FL Resident AP Renewal

[steve_b]

I just renewed my FL resident AP. In the past I received an email that said:
For your protection, only the Guest whose name appears on the credit card used for this order may pick up this order.

To receive the new Passes, the purchaser must provide:

• A photo ID and valid proof of Florida Residency
• A printed copy of your Disney's eCertificate
• The credit card used to complete the order

There was also a link to "Print Your Disney's eCertificate".

This year the email was much different:
"CONGRATULATIONS! You have successfully renewed your Pass(es) and may continue to use your current MagicBand or Card for park entry and future resort stays. You are also eligible to customize a new MagicBand by visiting your My Disney Experience account."

The link this year says "Print Your Renewal Receipt"

Did the process change? In order to renew you have to pay with a credit card with a Florida billing address. Does this replace the old process of going to guest relations? But, what would stop someone from buying a bunch of FL passes for friends that don't live in FL? Maybe this is only for renewals now?

I would be very happy to skip the guest relations part and use my Band to enter as soon as we get there, but I also have old passes on my account, and I would not want them used instead of the AP if the AP was not activated yet.

 

[arko]

We had to bring our renewal certificate to guest relations this year for the renewal, we got new cards and it triggered our ability to order our new bands

 

[steve_b]

We already got another set of bands in the mail. Did you try to enter first, or did you just go to guest relations?

 

[arko]

We already got another set of bands in the mail. Did you try to enter first, or did you just go to guest relations?

We just went to guest relations. I atually called because we did not get a new band order and was told it would trigger when we turned in our renewal certificates, which is exactly what happened.

 

[arko]

Curious to know how this is going to work for my sister who's father-in-law lives in Michigan and buys her and her husband (FL residents) AP renewals for Christmas every year with his credit card.

Should be fine as long as the renewal cerificate is in their names and they have Florida ID's

 

[steve_b]

Here's the response I got from Disney Ticketing:

"Yes, you are correct. The process has changed. If you have successfully renewed your Annual Pass online and received the aforementioned message, it is now generally not necessary for you to visit the Theme Park Ticket or Guest Relations Window to activate your renewal. In such cases, you may now use your existing MagicBand or Card uninterrupted to enter the theme parks."

 

[FrostyNaples]

Here's the response I got from Disney Ticketing:

"Yes, you are correct. The process has changed. If you have successfully renewed your Annual Pass online and received the aforementioned message, it is now generally not necessary for you to visit the Theme Park Ticket or Guest Relations Window to activate your renewal. In such cases, you may now use your existing MagicBand or Card uninterrupted to enter the theme parks."

So basically, now that you've renewed previously in the past, they know its you.

This is a good thing, now you don't have to take the exchange media or print out to guest relations for the real card.

Save some time! I like it. Will find out next year, as this year was our first renewal and had to go to guest relations with the print out. If this new change is now in effect, next year we won't have to.

 

[arko]

Here's the response I got from Disney Ticketing:

"Yes, you are correct. The process has changed. If you have successfully renewed your Annual Pass online and received the aforementioned message, it is now generally not necessary for you to visit the Theme Park Ticket or Guest Relations Window to activate your renewal. In such cases, you may now use your existing MagicBand or Card uninterrupted to enter the theme parks."

This must have changed from May then.

 

[jensenrick]

I'm even more confused now. We are staying on property on 8/22, and this will be the first time we use our new FL Res passes. I assumed (and maybe right?) that they APs would be on the Magic Bands we just got, but then we also just received in the mail- green plastic "exchange" cards that say they are needed to get our APs.

So we bring the green plastic cards to GS and that activates our Bands?

 

[arko]

I'm even more confused now. We are staying on property on 8/22, and this will be the first time we use our new FL Res passes. I assumed (and maybe right?) that they APs would be on the Magic Bands we just got, but then we also just received in the mail- green plastic "exchange" cards that say they are needed to get our APs.

So we bring the green plastic cards to GS and that activates our Bands?

Your AP's are not attached to the band they are attached to your MDE account. So all cards and bands attached to your MDE will work once you activate your AP.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

I'm even more confused now. We are staying on property on 8/22, and this will be the first time we use our new FL Res passes. I assumed (and maybe right?) that they APs would be on the Magic Bands we just got, but then we also just received in the mail- green plastic "exchange" cards that say they are needed to get our APs.

So we bring the green plastic cards to GS and that activates our Bands?

The OP has renewed his existing pass online. He will not have to activate it upon arrival since he has an existing ticket or MagicBand.

You have a new Annual Pass. It may be on an exchange certificate, in a will call, and/or on a MagicBand. It's not mutually exclusive where your pass lives - you could have a MagicBand and card for every day of the week with your ticket on it. But since it's a new pass, you'll need to activate it at a Ticket Window with a valid photo ID.

 

[arko]

The OP has renewed his existing pass online. He will not have to activate it upon arrival since he has an existing ticket or MagicBand.

You have a new Annual Pass. It may be on an exchange certificate, in a will call, and/or on a MagicBand. It's not mutually exclusive where your pass lives - you could have a MagicBand and card for every day of the week with your ticket on it. But since it's a new pass, you'll need to activate it at a Ticket Window with a valid photo ID.

This is a new change because even in May it would not trigger our new band order on our renewal I did online until we went to guest services.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

This is a new change because even in May it would not trigger our new band order on our renewal I did online until we went to guest services.

Yep. New change for online renewals. As stated in the e-mail verbatim the OP received.

If you purchase the renewal over the phone or in person though, you'll still need to visit a Ticket Window. Or if you forgot or lost the card/MagicBand with your renewed pass, obviously.

 

[jayinthe813]

Yeah, we got the same message when renewing, but the guest service window told us there's nothing we need to actually do other than order a new set of magic bands online if we want to. If you already have a pass/magic band then you should be set to walk on in.

 

[JohnD]

This is good to know. My FRAP expires in November. I'm tentatively planning a trip the week of November 8 anyway, so I could probably just renew at Guest Relations there. But if the trip falls through, good to know I can still do it online.

 

[FrostyNaples]

Yep. New change for online renewals. As stated in the e-mail verbatim the OP received.

If you purchase the renewal over the phone or in person though, you'll still need to visit a Ticket Window. Or if you forgot or lost the card/MagicBand with your renewed pass, obviously.

I wonder if they will update the physical media too (or already have begun), mine currently have the expiration dates on them. So when I go to renew next year, how can they say to use my same card if its printed with a previous expiration date? I'm wondering if maybe it will take a 3rd renewal for me personally. So next year i'd get cards still but without a printed expiration date.

I know there are legal reasons for such things, only reason i'm questioning it.

In any case, I like the progression.

 

[jensenrick]

The OP has renewed his existing pass online. He will not have to activate it upon arrival since he has an existing ticket or MagicBand.

You have a new Annual Pass. It may be on an exchange certificate, in a will call, and/or on a MagicBand. It's not mutually exclusive where your pass lives - you could have a MagicBand and card for every day of the week with your ticket on it. But since it's a new pass, you'll need to activate it at a Ticket Window with a valid photo ID.

Got it now, Thank you.