP discount on food and merch do I always have to pay for what’s being spent or can my In-laws buy something or a meal and I just show my AP because I’m at the table or present and still get the discount?
Any help is much appreciated thank you!

 

[siren0119]

Hi, I plan on becoming an AP before a trip with my wife and in-laws, but I had a question about using the discounts. If we use the AP discount on food and merch do I always have to pay for what’s being spent or can my In-laws buy something or a meal and I just show my AP because I’m at the table or present and still get the discount?
Any help is much appreciated thank you!

Technically the AP holder should be the one participating in the purchase - I think they're a little looser about it in the gift shops (at least that's been true in my experience), but when we were there in September and my friend wanted to use her AP for a discount at the restaurants, she had to pay for the meal too. It wasn't like she could pop in and show the server her AP for a discount on a meal that only my husband and I were eating.

 

[kiford]

We've mostly been refused AP discounts in restaurants unless we were paying (this was when we didn't have APs but our friend did and was with us but paying for her own). Occasionally, they'd allow it, but that was far less frequent than not allowing it. We haven't used it much since we purchased TiW and we've typically been either on our own or with our friend who also has TiW.

I think they're a little looser about it in the gift shops (at least that's been true in my experience)

Not in ours. DH left his driver's license back at the resort. He wasn't even allowed to purchase merchandise showing his AP because he had no ID. So he had to give me all merchandise purchases and I had pay for it on my MB (no biggie - it's linked to his credit card anyway!) and I also had to show both AP and ID.

 

[tobikaye]

A Poly CM at the gift shop saw my cousin hand me over my gift card and questioned if it was mine or hers when I was paying with my AP. Before I could respond that it was mine, she proceeded to state that she could only accept payment from the AP holder. It was mine, I cannot remember why my cousin had it at that time though unless it was to pick up a snack for me earlier.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I've found it to be all over the place in consistency - we come prepared to pay for meals/items but on many occasions, they've not required us to pay for everyone to get the discount.

 

[cakebaker]

As long as I was present, I’ve never had them question who was actually paying either shopping or dining.

 

[tjmw2727]

The passholder is supposed to make the purchase but enforcement is inconsistent; as is having to show your AP and ID. Sometimes I am not even asked for ID other times they look very closely. My experience is opposite of a pp whereas I am almost always asked at the gift shops but less often have to show ID at the restaurants.

In the Canada gift shop my DD handed me some lip gloss while I was in line and the CM was not going to let me make the purchase! I kindly told her that I was purchasing the lip gloss as a gift for my daughter and if she didn't want to give me the discount then I would ask the manager for the policy on purchasing gifts

 

[kiramay]

I went with my sister, and I was the pass holder. I was able to get the discount on our food with my ID as long as we didn’t split the check. So we’d alternate who’s credit card we used and mentally kept track so we’d be even.

 

[MinnieMSue]

At a gift shop my 8 yr old daughter had to show ID to buy herself something from the gift shop. She didn’t have ID. They wouldn’t let her make the purchase (at Emporium). I had to show my AP card and ID and then make the purchase. I was pretty ticked off. She got a state ID before next trip

 

[hereforthechurros]

I went with my sister, and I was the pass holder. I was able to get the discount on our food with my ID as long as we didn’t split the check. So we’d alternate who’s credit card we used and mentally kept track so we’d be even.

The name on the credit card didn’t have to match the AP?

We are AP holders going with a large group in June. We plan to purchase TiW and pay for everyone at meal times, with them giving us cash, but if we can trade off using cards after showing ID and AP/TiW that would be great.

 

[hereforthechurros]

At a gift shop my 8 yr old daughter had to show ID to buy herself something from the gift shop. She didn’t have ID. They wouldn’t let her make the purchase (at Emporium). I had to show my AP card and ID and then make the purchase. I was pretty ticked off. She got a state ID before next trip

Yikes that’s a little intense to expect that of kids. Our five year old has an AP but I’m not about to get him an ID to use it.

 

[kiramay]

The name on the credit card didn’t have to match the AP?

We are AP holders going with a large group in June. We plan to purchase TiW and pay for everyone at meal times, with them giving us cash, but if we can trade off using cards after showing ID and AP/TiW that would be great.

It was only two of us, two women who look alike. So no, in our case they didn’t seem to care about matching cc and ID. But I wouldn’t expect the same result with a large group.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Yikes that’s a little intense to expect that of kids. Our five year old has an AP but I’m not about to get him an ID to use it.

It was the only cast member that did it. I questioned her on how a little kid would have an id and she said all AP holders must have one - no exceptions.

 

[Justplainchy]

Like other people have said: it seems like a YMMV sort of situation. We went with some friends of ours, and my ankle was still pretty touchy after a recent break so there were times when we sent them with our AP to get us a snack (learned later this was a huge no-no. Oops.) and they didn't have a problem using it -- but then one time when we were together, I asked my friend for her credit card to buy something for them with our pass and the cast member wouldn't let her give me her card to pay. Said I had to pay with my card. So I did and she just venmo'd me.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

At a gift shop my 8 yr old daughter had to show ID to buy herself something from the gift shop. She didn’t have ID. They wouldn’t let her make the purchase (at Emporium). I had to show my AP card and ID and then make the purchase. I was pretty ticked off. She got a state ID before next trip

I honestly would have escalated that. I get that they want to limit the discounts, but that is over the top.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I find enforcement to be inconsistent. One time I attempted to let a friend use it (I was there too) one something for her kiddos and they CM wouldn't let us do that, so I paid for the purchase and my friend just paid me back later.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Kids having to have ID's? What next? I swear I'm 99% done with Disney. I may just have my bank stop the monthly payment from them​

 

[mkla2015]

As others have said, we've found it to be very inconsistent. Our last trip was 6 adults- DH and I have AP and DVC. We were able to use our discounts for everyone in our party at all the stores and a few restaurants. At 2 restaurants, we didn't even ask, they just applied the discount to all. On a previous trip with family, DH and I paid for everything to get the discount at restaurants and the others just paid us back.

 

[WEDWDW]

I am not taking one side or the other,just curious as to what most DISers think,but is it "ethical",for instance,for a Passholder to pay the bill for a large group at a Restaurant and then be reimbursed by the other members of the group who are not Passholders?

The same for purchasing merchandise for others who aren't Passholders and then being reimbursed.

Is that just one of those things where it is considered kind of a gray area?

And though I have never done it I am not saying I wouldn't consider doing it!

Just curious.

 

[Farro]

I am not taking one side or the other,just curious as to what most DISers think,but is it "ethical",for instance,for a Passholder to pay the bill for a large group at a Restaurant and then be reimbursed by the other members of the group who are not Passholders?

The same for purchasing merchandise for others who aren't Passholders and then being reimbursed.

Is that just one of those things where it is considered kind of a gray area?

And though I have never done it I am not saying I wouldn't consider doing it!

Just curious.

I would put in my who cares pile.

I mean, we both contribute to the same bank account. I (AP holder) will be paying for both our dining and purchases using said bank account. So I suppose it's the same situation as above since his money is also in bank account?