buying the "gift card" annual passes at previous prices (updated 12/22/13)

[halfmonkey]

Has anybody successfully purchase the annual passport "gift cards" at a Vons or something at the prices prior to the increase? We did this last year and just activated the passport at the end of Dec so I'm just wondering if anybody has done this yet so I know where to go instead of driving around?

 

[halfmonkey]

Just went to Vons and was able to get the passes at the old prices. Our Vons had a whole bunch of them but I remember last year, once word got out about buying the "gift card" passes, they went pretty quickly so make your decision soon.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

AAA still has the tickets and passes at the old discounted prices.

 

[javadog71]

Pretty sure Costco does as well

 

[kyra's mommy]

Just curious if anyone has managed to buy it recently? I called a Von's in Anaheim and they had the new $499 price for a deluxe.

 

[sonnyjane]

Just curious if anyone has managed to buy it recently? I called a Von's in Anaheim and they had the new $499 price for a deluxe.

My Von's in San Diego has all the new prices.

 

[Disney Dudette]

If you purchase it this way, you have to activate it (1st day in the park) by Dec. 31, 2013, correct?

 

[Disney Dudette]

Or can they be activated without entering the park? Also, what was the old price for a deluxe AP, I don't remember....

 

[kyra's mommy]

bump

 

[Malcon10t]

Or can they be activated without entering the park? Also, what was the old price for a deluxe AP, I don't remember....

$479. They cannot be activated except by entering the park.

 

[kyra's mommy]

$479. They cannot be activated except by entering the park.

They are all sold out now, right?

 

[halfmonkey]

So here's the low down. We just went to DLR/DCA yesterday with our still active SoCal Passports. They don't expire until Dec 29th and the rest of the year is blacked out for our passport starting on Dec 20th.

When we went to the window, I gave the lady our "gift cards" that we purchased from VONS many months ago. She asked if we were existing passport holders and I said yes. She asked for our passports and I just figured she knew what she was doing. A couple of minutes went by and then she asked a coworker of hers for help. At this point, I figured maybe she didn't totally know how to process this so I just listened to the two discuss it and when it seemed that she wasn't sure, I just explained to her what my plan was and the other coworkers agreed and we processed it as such.

So in essence, we did not "renew" our still current SoCal Passports. We used the "gift cards" that we purchased from VONS and started brand new passports and so she re-registered us and therefore our new passports will expire on 12/21/14. Since yesterday was normally a black out date for SoCal Passports, we were given the exception cards to hold with us and were able to park hop between DLR and DCA multiple times.

BTW, yesterday was busy but not as busy as we thought it would be. Enjoy for all of those going!