Annual Passholder Question

[PolynesianPrincess]

Hey all! Sorry if this has already been discussed but I searched and didn't see it!!

We just got back from the world on Sunday and are already planning another trip for November. We didn't know we'd want to go back so soon (we didn't think we'd be going back until November 2012 actually) so we didn't purchase APs. Now, we want to go in November and we bumped next years trip to early May again as we loved the weather and low crowds. We're going to purchase AP's. It comes out to be less than a 4 day base ticket for November and a 5 day park hopper for next May by a little less than $100. We're looking at November 11-15 and looking to stay on property to take advantage of the Magical Express. My question is this: How would I go about booking a room with the AP discount? (IF they offer one for November) Do I actually need to have the AP when I book the room to get the discount or can I present it at time of check in or check out? I won't actually use it until the first day we get there so if I need it on check in, it won't be activate.. Not sure how all this works!! Any insight would be FABULOUS!! :animwink:

 

[Master Yoda]

You only need your AP to book an AP rate online. You can do it over the phone or through a travel agent without the physical AP. You may be required to show your AP at check in but it is hit or miss if they will ask for it.

 

[ThatMouse]

I had the problem of waiting to renew my AP when we got there too. It's dumb that Disney needs the pass at check-in, but doesn't sell the passes inside the resort. If you order the pass online, I believe you only get the voucher, and you still need to go get the pass to check-in under that rate. This is what Disney told me on the phone. They need the actual pass, presumably so they can type in the number.

To avoid the problem, I moved to Florida and just book under the Florida Resident rate. Not everyone can do that. ;-)

 

[disney4life2008]

If your a new AP holder, you will need the AP number to book online. However, ti will not be needed at check in - even more so if you do online check in. You are in and out in minutes.

I love my AP. I used to go to WDW once a year (if that) then once I got my AP - I started going 2 to 3 times a year. The discounts alone are incredible!!!

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Thanks for the help guys. We're actually debating going in November and using an AP passholder discount or going in early September when they have free dining. I did some calculations and I'm no mathmetician (spelling?) but it seems that the free dining would be a better deal. We love our sit down meals like Le Cellier, '50s Prime Time Cafe and Crystal Palace and dining can add up to a pretty penny. Has anyone else ever compared the two? Any opinions as to which would be better? Just trying to get the most for our money... Gosh, I feel so cheap saying that lol :lol:

 

[PlaneCrazy1978]

You only need your AP to book an AP rate online. You can do it over the phone or through a travel agent without the physical AP. You may be required to show your AP at check in but it is hit or miss if they will ask for it.

Just a side note from my experiences. I've been 30 + times, and they only asked for the AP once. Recently, my AP expired, and I had to call to book the trip. I actually asked on the phone this time while booking "What if they ask at check in?" She said they will honor the AP rate as long as I show them the AP during my stay. Nto sure if one rogue person on the phone was accurate, but they've been trustworthy in the past.

 

[PlaneCrazy1978]

Thanks for the help guys. We're actually debating going in November and using an AP passholder discount or going in early September when they have free dining. I did some calculations and I'm no mathmetician (spelling?) but it seems that the free dining would be a better deal. We love our sit down meals like Le Cellier, '50s Prime Time Cafe and Crystal Palace and dining can add up to a pretty penny. Has anyone else ever compared the two? Any opinions as to which would be better? Just trying to get the most for our money... Gosh, I feel so cheap saying that lol :lol:

I have. I've actually sat down and worked it out on spreadsheets (my wife is good with that). If you eat 2 or more meals a day (2 people) it is a better deal to get the TIW card, get the AP room rate, and pay outright for the meals with the discount. If you eat less than 2 table service, free dining is better. We usually do a quick breakfast and then lunch and dinner at table service.

 

[Master Yoda]

Just a side note from my experiences. I've been 30 + times, and they only asked for the AP once. Recently, my AP expired, and I had to call to book the trip. I actually asked on the phone this time while booking "What if they ask at check in?" She said they will honor the AP rate as long as I show them the AP during my stay. Nto sure if one rogue person on the phone was accurate, but they've been trustworthy in the past.

My experience has been just the opposite. While I have no doubt that they can be lax in confirming that you have an active AP, I just never seem to run into that CM. I have booked with an AP rate somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 times and can count the number of times that I have not been asked for it on one hand. I can only assume that I have a dishonest face.:lol:

 

[dizzney]

We're DVC so we dont deal with the room issues, but we LOVE our TIW card which we get when we buy our AP's, well worth the discount on the restaurants. And they take it off liquor too.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Thanks for the help guys. We're actually debating going in November and using an AP passholder discount or going in early September when they have free dining. I did some calculations and I'm no mathmetician (spelling?) but it seems that the free dining would be a better deal. We love our sit down meals like Le Cellier, '50s Prime Time Cafe and Crystal Palace and dining can add up to a pretty penny. Has anyone else ever compared the two? Any opinions as to which would be better? Just trying to get the most for our money... Gosh, I feel so cheap saying that lol :lol:

I am going to combine a few ideas from Master Yoda and Dizzney.

Staying with the AP discount you will probably do better. Disney uses full rack rates for free dining. Your best option in my mind would be to get the AP's, Ap discounted room and the get a Tables in Wonderland card for one person in your party which costs $75.00. If you are not familiar with this card, it gives you 20% off of you meals at most table service restaurants found throughout WDW parks and resorts. The discount also include alchoholic beverages if anyone in your party like to indulge with their meal. The card covers I believe up to a maximum of 10 people in your dining party. The card can be purchased at any of the guest relations at any of the major parks, this is where you would most likely be picking up your AP's anyway.

Point AP's + TIW = better deal than free dining

 

[PlaneCrazy1978]

My experience has been just the opposite. While I have no doubt that they can be lax in confirming that you have an active AP, I just never seem to run into that CM. I have booked with an AP rate somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 times and can count the number of times that I have not been asked for it on one hand. I can only assume that I have a dishonest face.:lol:

Well that's because they have your picture up in the back :ROFLOL:

 

[Monty]

Thanks for the help guys. We're actually debating going in November and using an AP passholder discount or going in early September when they have free dining. I did some calculations and I'm no mathmetician (spelling?) but it seems that the free dining would be a better deal. We love our sit down meals like Le Cellier, '50s Prime Time Cafe and Crystal Palace and dining can add up to a pretty penny. Has anyone else ever compared the two? Any opinions as to which would be better? Just trying to get the most for our money... Gosh, I feel so cheap saying that lol :lol:

I've done a lot of comparing.

With two adults, it depends if you're staying at a Value resort or Mod/Deluxe. I found that free dining vs AP discount is very close to break-even when two stay at a value. At a Moderate, you come out ahead and at a Deluxe you can save enough to pay for the AP, the TiW card and your companion's hopper ticket plkus everything you'd eat during a 7+ day stay.

 

[timeman]

My experience has been just the opposite. While I have no doubt that they can be lax in confirming that you have an active AP, I just never seem to run into that CM. I have booked with an AP rate somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 times and can count the number of times that I have not been asked for it on one hand. I can only assume that I have a dishonest face.:lol:

I have never been asked for my AP when I have stayed after you have booked me with the AP rate. I have a feeling it is because you get CMs that don't like Star Wars nerds, while I get the ones that are Star Wars nerds.:ROFLOL:

 

[bigorangeandy]

Well I've only booked one room on the phone with the AP rate, and they didn't ask for my pass when I checked in. When I booked the room the CM stated that I would need to show it when I checked in. I initally got the pass for myself to save on the room rate last month, but we ended up upgrading the rest of the family before we left to AP's.

 

[sbkline]

I had the problem of waiting to renew my AP when we got there too. It's dumb that Disney needs the pass at check-in, but doesn't sell the passes inside the resort. If you order the pass online, I believe you only get the voucher, and you still need to go get the pass to check-in under that rate. This is what Disney told me on the phone. They need the actual pass, presumably so they can type in the number.

To avoid the problem, I moved to Florida and just book under the Florida Resident rate. Not everyone can do that. ;-)

So, just to make sure I understand correctly, you're saying that you DO need the AP (the AP itself and not the voucher) in order to check in under the AP discount rate?

For our April 2012 and April 2013 trips (and a hoped for Christmas trip in 2012) I decided to do APs this time around and get a TiW card, as opposed to booking a package with dining plan. I already purchased the APs so as to beat the August price increase, and I received my vouchers. I was told that if/when AP discounts come out for our April dates, I can take advantage of those discounts using the vouchers, since I won't actually have the APs until we arrive at WDW in April and redeem them. Are you saying that this is incorrect, or am I misreading what you just posted?

 

[Tiggerish]

My experience has been just the opposite. While I have no doubt that they can be lax in confirming that you have an active AP, I just never seem to run into that CM. I have booked with an AP rate somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 times and can count the number of times that I have not been asked for it on one hand. I can only assume that I have a dishonest face.:lol:

It probably has to do with the pirate outfit.

 

[Monty]

So, just to make sure I understand correctly, you're saying that you DO need the AP (the AP itself and not the voucher) in order to check in under the AP discount rate?

For our April 2012 and April 2013 trips (and a hoped for Christmas trip in 2012) I decided to do APs this time around and get a TiW card, as opposed to booking a package with dining plan. I already purchased the APs so as to beat the August price increase, and I received my vouchers. I was told that if/when AP discounts come out for our April dates, I can take advantage of those discounts using the vouchers, since I won't actually have the APs until we arrive at WDW in April and redeem them. Are you saying that this is incorrect, or am I misreading what you just posted?

If you log into the passholder site using your vouchers, you should be able to book AP discount rooms on-line. When you check in, they may or may not ask to see your APs. If they do and you haven't redeemed yoir vouchers yet, you can show them your vouchers and tell them you'll bring the APs by during your stay and they'll most often accept that. I have heard of people being told they had to have the actual APs before they check in, but to my knowledge as long as you produce them while you're still there you're fine.

I believe they will have your APs on your file if you book on-line using them, so don't even ask to see them in that case. I know I've never actually had to show mine when checking in.

 

[Master Yoda]

It probably has to do with the pirate outfit.

You might be onto something there. I'll switch to by Jedi robes and see what happens.:lol:

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Thanks all for the help... Sister has put in for Labor Day weekend off so we're going to go with the Free Dining (she is very limited to her time off so we take what we can get!) If she cant get Labor Day, we will do Veterans Day weekend with HOPEFULLY AP discounts if they put any out and TIW card :animwink: Either way, it'll be a great time..... Now.... just deciding WHERE to stay. The value resorts are typically in our budget range BUT the CBR is looking good too... Hmmmm.... :lol: