Annual Pass Activation Questions

[DisneyGigi]

I did a quick search but just want to make sure that I had this right. If I buy annual passes now online form Disney, the passes will not be activated until the first time we use them? Is this correct? I found one thread that mentioned exchanging a voucher for tickets once you are there and I just want to make sure that I have the right info. We will not be able to go to WDW until after the first of the year so if the expiration starts from date of purchase, we would wait instead of buying them as Christmas gifts.
Also- if we have already planned a trip in September '09 would I be better off straight up canceling or can I just change the tickets to a one day to be able to take advantage of the free dinining bounceback or can I even do that.
Thanks, I know this is random and a little confusing! So your help is much appreciated.

 

[Monty]

When you buy APs on-line, you get vouchers in the mail. Whenever you get to WDW you have to exchange the vouchers for APs. They aren't activated until you get them changed into APs.

Your bounceback reservation can be changed to be only one-day base tickets for each member of your group and still qualify for the free dining plan. If you don't use the one-day tickets, you can use them towards your AP renewal or new APs later if you don't renew.

:king:

 

[DisneyGigi]

When you buy APs on-line, you get vouchers in the mail. Whenever you get to WDW you have to exchange the vouchers for APs. They aren't activated until you get them changed into APs.

Your bounceback reservation can be changed to be only one-day base tickets for each member of your group and still qualify for the free dining plan. If you don't use the one-day tickets, you can use them towards your AP renewal or new APs later if you don't renew.

:king:

Thank you Monty! That sounds great. We have thought of buying passes in the past but did not. The Disney website does not really give that much info so I was confused.
On turning the passes into renewals.. How does that work? We would use the pass for the dining plan right but not admission, so that would leave the ticket part valid even though it shows that we used it for meals? I would have never thought of that! Thanks for mentioning it.:sohappy:

 

[Monty]

Thank you Monty! That sounds great. We have thought of buying passes in the past but did not. The Disney website does not really give that much info so I was confused.
On turning the passes into renewals.. How does that work? We would use the pass for the dining plan right but not admission, so that would leave the ticket part valid even though it shows that we used it for meals? I would have never thought of that! Thanks for mentioning it.:sohappy:

Yep! I have two one-day base tickets on KTTW cards that have never been used, just waiting for a trip where I'm not getting free dining and can upgrade them. :king:

 

[mousefan1972]

Hey, She. That is exactly what we are doing in August. We're renewing our AP's in May, so when we go in late August to take advantage of the bounceback free dining offer we're going to get one day base tickets with our package. Then, as Monty said, we'll hang onto them until a later date. Since you won't be using the one day tickets at all, they won't expire and you can keep them until you are ready to upgrade. :wave:

 

[DisneyGigi]

Yep! I have two one-day base tickets on KTTW cards that have never been used, just waiting for a trip where I'm not getting free dining and can upgrade them. :king:

Hey, She. That is exactly what we are doing in August. We're renewing our AP's in May, so when we go in late August to take advantage of the bounceback free dining offer we're going to get one day base tickets with our package. Then, as Monty said, we'll hang onto them until a later date. Since you won't be using the one day tickets at all, they won't expire and you can keep them until you are ready to upgrade. :wave:

YaY!!! Can't wait til Christmas then! Thanks to both of you guys, again I would have never thought of applying the 1 day towards renewal. :wave:
*does happy dance*

 

[mousefan1972]

Just be careful.... AP's can be dangerous!! :lol:

 

[Monty]

Just be careful.... AP's can be dangerous!! :lol:

Ain't that the truth!

I was going every February for a week. I decided a late February trip one year and an early February trip the next would make APs worthwhile [instead of two 7-day hoppers].

Once I had them though... two other trips suddenly seemed doable! :lol:

We drove down in June and flew in August... So much for the slight savings of having APs! :shrug:

[Don't get me wrong, it was great! But more expensive]

 

[KingStefan]

Ain't that the truth!

I was going every February for a week. I decided a late February trip one year and an early February trip the next would make APs worthwhile [instead of two 7-day hoppers].

Once I had them though... two other trips suddenly seemed doable! :lol:

We drove down in June and flew in August... So much for the slight savings of having APs! :shrug:

[Don't get me wrong, it was great! But more expensive]

Similar thing happened to me three years ago. Went for an extra trip we would have never done. Still a great deal, though!

 

[disneygirl76]

I did a quick search but just want to make sure that I had this right. If I buy annual passes now online form Disney, the passes will not be activated until the first time we use them? Is this correct? I found one thread that mentioned exchanging a voucher for tickets once you are there and I just want to make sure that I have the right info. We will not be able to go to WDW until after the first of the year so if the expiration starts from date of purchase, we would wait instead of buying them as Christmas gifts.
Also- if we have already planned a trip in September '09 would I be better off straight up canceling or can I just change the tickets to a one day to be able to take advantage of the free dinining bounceback or can I even do that.
Thanks, I know this is random and a little confusing! So your help is much appreciated.

I am not sure about activation b/c I will be purchasing mine on the same day that I begin using them. I am waiting b/c I also bought a package. In order to get dining you had to get a one day MYW tix. I am trading in that ticket to upgrade it to an AP. This is a huge plus! So now we don't have to pay as much for the AP!! :sohappy:

 

[Rob562]

YaY!!! Can't wait til Christmas then! Thanks to both of you guys, again I would have never thought of applying the 1 day towards renewal. :wave:
*does happy dance*

Just be aware that in order to apply the 1-day tickets to an AP renewal, it has to be done in-person at WDW. You cannot use a ticket as credit toward an over-the-phone, online or mail-in renewal.

-Rob

 

[DisneyGigi]

Just be careful.... AP's can be dangerous!! :lol:

Ain't that the truth!

I was going every February for a week. I decided a late February trip one year and an early February trip the next would make APs worthwhile [instead of two 7-day hoppers].

Once I had them though... two other trips suddenly seemed doable! :lol:

We drove down in June and flew in August... So much for the slight savings of having APs! :shrug:

[Don't get me wrong, it was great! But more expensive]

I bet it will be dangerous! :lookaroun Knowing that I have the pass..

DH gets an extra week of vacation this year bringing it to 4 weeks. We were thinking it would be nice to take our normal 10 day trip a year plus a few smaller ones.

Just be aware that in order to apply the 1-day tickets to an AP renewal, it has to be done in-person at WDW. You cannot use a ticket as credit toward an over-the-phone, online or mail-in renewal.

-Rob

Thanks for the mentioning that. How long do you have to renew your passes once it gets close to expiring?

 

[mousefan1972]

I bet it will be dangerous! :lookaroun Knowing that I have the pass..

DH gets an extra week of vacation this year bringing it to 4 weeks. We were thinking it would be nice to take our normal 10 day trip a year plus a few smaller ones.



Thanks for the mentioning that. How long do you have to renew your passes once it gets close to expiring?

According to the FAQ on the passholder section of Disneyworld.com, you can renew your pass beginning 30 days prior to your renewal date, up until 30 days after it. So, mine expires May 13, 2009. I can renew it between April 13 and June 13. (thus paying the cheaper renewal price) The expiration date will be the same, though. So even if I wait till June to renew it, the new expiration date will be May 13, 2010.