Timing for renewing AP

[DMKEDM]

Hi, folks...we're nearing the end of our first year with APs and will definitely be renewing. Our current APs expire 11/22. We'll be at WDW 11/18-11/25 (and will be going again in Jan and in May, so AP renewal is definite).

Got "bills" (reminders) yesterday from Disney for renewing...they show both our DVC discount and the renewal discount...

So, my original plan had been to simply take our old APs over to DTD guest services (we're staying at SSR) and rewew over there, probably on 11/18, but certainly prior to 11/23...

Will that work? Or would we be better served by my paying the "bills" now? If by paying for the renewal now I would avoid having to go to guest relations while at DisneyWOrld, that's worth considering...of course, it's not a huge big deal to deal with this onsite, but one less errand is one less errand! But if I have to go over there anyway to exchange a voucher for the actual AP, then I might as well wait.

Thanks!

 

[n2mm]

You have to go to guest relations somewhere to pick up your real APs. If you're going in person and my pass gets me into the park, I like to renew at an "inside" guest relations. EPCOT, MGM, MK all have counters where you get to talk to a real person (not through the glass). Just stop there when you have time prior to expiring and get your new pass. You don't have to wait until the day it expires. Last time I picked up my new one and carried it around until the day I needed to switch and use it. If you don't want to pay for it when you arrive and want to pay for it before you leave, just log into the AP website and click renewal and you can pay for it now and print a willcall certificate and take that and your DVC card and picture ID at any guest relations and get your new pass. (That is what I'm doing. I purchased my renewal online before the price went up and have a willcall certificate.) I leave tomorrow and my pass expires 10/20. We are there until 10/26, plus back in January, May, August, & October, so renewing works well for us too. You can certainly wait and pay when you get there too, I just try to take care of everything before I leave. The willcall certificate is free (no fees) and works great. We use this method for buying tickets for friends and for parties. My daughter used willcall to purchase her 2 APs this August and it worked great for her--she actually applied her disney rewards points to the price, then her cc and it worked perfectly. It only took minutes to pick up her APs from the AK guest relations. BTW: examine your AP after you pick it up to make sure you name is correct and the expiration day is correct. The last couple of times there have been problems with both. Last year my daughter picked up her APs on 9/15/2005 and they expires 12/15/2005...YIKES. We happen to be there in early December and she went back to guest relations and they fixed it and gave her and her DH both an extra 3 months on their APs to make up for the mistake....which, of course, meant an extra trip just to use the extra time.

 

[Lexxiefern]

Do you have to renew before the expiration date? My DH's AP expires on 10/17, but we don't arrive until 10/21. Do I need to do that before I go?

 

[BCV23]

Do you have to renew before the expiration date? My DH's AP expires on 10/17, but we don't arrive until 10/21. Do I need to do that before I go?

No, you can renew up to 30 days after the old AP expires. The anniversary date remains the same.

 

[Lexxiefern]

Thank you!