Annual Pass purchase question

[wdwluv]

I *think* that Disney used to give vouchers, when a annual pass was purchased online, and that you turned it in at guest services at the park to get your pass and start your pass. But now they don't do that? Is that correct? It is active from the day you purchase it? :confused: That's a bummer.

Can I assume that you can purchase an annual pass at the park on the day you arrive? (or your resort maybe?)

Thanks so much!:mickey:

[GothMickey]

May I politely ask where you heard that?

You buy your pass online, you receive a voucher in the mail. You present the voucher to Guest Services, in which time they provide you with the actual annual pass. The pass is good from the day you cash in the voucher. So, if you buy your pass today online, but do not cash in the voucher until June 20, 2011, the pass will be good until June 20, 2012.

[Scar]

Can I assume that you can purchase an annual pass at the park on the day you arrive? (or your resort maybe?)I bought mine at the ticket booth in front of Epcot International Gateway, then used it to go in the park. Much easier than buying online.

[squijee]

Can you buy ap at guest services at the hotel or only at a park or DTD?

[beksy]

We upgraded our 6 day tickets to APs at MK guest services. It was really easy and took like 2 minutes. I remember a long time ago when we had APs (the only other time I've had them!) and we had to have our pics taken. This was a lot easier! They just deducted the cost of the tickets we already had from the cost of the AP which helped us in saving money to buy the passes and then backdated the pass to the date we first used our tickets we were up-dating.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

You can only purchase APs (or redeem vouchers) at Guest Services, which has a location both inside and outside of each park as well as at the TTC and in DTD. You cannot conduct any AP business at any resort.

Unless you just want to spend the money ahead of time, there is no reason to not just wait and buy the AP at the gate upon your arrival at your first park for the day, since if you buy a voucher you are going to have to wait in that exact same line anyway.

EDIT: The more I think about it I believe you can purchase APs at Guest Services OR at the regular ticket gate at each park, but since both of those desks are essentially right beside each other it doesn't really matter which one you go to. Either way you definitely cannot do AP business at any Concierge Desk at any resort.

[KylesMom]

Unless you just want to spend the money ahead of time, there is no reason to not just wait and buy the AP at the gate upon your arrival at your first park for the day, since if you buy a voucher you are going to have to wait in that exact same line anyway.
I would say this depends on when you are visiting. Disney has raised the price of A/Ps for the past 5 or so years in the month of August. Not that they couldn't raise prices in any month, but August seems to be the month in recent years.

If the O/P is visiting in November '11 & looking to buy an A/P for that trip, I would definitely order my A/P online or purchase at TDS before August 1st. One thing we've learned to count on are park ticket increases!

As other members have stated, the voucher is active when you exchange it for a ticket at a park guest services gate or DTD - no sooner.

[kakn7294]

Unless you just want to spend the money ahead of time, there is no reason to not just wait and buy the AP at the gate upon your arrival at your first park for the day, since if you buy a voucher you are going to have to wait in that exact same line anyway.

I usually purchase mine in advance so that I can break up the cost of paying for 4 of them. Plus we usually go in July or August so it avoids that August increase that's been happening the past several years. And I like to have a voucher in-hand at check-in just in case they ask to see an AP since I usually book the room with an AP rate. I have actually been asked to produce the AP at check-in.

[teambricker04]

We have only had them once, but will be getting APs again for our trip in August. Usually, we purchase all of our tickets ahead of time from the Disney Store. With the APs, it is just a voucher and then we took it to a Guest Relations where it was transferred to the actual AP. Didn't take more than a few minutes. Like kakn7294, we were able to spread out paying for them and the whole trip cost doesn't hit us all at once.

:mickey:

[wdwluv]

Thanks so much for all the info everyone!

GothMickey - I had done some research online before I asked, and was disappointed that EVERYTHING I read said that they used to do vouchers and now the pass is activated as soon as you purchase it...but of course today, I googled what I think I did before...and NOTHING says that it is activated the day you buy it online and you DO get a voucher to redeem at the park!!! I'm very glad to hear they still do the vouchers, but I SWEAR I read they changed it!!!

If anyone is still "listening"...do you have opinions/thoughts at what point you would skip the tickets and go for the AP? For me, I KNOW it makes sense...as I am going to the D23 event in May and doing some park days, then doing a family trip in November. The rest of the family will definitely be doing 5 park days, not necessarily more, but was thinking of adding a day or two onto the tickets...since it is SO inexpensive to do so once you've purchased 5 days, and if we have those extra days we might go ahead and head to a park for an hour or two on a day we have other plans. (for example...a day of 1900 Park Fare breakfast and visiting resorts decorated for Christmas ) I will already have my annual pass to get the free parking, ?(and maybe even room discounts?)

[wdwluv]

Maybe I misread this?...

I hear there is a new policy on purchasing Annual Passes. What is it?

On October 2, 2000 Disney changed their policy on Annual Passes. Any AP purchased at WDW now receives an activated pass, not a voucher. (NOTE: vouchers may be purchased by request at any of the Guest Relations locations at WDW.) This pass will expire one year from the date of purchase, not the previous one year from first use. The date of expiration is clearly printed with the words "Expires on" on the AP itself.

If you purchased the AP from any other source (The Disney Store, online or by phone from WDW, the Disney shops at Orlando International Airport, or any of the Florida mall locations) and it doesn't have the word "Expire" (or any form of the word) on it....then it is not an admission media with the clock ticking. It is a voucher which must be exchanged at WDW Guest Relations for the activated pass. Most vouchers are a bright yellow/green color. Your one year will start upon exchanging the voucher.

[KylesMom]

I think you're looking at old information which is confusing you. 2000 was a long time ago. There is no "new policy" on purchasing A/P's. Even the description of the voucher is invalid - they certainly are not bright yellow/green anymore. They look almost like a gift card.

I assure you, if you purchase an A/P at TDS or on line, you'll receive a voucher which will need to be exchanged. The activation on the tickets will not start until exchanged.

As far as opinions on when it makes sense to buy A/Ps instead of park tickets? When the admission days are at break-even or better.

[GothMickey]

Thanks JC for sharing that. I do believe maybe you misunderstood. The info there says when you buy the AP at Guest Relations. Yes, in that sense, the pass is good for the year from day purchased. But if you buy online, or the Disney Store like KylesMom said, the pass is good from day of activation, not date of purchase.

Enjoy your trip!

[wdwluv]

Thank you so much for helping me understand! 20 days and I'll get to activate it for my Destination D trip! :mickey: