When should we order DDE

[Tiger Fan]

We will be arriving June 15, 2005 and need to know when the best time to order DDE to a) maximize the length, as we'll have AP's next year too and want to get the most time before renewing, and b) want to make sure the cards arrive in time for this trip. How long do you suggest we wait to order or should it be right away just to be safe? Thanks.
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[Meezers]

Oh....good question....hope someone answers!

 

[Bracho]

Becauase they are backed up so badly, I ordered mine March 3rd for my trip in May.. I figured 6-8 weeks so I should.. (hoping bigtime) have the card before I leave.

Good Luck!

 

[Andrew Bichard]

We will be arriving June 15, 2005 and need to know when the best time to order DDE to a) maximize the length, as we'll have AP's next year too and want to get the most time before renewing, and b) want to make sure the cards arrive in time for this trip. How long do you suggest we wait to order or should it be right away just to be safe? Thanks.
Lisa
Tiger Fan

I was told that I could order my DDE card from my room when I arrived, and that a confirmation letter would be faxed to the front desk of my onsite hotel.

 

[swilphil]

You can order a couple of weeks before your trip, or less time, and just have them e-mail you a letter that you can use. I ordered mine 6-8 weeks before our trip and received the card in 6 weeks. The problem is my DDE card expires Feb. 28, 2006, but my AP expires in mid-March. If I take an early March trip next year, I'll have to get a new card or forego the discount.

 

[fun & fancy free]

I called and ordered on April 5. I got the e-mail the next day and it states that my card is good until May 31, 2006. When I bought the DDE the CM asked when we would be going to WDW. That might have something to do with the dates. Good luck.

 

[EEyorelover22]

I was told that I could order my DDE card from my room when I arrived, and that a confirmation letter would be faxed to the front desk of my onsite hotel.

Remember that their office is only open M-F.

 

[weluvpluto]

We're going at the beginning of July, but next year our trip will be done by June 30th, so I'm going to order at the beginning of May. When I call, I'm just going to make sure the expiration will be June 30, 2006. If it expires May 31, 2006, I'll wait til mid-May to order it, to try to get the June expiration.

 

[EEyorelover22]

There are changes as of today on getting the DDE confirmation email letter and now temp cards have to be picked up at Epcot at guest services.
I am not sure about faxing to the hotels now either.

 

[fun & fancy free]

So does that mean that my letter is no longer good enough. I hope I get my card by the time we leave to avoid all this. I already have to validate my AP voucher and not the DDE card. My family will be spending alot of time at guest services. How long did it take others to get the actual card?

 

[athenna]

I ordered my card back on 2/17. I still have not received it and I leave Sunday. I have the e-mail letter. Are they now saying that the e-mail confirmation is not good enough??
I called them last Thursday and they said that it was processed on 3/24 and it should take 2 weeks from that, but nothing yet.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

I ordered my card back on 2/17. I still have not received it and I leave Sunday. I have the e-mail letter. Are they now saying that the e-mail confirmation is not good enough??
I called them last Thursday and they said that it was processed on 3/24 and it should take 2 weeks from that, but nothing yet.

They aren't sending any more out, and they have established a way to get temporary cards at Epcot.

Since you already have the e-mail you are all set and could just use it your whole trip - but if I were you (this is my plan for when I go in a few weeks) you can just use you letter until you happen to get to Epcot, and then get your temporary cards there and use those for the rest of the trip.

I really wish they weren't taking so long - I'd like to have the "real" card before I go, and I figured 2.5 months would be enough. Still crossing my fingers. Will be much easier to keep the card with my AP instead of having another piece of paper to carry around.

N.E.D.

 

[athenna]

They aren't sending any more out, and they have established a way to get temporary cards at Epcot.

Since you already have the e-mail you are all set and could just use it your whole trip - but if I were you (this is my plan for when I go in a few weeks) you can just use you letter until you happen to get to Epcot, and then get your temporary cards there and use those for the rest of the trip.

I really wish they weren't taking so long - I'd like to have the "real" card before I go, and I figured 2.5 months would be enough. Still crossing my fingers. Will be much easier to keep the card with my AP instead of having another piece of paper to carry around.

N.E.D.

Thanks, N.E.D.!!
I get it know, thanks for explaining it.

 

[Liz]

There are changes as of today on getting the DDE confirmation email letter and now temp cards have to be picked up at Epcot at guest services.
I am not sure about faxing to the hotels now either.

This is truly awful news. I'm ordering the DDE when they open this morning and I'm 99% sure the card won't arrive before we leave May 28th. We planned on using the confirmation e-mail and eating at Pop food court as soon as we arrive at WDW after checking in. Now we've gotta go to Epcot first????????

 

[caribear]

The new temporary "cards" are actually the same letters that were previously being faxed. I called yesterday to check on my DDE card which was ordered on 2/19 and was told I should have it in about 2 weeks. You now have to go to Epcot Guest Relations, outside the park gates, to pick up the confirmation letters.

 

[Liz]

Okay, just got off the phone from ordering my DDE card and here's what I was told. They will mail the confirmation letter to my house and it should arrive in 2-3 weeks. This is the letter that was previously e-mailed. I asked what the deal was about picking up something at Epcot and she said that's only if you are arriving in the next 2-3 weeks so you wouldn't have time to get the letter at home. Whew! This is much better news.

 

[jnrrt]

Do you have to have a validated AP or only an AP voucher? I thought you could buy the voucher, order the DDE card, and then validate the AP when you got there, but I saw somewhere that it has to be a validated AP? Is this right?

We are also hoping to use our AP and DDE for two trips one year minus a week apart, so I'm trying to maximize the expiration on both.

 

[Liz]

Do you have to have a validated AP or only an AP voucher? I thought you could buy the voucher, order the DDE card, and then validate the AP when you got there, but I saw somewhere that it has to be a validated AP? Is this right?

We are also hoping to use our AP and DDE for two trips one year minus a week apart, so I'm trying to maximize the expiration on both.

I ordered the DDE with only a voucher. She just needed the numbers across the back of the card.

But she did tell me the DDE expires one year from TODAY, which I thought was odd. It doesn't matter to me because I won't be able to use it on more than one trip but if that's true I'm sure it will make a difference to others.

 

[Hieatt]

I ordered the DDE with only a voucher. She just needed the numbers across the back of the card.

But she did tell me the DDE expires one year from TODAY, which I thought was odd. It doesn't matter to me because I won't be able to use it on more than one trip but if that's true I'm sure it will make a difference to others.

Actually, while it is true that the DDE membership is activated the day you order it, it expires THIRTEEN MONTHS after activation. So, if you have an AP voucher and want your AP and DDE to expire at the same time, simply call exactly one month before the day you plan to activate your AP.

 

[DebIreland]

Okay, just got off the phone from ordering my DDE card and here's what I was told. They will mail the confirmation letter to my house and it should arrive in 2-3 weeks. This is the letter that was previously e-mailed. I asked what the deal was about picking up something at Epcot and she said that's only if you are arriving in the next 2-3 weeks so you wouldn't have time to get the letter at home. Whew! This is much better news.

Yes, that is GREAT news. When I heard it had to be picked up at Epcot I was worried because we want to use the DDE straight away and had no plans to go to Epcot on our first evening. i already got my confirmation letter but it's date is valid til the end of May and we don't go 'til June. Hopefully I'll have the actual card by then but if not, I'll have them mail a fresh letter. Great!