As of March 31, 2014, everyone with a Disney park ticket can use MyDisneyExperience to book FastPass+ ride reservations in advance — yes, even off-site guests. You just need to have a valid, non-expired Disney pass (ticket) and link it to Disney’s MyDisneyExperience system via the web site or the app. This means it’s now a very good idea to purchase your park tickets at least 30 days in advance so you can book FastPass+. Sure, you can buy tickets directly from DisneyWorld.com and have them shipped to your home, but you can save money if you purchase tickets through a discount ticket seller. So let’s talk about that!
First, what is a discount ticket seller? These are businesses that resell Disney tickets to the public — they buy in bulk at a savings, and then pass that savings on to you. Some are considerably more reputable than others. The key is to identify the ones that are reputable, and then find the one that offers the best discount for your particular purchase. We list several that have passed our tests in PassPorter’s Walt Disney World guidebook on page 123, but there’s one in particular we recommend: MapleLeafTickets.com.
So why MapleLeafTickets.com? We’ve known MapleLeafTickets for many, many years — they are the oldest contracted discount ticket agent for Walt Disney World and we’ve purchased tickets from them in the past. MapleLeafTickets.com has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. They have an actual, physical office in Kissimmee (4647 W US Highway 192) that you can visit. And they are responsive — e-mails get answered quickly and completely. They sell real Walt Disney World tickets; not vouchers, e-tickets, or will-call tickets. You get “hard tickets” mailed to you that are just like the ones sold at Disney’s ticket booths — you take those tickets you receive right to the gate. They are RFID-enabled, too! Their tickets have the same benefits as those purchased at Disney and their numbers can be attached to your MyDisneyExperience account.
In fact, I wrote to MapleLeafTickets (as well as other ticket sellers) recently when the new pass prices came out and I got an answer within an hour. I was so impressed with this that I decided to work with them to offer some excellent park pass prices for PassPorter readers, which I’ve not ever done before in our 16-year history. At the time I am writing this article (April 2014), their prices save you 80-95% off full gate price, plus $1-2+ extra on several different pass options compared with other discount ticket sellers, especially on Magic Your Way base tickets without park hopping. For example, the lowest price I could find on a 3-day Magic Your Way base ticket (from the “secret link” folks talk about on our message boards) was $1.89 more than MapleLeafTickets special prices for PassPorter, while a 6-day was $2.18 more than MapleLeafTickets. It should be noted that MapleLeafTickets charges for their shipping, but it gets there quicker and you can always pick your order up free at their office.
That said, if you’re shopping around for discount tickets, here’s what you need to watch for:
- Is this a reputable business? Do you see the authorized Walt Disney World Ticker Seller logo on their site? (That indicates they are an authorized Disney ticket seller.)
- Are terms and policies spelled out up front? Look for a FAQ or Q&A link and read it first!
- How do you get your tickets? Are they shipped? Can you pick them up on arrival? You need the options that best meet your needs.
What do you want to avoid? Anyone offering free tickets — there’s no such thing, and you can be sure there’s a scam or timeshare hardsell involved.
So by now you’re wondering .. where are these great park ticket deals for PassPorter readers? I like to reward loyal readers, so first dibs go to our PassPorter’s Club passholders (see link) and to our PassPorter Newsletter subscribers. So if you’re not a Club passholder, make sure you’re subscribed to our free weekly newsletter and look for a link to begin apparing there this week! If you’re not currently subscribed to our newsletter and really really want to see those prices now, try asking on the message boards!
Let me know if you have other questions about buying and using tickets from a ticket seller!
Thank you for this! I try to tell my clients that Disney doesn’t really do “discount tickets”. I have no idea where people think they are going to get tickets for half price. And if they do, they can expect to sit through a timeshare presentation. 🙁
Not a good deal for Canadians. They are maybe $1 cheaper then UT, but unlike UT they charge $20 to mail to Canada. You don’t find out about their shipping charges till you check out.
Shipping charges are listed right in their FAQ linked on their main page at http://www.MapleLeafTickets.com/faq.htm. I agree that shipping to Canada is steep (we have this same problem in the PassPorter Store), but keep in mind that the shipment speed is faster than 17 business days, both because MapleLeafTickets is located right there in Kissimmee and keeps stock on hand (so they ship within 1 business day), while some other ticket sellers do not ship for several days because they need to travel to Disney to replenish stock. That said, I am talking with MapleLeafTickets about the possibility of free shipping — but should that option become available, it’ll still be a slower shipment method. Would be nice to have the option if you’re okay waiting — check back for updates. 🙂
Thank you Jennifer. Because we have APs we don’t really use UT much these days, but I did use them recently for Universal tickets, after price increase was still able to score tickets at old price, with free shipping to Canada. Any time I have used them I’ve been surprised at how fast the tickets arrive. Great service.
It would be great for us Canadians if Maple Leaf gave free shipping, otherwise UT will remain our best option.
Better prices are from Under Cover Tourist – have bought from them for years, real tickets, their listed prices INCLUDE taxes AND shipping Worldwide: http://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/attractions/tickets.html?AID=5516693&PID=860893
Thanks for leaving a comment! 🙂 MapleLeafTickets prices DO include tax, and when I compared prices, MapleLeafTickets’ discount prices for PassPorter were lower for these passes: Magic Your Way (2-, 3-, 4-/5th Day Free, 6-, 7-, and 10-Day), MYW-No Expiration (3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7, & 10-Day), MYW Park Hopper (1-, 2-, 6-, 7-, and 10-day), MYW-Park Hopper-No Expiration (all), MYW Water Park fun & More (3-, 6-, 7-, and 10-Day), MYW Park Hopper + Water Park Fun + No Expiration (all). In fact, the price difference for this ticket — 10-Day MYW + Water Park Fun + No Expiration — is $22.07 cheaper with MapleLeafTickets. Savings like that make free shipping insignificant. Most of MapleLeafTicket’s prices are the cheapest. I could only find 8 pass configurations (out of 54) that were higher with UT’s discounted “secret link” prices — so 85% of MapleLeafTicket’s tickers are cheaper. That is significant to me. Maybe you’re not seeing the PassPorter-discounted Maple Leaf Tickets prices? The link to those discounted prices is in the newsletter that went out last night. (Plus, please understand I am not attempting to disparage UT at all — I’ve ordered through them before as well and they are a friendly, reputable seller, as are several others that we list in our PassPorter guidebook. But MapleLeafTickets is willing to work with PassPorter to offer our readers discounts, and this is something I’ve wanted for some time now. My readers are important to me!!)
As for free shipping, I’m actually discussing that option with MapleLeafTickets now, so please stay tuned!
I have used Maple Leaf Tickets in the past, and would highly recommend them. I had two different orders, but I called and they only charged me one shipping fee and sent them in one package.