Question regarding DVC annual pass discount

[NanaOsaki06]

Our trip is ages away. However, I had a question regarding the DVC annual pass discount and just logistics. I'm taking my kids on their very first trip and our first DVC trip, and due to price increases on tickets, park hopper, etc. It will be more cost effective in the long run for me to get the gold annual pass for myself, as I will be able to renew at the lower price for my two trips in following year. My question is can I purchase tickets through Disney to get our whole family's magic bands, Magical Express, etc in one package (Its cool for the kids to see all our bands come in the mail) and then upgrade to the Gold Pass when I arrive at my home resort? I know you can do this with regular AP's, just not sure with our discounted AP's. Either way I'll be getting one, I just want to know whether I should just order it ahead of time, or can I stay cohesive with my group and upgrade later. Thanks!

 

[crvetter]

Our trip is ages away. However, I had a question regarding the DVC annual pass discount and just logistics. I'm taking my kids on their very first trip and our first DVC trip, and due to price increases on tickets, park hopper, etc. It will be more cost effective in the long run for me to get the gold annual pass for myself, as I will be able to renew at the lower price for my two trips in following year. My question is can I purchase tickets through Disney to get our whole family's magic bands, Magical Express, etc in one package (Its cool for the kids to see all our bands come in the mail) and then upgrade to the Gold Pass when I arrive at my home resort? I know you can do this with regular AP's, just not sure with our discounted AP's. Either way I'll be getting one, I just want to know whether I should just order it ahead of time, or can I stay cohesive with my group and upgrade later. Thanks!

Your bands will be sent as part of you DVC resort stay (independent of tickets). DVC is different in that you don’t have a “package” anymore so you buy tickets separate of the room. So once you link your Reservation to MDE (regardless of tickets, how/when purchased) you will be able to customize your MagicBands and closer to your checkin date they will be sent.

Also Magical Express is another item you need to setup independently. That I haven’t done but I think you do it through DVC’s website it should have an option or a call to MS can help with this.

 

[NanaOsaki06]

Thank you! That makes it way easier then!

 

[bumbershoot]

can I purchase tickets through Disney to get our whole family's magic bands, Magical Express, etc in one package (Its cool for the kids to see all our bands come in the mail)

They don’t send all those things in one package anyway; the DME stuff is sent separately.

As crvetter said, you get bands if you're staying onsite. It’s not a package thing. You can get them even if you book a value resort as room-only.

So if you customize them and don’t decline the bands, you’ll get the bands.

And for the AP-holder, usually after the first trip using the AP, they will get an offer to get *another* band. That won’t be any different style than the hotel stay bands.


FYI since DVC isn’t a package, the one thing you won’t get in the magicband box are the matching hard plastic luggage tags. Those ARE a package thing. And of course you won’t get the little extra things they give for packages like golf or whatever it is now.

 

[NanaOsaki06]

They don’t send all those things in one package anyway; the DME stuff is sent separately.

As crvetter said, you get bands if you're staying onsite. It’s not a package thing. You can get them even if you book a value resort as room-only.

So if you customize them and don’t decline the bands, you’ll get the bands.

And for the AP-holder, usually after the first trip using the AP, they will get an offer to get *another* band. That won’t be any different style than the hotel stay bands.


FYI since DVC isn’t a package, the one thing you won’t get in the magicband box are the matching hard plastic luggage tags. Those ARE a package thing. And of course you won’t get the little extra things they give for packages like golf or whatever it is now.

Thank you for the explanation! It makes way more sense. Its been interesting betting my mind out of a typical WDW trip mode, with packages and whatnot. Thank you again!