Quick Annual Pass Questions

[tjlamphere]

I paid for Annual Passes for my wife and I...got an email confirming same.

Will go to Disney Springs with the email. They will give me "hard tickets" for my wife and I to represent the passes? Are they laminated similar to a Driver's License?? They will take our photos? They will link them to MDE for us?

So can we then go to a Disney Store and buy Magicbands and link them to MDE? (I know I will get mail at home a week or two later that will allow us to get free Magicbands, but want them for this trip.)

Just want to know what to expect when I get to Disney Springs....THANKS !!!!!!!

 

[erionm]

They will give me "hard tickets" for my wife and I to represent the passes?

Yes

Are they laminated similar to a Driver's License?

Hard plastic similar to a credit card

They will take our photos?

No

They will link them to MDE for us?

Yes

So can we then go to a Disney Store and buy Magicbands and link them to MDE?

Yes

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Your vouchers can also be linked to MDE so you can make FP+ in advance of your stay.

 

[tjlamphere]

Yes

Hard plastic similar to a credit card

No

Yes

Yes

So Michael, I had heard that they take a photo for your Annual Pass...that is not correct? But when you first use it, you use your thumbprint, and that is how your Annual Pass could only be used by the owner???

 

[only hope]

You will need your id to activate the pass. You will also need the id if there is ever an issue with scanning your fingerprint. The fingerprint is how they restrict use of the pass to one person. I’ve been an ap holder off and on since the early 2000’s and have never had a photo on the pass; it’s always been id by fingerprint.

As a pp said, go ahead and link the voucher to your mde. You can then make fp 30 days out, for seven days at a time. I wouldn’t activate at Disney Springs. The day you activate is the date given as your expiration. I would activiate at the gate the first day you are entering the park.

 

[erionm]

So Michael, I had heard that they take a photo for your Annual Pass...that is not correct?

Under normal conditions, they don't take the passholders photo. A Guest Relations CM might take it at the entrance if you have issues with the biometrics.

But when you first use it, you use your thumbprint, and that is how your Annual Pass could only be used by the owner???

Under normal conditions, they only use biometrics to verify that only the passholder is using the pass.

 

[tjlamphere]

You will need your id to activate the pass. You will also need the id if there is ever an issue with scanning your fingerprint. The fingerprint is how they restrict use of the pass to one person. I’ve been an ap holder off and on since the early 2000’s and have never had a photo on the pass; it’s always been id by fingerprint.

As a pp said, go ahead and link the voucher to your mde. You can then make fp 30 days out, for seven days at a time. I wouldn’t activate at Disney Springs. The day you activate is the date given as your expiration. I would activiate at the gate the first day you are entering the park.

 

[tjlamphere]

Maybe the term "activate" was not correct?? I will get the Annual Pass at Disney Springs, but won't actually use it until the next day. It is not activated until you first use it at a Park, correct???? And then, if I use it on November 4th, can I use it again on 11/4/18, or will the last day I can use it be 11/3/18????

 

[only hope]

In your first post you stated you already purchased a pass. That means the only thing you have to do is activate it, which can be done at Disney Springs or a park. Experation date has nothing to do with entering the park; it is based only on the date you activate it. It will expire on the same date of the next year, so you actually get one extra day. 11/4-11/4 for example. You can not pick up your ap card without it being activated. So if you go to Disney Springs and get your pass printed, it will be active and that will be your experation date, even if you don’t enter a theme park that day. That’s why you should activate it at a theme park.

 

[erionm]

Maybe the term "activate" was not correct?? I will get the Annual Pass at Disney Springs, but won't actually use it until the next day. It is not activated until you first use it at a Park, correct???? And then, if I use it on November 4th, can I use it again on 11/4/18, or will the last day I can use it be 11/3/18????

In your case, you need to activate your passes since you've pre-purchased them. They must be activated at either a Park Ticket Window or Guest Relations Location before you can use them to enter a park (they don't self activate).

 

[tjlamphere]

In your case, you need to activate your passes since you've pre-purchased them. They must be activated at either a Park Ticket Window or Guest Relations Location before you can use them to enter a park (they don't self activate).

So I think my best bet is to activate them the first morning I go at the Park Ticket Window...is it a pretty brief process.....we do Rope Drop and don't want to take a lot of time at the Ticket Window...I could do it the night before at Disney Springs, but then I would lose a day. And if I do activate it on 11/4, can it be used on 11/4/18, or is the last day I can use it 11/3/18? Already planning a trip for next Fall to get max use out of our Annual Passes !!!

 

[gap2368]

So I think my best bet is to activate them the first morning I go at the Park Ticket Window...is it a pretty brief process.....we do Rope Drop and don't want to take a lot of time at the Ticket Window...I could do it the night before at Disney Springs, but then I would lose a day. And if I do activate it on 11/4, can it be used on 11/4/18, or is the last day I can use it 11/3/18? Already planning a trip for next Fall to get max use out of our Annual Passes !!!

This is what I would do and you should be able to make it for RD

 

[erionm]

And if I do activate it on 11/4, can it be used on 11/4/18, or is the last day I can use it 11/3/18?

If you activate on 11/4/2017, it will be valid until the close of business on 11/4/2018.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

So Michael, I had heard that they take a photo for your Annual Pass...that is not correct? But when you first use it, you use your thumbprint, and that is how your Annual Pass could only be used by the owner???

They do not take your photo. Every person who enters the parks has to do the fingerprint/measuring thing no matter what kind of ticket you have, and none of the tickets can be used by different people. And yep, it's a very quick process. You show your ID & confirmation number (I pulled up the email on my phone), they give you your card, and off to the park you go.

 

[DebbieB]

Disneyland does photos instead of the finger scan. For all passes, even one days.

 

[HopperFan]

Do not walk away from that window without a hard AP Pass ticket! Some do, but you need that for your discounts at stores and dining, you need that if you have a MB malfunction etc. Don't let CM tell you that you don't need anything else, you do. And ask them for the AP Booklet, it will show you all the discounts and info you need.

http://www.**************.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/12092290_10153036175880981_513258563_n-800x400.jpg

From INSIDE THE MAGIC

 

[CAS239]

Maybe the term "activate" was not correct?? I will get the Annual Pass at Disney Springs, but won't actually use it until the next day. It is not activated until you first use it at a Park, correct???? And then, if I use it on November 4th, can I use it again on 11/4/18, or will the last day I can use it be 11/3/18????

If you get the AP from Disney Springs it will be activated that day.

If you go prior to entering a park on your park day then it'll be activated that day.

And they only take your photo at the park entrance of there's issues with your finger working for entrance. This way they can pull up your pic next time for quick verification

 

[tjlamphere]

If you get the AP from Disney Springs it will be activated that day.

If you go prior to entering a park on your park day then it'll be activated that day.

And they only take your photo at the park entrance of there's issues with your finger working for entrance. This way they can pull up your pic next time for quick verification

Thanks CAS...so for me, the question will be, do I want to take the 5 minutes that it will take my wife and I to activate the pass at the Ticket Window our first morning at WDW vs. doing it the night before at Disney Springs where we will have lots of time, and forfeiting one day on the AP. I don't understand why they would activate the AP before you would actually use it at a Park...that makes no sense!!! The first time you use it for park admittance should be when the clock starts ticking !!!!

 

[CAS239]

Thanks CAS...so for me, the question will be, do I want to take the 5 minutes that it will take my wife and I to activate the pass at the Ticket Window our first morning at WDW vs. doing it the night before at Disney Springs where we will have lots of time, and forfeiting one day on the AP. I don't understand why they would activate the AP before you would actually use it at a Park...that makes no sense!!! The first time you use it for park admittance should be when the clock starts ticking !!!!

Unless you plan to be there exactly 1 year from your activation date and you're fine with it starting the day before your park day, I'd activate at DS

Line in the morning at guest service could be lengthy and I'd rather just be ready to go for the morning

 

[gatorlisa]

Thanks CAS...so for me, the question will be, do I want to take the 5 minutes that it will take my wife and I to activate the pass at the Ticket Window our first morning at WDW vs. doing it the night before at Disney Springs where we will have lots of time, and forfeiting one day on the AP. I don't understand why they would activate the AP before you would actually use it at a Park...that makes no sense!!! The first time you use it for park admittance should be when the clock starts ticking !!!!

The activation process is very quick and easy. We activated ours on a Saturday morning at Epcot. Arrived at a ticket window maybe 20 minutes before rope drop. We activated them, entered the park, and still had 10 minutes or so before they dropped the rope. Any ticket window can activate them.