AP Merchandise Discounts in a Group

Melodious

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Hey. I am looking into purchasing an AP for the first time and crunching numbers to make certain that it is worth it. I would otherwise purchase a ten day ticket and the memory maker so I need to get about $206 worth of discounts out of the pass. How does the merchandise discount work? If I am in a store with my sister and she wants to purchase something, can she use the discount of my having an AP (since I will be there to show the pass and my ID)? What if we are in a store and we both want to purchase something? Can I make a purchase with my AP discount, and then also use it for her purchase?

We will be a group of 5 with one child so I am considering purchasing one AP for the discounts and everyone else will have simply park hopper tickets. We will not have a car so the parking discounts will not be useful and neither will resort discounts as we are renting DVC points. Because we will be mostly adults who will be having alcoholic drinks, I am also considering the TIW card. (Example at Biergarten restaurant: Total for 4 adults & 1 child buffet + 3 drinks= $232. With AP discount= $ 213. With TIW discount= $185). Also the TIW card would cover all of us for dining, while the AP discount will only cover 4 of us, right?
 
Hey. I am looking into purchasing an AP for the first time and crunching numbers to make certain that it is worth it. I would otherwise purchase a ten day ticket and the memory maker so I need to get about $206 worth of discounts out of the pass. How does the merchandise discount work? If I am in a store with my sister and she wants to purchase something, can she use the discount of my having an AP (since I will be there to show the pass and my ID)? What if we are in a store and we both want to purchase something? Can I make a purchase with my AP discount, and then also use it for her purchase?

We will be a group of 5 with one child so I am considering purchasing one AP for the discounts and everyone else will have simply park hopper tickets. We will not have a car so the parking discounts will not be useful and neither will resort discounts as we are renting DVC points. Because we will be mostly adults who will be having alcoholic drinks, I am also considering the TIW card. (Example at Biergarten restaurant: Total for 4 adults & 1 child buffet + 3 drinks= $232. With AP discount= $ 213. With TIW discount= $185). Also the TIW card would cover all of us for dining, while the AP discount will only cover 4 of us, right?

For merchandise discounts, you can definitely be the purchase person for your group. Depending on the store, it might be okay for you to flash your AP and ID while your sister pays, but in other situations you may need to be the one to technical "buy" the items (which can be as simple as you standing in line and inserting your sister's credit card into the chip reader).
 


For the merchandise discount, you will have to make the purchase yourself. You can’t hand her your card to make a separate purchase. So either you pay upfront & she reimburses you, or she gives you money before hand to pay with.
 
For the merchandise discount, you will have to make the purchase yourself. You can’t hand her your card to make a separate purchase. So either you pay upfront & she reimburses you, or she gives you money before hand to pay with.

So can she give me her card to pay with or are the cast members actually going to match the name on the AP to the name on the credit card?
 
So can she give me her card to pay with or are the cast members actually going to match the name on the AP to the name on the credit card?

I have never done it so not speaking from experience, but I would expect them to match the name. Not only do I have to show my AP card, I also have to show my ID to prove it’s me making the purchase. So I don’t know that they will allow you to buy something with someone else’s credit card. Now with the new cards where you don’t have to hand over the credit card but just insert it into the reader, I have no idea if the name actually comes up for the CM to see. But then, you will need to enter her PIN number or sign your name to her credit slip. But again, no personal experience except making my own purchases. And I always have to show both my AP card & my ID before they will give the discount.
 


It varies widely on the CM working. I've been able to flash my card for relatives who purchased their own items, and even dining I've been able to use my card for everyone at the table, even with separate checks. And I only am asked for my ID a small portion of the time, and that's usually only when buying merchandise. The dining spots never seem to ask.

In theory, you should be purchasing things but it'll vary based on the day and CM working. And they can pay you back. In reality, we've yet to have that actually happen :confused3
 
OP, to make the purchasing easier, I suggest the other members of your party get Disney Gift Cards. There's even a thread on ways to get them at a discount. Then when you go to make the purchase, you show your AP and ID, and hand over your sister's gift card. It's not a CC, so it's not linked to anyone. It eliminates the need to pay back, and also eliminates the need to enter a PIN or sign anything. Though, to be honest, with chip readers, I don't think I get asked for PIN or signature. People could also get prepaid Visa gift cards if they don't want to invest in Disney-only gift cards, but they'll have to look around to find deals where the Visa GC activation fee is waived.
 
Not to hijack topic but if theres 2 APs in a group of 5. Will they just give the whole group discount when dining or have to get separate checks?
 
So can she give me her card to pay with or are the cast members actually going to match the name on the AP to the name on the credit card?
I’ve done that many times, no questions asked. Dining limits they are much more picky.
 
Majority of the time the AP has to be the one paying for the items. The other person can give you money later if you want but most CM's will take your card and match it to your AP discount card. Every once in awhile you might get a CM who doesn't check, but I wouldn't count on it.

If their cracking down on AP's sharing their MB's to get their friends free parking, I'd imagine they'll start having all the CM's be more strict on AP discount purchases
 
Actually, my experience isn’t every once in a while. It’s over years of having an AP. Not once have they questioned the source of payment. Last trip my daughter was buying me ( the AP holder) an item I wanted. So she handed me her cc, right in front of the CM. They really don’t care where the money comes from as long as the AP holder is physically making the purchase. It’s the same thing as when I buy merchandise for a family member using my own money. The merchandise does not have to be for me, nor does the payment have to come from my personal funds. I just have to do the transaction. For instance, I gave my daughter my ap card and my credit card and sent her to get me a drink and some food. They wouldn’t let her do it. But I can walk in with her cc, no problem.
 
We usually run into very strict cast members. My child didn’t have ID and they wouldn’t let her make a purchase with her AP and a gift card. You could tell by her signing her own name on the card that she was obviously the owner of it but she wouldn’t budge. I had to step in and make the purchase for her (but I did use her gift card). She now has a state ID to use with her AP.
 
It is totally dependent on the CM. I have used my AP discount on many occasions for a family member or friend and have never had a problem - even when they paid. Some CMs will request an ID. When that is the case, I usually just pay and get reimbursed.
 
Okay, it sounds like it will mostly be fine if I'm there with my ID and if not, she can pay me back. Just one more question to be sure. There is no minimum dollar amount that you need to spend to get a discount with the AP, right? As opposed to the Visa card where I only get a discount if I am buying $50 of stuff at a time.
 
Okay, it sounds like it will mostly be fine if I'm there with my ID and if not, she can pay me back. Just one more question to be sure. There is no minimum dollar amount that you need to spend to get a discount with the AP, right? As opposed to the Visa card where I only get a discount if I am buying $50 of stuff at a time.
No minimum!
 
We have had very mixed results on being present with the AP.

Many times I have had my ID checked and couldn’t use my moms credit card who was paying for our entire families trip.

But - the flipside - is that my mom and sister were able to get my discount at the contemporary gift shop without me even BEING in the hotel! I had already left for the airport and the cashier asked them if they had discounts and they said I did (DVC and AP) but I had already left for the airport - and she gave them the 20%!

We never had anyone check on the number of people dining for our discount - though most of the time we used it we were a party of 4...but sometimes up to 9...
 
I suppose it is going to vary depending on the CM you encounter, however, when we were there this past August, numerous times my Aunt, and my Mother paid for purchases, and I showed my ID and AP card, and it was never questioned.
 
I’ve always been asked for ID when making AP purchases.

During one transaction my DD placed a small button (or something equivalent $ wise) on the counter with my items and the CM refused to ring it through until my DD (14 at the time) presented her AP to the cashier :rolleyes2. I get it, the discount is for AP holders only but this seemed a little power trippy to me.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top