Activating Annual Pass

[Pan]

I need some help. We're very excited as I just got our vouchers for annual passes in the mail today for our trip at the end of Jan.
However there is a complication. We arrive on Thurs night and hope to get out to MK on Fri am at 9 when it opens so we can get the kids on Dumbo before it's an hour wait. We're staying at Port Orleans (aka Dixie's Landings) and will be arriving by the bus right at the entrance to the park. However I'm suppose to redeem the vouchers at the Ticket and Transportation Center or at one of the other parks.

So now I either need to go out to Epcot on Thurs night and hope the ticket counters are still open when I get there, or we will need to get to MK early and maybe take the monorail over to the T and T center.

Any idea how early the Ticket and Transpo center is open and will the buses and monorail be running early enough to get us there and back to MK by 9am. How late are the ticket booths open at Epcot on Thurs night? Are there any other suggestions? Is this true that I can't redeem the vouchers right there at the ticket counters at the gate to the MK? Please help!

 

[NowInc]

Doesnt transportation go straight to the TTC?? It opens the same time as the park...maybe a bit earlier.

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by NowInc
Doesnt transportation go straight to the TTC?? It opens the same time as the park...maybe a bit earlier.

I think you are right.. buses drop you at TTC, no?( I´m doubting now!) Then you take the monorail to MK....

 

[The Mom]

Originally posted by Maria


I think you are right.. buses drop you at TTC, no?( I´m doubting now!) Then you take the monorail to MK....

The resort busses take you right to the front entrace of MK...which is one of the perks. I always thought you could activate the passes at Guest Services (the one outside the turnstiles) at MK; I remember getting ID photos there way back when, so I assumed you could just trade the vouchers in and get your passes. Has this changed?

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by marciahahn


. I always thought you could activate the passes at Guest Services (the one outside the turnstiles) at MK; I remember getting ID photos there way back when, so I assumed you could just trade the vouchers in and get your passes. Has this changed?

BINGO...Marcia's right on the money as usual....you can activate the vouchers at Guest Services at any of the parks ..at least that's what we did in the summer and I doubt that has changed.

 

[NowInc]

But I am almost postive there are busses that go to the TTA as well...perhaps Im crazy..i dunno...

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by marciahahn


The resort busses take you right to the front entrace of MK...which is one of the perks.

aaaahhhhh! there is the cue! the RESORT busses... I never took them from a resort... always from Epcot.... that might be why I remember getting to TTC... thanks!

 

[The Mom]

Originally posted by NowInc
But I am almost postive there are busses that go to the TTA as well...perhaps Im crazy..i dunno...

I wasn't specifically looking for one, but I never noticed a bus going to the TTC from our resort hotel. I'm not saying they don't exist; I just never saw one. (I was at AKL last, so had to use busses to get anywhere)

 

[James123]

Things Change!

Originally posted by Tramp


BINGO...Marcia's right on the money as usual....you can activate the vouchers at Guest Services at any of the parks ..at least that's what we did in the summer and I doubt that has changed.

Sorry, but the rules have changed. Vouchers are now called, "Walt Disney World EXCAHNGE CERTIFICATES". They can only be redeemed at "ticket sales" locations at the following 4 locations: Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center at the MK. If you go to MK directly from your resort by bus, you're going to have to take the Ferryboat or the Monorail back to the T&TC to redeem your certificates for your annual passes! I have an exchange certificate in front of me as I write this to you. Guest Relations offices outside the turnstiles are being phased out. As I have mentioned in previous posts (see park maps for example) WDW is scaling back services. Look at the current WDW guide maps and you will not see one mention of "Guest Relations" outside of the turnstiles. Come on Mr. Promey, back me up on this one!

So Pan, if I were you, I'd go to Epcot as in your orignial plan to avoid the lines!

 

[Pan]

Thank you everybody for the help. Then Epcot it is. It's the closest ticket office by bus from my hotel. I assume the ticket windows are open until 9pm.

 

[MrPromey]

Re: Things Change!

Originally posted by James


Sorry, but the rules have changed. Vouchers are now called, "Walt Disney World EXCAHNGE CERTIFICATES". They can only be redeemed at "ticket sales" locations at the following 4 locations: Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center at the MK. If you go to MK directly from your resort by bus, you're going to have to take the Ferryboat or the Monorail back to the T&TC to redeem your certificates for your annual passes! I have an exchange certificate in front of me as I write this to you. Guest Relations offices outside the turnstiles are being phased out. As I have mentioned in previous posts (see park maps for example) WDW is scaling back services. Look at the current WDW guide maps and you will not see one mention of "Guest Relations" outside of the turnstiles. Come on Mr. Promey, back me up on this one!

So Pan, if I were you, I'd go to Epcot as in your orignial plan to avoid the lines!

While the need for guest relations areas at the entrance to most of the parks seems to be becoming less important (as they are able to do more and more at the ticket windows) I don’t see the one at the MK going away any time soon for the simple reason that if you have a problem with a ticket or a question outside of Epcot it’s easy to go up to one of those booths and get taken care of but it’s a bit of a ride back to the TTC if you are at the entrance to the MK. The best way to find out for sure would be to call Disney and ask them yourself. The AP number is (407) 560-7277. If they can’t tell you for sure, ask for the WDW switch board and when you get there, ask to have your call forwarded to guest relations at MK. More than likely you’ll be directed to the guest relations inside the park but they should still be able to answer your question. Good luck and I hope you have a good time

 

[Tramp]

Re: Things Change!

Originally posted by James


Sorry, but the rules have changed. Vouchers are now called, "Walt Disney World EXCAHNGE CERTIFICATES". They can only be redeemed at "ticket sales" locations at the following 4 locations: Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center at the MK.

James....

thanks for filling us in on the change.....can you still BUY the annual pass at Guest Relations or do you have to go to 'ticket sales' for that also...

We've purchased annual passes at Guest Relations in the past which is why we felt it really wasn't necessary to go the voucher route at all....all that did was give Disney OUR money to use in advance of our vacation.

I'll tell ya, Disney has a habit of changing their policies on these annual passes with no notice to the public at all....like the change of "first use" policy...I would've been real ed if I went to Guest Relations and had to drag my family back to the TTC just to exchange a voucher for a ticket I already paid for...and, at the end of the day, they really wouldn't care if I were ed or not.

 

[James123]

Whose got the tickets!

You are SO RIGHT Tramp! WDW changes their mind on ticket sales and voucher redemptions on a regular basis. Yes, you can still buy and upgrade tickets at Guest Relations. Also, you can still redeem your vouchers at Guest Relations but WDW has provided me with conflicting information as to how long this policy will last. The most comprehensive information about WDW tickets can be found at www.wdwig.com/ticket.htm but even this site is somewhat out of date. The problem with contacting WDW either by phone or by www.disney.com/DisneyWorld is that they normally want to sell you a vacation package or at least sell you high priced tickets. They don't volunteer information about special rates for resorts or tickets (and sometimes they don't know because they don't have the answer). After all, The Walt Disney Company is a huge organization and sometimes the people on the front lines (those wonderful CM's that normally do a GREAT job in helping us the public) don't get the information they need from management to serve the public. As has been demonstrated many times on this forum, WDW does not always provide the same answer to the same question. So, as a good consumer, you really need to do your homework first and find out what special deals are available. This can often be a formidable task because of the many different ticket options, discount codes, resort options and "seasonal values" that WDW offers. In my experience, it usually pays to book a resort and admission media separately and to always check a variety of sources (WDW, travel agents, etc.) for the best deal. Two years ago I used a travel agent and got rock bottom prices on air fare, admission media and our stay at the Poly. Last year I checked back with the same agent and the prices had gone through the roof. I booked it all myself for far less! You just have to shop around.

One other item. Ever notice that when you check in at your resort the CM always asks, "Do you have your tickets yet?". Every once in awhile I hear someone reply, "No I don't.". That's the queue for the CM to try and sell the "Ultimate Park Hopper Pass". The UPHP is nothing but a "cash cow" for WDW. So just remember, those CM's are very nice but they"ll pick your pocket if you let them! Buyer beware.