Question about the whole AP discount thingy About This Page:

[Lorelei528]

Hi all!
So, I have a question...when you buy your AP's to get your discount, you order them through Member Services, right?

Ok, so if that's how it's done....how do you get them so that it's close enough to your time at WDW so you're able to use them to their full potential? (ie. a full year)
In other words, how long does it take when you order them? Or can you get them with your discount once you're on property?
Oh wait! I actually don't want to do that, because I've decided to go with the TIW card and we won't have time to get to Member Services in any park or DTD to get the TIW card after we arrive before we have dinner at BOMA...

I don't know if I'm explaining this right, but hopefully someone out there will understand my cryptic way of asking what I need to know! LOL...

[Irene]

I ordered mine 3 months prior to my trip. I received the letter with a card attached. When I arrived at my first partk, I had to show ID. The person handed me a pass which is good for one year (example first use 12/2/09 valid until 12/1/10). The annual pass has the date on the back where you sign your pass.

I purchase an annual pass this time because I know I'll be back in October.

One sad thing is it won't work in Disneyland ... oh well ....

[jenjen1127]

So I could call Member Services now and order Annual Passports for my trip in August and they really won't be activated until August right?

[chezp]

I just went through the website and ordered them when it suited me, as they're not active until you first visit a park. I got mine back in March maybe for my May trip and Mark's back in September I think?

[Cam22]

We've done like Wendy and bought them early and they become active the first time we use them. That way we were able to get our TIW card before our arrival. Now we just renew at the park on the day we need to as the TIW runs longer than the AP.

[Lorelei528]

Ok, this sounds like it will work for us! Thanks all for the great info!

Cam, so if you only have "vouchers" or whatnot, what proof do you give when you order your TIW cards and how did you order them may I ask then? By phone? Oh! And how long does it take to get the TIW cards after you order them?

Thanks again all! You're the BEST!

[norm & linda]

We ordered the passes online before the august '08 price increase, received the voucher via email and had them activated at Guest Relations at Epcot upon arrival for our March 09 trip. We purchased the TIW when we had the passes activated. You need to have your DVC membership card and other id (they asked for driver's license). We will use the passes and TIW card again this March when we arrive a week earlier for this trip, to stay within the one year period.

[DVCBird941]

DW and I just went through this last trip. We had purchased AP vouchers and wanted to have the TiW card too. We sent in all the paperwork with the voucher # and we got, cant remember if it was a letter or email, stating that the voucher # is NOT valid and you need an activated AP #. We called, since we had done it this way before, and were told that since anybody can go into a Disney store and write down a voucher # they dont accept them anymore. When we arrived at Disney and got our AP's activated we traveled over to Guest Relations and it took all of 5 min for them to print up a TiW card.
So hopefully you will have enough time to go to AK or DTD to have the AP's activated so you can get the TiW card before your dinner. Since you should only need one TiW card maybe DH can go get that while you head over to Boma and tell them your here but need a few extra min before you can be seated.

[tjkraz]

There is very, very little reason to every purchase AP vouchers in advance. As others stated, DVC simply sends you a voucher which must be activated at a Guest Relations window. If you choose not to pre-purchase the vouchers, you have to go to the exact same Guest Relations window to buy the AP, and the price will be the same regardless of whether you purchase in advance or upon arrival.

Buying the voucher doesn't save you any money and it doesn't save you any time. Keep your money in the bank until you really need to give it to Disney.

The ONLY time I would consider buying vouchers in advance is if you hear of a pending price increase. For the last 2-3 years prices have increased in early August (although that can change at any time.) If you follow the Disney message boards regularly, you'll typically hear about a price increase a week or so before it goes into effect. In that case, if your trip is only a few weeks or months away, it might make sense to buy the vouchers before the price goes up.

But please don't buy them until you have to! Earlier this year Disney distributed coupons which could be used to save 10% on the price of a new AP purchase. The coupons were even valid for DVC AP purchases. We took a trip in June '09 and were able to use the 10% coupons for our 4 APs. Saved us over $150!!! If we had purchased vouchers in advance, we would have lost the savings (or had to jump through hoops to get a refund.) Never know when a promotion like that may come up again!!!!!

[lesabrowning]

We just went to Guest Relations and bought our APs. It was simple. I think I bought my TIW card about 2 minutes after they did my APs... LOL

[Lorelei528]

hmmm...I'll have to figure this out. I wanted to have an early dinner at BOMA and then like relax around AKL and check out the storytelling, the little parade thing etc.
But, I might have to rework the schedule if we need to go somewhere to get out AP's and TIW card.....

We might not get to AKLV until like 4pm, so it doesn't leave us a lot of time to get them that's for sure...

Thanks all for your help anyway!

[norm & linda]

i am sure it will all work out - perhaps one of you can go to AK guest services to pick up the APs and TIW card while the other checks in at AKV.

We were in a similar situation when we stayed at Boardwalk Villas so we planned dinner for the first night at Epcot Teppan Edo to pick up everything enroute.

Good Luck!!!

Linda

[Lorelei528]

Thanks all!
So, I think the plan will be...if we get to AKLV and get checked in etc. and we have enough time to get to AK before they close, we'll just go there, if not, a cab to DHS....
Still not sure what time to make the ADR for though. If it was just me and DH we could eat late, but I don't want my mom eating so late as she gets tired kind of early, so I will still have to figure out the eating time. I really wanted us to be done with dinner in time to listen to the storytelling or cultural safari, so we'll see.

Thanks again!

[tjkraz]

Just a bit of unsolicited advice but trying to hit the ground running on your arrival day can be asking for trouble. Any number of things could happen to derail your plans. Flight could be running late, airline loses luggage, DME is late, DME luggage delivery is slow, long lines at check-in, room may not be ready even by 4pm (yes, this does occasionally happen), and so on.

We all like to make the most of our Disney trips but trying to micromanage your arrival day is difficult and can really lead to you starting the trip off on the wrong foot if plans go awry.

After all of these years we've learned to avoid ADRs and any strict time commitments on our arrival day. With so many variables that can work against you, in our experiences it's rare that our arrivals actually go off without a hitch. Usually SOMETHING goes wrong...usually a number of somethings.

For a nice dinner at Boma, do yourself a favor and plan it for a day when you are in complete control of your itinerary.

Just my $.02.