Question about new AP rules

[MagicalMeg]

I'm trying to decide whether to renew our APs or buy normal tickets. We currently have APs and one week left to renew at a discount. Last year we bought our tickets May 2nd so we'd have to 60 day window for FP+ For our trip in July. We upgraded during our trip thinking the renew date would be the first day we used our tickets (not the day we bought). So, our bad. So this year want to make sure I know all the ins and outs.

1. Our trip is July 5-14, but I need to buy tickets before May 5th so that I can make FP+ reservations correct?
2. Is it cheaper to buy DVC AP at the renew discount or buy 10 day passes with park hopper?
3. Is there a way to make FP+ reservations without buying or activating ticket media until the trip starts?

Can someone explain the new AP policies to me (maybe they aren't new, but I feel like they've changed in the last few years since I first started taking Disney trips). Pros/cons? We may take a long weekend trip later in the year, but not sure yet, probably though.

 

[supersnoop]

Your expiration should be based on when you first used the tickets. If it's not, call and get it fixed.

 

[cvjw]

Agree, your AP should have a start date of the first date you used the tickets before upgrading to an AP. Call Disney ticketing - they can probably research your issue and correct the AP start date.

1.) Yes, you have to have valid tickets attached to MDE at your 60 day mark in order to make FP+ advance reservations.
2.) I just priced out buying a regular park hopper vs. renewing our gold AP's and the difference in price was miniscule.
3.) No, you can't make advance FP+ reservations unless you have tickets attached to your MDE account.

 

[drusba]

I am not sure what happened to you last year. If you bought new Annual Passes in May but did not go to Disney to use them for the first time until July, then they should have a July start and expiration date and if that is not the case, you should be contacting Disney to get the expiration date corrected.

Starting as of last October, there are now three different annual passes that a DVC member can purchase. The Platinum pass which provides year round park entry the same as the former Annual Pass, the Platinum Plus Pass which is the same as the former Premium Annual Pass which provides year round park entry and entry to water parks and Disney Quest, and the Gold Pass which has a restriction in that it provides park entry for the year except for four weeks, two around Easter and two around Christmas,when it cannot be used. All of the new passes also include the memory maker photo pass allowing you to have pictures taken at WDW and then downloading them without additonal charge.

A 10 day pass without the hopper is $400 (all prices before tax) from Disney. Add the hopper and it is $469. You can get either for a little less from Undercovertourist.com. With the DVC discount, the Gold pass is $549 new and $466 for a renewal. Thus, if you renewed to it, you would pay a little less than the cost from Disney for the 10-day park hopper, and would get the memory maker photo pass. The Platinum Pass is $749 new and $649 for a renewal and thus it is much more expensive than the 10-day, as is the Platinum Plus which is $829 new and $729 for a renewal, and neither would be a choice if you are only going to Disney 10 days within a year. Even if memory maker is desired, the 10-day would still be better than the Platinum or Platinum Plus pass in that situation because you need to buy it for only person for $149.

If you renew, the new pass will begin on the expiration date of your existing pass, i.e., if your exisitng AP expires in July, the new one will start then.You can renew only between 60 days before the expiration of your existing pass and 30 days after.

You need to have a pass number (or its voucher/receipt number) in your MDE account that covers the number of days you intend to be in the parks to be able to make FP+ reservations for all those days.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

The annual pass makes a lot of sense if you plan 2 or more trips during the year. If you plan only one visit, I would just look at the numbers.

 

[YourEveryDayAdam]

The general rule of thumb, assuming no dvc/renewal/Florida resident discount, for an annual pass vs. normal tickets is if you are going 10 or more days over two separate trips. Some examples (assuming park hoppers):

5 day trip, and 3 day trip: $409+$327 = $736
Two 5 day trips: $409 x 2 = $818
7 day trip and 2 day trip: $439 + $245 = $684
10 day trip: $469

Platinum Pass: $750 ($635 renewal)
Platinum DVC Pass: $650 ($550 renewal)
DVC Gold Pass: $550 ($466 renewal)

Your trip isn't during any of the Gold Pass black out dates, so the 10-day gold pass at $466 would work, vs. the 10 day park hopper for $469. You save a whole $3, but you do get unlimited photo pass, plus any pass holder discounts. Also, if you plan your next trip to occur before the expiration of your new pass, then you get two trips out of the tickets instead of one.

 

[loril13]

The general rule of thumb, assuming no dvc/renewal/Florida resident discount, for an annual pass vs. normal tickets is if you are going 10 or more days over two separate trips. Some examples (assuming park hoppers):

5 day trip, and 3 day trip: $409+$327 = $736
Two 5 day trips: $409 x 2 = $818
7 day trip and 2 day trip: $439 + $245 = $684
10 day trip: $469

Platinum Pass: $750 ($635 renewal)
Platinum DVC Pass: $650 ($550 renewal)
DVC Gold Pass: $550 ($466 renewal)

Your trip isn't during any of the Gold Pass black out dates, so the 10-day gold pass at $466 would work, vs. the 10 day park hopper for $469. You save a whole $3, but you do get unlimited photo pass, plus any pass holder discounts. Also, if you plan your next trip to occur before the expiration of your new pass, then you get two trips out of the tickets instead of one.

^^^^
I was just about to write all the above, without the brilliant math. I hate math. lol

Plus, if you go during any of the events that have event specific merchandise, there is usually AP member exclusive merchandise. My hubby is all about the exclusive merchandise.

 

[supersnoop]

^^^^
I was just about to write all the above, without the brilliant math. I hate math. lol

Plus, if you go during any of the events that have event specific merchandise, there is usually AP member exclusive merchandise. My hubby is all about the exclusive merchandise.

The math is a lot different if you don't need the hopper option. Last time I checked, two 10-day base tickets were cheaper than an AP.

 

[Anal Annie]

So we usually take a year off between passes but have decided for the first time to renew at least mine & DH's passes (and probably DS's too). We have our 4th trip in June on our current passes and our expiration date is July 25th. The cost of the renewal is so much cheaper than re-buying it seemed to make sense to just renew once DH and I decided to go again for a short 4-night trip in Sept. for F&W and then added another family trip next January. If we don't renew DS's pass we run the risk of yet ANOTHER tix price increase before we go again in January. As it is right now the cost of a renewal is only $28 more than a 7 day hopper. With another price increase inevitable between now & then it would probably make sense to renew his too. ANYWAY, since this will be the first time we've ever renewed I was wondering how we'll get our vouchers or new cards or whatever when we renew so that we can make FP+ reservations for our Sept. trip? How does the new pass get attached to MDE? Our current AP's expire 7/25 and our trip is Sept. 17th - can I make our Sept. FP+ reservations on July 17th with our old passes or do I need to be sure to renew BEFORE July 17th so I can use the new passes?

 

[cvjw]

So we usually take a year off between passes but have decided for the first time to renew at least mine & DH's passes (and probably DS's too). We have our 4th trip in June on our current passes and our expiration date is July 25th. The cost of the renewal is so much cheaper than re-buying it seemed to make sense to just renew once DH and I decided to go again for a short 4-night trip in Sept. for F&W and then added another family trip next January. If we don't renew DS's pass we run the risk of yet ANOTHER tix price increase before we go again in January. As it is right now the cost of a renewal is only $28 more than a 7 day hopper. With another price increase inevitable between now & then it would probably make sense to renew his too. ANYWAY, since this will be the first time we've ever renewed I was wondering how we'll get our vouchers or new cards or whatever when we renew so that we can make FP+ reservations for our Sept. trip? How does the new pass get attached to MDE? Our current AP's expire 7/25 and our trip is Sept. 17th - can I make our Sept. FP+ reservations on July 17th with our old passes or do I need to be sure to renew BEFORE July 17th so I can use the new passes?

I just renewed our AP's this week, and they give you a will call number when you pay for the passes. You enter the will call number into your MDE account under the "add tickets" option and then link the renewals to your family members.

You need to have valid ticket media in your MDE account for your vacation days. In other words, you would not be able to make FP+ reservations for September if your AP expires in July. You would need to have either a new Disney ticket, or an AP renewal attached to each family member on July 17th in order to make FP+ reservations for September 17th.

 

[Anal Annie]

I just renewed our AP's this week, and they give you a will call number when you pay for the passes. You enter the will call number into your MDE account under the "add tickets" option and then link the renewals to your family members.

You need to have valid ticket media in your MDE account for your vacation days. In other words, you would not be able to make FP+ reservations for September if your AP expires in July. You would need to have either a new Disney ticket, or an AP renewal attached to each family member on July 17th in order to make FP+ reservations for September 17th.

Thanks. So I would have to renew at least mine & DH's by July 16 if I want to do FP's at midnight on July 17th - but I could wait until August 25th to renew DS's (30 days after the current exp.) since he's not going with us in Sept. (just might want to spread out the cost a little bit).

 

[drusba]

Thanks. So I would have to renew at least mine & DH's by July 16 if I want to do FP's at midnight on July 17th - but I could wait until August 25th to renew DS's (30 days after the current exp.) since he's not going with us in Sept. (just might want to spread out the cost a little bit).

If expiration is July 25, you must renew by Aug 24 not Aug 25 -- you can renew only from 60 days before to 30 days after expiration date and July has 31 days. The other risk, likely low, that you have from delaying renewing the one pass is that Disney could raise AP prices before you do that renewal.