Ok, some advice on purchasing AP's in advance.

[mergatroid]

Apologies for this boring question and yes I have tried finding out myself but thought asking on here may get better results faster.

So Mrs Merg and my not so good self are arriving in October and are purchasing AP's as our last one's expired on the last day of our trip last October. Now normally we've always just purchased them at Downtown Disney on the first day of the holiday and that suited us just fine. Last year we had our Magic Bands sent to our place in Haines City when AP holders were entitled to them as current AP holders. We still have these Magic Bands back here in the UK but obviously they're now inactive. So here's my questions.

# Can I purchase AP's online from the UK in advance without them being activated from the date of purchase (I only want them active from 8th October the day after we arrive so they last for 12 months after this date)? The reason I want to do this is purely so we can take advantage of booking FP+'s 30 days in advance of our trip and use them September 2016?

# If so (or not), can we take our inactive Magic bands to Guest Services when we arrive to be reactivated, or can they be reactivated remotely if we purchase AP's online in advance?

# Alternatively if we can't purchase AP's online in advance and have to just buy them at Guest Services when we rock up, will they give us new Magic Bands there and then or will we be given a plastic card AP?

Sorry to be so convoluted, but I've tried to explain it as simply as possible. Many thanks in advance

 

[Tuvalu]

Your MagicBands remain active unless they are deactivated by you or a cast member in your MDE account. So you can use those bands on future trips.

I don't know about an online purchase of a new AP in the UK, but here in the U.S. you are sent an exchange voucher (not the actual AP) which you can use to set up your FP in advance. Then when you arrive, you exchange the "exchange voucher" for the actual AP at any Guest Relations location. And you will get a plastic card, not a MagicBand. Once you have used your AP for the first time, it will prompt the order of a new MagicBand in your MDE account (which needs to be sent to a U.S. address, as you are aware.)

 

[BJones82]

Can I purchase AP's online from the UK in advance without them being activated from the date of purchase (I only want them active from 8th October the day after we arrive so they last for 12 months after this date)? The reason I want to do this is purely so we can take advantage of booking FP+'s 30 days in advance of our trip?

# If so (or not), can we take our inactive Magic bands to Guest Services when we arrive to be reactivated, or can they be reactivated remotely if we purchase AP's online in advance?

When you buy them the countdown of the year doesn't start until you enter a park so you can setup fast passes in advance without having issues. 2. You can use your old magic bands with the new APs, they are linked to you MM+ account so as long as you use the same account when activating to start setting up FP+ you will be fine !! Have a great trip!!

Edit: As another person pointed out this is how it works in the US... I would assume the AP's would work the same for you in UK but I am realizing now my post is fairly useless for you because it doesn't truly answer your question :/ Sorry lol...

 

[mergatroid]

You can purchase them online in advance, and have the AP bands shipped to you. Then, when you go online they will be active automatically. You can book FP+, and your AP will actually start the first time it swipes through the turnstiles (mickey heads, whatever).

If there is an issue getting them online in advance, and you do need to buy at Guest Services when you get there, you would get a plastic card. However, you could reactivate your old bands as long as you had them with.

Caveat - this is how this is supposed to work. Should a CM tell you otherwise (i.e. well if you buy your AP today, it's 1 year from today - that's incorrect). You can have an AP, active MB, and not actually have your AP start use until you reach the park for the first time.

Well thanks for that. Good to know in principle we can purchase online in advance without activation. My only concern is how when doing this online I can request that they not start from date of purchase. Being in the UK I'd prefer not to have to ring Disney to book and have a long expensive phone call.

 

[Tuvalu]

Well thanks for that. Good to know in principle we can purchase online in advance without activation. My only concern is how when doing this online I can request that they not start from date of purchase. Being in the UK I'd prefer not to have to ring Disney to book and have a long expensive phone call.

Like any ticket purchase (single day, multiple day, etc.) APs will not activate until they are used for admission. The only exception is AP renewals, since the renewal date remains the same.

 

[mergatroid]

Your MagicBands remain active unless they are deactivated by you or a cast member in your MDE account. So you can use those bands on future trips.

I don't know about an online purchase of a new AP in the UK, but here in the U.S. you are sent an exchange voucher (not the actual AP) which you can use to set up your FP in advance. Then when you arrive, you exchange the "exchange voucher" for the actual AP at any Guest Relations location. And you will get a plastic card, not a MagicBand. Once you have used your AP for the first time, it will prompt the order of a new MagicBand in your MDE account (which needs to be sent to a U.S. address, as you are aware.)

When you buy them the countdown of the year doesn't start until you enter a park so you can setup fast passes in advance without having issues. 2. You can use your old magic bands with the new APs, they are linked to you MM+ account so as long as you use the same account when activating to start setting up FP+ you will be fine !! Have a great trip!!

Edit: As another person pointed out this is how it works in the US... I would assume the AP's would work the same for you in UK but I am realizing now my post is fairly useless for you because it doesn't truly answer your question :/ Sorry lol...

That sounds good thanks

 

[mergatroid]

Like any ticket purchase (single day, multiple day, etc.) APs will not activate until they are used for admission. The only exception is AP renewals, since the renewal date remains the same.

That's great thanks. They're not renewals, we buy them every two years. So for instance we buy them this October 2015 and then go again September 2016. We then let them expire and purchase new ones October 2017 and continue the cycle

 

[mergatroid]

So just to clarify. On our MDE account we have two bands showing along with two AP cards that were linked together last year before they expired on 8th October 2014. They currently won't allow us to book FP+ on the basis that they've expired.

Now if I purchase two AP's online Disney will add them to our MDE account but they won't start till the first time we pass through the scanners on our first day? When ordering them in a few month's time, do I need to tell Disney I already have bands or will they see that on my account? Also will they post the AP cards to the UK or only our american address (the cards that is)?

Finally is there an email address at Disney that can clarify these questions?

 

[Tuvalu]

Disney doesn't automatically add anything to your MDE account. When you purchase tickets of any sort, you need to link them; Disney will only link them for you if you call for assistance.

Thus, when you purchase the APs they will not appear in your MDE account until you link them. You may receive an exchange voucher instead of actual APs but you can use the number on the voucher to link (again, not sure if U.K. guest receive the actual AP or voucher.)

The APs will not activate until you use them for admission at the Mickey scanner the first time.

Your current MagicBands merely "point" to your MDE account. Since you have no valid ticket media, the bands are invalid. Once you have your APs, the bands will magically work again (since they point back to the new ticket in your MDE.) There is no need to inform Disney you already have bands.

When you order your APs from the site it should tell you whether or not Disney will post APs to the U.K. Sorry I can't help with an email address.

 

[mergatroid]

Disney doesn't automatically add anything to your MDE account. When you purchase tickets of any sort, you need to link them; Disney will only link them for you if you call for assistance.

Thus, when you purchase the APs they will not appear in your MDE account until you link them. You may receive an exchange voucher instead of actual APs but you can use the number on the voucher to link (again, not sure if U.K. guest receive the actual AP or voucher.)

The APs will not activate until you use them for admission at the Mickey scanner the first time.

Your current MagicBands merely "point" to your MDE account. Since you have no valid ticket media, the bands are invalid. Once you have your APs, the bands will magically work again (since they point back to the new ticket in your MDE.) There is no need to inform Disney you already have bands.

When you order your APs from the site it should tell you whether or not Disney will post APs to the U.K. Sorry I can't help with an email address.

Thanks. Just been looking on our MDE account and have found an email us box so will try that. Only problem is our MDE account shows a Union Jack (our flag) as it must read our IP Address here in the UK. As such when I click on the tickets section it offers various options of tickets but not AP's? They've never had a problem selling us AP's at guest relations knowing we're Brits in the past, but the site doesn't seem to offer them us online. Will have to do some investigating at the weekend.