Purchasing AP???

[goofyfordisney]

Should I buy my AP before I leave (order from Disney Store) or buy it when we get there? I would like to be able to buy it--the actual pass not a voucher.

Where at DTD can I buy it--or can I buy it at DLH before we check in?

Thanks!
Sue

 

[Floydian]

1) Even if you're using it for the AP Rates on a Disney Hotel, you still need to have the actual pass in hand when you check in. So if you buy it now, you still need to turn the reciept in for the actual pass when you arrive, which means a trip to the ticket windows anyway.

2) The voucher you receive has no names or anything. So, if you lose it, you're out the cost of the passes with no recourse.

3) I think there's a ticket location at or near the Monorail stop in DTD that you can buy the pass at. However, this will not get you the pass with your name and ?picture? on it. You need to go to the actual ticket windows between the two parks for that, which is just on the other end of DTD.

All of this information is according to a great CM in DL Ticketing that I spoke to on the phone when trying to plan our trip just about a week ago.

 

[goofyfordisney]

Thanks for the info...I was kind of thinking of waiting till we get there so that I could do everything all at once--why stand in more than 1 line, right?!

Sue

 

[JenniBarra]

Actually, you'll have to stand in a couple lines if you purchase at the park. First, you buy the voucher at the ticket booth and then, inside the park, you have to go to Processing so that your picture can get taken.

 

[doodlebug]

What if you buy your pass over the phone and they mail them to you?? Do you need to go to the park and get picture on it before using it to get a/p rate at hotel??

 

[goofyfordisney]

Ok...this is starting to sound very bad...I was hoping that I could take care of this AP thing fairly easily...could they make it anymore difficult??!! LOL!

Are you guys sure that they won't let us check-in with a voucher?

Sue

 

[sramille]

I too, wanted to get my tickets taken care of ahead of time, but when I called my Disney Store last week and asked about getting an AP I was told that I might as well get it at the park because I'll have to wait a couple weeks to get it and then still wait in line to get my picture taken when I get there.

 

[teri]

I don't think they would let you use the voucher instead of the Annual pass with your photo on it - otherwise a person could theoretically hold a voucher indefinitely and not activate it, getting a discount before they were really entitled to it, or transfer it to someone else to use to get the discount. Just guessing here.

 

[peagreenid]

A few years ago we had Annual Passes to WDW. There were no pictures......they scanned your fingers. Is this something new, or have they always done the picture at DL?

Just curious?

smiles Patty

 

[Floydian]

Buying over the phone is actually where my information came from. All you get is the voucher for the pass, which has to be turned in for the actual pass when you arrive.

Also, because she was a wonderful CM, the lady I spoke to actually called the Hotel Reservations office to get the questions of "vouchers" and "active current passholder" answered for me. Here's what she passed along to me.

1) The vouchers cannot be used upon check-in. In fact, the person she spoke to seemed completely confused at the concept of paying for an AP and not having the actual AP. heh

2) You MUST have the actual pass when checking in. They really don't care if you have one or not when making reservations at the AP rate. But, if you have no pass when checking in, your rate will go up to the full rack rate, which could be twice as much as the AP rate.


Hope this helps some folks, and THANK YOU for that info JenniBerra!

So why wait in line at the Disney Store for a voucher, then wait in line at a ticket window for the pass, then wait in line insdie the park for the picture? Skip a line, avoid the risk of losing the voucher, and just wait until you get there. Just make sure you get there before the parks close on you date of check-in at the Disney Hotel, if staying there on the AP rate.

 

[goofyfordisney]

I have heard that some disney stores have the actual passes--how is this possible?

Are the AP's laminated? With a picture?

Thanks in advance,
Sue

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>Okay, well, I've had the AP for a couple of years now, so we've just been renewing them... but, what I remember is that it doesn't matter if you buy from the Disney Store or at the ticket window - you just get a voucher at either one. Then, you go into Disneyland or DCA, wherever the Passport processing center is, and you have your picture taken. A couple of minutes after that, you get your AP with your picture on it. The AP is a plastic card, same type as a credit card, with your picture & metallic strip on one side, and the DL resort logo (or whatever picture is being used that year) on the other.

I would recommend getting the voucher at the Disney Store, and save some time. Or, like Floydian said, purchase the voucher at the ticket window by the Monorail entrance at Downtown Disney. The line is considerably shorter there than the lines at the regular ticket windows. Then you proceed to the entrance, and to the passport center.

peagreenid ~ DL has always had the pictures. I didn't even know about the WDW method till a year ago

Hope that helps.

 

[doodlebug]

So if I can get the AP at the Disney Store will they give me the Disney Club discount too??

So I take the voucher to the park before checking in get my picture taken and get my pass and then I can go check in??

 

[goofyfordisney]

Yes...you can get the DC discount when you purchase at the Disney Store--I think it is $10.00 off

I think this is going to be our plan:

We are planning on arriving in DL around 1:00pm--I think that we will split up when we first get to DL--I will head off and buy my passport, etc. and meet up with my family somewhere in DTD--they can get seated for lunch and I will meet up with them once I get my pass. That way, we can have a nice lunch, plan our strategy for the parks, and then hopefully check-in and then head over to the parks!

Sue

 

[mareed]

Just a small footnote to what's already been said here since I've done this in the last 2 months. The Disney Club Discount only applies to the Premium Annual Pass and is $10 off, making it $189. There is no DC discount on the Deluxe Annual Pass, which is $149 and has blockout days. You do get a voucher from the Disney Store which gets you into the park on your first visit. You'll need to get your picture made on that first visit and get your real Annual Pass. We did this on a Sunday in early March and entered the park right at opening and were able to process our AP's and get the actual pass with our picture on it with no wait at all. Probably took less than 10 minutes total time including taking 3 pictures and giving them the info such as names and address. I would definitely purchase the voucher from the Disney Store ahead of time as the lines to purchase tickets were very long when we were there at park opening.

 

[doodlebug]

GoofyforDisney... I like your idea.. We are still trying to decide to either just get one annual pass for the great deal or get three and come back again before the year is up.. If we only get one then will probably do what you are doing and since our plane gets in around 10:30 am we will probably be at the resorts around 12:00 noon..

Thanks for the heads up on getting the voucher at the Disney Store first.. Will definately save time by not having to stand in another line once we get there..

 

[Floydian]

The joy of sharing information with people. YAY!

See, now I understand it a whole lot better!

So much so that I may go to the Disney Store and buy our passes sometime during the week before we go down there. I'm just worried that if we buy them too far in advance, that we'll lose the vouchers and be out a lot of money.

Thanks everyone!

 

[mareed]

If you're going to wait until the week before your trip, check with your Disney Store to be sure they have them on hand. Mine had to order them and it took a couple of weeks.

 

[goofyfordisney]

My local Disney store said that they would need to order the annual passports. They told me to allow 2 weeks to get them.

Sue

 

[CarolAnnC]

I, too, stopped in at my local TDS this week to order Disneyland AP's for my DD's. After a disagreement with the clerk who did not want to place the order without seeing my Disney Club Card, I got the order placed. I pointed out that if I called to order they do not see the DC card till I pay for them either. Well a quick consultation with the manager and she willingly took my order. I was told allow 2 to 3 weeks for the vouchers to come in. I will keep the vouchers will the plane ticket info and my travel stuff. That way I won't leave home with them, LOL!