Do I have to go to guest services after purchasing pass online?

[GrimGrinningLeota]

I’d like to buy an Epcot after four pass online, but I don’t want to waste time at Guest services activating the pass because the first day we want to use it I won’t be able to get there much earlier than 4/5 pm and we want to go straight to American adventure to get a close seat for a concert.

I called Disney and was told I could place the order online and tell it to send the MBs and “certificate” to somewhere in Disney Springs (select “will call?”) where I could go one weekend and get it all set up, this avoiding doing so the day we first visit Epcot, but then she said I’d still have to pay parking that first Epcot visit because the pass wouldn’t be “activated” till we actually went to Epcot.

Seems if I’ve paid for the passes and I’ve got the MB and pass already set up (via Disney Springs)the parking should be free, and we could avoid Guest Services when we visit Epcot the first time. No?

 

[Nottamus]

I do it every year after renewing passes - it really only takes about 10 minutes if the line is short.

Show up a bit early

 

[Polydweller]

Go to guest services ( and yes you have to go to guest services to get your AP card and that is necessary to use at times) in Disney Springs and the new tickets office is beside it. They’ll get it going in less than 10 minutes depending on the line.

Your parking will be free. The CM is a bit misleading on this like phone CMs tend to be. The attendant will let you through, did for us and it was at Epcot. Your year starts the first time you use it and that will be triggered either at the turnstile or by the attendant’s reader. Either way, doesn’t matter parking is free unless you choose their premium parking which has an additional charge. If for some reason you get charged, go to guest services in Epcot and they’ll refund it in just a few minutes.

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

Go to guest services ( and yes you have to go to guest services to get your AP card and that is necessary to use at times) in Disney Springs and the new tickets office is beside it. They’ll get it going in less than 10 minutes depending on the line.

Your parking will be free. The CM is a bit misleading on this like phone CMs tend to be. The attendant will let you through, did for us and it was at Epcot. Your year starts the first time you use it and that will be triggered either at the turnstile or by the attendant’s reader. Either way, doesn’t matter parking is free unless you choose their premium parking which has an additional charge. If for some reason you get charged, go to guest services in Epcot and they’ll refund it in just a few minutes.

Great thank you! I really appreciate it!

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

Go to guest services ( and yes you have to go to guest services to get your AP card and that is necessary to use at times) in Disney Springs and the new tickets office is beside it. They’ll get it going in less than 10 minutes depending on the line.

Your parking will be free. The CM is a bit misleading on this like phone CMs tend to be. The attendant will let you through, did for us and it was at Epcot. Your year starts the first time you use it and that will be triggered either at the turnstile or by the attendant’s reader. Either way, doesn’t matter parking is free unless you choose their premium parking which has an additional charge. If for some reason you get charged, go to guest services in Epcot and they’ll refund it in just a few minutes.

Another nit picky question. Should I do it all online and then have it delivered to DS or just go to DS and do it all there? I guess there would be no reason or advantage to buying them online first if I’m not having them delivered to my house?

 

[Eamethyst]

I’d like to buy an Epcot after four pass online, but I don’t want to waste time at Guest services activating the pass because the first day we want to use it I won’t be able to get there much earlier than 4/5 pm and we want to go straight to American adventure to get a close seat for a concert.

I called Disney and was told I could place the order online and tell it to send the MBs and “certificate” to somewhere in Disney Springs (select “will call?”) where I could go one weekend and get it all set up, this avoiding doing so the day we first visit Epcot, but then she said I’d still have to pay parking that first Epcot visit because the pass wouldn’t be “activated” till we actually went to Epcot.

Seems if I’ve paid for the passes and I’ve got the MB and pass already set up (via Disney Springs)the parking should be free, and we could avoid Guest Services when we visit Epcot the first time. No?

So the Epcot after 4pm pass is a good idea. Do you plan on ever going to any of the other parks? I know you can't with the Epcot pass. My suggestion is go online to Disney.com. If you haven't all ready but you probably have set up a profile/account on the Disney. Purchase the Epcot pass while you are logged into your account. I don't know what the price today is for it. Once you pay for it you will get and email confirmation. You can take the email confirmation and head over to Disney Springs. Disney springs is located directly across from Typhoon Lagoon. Disney Springs parking is free. Disney springs parking has garage parking which is always hard to find a spot but if you bypass the garage drive to the light I don't know the name of it but you will see Typhoon Lagoon on the left. Make a right at the light. There is an open parking lot on the right hand side. you will Disney's cirque du soleil. Park in that area. Then walk in to Disney Springs. Head over to Guest Relations which is located in the Disney Springs Welcome Center. Pick up your Epcot Pass there. It's faster, easier on you. You aren't to far from Epcot. You pass won't be activated until you scan it at the entrance of Epcot. Since you will have your pass in advanced you will not have to pay for parking at Epcot the first time. The reason why CM told you that there would be a parking fee is because it's true. When guests purchase their passes online and then head over to the main entrance of Disney like through the Disney gates, or Hollywood studios, etc. Guests that have not received their physical pass have to pay the $25 parking feee but it is refunded to them. The guest takes the receipt to guest services, picks up their pass and gives the receipt to the guest service agent and the agent will refund the money back to you. Even though you purchase the tickets, passes online Disney will not mail them to you. You will always get an email confirmation that you have to either print up or have it on your phone and provide to the guest services to receive the physical ticket, pass. The only thing that Disney will mail off to you is if you asked to receive your confirmation by mail, and also the magic ban for the AP's. If you have more questions I can help.

 

[Eamethyst]

Another nit picky question. Should I do it all online and then have it delivered to DS or just go to DS and do it all there? I guess there would be no reason or advantage to buying them online first if I’m not having them delivered to my house?

Disney will not mail you your passes to your home. Disney will email you a confirmation of you purchase or you can have the confirmation mailed to you. Disney won't mail the pass out to you because of theft. But the funny thing about it is that Disney will mail of the magic bands to new AP's holders. magic bands for new AP holders can't be picked up at the parks. I would suggest go to Disney Springs and pick up your passes. It won't take very long. Just make sure that you have your ID with you and also if you have more then one pass then that person is with you as has their ID to.

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

Disney will not mail you your passes to your home. Disney will email you a confirmation of you purchase or you can have the confirmation mailed to you. Disney won't mail the pass out to you because of theft. But the funny thing about it is that Disney will mail of the magic bands to new AP's holders. magic bands for new AP holders can't be picked up at the parks. I would suggest go to Disney Springs and pick up your passes. It won't take very long. Just make sure that you have your ID with you and also if you have more then one pass then that person is with you as has their ID to.

Ok so order online and pick up the actual passes at DS. Do I have the magic bands mailed to my address then? Not sent to DS?

 

[Eamethyst]

Ok so order online and pick up the actual passes at DS. Do I have the magic bands mailed to my address then? Not sent to DS?

You are right. Order online and pick up the passes at DS. This will save you time. The magic bands have to be mailed to you. You are not able to pick up the magic band at the them parks or DS. Have the bands mailed to your address. Don't wait until the last minute to purchase your passes because it could take up to weeks to receive the magic bands. They will come in a rectangle box. you get to choose the color and free engraving if you'd like. Even though you can't pick up the bands at DS or the parks you can actually purchase additional bands at the parks and DS. In order for you to use the magic band, it has to be activated online through your Disney account.

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

You are right. Order online and pick up the passes at DS. This will save you time. The magic bands have to be mailed to you. You are not able to pick up the magic band at the them parks or DS. Have the bands mailed to your address. Don't wait until the last minute to purchase your passes because it could take up to weeks to receive the magic bands. They will come in a rectangle box. you get to choose the color and free engraving if you'd like.

Thanks so much!

 

[Eamethyst]

Thanks so much!

Not a problem. I know it can be confusing. We can buy the passes at any park and DS and should be able to receive the magic bands then but that's not how Disney does it. Maybe later on Disney will change the procedure of the magic bands. r invent something new. Disney springs opens at 10am, closes at 12am

 

[ELG13]

So we just bought APs and our bands got sent to us and all we have to do is go to the park. We are Florida residents though and apparently, after calling and clearing up the confusion, the cast member told me it was "pixie dust that stitch had gotten ahold of and was sprinkling everywhere"...so we got lucky because it's something new being tested but not rolled out. We do still have to go to get our card but our magic bands/passes are just waiting for that first park scan to activate. The only way I knew it had happened was I went to look at the different magic band options and I could pick ours, confirm them, and they said they were shipped.

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

So we just bought APs and our bands got sent to us and all we have to do is go to the park. We are Florida residents though and apparently, after calling and clearing up the confusion, the cast member told me it was "pixie dust that stitch had gotten ahold of and was sprinkling everywhere"...so we got lucky because it's something new being tested but not rolled out. We do still have to go to get our card but our magic bands/passes are just waiting for that first park scan to activate. The only way I knew it had happened was I went to look at the different magic band options and I could pick ours, confirm them, and they said they were shipped.

How long did it take for the bands to arrive?

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

So we just bought APs and our bands got sent to us and all we have to do is go to the park. We are Florida residents though and apparently, after calling and clearing up the confusion, the cast member told me it was "pixie dust that stitch had gotten ahold of and was sprinkling everywhere"...so we got lucky because it's something new being tested but not rolled out. We do still have to go to get our card but our magic bands/passes are just waiting for that first park scan to activate. The only way I knew it had happened was I went to look at the different magic band options and I could pick ours, confirm them, and they said they were shipped.

What is the new thing being tested? Not clear on what went wrong in your process.

 

[ELG13]

How long did it take for the bands to arrive?

About a week or so. Not long.

What is the new thing being tested? Not clear on what went wrong in your process.

From everything I had read and been told, my AP magic bands wouldnt be sent out until our APs were activated first. So we would have to go to the park and visit, which would activate our AP, which would trigger our bands being sent. This is obviously different from a regular room/package magic band.

 

[GrimGrinningLeota]

About a week or so. Not long.

From everything I had read and been told, my AP magic bands wouldnt be sent out until our APs were activated first. So we would have to go to the park and visit, which would activate our AP, which would trigger our bands being sent. This is obviously different from a regular room/package magic band.

Oh.

About a week or so. Not long.

From everything I had read and been told, my AP magic bands wouldnt be sent out until our APs were activated first. So we would have to go to the park and visit, which would activate our AP, which would trigger our bands being sent. This is obviously different from a regular room/package magic band.

Ok! Got it.

 

[ELG13]

Oh.

Ok! Got it.

 

[Eamethyst]

What is the new thing being tested? Not clear on what went wrong in your process.

It can take up to two weeks to receive your magic bands because of the post office. They are sent usps. It might not take that long.

 

[Eamethyst]

About a week or so. Not long.

From everything I had read and been told, my AP magic bands wouldnt be sent out until our APs were activated first. So we would have to go to the park and visit, which would activate our AP, which would trigger our bands being sent. This is obviously different from a regular room/package magic band.

If you are staying onsite at a Disney hotel then you will receive you magic band up to three weeks in advance to you home agrees. They will be mailed to you. If you live out of the county and are staying onsite then you can pick up the magic bands and tickets at the hotel. If you purchased your AP online or at at guest relations and not staying onsite then the magic band will be mailed to you. AP's have to be activate in order to receive the magic band. Some people come from all over and don't stay onsite. In this case I would talk to guest relations at the park about receiving your magic band when you pick up the AP up. You can also purchase magic bands at the parks and Disney springs, online. You can also design them. There is a location inside of Magic Kingdom in Tommowland light and power co.

 

[ELG13]

If you are staying onsite at a Disney hotel then you will receive you magic band up to three weeks in advance to you home agrees. They will be mailed to you. If you live out of the county and are staying onsite then you can pick up the magic bands and tickets at the hotel. If you purchased your AP online or at at guest relations and not staying onsite then the magic band will be mailed to you. AP's have to be activate in order to receive the magic band. Some people come from all over and don't stay onsite. In this case I would talk to guest relations at the park about receiving your magic band when you pick up the AP up. You can also purchase magic bands at the parks and Disney springs, online. You can also design them. There is a location inside of Magic Kingdom in Tommowland light and power co.

I know that was the thing that threw me off. We got our AP bands in the mail. Since we are Florida residents, we were able to verify our residency online so all we have to do is activate them at the park. The cast member said it's something being tested and we were lucky enough to get picked. The only thing that we are waiting on is the magnet. We get that after we activate.