Will be first time AP holder...what do I need to know?

[atmail35]

I am getting an AP for the first time for my family....we are from the East Coast, but will return again within a year. What do I need to know?

I'm planning on buying online before I go....do I need to do it a certain amount of time in advance?

Do I get MM or no?

We are getting the Deluxe. I wonder if there is any benefit to one of us getting Premium for extra meal/merchandise discounts, but I don't think so. We won't have a car so the parking doesn't help.

Thanks in advance for ANY advice you all can give me!

 

[offwithyourhead]

I'd give it a few days in advance just in case you have any issues with email, just don't cut yourself too close. We got ours online and brought the emails to the booths to get our passes. Easy and no fuss.

No magic morning

Not really worth it for the premium imo. If you're only going to go twice, are you going to make up and then exceed the value of the premium for food discounts? Since the difference is about $200, I'm going to say I doubt it. If you had the car, it MIGHT be almost worth it that you'd break even for what you save on parking, but you won't so IMO not worth the extra money.

 

[atmail35]

thanks offwithyourhead...bummer on the no MM, since we get up so early b/c we are on East Coast time...

I agree, seems like Premium isn't worth it. I am ordering online.

There are no other discounts for the actual pass purchase right? (like Disney Visa)? I got GC through Target Red Card to try and save something.

 

[SMD]

If you want MM you could buy 3 day tickets and then upgrade once you've used your MM. You also want to check for blockout dates during your trip, because starting with tickets and upgrading is a strategy to get around those as well. If you stay on site you'd get EMH anyway, so you could call Disney and see what the rates and availability are for your dates.

Sometimes AAA, credit unions or resellers offer APs at a slight discount in addition to tickets. But all discounts, tickets and hotels are becoming more scarce lately.

 

[wdwfan22]

I agree with SMD just buy 3 day hoppers in advance so you can take advantage of one MM ( I personally love them), then go to the ticket booths after you use the MM and upgrade. You just pay the difference, so money is the same as buying ahead of time. That's what I did. I just made sure to upgrade before I did any big spending or expensive meals.

 

[atmail35]

Thanks! Ok so I am staying on-site, it looks like EMH and MM line up anyway so I think I can just book the AP so I can get dining/merchandise discounts from day one.

So I guess there is no benefit to buying tix and upgrading since none of the dates are blacked out...does that sound right?

 

[atmail35]

Great tip on the buying tix and upgrading to avoid blackout dates, my sister is doing that as she lives in S. CA.

 

[8lovesmickey]

Thanks! Ok so I am staying on-site, it looks like EMH and MM line up anyway so I think I can just book the AP so I can get dining/merchandise discounts from day one.

So I guess there is no benefit to buying tix and upgrading since none of the dates are blacked out...does that sound right?

I am a first time AP holder this year - if you stay on sight you get in early anyhow, so that's not a problem. I would also say to be sure to ask every where if there's an AP discount, because the answer is usually yes. Even a few bucks at Earl of Sandwich can make a difference! Also FYI I bought mine online and when I got there I had to wait in line to get an actual plastic pass with my picture on it. They let me in with just the voucher the first day, but then I needed to go to the ticket booth. Plan for that so you don't get stuck in a ticket line at the beginning of the day (or when it's super hot). And just as an aside, you can have one of the photopass people take your picture to put on your pass. Even though you don't see the picture, all the CMs do every time you use it. It's kind of fun to have a good pic on there.

 

[Girimama33]

If your trip is in 2016, buy the APs online at the beginning of the year before any price increase takes place. They are not effective until activated at the parks.

 

[SMD]

The only reasons I can think of to buy tickets and upgrade to an AP if staying on site would be 1. If you wanted to spread out the cost by paying some now and some later or 2. If you have a bunch of small denomination gift card beyond the limit for number of cards you can use in an online transaction.

For avoiding block out dates, you can enter the park on a one time exception on the day you upgrade. So if the blockout is day 2, use the ticket on day 1, then upgrade at the beginning of day 2 in order to take advantage of dining and merchandise discounts right away. If the blockout is the last day you'd have to wait. If your sister is planning to get the So Cal Select pass make sure the ticket she buy costs less than that pass. I believe a 5 day PH is currently more than a So Cal Select AP, in which case they wouldn't allow an "upgrade".

 

[Jerryp49]

If you need to get your picture taken for your Pass , there is a Photo shop in DCA near the Trolly stop by the main gate that never seems to have a line

 

[Mel522]

There are no other discounts for the actual pass purchase right? (like Disney Visa)? I got GC through Target Red Card to try and save something.

The only reasons I can think of to buy tickets and upgrade to an AP if staying on site would be 1. If you wanted to spread out the cost by paying some now and some later or 2. If you have a bunch of small denomination gift card beyond the limit for number of cards you can use in an online transaction.

https://disneygiftcard.com now allows you to transfer the balance on your cards onto another card, so you can combine the balance of multiple cards onto one card.

 

[lorijohnhill]

https://disneygiftcard.com now allows you to transfer the balance on your cards onto another card, so you can combine the balance of multiple cards onto one card.

Really? This is VERY good to know!

 

[Angrose]

They will now take your pictures at the gates for an AP, just like if you were using a multi-day ticket. No need to find a photo pass photographer. At least, this is how I did mine in March.

Also, If you are getting any sort of AP discount on your room, then you will need to show your AP, not just the voucher, the same day you check in.

 

[cmwade77]

I'd give it a few days in advance just in case you have any issues with email, just don't cut yourself too close. We got ours online and brought the emails to the booths to get our passes. Easy and no fuss.

No magic morning

Not really worth it for the premium imo. If you're only going to go twice, are you going to make up and then exceed the value of the premium for food discounts? Since the difference is about $200, I'm going to say I doubt it. If you had the car, it MIGHT be almost worth it that you'd break even for what you save on parking, but you won't so IMO not worth the extra money.

If you are staying on property or one of the other hotels that offer Magic Morning, Annual Passholders do get Magic Morning.

An item that isn't advertised, as Disney has no control over it is a lot of the surrounding businesses give discounts to annual passholders, you just need to ask if they do or not.

 

[tarheelalum]

Make sure to always use your AP to get your food discounts. Some places do not give any AP food discounts like Gibson Girl Ice Cream and a lot of the little food carts. I tend to avoid those places.

 

[StormyCA]

I got my Deluxe AP on a blockout day (a Saturday) and they gave me a 'blockout pass' to use that day. I was upgrading from a hopper though, not sure if that made a difference.

 

[atmail35]

Thanks for the info on the DCA Photoshop. I also need to pick up my photopass+ card so that would work great. So I pick up my AP at the ticket booth and then can get my photo taken?

 

[atmail35]

I did learn that you can transfer up to $1000 onto one Gift Card via the disney gift card site. BUT I was unable to use a gift card to pay online. I chatted with DL and they said to call to book it that way. So I'll try calling next. I'd rather avoid having to buy the pass on arrival day, unless you all think it's an easy process. The CM told me it would be better to give all my info on the phone so I just have to pick it up. She said you can use up to 3 GC on the phone. I believe at the gate is unlimited, but IMO it's easier to combine onto a few cards.

 

[bumbershoot]

We just bought aps at the ticket booth two hours ago. To make it faster I would write everyone's names out on a paper (we had to do that anyway) ahead of time. The main time was just waiting in line; the earlier you get there the better that situation will be.

They had our pictures from either tickets last September or aps 4-5 years ago so we didn't have to get new ones. Not sure of the procedure for that now.