What can be bought in advance?

[disney2014plan]

Hi DIS!

Big family trip (between 10-14 people) pencilled in for Dec 2014, so I'm saving like crazy. Its likely to be 5-6 weeks duration (we tend to go every 3-4 years and have a big splurge like that) Current plan is

• 5-7 nights in AKL villas at the start of the trip to take advantage of the transport to the resort. We have always stayed in a villa outside WDW before but this is likely to be the last trip for some family members so we wanted to do something extra special.
  
• 4-5 weeks in a villa outside WDW
  
  
• Possibly

trip to the Keys at the end of the holiday (3-5 days?)

My question is:

What can I buy in advance as I go along? The plan is to buy annual passes for most of us as we found last time that this was more economical for a 6/52 stay (unfortunately due to my work, I will have 3 weeks maximum if I time it well over Xmas, and New Year ). I'm currently considering DDP while staying onsite as it means that those of us that cook will get a rest - I was thinking of the 1 counter service, 1 table service option, planning to have most breakfasts in our AKL room, hopefully watching animals.

I'd also like to get Photopass Plus for the first 2 weeks and get as amany photos as possible done then, and purchase the CD with licence agreement afterwards.

I know that rooms at Disney resorts are bookable 500 days in advance

I know that flights are not likely to become available to book until Jan 2014

If I bought Disney annual passes this year, but aiming to use them in Dec 2014, is that possible (I am assuming I would need to pay any price difference as the 2014 tickets are likely to be more.

can I buy photopass now and not activate it until I get to WDW?

Thanks for any advice, sorry about wall of text!

 

[GirlDreamer]

Yes you can buy photopass now, it usually cheaper to buy it in advance. The photopass you buy isn't really activated in any way, it's just like you prepay for a package. The only thing you need to watch out for is how long it takes for you to order the pictures after they've been taken. If I remember correctly, pictures on your Photopass card (that you'll receive in the park) will expire after 30 days or something like that.

Keep an eye out on the uk part of the Disney World website, they'll more than likely come out with 2014 offers in april. And in those offers you can usually get the DDP for free when you stay at a Deluxe resort.

I don't know much about the annual pass, but I would imagine that you can buy it anytime and that it would be activated on the first day of use. I'm sure someone else has more info on that.

 

[disney2014plan]

Thanks GirlDreamer

As we will have internet I anticipate being able to complete the Photopass+ order (I want the CD too) online - it will be there as a nice present when we get home.

Does anyone have any information on the annual passes? If I bought an annual pass this year but didn't start using it until Dec 2014, would that be a problem(am assuming that I will have to pay a little extra to upgrade to 2014 price when I use it)?

It would be great to get some things paid for asap so that I know how much money I have to play with - and it feels so depressing for several thousand pounds to disappear out of my bank in one go, lol!

 

[disney2014plan]

One more quick question about Photopass+

As ride/attraction photos are included, I assume that after the ride, you go to the normal viewing area where you would purchase the photo, show your photopass+ and ask them to add it to the file?

Ta

 

[2Tiggies]

One more quick question about Photopass+

As ride/attraction photos are included, I assume that after the ride, you go to the normal viewing area where you would purchase the photo, show your photopass+ and ask them to add it to the file?

Ta

Yes, just like you said

 

[disney2014plan]

Thanks for that 2 tiggies

Final question (for now ) :

I have heard that annual passholders get a discount on room prices. If we were to book the rooms and ask for an AP discount, do we have to have actually bought the APs at that point, or is it just show the APs when we check in?

 

[Pootle]

Does anyone have any information on the annual passes? If I bought an annual pass this year but didn't start using it until Dec 2014, would that be a problem(am assuming that I will have to pay a little extra to upgrade to 2014 price when I use it)?

I have a couple of AP vouchers I purchased years ago and will not be charged any extra to activate them next year. The exception to this is if I wanted to upgrade to Premium APs, which I won't

 

[disney2014plan]

That's great, Pootle - many thanks for that. I actually would have no problem with paying a little to upgrade them, but it would be good to do some advance spending.