Quick Deluxe AP question

[tiffjoy]

My DH just decided to offer the kids a chance to go to DLR for the day next month. We live in the Bay Area, and we are already planning an August trip for DD5's birthday. So I looked at the deluxe AP option, and if we go one other time for a few days, it would pay for itself and then some.

So my question is this- the AP starts the day you use it, right? You have it for a year then? It's not for the calendar year, where it's only good for 2015? If this is the case, we could use it January 2016 for DD3's fourth birthday and get in a really good trip then (we usually go to WDW then, but not in 2016).

Also, is parking included in the AP? I'm reading conflicting things that it's only for renewals, which this wouldn't be.

I'm so excited! My DH said if we do get the AP (he only wants to be sure it's good for a year from use) we will go down for several day trips in the fall when the Saturdays open up again for the Deluxe AP.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

The deluxe ap doesn't include parking...I just edited this because at the beginning of the month, I was allowed to add parking, but it looks like this isn't an option now.

And yes, it's good for 365 days from the first day of use. We bought ours earlier this month and it's good until February of 2016.

 

[tiffjoy]

Thank you! Perfect. Looks like this will be the year of Disney!

One more question. Can I buy the AP online as opposed to at the gate? I only have two weeks until we want to go now that we are going to do AP and only the first weekend of March is unblocked.

 

[SMD]

You can buy it online and go to the turnstile for the day, but you'll still have to go to the ticket booth later to get your actual AP card. You can activate on a blockout day. If you wanted to start your trip on consecutive blockout days then you should buy a 2 day ticket and upgrade on day 2.

 

[figment_jii]

Parking is only included with the Premier and Premium APs. Guests used to be able to add parking to the Deluxe, SoCal, and SoCal Select APs for an additional fee, but that option was removed recently. Guests that already have the parking add-on for their AP can renew that add-on, but guests purchasing new APs cannot add it anymore.

Yes, the AP starts the day you first use or the day you exchange the voucher for the actual AP (based on reports I've heard). As SMD said, you will ultimately need to visit the ticket booth on the first day to get your actual AP. However, you can go straight to the ticket turnstiles and enter the park (the gate CM will issue you a temporary ticket), then later in the day do the exchange if you wanted to go to the park first. I did this in the past to take advantage of rope dope and then dealt with the ticket window in the afternoon. Some folks have reported that their APs had an expiration date based on when they first exchanged the voucher at the ticket booth, even if they did not enter the park (this comes up when folks asking about exchanging the voucher the night before).

 

[wdwfan22]

If you are only going for one day on your first trip, this option might not work for you, since I don't know what day of the week you are going. But here is what I did, I bought a 3 days ticket, so we could use a Magic Morning. I know some people aren't crazy about them, and it really depends on what the regular park opening time is. But for us, the regular opening was 8, so our MM started at 7. The park was DEAD for that first hour. It was awesome. We got almost every ride in Fantasy Land done, (Didn't do the Subs since they take so much time) including Peter pan, since we were first in line at the turnstyles and walked with purpose right to PP, and were on and off in 5 mins. Then we also got Space and Buzz done before our hour was up.

Then you can upgrade to an AP during the day to start getting your discounts. I'm going back in May, and will really miss that MM.

 

[tiffjoy]

Thanks for the replies! This was definitely a one day trip, but then we decided we might pop in on Sunday morning before heading home since we will have the APs. Is it any extra to buy the two day PH ticket? Do they apply that entire cost towards the AP?

 

[figment_jii]

No, there really isn't any advantage to buying a two-day PH (MM is only available for select three-day or longer tickets). I suppose one option could be to pre-purchase a three-day ticket and use the MM on Saturday (DL has MM on Tue, Thu, and Sat) and then upgrade to the AP that afternoon. You should get the value of the ticket applied to the upgrade, so it won't necessarily cost you anymore in the end and you get at least one MM.

 

[tiffjoy]

Thanks! I don't think we will bother with it, then. The MM is something we sometimes use, and when I can, it's awesome. But we will be driving down the night before and I anticipate getting up really early to be at MM would be hard. We will plan to start at RD in DCA. I think I will order the APs online then and get the tickets later in the day.

 

[Lauren in NC]

You can also buy the APs at the Disney Store, if you'd prefer not to do it online.

 

[tiffjoy]

So I talked with DH. One advantage of buying the three day pass then upgrading would be to move our trip out one weekend. There are more and cheaper hotel options if we do this. We would go in two weeks instead of one. This next weekend is the last unblocked Saturday until fall, so if we had APs, we would have to go. Instead, if I buy the PH tix, we can go on the blocked out Saturday, then use the AP Sunday morning.

If I purchase three day PH tickets, must we absolutely upgrade them to the AP passes that first day? Do they always apply the full cost of the tix to the upgrade? I just want to be sure we do this right and don't lose money.

 

[SMD]

Yes, they will apply the full price you paid. Just to clarify, you want to go in the parks Friday night, then use MM on a a Saturday which is blocked for Deluxe, then go back Sunday, which is not blocked. You can upgrade any time Saturday or Sunday, you just have to upgrade before the ticket booths close on the last day of your tickets. Your AP expiration date will be the Friday. So if you go in on the 13th but don't upgrade until the 15th your expiration will be the 13th. If Sunday is not blocked, then you might as well upgrade on Saturday so you can start getting the discounts.