Question Concerning Passholder Free Parking

[Knux897]

Greetings, community of the DIS Boards!

My friends and I recently purchased Gold level annual passes and free standard parking is a component of it. However, it's my understanding that in order to get our actual passes, we must exchange a confirmation code or print out a bar code and have Disney recognize this at any ticket booth at the parks.

I called guest services itself and got a very poor response to my questions, and I was hoping that those on this board would be better equipped to answer it.

My first question is how does free parking work? I looked at the Disney World FAQ and saw almost no information on this. At the parking payment booths, is there a special lane for passholders to get free parking, or is every lane equipped with something to scan a pass and let us on through?

In addition, if this is the case (where cards or magic bands are scanned), how does one get free parking when going to get the pass? Do you show your confirmation code? Is it possible to get free parking at all? The cast member I spoke with recommended that I go to Disney Springs guest relations to exchange my code for a pass, but he didn't seem very sure of himself and I'm skeptical about this information. It doesn't make sense to direct people to Disney Springs to receive annual passes. In addition, I couldn't find information on where a guest relations even is in Disney Springs.

In addition, I have a quick question of Magic Bands. The Disney World website is vague on whether annual pass holders get one or not. I believe this is the case, and if so, how does this work? The website gave me conflicting information. It said the magic bands do come with annual passes, but at the same time, it also said they were not available at the ticket windows and must be purchased in the park.

I'm quite surprised at the standard of service I received and the lack of clarity on the website, so I would appreciate all the help I can get from the community here!

 

[alliecat523]

After you activate the pass you can customize and order the bands. These will be shipped at a later date. You don't get them when you activate at GS. You can use an old band and link it or you can purchase a band in the park and use it. Otherwise you get a card (like a hard ticket) that identifies you as a passholder.

I haven't had to use the parking but I imagine you show them your card and they let you through. This is how they handle discounts. Show the card and your ID and that's it.

If your code doesn't work for parking, I would pay and take the receipt to GS and get the refund there.

 

[Knux897]

After you activate the pass you can customize and order the bands. These will be shipped at a later date. You don't get them when you activate at GS. You can use an old band and link it or you can purchase a band in the park and use it. Otherwise you get a card (like a hard ticket) that identifies you as a passholder.

I haven't had to use the parking but I imagine you show them your card and they let you through. This is how they handle discounts. Show the card and your ID and that's it.

If your code doesn't work for parking, I would pay and take the receipt to GS and get the refund there.

Thank you! I will keep that in mind!

 

[DOOM1001]

As far as how does free parking work,I always just show them my magic band which they can scan,half the time they scan it,half the time they just wave you through,the times they do scan it sometimes they'll ask you what your last name is.If you don't have bands the actual passes work the same way.I never show my ID,the fewer things I pull out the less chances I'll lose something..I have APs at Sea World and Universal as well and Universal seems to be the most strict about showing them my ID.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Pay for parking and when you reach the Ticket Window or Guest Relations to activate your AP, provide your parking receipt and ask for reimbursement.

 

[CarolynFH]

When entering parking lots, DH usually pulls up so the CM is on my side, and I hold up my passholder card & my ID, which I pull out as we get close. Usually they wave us through but sometimes they look closely at both. In any case we're through quickly and easily.

 

[North of Mouse]

Greetings, community of the DIS Boards!

In addition, I have a quick question of Magic Bands. The Disney World website is vague on whether annual pass holders get one or not. I believe this is the case, and if so, how does this work? The website gave me conflicting information. It said the magic bands do come with annual passes, but at the same time, it also said they were not available at the ticket windows and must be purchased in the park.

We also purchased AP's through Disney 6 wks. ago and will activate them this week at WDW. Don't understand why you haven't received yours. We received ours 3 weeks ago, so yes, you 'should' be able to customize them online, and they will be sent to you before your trip.

 

[CAS239]

We also purchased AP's through Disney 6 wks. ago and will activate them this week at WDW. Don't understand why you haven't received yours. We received ours 3 weeks ago, so yes, you 'should' be able to customize them online, and they will be sent to you before your trip.

This is NOT the norm. There seems to be a glitch in the system where some people have been able to customize their AP band before activating their AP.

What normally happens is when someone buys an AP they go to WDW to activate the pass, then it'll pop up on MDE that the magic band is available to be customized. So the norm is that an AP will get their band after their first trip.

Unless you're renewing an AP, then there's no activation needed prior to customizing AP mb

 

[Accident]

When you activate the annual pass, they should give you a passholder card. The card will work as your ticket but it's also what you'll show the cast members for discounts, parking, etc. don't forget your id, they will ask for that a lot as well. The MB method is unreliable at best and get the card and bring it with you even after you get a MB.

As far as parking the first day, get a receipt and they will reimburse you when you activate it. If you happen to be stopping by springs before heading to a park to activate, you can activate at guest relations at springs as well (which has free parking for everyone). no need to go out of oyur way or early to springs just to avoid parking fee...

 

[bumbershoot]

We also purchased AP's through Disney 6 wks. ago and will activate them this week at WDW. Don't understand why you haven't received yours. We received ours 3 weeks ago, so yes, you 'should' be able to customize them online, and they will be sent to you before your trip.

Do you have an onsite trip planned? If so those are likely the bands you received.

The normal process is that *after* the first trip using the passes you get to customize the AP MBs and get them later.

 

[North of Mouse]

Well, don't know if there was a glitch or not, but this is the second time we've purchased AP's 'before' going to Disney, and receiving our bands beforehand.

This was not a renewal. We've had AP's many times, but we never renew, dh & I both have our purple customized MB's before activation, for our trip this next week.

 

[vicki_c]

Well, don't know if there was a glitch or not, but this is the second time we've purchased AP's 'before' going to Disney, and receiving our bands beforehand.

This was not a renewal. We've had AP's many times, but we never renew, dh & I both have our purple customized MB's before activation, for our trip this next week.

But are those your hotel connected bands, not your annual pass holder bands?

 

[DaisyJ]

Well, don't know if there was a glitch or not, but this is the second time we've purchased AP's 'before' going to Disney, and receiving our bands beforehand.

This was not a renewal. We've had AP's many times, but we never renew, dh & I both have our purple customized MB's before activation, for our trip this next week.

Are you staying onsite? If yes, then those are for your hotel stay, and have nothing to do with your AP.

 

[Miss Frankie J]

When I signed up in October they gave me a passholder card which can be scanned like a MB. I already had a MB so I asked for a passholder slider to go on my current band. (Mostly for looks) but that day he refunded my parking that I paid to get into the park right there at guest relations.

Once home I noticed I had a band I can order so I placed that one this year and got that one in a week or so.


So summary:
Keep your parking receipt to get a refund once u get your passes

Once active you can order a band on MDE

Till you get your band show the passholder card they give you at the parking gate. Any gate is fine

 

[Knux897]

I appreciate all the answers! It looks like I'll be exchanging a parking receipt for a refund then.

 

[North of Mouse]

For the pp's comments, I 'know' my MB is not 'ready' to go into the parks until my AP is activated. I was commenting to the OP that said she had not received/customized any MB's yet.
I 'did' receive/customize our bands, and we're not anywhere near Disney yet - that's all I was commenting on! This has happened both times we bought AP's through Disney before our trips.

 

[tobikaye]

Op: You can also activate your AP at Disney Springs and then you are set for free parking at the theme parks.

 

[CAS239]

For the pp's comments, I 'know' my MB is not 'ready' to go into the parks until my AP is activated. I was commenting to the OP that said she had not received/customized any MB's yet.
I 'did' receive/customize our bands, and we're not anywhere near Disney yet - that's all I was commenting on! This has happened both times we bought AP's through Disney before our trips.

Yea and that's not the norm.

All the years I've had an AP, I've always had to wait until activating the pass before you're able to see you have your AP band able to customize.

Of course renewing or staying on site your band would pop up automatically.

This past Feb when we got a new AP from letting it expire, we activated the passes and then shortly after got the notification and customized our AP bands.

You got lucky that the system somehow read your AP before it was activated and popped up to allow you to customize

 

[lindsey]

Guest services at Disney springs was easy and convenient for us.

 

[chicagoshannon]

It's nice activate at Disney Springs. We like to go there the night before we plan to be in the park to exchange the voucher.

We bought passes back in Feb before prices went up and will have to wait for magic bands until after we actually activate the passes. I'd be nervous if magic band got sent before we actually used the passes. I'd check the expiration date to make sure they aren't activated yet.