Can I get an annual pass as part of a package?

[MrsLightyear]

I'm about to book our fifth Disney trip in a one year period. I always do it online through Disney's official site. We've always done the "Magic Your Way" packages which include the resort reservation, transportation to and from the airport, a bunch of freebies and discounts that we never seem to find time to use, and park tickets for the length of stay. I pay extra for park hopper. It seems like it makes more sense to have annual passes but that's never been an option that I've been offered. Does anyone know if I can book a reservation package with an annual pass instead of just a length of stay ticket? Is there any disadvantage to having an annual pass as opposed to the tickets we're used to? Would we have the same access and benefits? Also- if I purchase annual passes for a trip in May that I'm booking now, will the clock start ticking on the year at the time I purchase them?

One more thing- we have a trip next week which I booked last year. That trip has 7 day hoppers already paid for in full. If I book a package for May, today or tomorrow, that includes annual passes, will everything work out or do I risk causing confusion concerning the order in which we're using the passes?

 

[DarthVader]

You can get the room, dinner package and/or Magic Express without buying tickets.

As for the clock ticking, it starts when you turn in the certificates and get the actual AP.

 

[Rob562]

If you're making five trips to WDW a year and buying tickets for the parks each time, you should have switched to getting an AP *long* ago...

While you can't book an AP as part of a package, you *can* upgrade a ticket from a package into an AP once you're there. You'll just pay the difference between the ticket you have and the current AP price. The upgrade can be done at any ticket window or Guest Relations at a park or Disney Springs. (AP upgrades cannot be done at a resort)

On future trips (including the one you're about to book) just book it as a Room Only reservation. (There may even be an AP discount rate available) You'll still get Magical Express, MagicBands and all benefits of being a resort guest. (You just won't get those couple little freebies, like the decorative luggage tags or the coupon booklet)

If you have an AP, you can book a package that includes the Dining Plan without the requirement of buying tickets, though most people who have AP's tend to find that the Tables in Wonderland card is a better offer than paying for the Dining Plan. It gives 20% off most Table Service restaurants, and a handful of Counter Service, for up to 10 people, including alcohol

-Rob

 

[RedDad]

^This.

Since you already have 7-day tickets purchased, don't book another MYW package. Just go to Guest Services or the ticket booth when you arrive and upgrade the 7-day tickets to APs for the difference in cost. The "clock" starts when you actually receive the APs, and you will effectively have tickets for the next year.

If you want to go ahead and book your next trip before upgrading and receiving the APs, just do so as a Room-Only reservation. This can be done on the site or over the phone. You can then link your APs to your MDE account after you upgrade. You'll receive a set of MBs for your APs, and for each room-only reservation you do from then on.

 

[MrsLightyear]

Thanks for the replies. I have a better understanding now. Just a couple more questions:

- Do annual passes have any restrictions? Are there blackout dates? Can someone with an AP enter the park during morning EMH?

- Can I just order annual passes when I make my next room reservation (in which case we would just use the 7 day park hoppers we already have on our February/March trip... and then we'd start the clock on our APs when we arrive for the next visit(in May))? or do I have to go to a ticket window?

 

[Rob562]

Thanks for the replies. I have a better understanding now. Just a couple more questions:

- Do annual passes have any restrictions? Are there blackout dates? Can someone with an AP enter the park during morning EMH?

- Can I just order annual passes when I make my next room reservation (in which case we would just use the 7 day park hoppers we already have on our February/March trip... and then we'd start the clock on our APs when we arrive for the next visit(in May))? or do I have to go to a ticket window?

Park admission is park admission. If you're staying at a Disney hotel and have a valid admission ticket of any kind, you get into the park for EMH.

While there are some lower-priced AP's that have blackout dates, those are only available to Florida Residents.

And there is absolutely no way to book a package to include an AP as the ticket. You can either upgrade a package's ticket as I previously outlined, or book a Room Only reservation and purchase the AP separately.

And to be honest, I'm a bit confused about why you seem to be resisting the AP. You have a trip booked with tickets now, and said you're definitely going again in May (and presumably again one or more times within the next year). I know I have no place in telling someone how to spend their money, but unless you're only buying 1 or 2 day tickets each trip, why *wouldn't* you get an AP now that can also get you into the park in May? (and as many additional times as you want over the 365 days after you buy the AP? Am I missing something?

-Rob

 

[dreamfinder]

The AP doesn't start ticking until you either buy the AP at a ticket window (ones sold online or in the Disney Store are vouchers), or the first day you used your ticket that you then upgrade. You can choose to order APs online, but I do believe it needs to be a separate transaction and not as part of a package. Most people who want APs don't want a package. So you would have to book a room only reservation, and buy the AP. The purchase would be a voucher, and you still need to go to the ticket window/guest relations to activate it. So one way or another, you need to go to ticket window/guest services to complete the transaction.

 

[MrsLightyear]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I have a much clearer understanding now. Some of the little details are hard to figure out from the wording on Disney's site alone. I've tried the "chat" feature and unfortunately sometimes it feels like the representatives on there are just reading me the same stuff that I could have looked up myself.

@Rob562 you're correct. I am "resisting" the AP when obviously it would have been the smartest choice all along. The first time that we visited Disney in 2015 (just my husband and I), it was the first time we'd ever gone on a vacation without children in tow. We went mainly to get away from the nasty long winter at home and we expected to spend most of our time just relaxing at the resort hotel. We discovered however that there is plenty for adults to do at Disney and so when we got home we immediately booked another trip, then another, and then it became sort of an obsession to try out every deluxe on property. It wasn't intentional and we never thought it through in total. I didn't realize that regular tickets could be upgraded and no one at Disney ever offered me that information. Once I did realize it (this was around the time of the recent AP price increase) I saw a lot of complaints on forums about black out dates. I now realize, thanks to your reply, that this applied to the Florida Resident passes, not the APs. I never knew they were two different things. I just knew them as "Passes" and the people who had them as "Passholders". I didn't want black out dates since I don't know in advance what dates we will book next. As for our trip next week and your question about why I don't want to just upgrade my 7 day hoppers to APs while we're there- it's because on this trip, next week, we're taking our kids with us and I didn't want to make a big deal about the fact that my husband and I are upgrading our tickets so that we can take more future trips without them. Also I wasn't sure if the process of upgrading was time consuming and I didn't want to make my kids stand around while my husband and I take care of business that only impacts us. Trying not to be selfish and also feeling guilty at the same time I guess. For the record, our kids are young adults, they just can't yet afford to do all of the fun things that my husband and I FINALLY have resources for, unless we treat them. Some times my husband and I like to be alone. So you're correct, I was resisting, and I can see why it didn't make any sense

 

[Rob562]

Apart from time waiting in line at the Guest Relations window, the upgrade should only take about 5 minutes, no more than 10.

Go mid-day to avoid the lines that form at the start and end of the day.

-Rob

 

[MrsLightyear]

Apart from time waiting in line at the Guest Relations window, the upgrade should only take about 5 minutes, no more than 10.

Go mid-day to avoid the lines that form at the start and end of the day.

-Rob

Thank you, Rob

 

[Rob562]

Oh, and look into the Tables in Wonderland program to see if that would make financial sense for you and your group. (The break-even point is $750 of food and alcohol purchases at Table Service locations in a 13-month period)

http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

It can be purchased at the same time you process your AP upgrade.

-Rob

 

[MrsLightyear]

Oh, and look into the Tables in Wonderland program to see if that would make financial sense for you and your group. (The break-even point is $750 of food and alcohol purchases at Table Service locations in a 13-month period)

http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

It can be purchased at the same time you process your AP upgrade.

-Rob

Will do!
Thanks for doing the math.
I didn't know it was good for 13 months. I also didn't know it included alcohol.
Is anything exempt other than V&A?

EDIT: Nevermind. I followed your link and it has the complete list Happy to see that Swan & Dolphin are included. They have some really solid restaurants. Love me some Bluezoo!

 

[dreamfinder]

Will do!
Thanks for doing the math.
I didn't know it was good for 13 months. I also didn't know it included alcohol.
Is anything exempt other than V&A?

EDIT: Nevermind. I followed your link and it has the complete list Happy to see that Swan & Dolphin are included. They have some really solid restaurants. Love me some Bluezoo!

Its technically good for a year, but since you can order it by mail, they add in a month grace period to cover time while in shipment.