Best timing/strategy for buying an annual pass?

barefootMom

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Hi all,
My daughter will be going to college in Orlando starting in the fall and we would like to buy annual passes for her first year knowing we will visit often enough to make it worth it (the first year anyway!). We live in Maine and will be spending a week there the end of August moving her in to college and then will probably be there random weekends throughout the year and probably for her younger sisters school vacation week in Feb. We have never bought annual passes before and so any info you can share would be helpful. Where do we buy them? When should we buy them? I sort of wanted to have hers purchased in June to give her as part of a high school graduation gift but she wouldn't be using it until we get there in August. What do I need to know about timing and anything else? Finally, I have a 1 night reservation at Grand Floridian in June (when daughter and I attend her orientation) and have a 30% discount on that room, if I were to purchase an annual pass before that stay would that allow me to get an even better rate possibly or is that not really likely or worth it? Thx!!!!
 
There's no special strategy or timing to it. Buy them when you're ready to. If you want to try to save a bit of money, buy "regular" tickets from Undercover Tourist or similar site. Get them at as much of a discount as you can. Then when you're at WDW the first day, go to any guest services location (we go to City Hall in MK) and have the tickets converted to APs. You'll get the gate price of the ticket you bought as credit, instead of what you actually paid. For us, it saved a few hundred dollars for a family of 5.
 
If you're staying at a Disney hotel for your August trip you'll want to buy the passes (or at least tickets that you plan to upgrade) at least 60 days in advance so you can take advantage of booking FP. Otherwise, at least 30 days. Remember that annual passes start when you activate them and not from the date of purchase so you can buy in June and she'll still have a year from when she first activates it. And remember that she can get a Florida resident annual pass.
 
You'll get the gate price of the ticket you bought as credit, instead of what you actually paid.
Just a note of clarification...

When upgrading a discounted ticket, the guest gets the “pre-order” (pre-arrival) value for the ticket. This is the price shown on the Disney ticket website. The regular price paid when a guest orders tickets from Disney.
 
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There's no special strategy or timing to it. Buy them when you're ready to. If you want to try to save a bit of money, buy "regular" tickets from Undercover Tourist or similar site. Get them at as much of a discount as you can. Then when you're at WDW the first day, go to any guest services location (we go to City Hall in MK) and have the tickets converted to APs. You'll get the gate price of the ticket you bought as credit, instead of what you actually paid. For us, it saved a few hundred dollars for a family of 5.
Just to clarify, I'd buy a 5 day ticket from Undercover Tourist, link it and book FPs on MDE, and then be able to upgrade it when we're there with no hiccups? I already have my AP, but need to get one for each of my kids. I just get nervous I'll mess something up with our plans for the week.
 
So if I wanted to buy the annual pass in May or June but not activate it until I go in August, would I possibly be able to use a passholder discount on the one night in June I am there? Or does it have to be activated in order to get the benefits of being a passholder?
Also, if I were to straight out buy an annual pass from Disney (as opposed to doing the Under Cover tourist thing then upgrading when there), do they mail you something for proof you are a passholder? meaning something I could wrap up for a Birthday gift?
 
Just to clarify,
1. I'd buy a 5 day ticket from Undercover Tourist,
2. link it and book FPs on MDE,
3. and then be able to upgrade it when we're there with no hiccups?
4. I already have my AP, but need to get one for each of my kids.
1. That, or a longer ticket, if it offered greater savings (most longer tickets DO offer greater savings.)
2. Yes.
3. Yup.
4. OK.
 


So if I wanted to buy the annual pass in May or June but not activate it until I go in August,
1. would I possibly be able to use a passholder discount on the one night in June I am there?
2. Or does it have to be activated in order to get the benefits of being a passholder?
Also, if I were to straight out buy an annual pass from Disney (as opposed to doing the Under Cover tourist thing then upgrading when there),
3. do they mail you something for proof you are a passholder? meaning something I could wrap up for a Birthday gift?
1. Passholder discount on WHAT, exactly?
2. Some do require an active AP.
3. Nope.
4. You can print the "confirmation" on your computer.
 
If you want to use the discount on your GF room in June, you'd have to have an active pass. Not only that, but AP discounts are like the rest of the discounts that Disney gives out. You can't simply apply an extra percentage to the room that you already have unless the same room with the AP discount happens to be available. So there may or may not even be an AP discount available on the type of room or even resort that you want. Some of the AP discount rooms go more quickly than others because Disney limits the number of rooms that can be on an AP discount.
 

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