annual pass planning question

[guyzmom]

Could someone please help me with info on how to plan a trip using annual passes? I want to go twice in a 12-month period. I'm the anal retentive kind of person who plans everything WAY in advance . I'm not sure how things work chronologically with annual passes ie:
when do you purchase them for your trip, and if you don't do it beforehand, how do you get AP discounts on hotels and such when making ressies? Any info would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks,
Gretcheninkbounc

 

[GrumpyOne]

1) Call the hotel and get an AP discount if one is available. Plan on them becoming available no earlier than 6 months out. You don't need the pass at that time.

2) Purchase the AP voucher. This will be exchanged for an AP, skip this step if you purchase at the parks or at the Disney Store at the Orlando airport.

3) Exchange the voucher for the pass. If you skipped step 2 then you didn't get a voucher and got the pass itself. As soon as you get the pass, the time is ticking down.

Your year starts from the time you get the pass, not the voucher. I was told I needed the pass itself when I checked in, others have said they were told to have the voucher or the pass. When I checked in, I wasn't asked for proof of an AP but still got the rate.

 

[DebbieB]

We always get the most uses out of our AP's by planning a trip right before it expires. We just got new AP's the second week of May (arrived May 12), next year we will plan to go the first week of May (May 4 to 10).

 

[guyzmom]

Thanks so much, I think I've got it now. I wasn't aware of the vouchers.

Have a great one!

Gretchen
inkbounc inkbounc inkbounc inkbounc