Room keys/entrance tickets not working at parks?

[michellex2]

I'm excited about my upcoming trip (12/7 -12/14) at AKL, but worried about a few things. Normally, I don't stress much about traveling, but this trip is for my 84 year old mother who is in frail health both physically and cognitively, so what would be little hassles to me, become more major events. A couple of the things that could be trouble simply can't be helped or controlled, but one thing I was concerned about I thought maybe I could prevent, and that has to do with access to the parks by room keys with tickets attached. I've read a number of posts about people having these not work regularly for entering the room or the parks. So here's my questions:
(1) Do access problems with the room keys happen very often?
(2) Am I better off having the park tickets separate or on the key to minimize the likelyhood of this happening?
(3) If this does happen, where does one go to get it straightened out?

I was just envisioning getting her, her wheelchair, her meds (have to be refrigerated in first aide) to the park, then not being able to get in, and having to go all the way back to straighten out the problem which would be a much bigger hassle than if it was just me alone.

So any thoughts would be appreciated or if it is a very unlikely occurance, I will simply cross it off my list of things to worry about.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

No worries. There is a Cast Member at the turnstiles that is the "Coordinator" if there is a problem with the tickets (which does happen quite often, demagnitizing, not reading, etc...all tickets are vulnerable to this), the coordinator will take them and check them. If they are valid tickets they will issue you a one day contingency ticket so that you can enter the park without issue and then they will advise you to stop by the hotel front desk when you get back and get your ID's replaced... If you have a regular ticket they will make you go to guest relations in the park (or just outside the park) and have them replaced. Either way you will have the issue resolved right there at the park entrance. Takes a little extra time, but can not be prevented, if it is going to happen it is going to happen regardless of whether you have a paper ticket, or a ticket on a room key.

 

[wdwfan1]

To minimize your tickets being de-magnetized, do not keep them in a handbag with magnetic closures. I learned that the hard way.

 

[disnut8]

One word of advice - make sure your mother (and you) always has a photo ID with you. Put that separately from your tickets/room keys. I've made many, many trips to Disney World and have had three problems. Once, my husband's pass wouldn't work. He was cleared by the attendant at the gate and that was it. Another time, my father-in-law got soaked on Kali River Rapids and when we tried to return to Animal Kingdom after lunch at Rainforest Cafe, his pass (paper) was useless. The attendant there waved him through after I suggested we just go to Guest Services ASAP to have the pass replaced. Which they did with absolutely no problems. The last time we had a problem was my brain freeze. Left my Annual Pass AND ID in the car. Totally dumb. I thought I was fried but the Guest Relations person allowed my husband to come back out and rescue me. We have the same last name and expiration date of passes so my AP was replaced without hassle.

I think having passes that don't work is going to be something you don't have to worry about. Just concentrate on making your mother happy. It's a great thing you are doing for her. Have fun!

 

[#1MMFan]

This also happens at fast-pass machines - again just ask a nearby CM who is in attendance at the FP machines. Our annual passes demagnetized or were unreadable quite often, but we had no problem getting access or FPs; only a little more time to get through.

 

[Tigger714]

Try to avoid storing the keys magnetic strip to magnetic strip. This seems to be one of the "causes" according to the CM at WL. Anyways, we actually lost one of our keys (DH thinks he dropped it when getting out the FP's in MGM) As soon as we noticed it we went straight to guest services, they issued a temporary ticket and as soon as we got back to our resort they had a new one ready. As I told my OC DH, this is Disney and they can handle anything!

 

[JFrey4240]

Photo ID is a must--they might check it if your ticket doesn't work and then will let you through. We have AP's and have our names on them. Your room key/tickets would have your name on them too. No worries!

 

[monica31671]

My credit card was back to back with my room key-ticket. Bad idea. My ticket was zapped. I showed my ID and was issued a one day pass until I could get to my resort to have another ticket issued.
Not too much of a hassle. Just a bit time consuming.

 

[Sammie]

The suggestions made are good ones about your magnetic keys.

If you store them with other cards such as Credit Cards etc, keys, magnetic closures on your purse etc they will demagnetize. Also do not lay them on counters with the magnetic pad that retailers use to demagnetize.

We keep our keys/card in a plastic sleeve by itself.

 

[klh999]

To minimize your tickets being de-magnetized, do not keep them in a handbag with magnetic closures. I learned that the hard way.

Me too!!! I de-magnetized all of our tickets quite a few times, before a CM said it was from my coach wristlet.

Kristy

 

[Piglet99645]

My credit card was back to back with my room key-ticket. Bad idea. My ticket was zapped. I showed my ID and was issued a one day pass until I could get to my resort to have another ticket issued.
Not too much of a hassle. Just a bit time consuming.

Wow. This explains all the trouble I had with our cards, as I kept them in my wallet with my credit card!! Funny the CM who checks people in doesn't warn you of this...... of course the guy who checked us in clearly wasn't at the top of his CM class.

We had trouble at the gates (also with the fingerprint things) as well as with Fastpasses a couple of times, but the CM's always found a quick solution and we were on our way. Definitely carry picture ID.

We also had trouble with them working at the dining places, and most servers complained that they had to type in all the numbers by hand. But I never had trouble getting into my room.......... which I thought was weird.

I was repeatedly told by dining CM's to go to the front desk and get new cards, but I just never got around to it in the 3 days we had troubles with the cards.

No worries.

Piglet

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

One more tip: when going through the turnstiles - take your time going through and make sure you do not put your pass through until the person's in front of you has cleared - we learned that the hard way too! Sometimes it is hard: if you are hot, tired, in a hurry, or just plain excited to be there(!!!!) - and just going through the motions!!!