Changes to Passes Issued By Resorts

[goofy4tink]

In a few weeks when I am the Boardwalk Inn would I be able to switch my current Annual Pass onto one of the Resort hard plastic stock cards.

To all those who really think that the hard plastic cards hold up better than the Tyvek APs....I have had more trouble with the hard plastic cards than I have had with any AP. The only time, in over 7 years of AP usage, that I have had to have an AP replaced was due to my own error. That is vastly different than instances when using the hard plastic for park entry. I had those cards replaced more times than I can shake a stick at. Not sure why though. All I know is that my AP gets about 2-3 weeks of park entry usage each year, with little to no trouble.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

Are all new APs hard cards?

 

[chartle]

To all those who really think that the hard plastic cards hold up better than the Tyvek APs....I have had more trouble with the hard plastic cards than I have had with any AP. The only time, in over 7 years of AP usage, that I have had to have an AP replaced was due to my own error. That is vastly different than instances when using the hard plastic for park entry. I had those cards replaced more times than I can shake a stick at. Not sure why though. All I know is that my AP gets about 2-3 weeks of park entry usage each year, with little to no trouble.

Think the problem with the cards is twofold. First they are only really expected to work for on average a week, second they cost more per piece than the Tyvek cards. For these two reasons they most likely get the cheapest card they can get away with, so the mag stripe has less density than a Tyvek that could be someone's AP used for a year.

If people start asking to have their Tyvek tickets converted to plastic ones, we may see things get worse.

If they start seeing that they are using more of the expensive plastic cards there may be a push to buy even cheaper cards. It may not seem like a lot but when you buy hundreds of thousands of them a year it adds up.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

To all those who really think that the hard plastic cards hold up better than the Tyvek APs....I have had more trouble with the hard plastic cards than I have had with any AP. The only time, in over 7 years of AP usage, that I have had to have an AP replaced was due to my own error. That is vastly different than instances when using the hard plastic for park entry. I had those cards replaced more times than I can shake a stick at. Not sure why though. All I know is that my AP gets about 2-3 weeks of park entry usage each year, with little to no trouble.

Well in the past before I even had my Annual Pass I always had my tickets on the plastic resort cards and never had any problems with them. Now I will admit this past August when I was using my Annual Pass I didn't have any issues with the Tyvek ticket design, so before I ask to switch it onto the plastic card I will see what happens when I enter the parks.

I will also admit the Tyvek tickets don't hold up well in the rain. In August 2008 I went to the Magic Kingdom during Tropical Storm Fay and just as I got up to the entrance gate it started coming down very hard and it was so bad that our tickets got destroyed. So when I got back to the Contemporary I had them switch over our remaining days onto the plastic card tickets.

Finally one of my friends from Orlando who also has an Annual Pass thinks we should get them on the plastic cards because they hold up much better, since we would use our Annual Passes more then those guests who purchase tickets from 7 - 10 days.

 

[irishdadx4]

1) This is more of a change than people realize.
2) This is absolutely huge, huge, huge !
3) The interface changes a little, but the database is the BIGGIE.

4) The DPMS system was built for 1960's Las Vegas resorts.
5) It was only slightly modified for Disney; mainly the screen appearance.
6) There have been several upgrades, but no real change.
7) The new system is supposed to get away from the Vegas database style.
8) This is why the staggered phase-in.
9) Let's all hope things as as well as IT-Dept plans.

Remnds me of an article I read a couple of years ago about Publishers Clearing House updating their database. This is the database that runs all of their marketing events...anytime they would do a marketing campaign, either for the sweepstakes or for a product they wanted to sell, the database would input the requested critieria and develop the mailing list for that campaign. It was a linear tape-based database..and they converted to a more modern random access database. Well, it appeared to work, but there were strange inconsistances they couldn't explain. The records were the same, the business rules/selection algorithms were the same, they just got ever so slightly different results when they compared lists run against each database side by side. They had to simple chalk it up to "ghost in the machine"

Wonder how Disney's "Grim Grinning Ghosts" will affect this system?

Mike

 

[chartle]

Finally one of my friends from Orlando who also has an Annual Pass thinks we should get them on the plastic cards because they hold up much better, since we would use our Annual Passes more then those guests who purchase tickets from 7 - 10 days.

Thats making an assumption that the plastic cards will hold up better which has never been proven.

As I posted above, there is no evidence that plastic is better than paper. For every "I had card type x and had nothing but problems" there is always a "I had card type y and had nothing but problems".

 

[Robo]

Are all new APs hard cards?

No.

The AP's (and other tickets) issued at all of the (non-resort) Guest Relations, Will Calls and Ticket Windows at WDW are "paper" (Tyvek.)
That's because those locations can ONLY print on the blank "paper" ticket stock.
That's all that they have.

The reason that a Resort will issue a plastic AP (and other tickets) is because they can ONLY print on the blank plastic ticket/room key stock.
That's all that they have.

The resorts only have "plastic" stock and printers.
The non-Resorts only have "paper" (Tyvek) stock and printers.

(There are minor exceptions to the above - specifically for the new Platinum WDW/DL AP - but that's just further confusing the issue of regular ticket procedures.)

 

[chartle]

Somehow in my thinking that since you now can get an AP at a resort that you could get your Tyvek AP and/or ticket converted at a resort because they now can do more "ticketing" transactions.

I guess thats not the case but I could see some people trying to convert their ticket because they think x is better than y.

 

[Robo]

Somehow in my thinking that since you now can get an AP at a resort that you could get your Tyvek AP and/or ticket converted at a resort because they now can do more "ticketing" transactions.

I guess thats not the case but I could see some people trying to convert their ticket because they think x is better than y.

Oh, I think that's going to be quite possible. (If not right now, at least in the near future.)

What I also see is that the "confusion level" will be increased to such a degree that this is going to be one of "THOSE" questions.
Asked again, and again... but, also quite difficult to easily explain.

 

[bradk]

the reasons for plastic vs tyvek is abundantly clear and if you look at the practice, you'll see that WDW clearly favors the plastic. bottom line, one bad little fold in the tyvek and it's shot.

this is why KTTW are plastic so they don't have to be frequently replaced. this is why tickets mailed ahead of time are plastic, so they'll last til you make it on site. this is why tickets issued on site are tyvek, because they don't have to last as long. this is why APs are issued on tyvek, because they can easily be replaced.

and on that first and last note, it's a lot more tolerable to find out your ticket doesn't work and have it replaced at the gate than it is to go to your hotel room and find out the key doesn't work.

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

You will be able to purchase new Annual Passes at the Resort. You will not be able to do renewals or use the Florida Resident Monthly Purchase Plan. They will be on a separate card from your room key, and will be on the Resort hard plastic stock.

I just have a couple of related questions I haven't seen answered in this thread yet.

Would this include exchanging new Annual Pass Vouchers for the new live Annual Pass at the resort?

Will this change allow resort concierge desks to serve as Will Call locations for tickets as well?

 

[Robo]

I just have a couple of related questions I haven't seen answered in this thread yet.

1- Would this include exchanging new Annual Pass Vouchers for the new live Annual Pass at the resort?

2- Will this change allow resort concierge desks to serve as Will Call locations for tickets as well?

1- That one, I'll just GUESS is a yes. (Maybe Cheshire Figment can give a more definitive answer.)

2- But, this one... is the way it has been for years, already.
The only "Will Call" tickets that you couldn't get at the Resort Concierge (formerly "Guest Services") was any kind of AP.
All other "Will Call" ticket pick-ups were already available at the Resort Concierge.

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

1- That one, I'll just GUESS is a yes. (Maybe Cheshire Figment can give a more definitive answer.)

2- But, this one... is the way it has been for years, already.
The only "Will Call" tickets that you couldn't get at the Resort Concierge (formerly "Guest Services") was any kind of AP.
All other "Will Call" ticket pick-ups were already available at the Resort Concierge.

Does this include MVMCP (or other party type) tickets? When I called to order mine this year they said they had to be picked up at the will call offices at the theme parks or DTD, because they would not be available at the resort concierge.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Does this include MVMCP (or other party type) tickets? When I called to order mine this year they said they had to be picked up at the will call offices at the theme parks or DTD, because they would not be available at the resort concierge.

Tickets for such events like MVMCP have always been avaialble for purchase at the Lobby Concierge desk.

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

Tickets for such events like MVMCP have always been avaialble for purchase at the Lobby Concierge desk.

Thanks! It sounds like I was given bad informtion about Will Call when I ordered my tickets then! You just saved me a considerable amount of time waiting Guest Services!

Thank you!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thanks! It sounds like I was given bad informtion about Will Call when I ordered my tickets then! You just saved me a considerable amount of time waiting Guest Services!

Thank you!

You're welcome.

 

[mlittig]

Will we now be able to upgrade our 10 day park hopper tickets to annual passes at the resorts (provided they have the new computer system)? Thanks,

 

[Cheshire Figment]

All I know is what I have seen in the Ticketing Announcement. We have a couple of people here who work as Resort Lobby Concierges; once they have received their conversion training and it is fully implemented across property (which should be by the end of the year) more and more accurate information will be available.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

(Seriously ANYTIME I hear of a Disney "enhancement" my first impresssion is RUN!! They seem to think that instead of "testing" they have "pixie dust")

AND PLEASE Disney do NOT replace my wondreful (WORKING) AP with a Disney Piece of Plastic. My AP works trip after trip after trip. My room key becomes "confused" if it is in contact with another credit card, a phone, your hand Don't know where Disney buys them but they are horrid IMHO


My new "GOLD" AP... has had to be replaced TWICE while last years "abused" looking AP just kept right on letting me in.... The difference "the upgraded "gold" is on PLASTIC. The AP (which had been bent, folded, soaked etc.) was on the "Abused" paper... which in the imortal words of the old Timex commerical "takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'"

 

[LuvMy3Monkeys]

(Seriously ANYTIME I hear of a Disney "enhancement" my first impresssion is RUN!! They seem to think that instead of "testing" they have "pixie dust")

AND PLEASE Disney do NOT replace my wondreful (WORKING) AP with a Disney Piece of Plastic. My AP works trip after trip after trip. My room key becomes "confused" if it is in contact with another credit card, a phone, your hand Don't know where Disney buys them but they are horrid IMHO


My new "GOLD" AP... has had to be replaced TWICE while last years "abused" looking AP just kept right on letting me in.... The difference "the upgraded "gold" is on PLASTIC. The AP (which had been bent, folded, soaked etc.) was on the "Abused" paper... which in the imortal words of the old Timex commerical "takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'"