Admission Tickets - Part 3

Priscilla writes:

"So John, am I right on this one? If I purchase the annuals ..., they will send me a voucher with no expiration date and when I turn it in at Guest relations (6 months later) for a real annual pass that's when the clock starts ticking?"

If you buy your AP at WDW, the Ocala Information Center, or the Disney shop at the Orlando International Airport, you will receive a pass that goes into effect that day. This pass will have an expiration date on it. If you buy your AP anywhere else, you will receive a voucher (with no expiration date on it) that you will exchange at Guest Relations at WDW for a pass that will go into effect the moment the exchange is complete, i.e., that day.

Kathy writes:

"I'm heading back to WDW March 31 - April 3rd, accompanying my husband who will be there for a business conference.

I have in my possession three 4-day passes that my parents purchased back for our family vacation in December 1990. These were the old fashioned passes that WDW stamped with the date when you entered the park. We have one unused day left on each of the passes.

Will I have any problem using these passes on my upcoming trip? I have heard that Disney may give me a hard time using these passes. I remember people were trying to buy the unused days from us as we left the park, but we kept them, knowing that Disney said that unused days would never expire.

FYI - back then a 4-day pass cost $111 US. Thanks in advance for any insight."

Your pass is still valid.

On a previous trip we were behind a visitor who turned in a very old pass. The ticket taker said, "There you are! We've been looking for you." It was very funny.

Priscilla writes:

"Did you know that anyone can purchase ahead of time an annual or premium annual Pass and receive a voucher (beating the price increase)? The voucher is then presented at the Guest relations window at Magic kingdom for the actual annual card which starts the moment you hand in the voucher."

In 2000 Disney changed the way it handles renewals of annual passes. If you buy your AP at WDW, the Ocala Information Center, or the Disney shop at the Orlando International Airport, you will receive a pass that goes into effect that day. This pass will have an expiration date on it.

If you buy your AP anywhere else, you will receive a voucher (with no expiration date on it) that you will exchange at Guest Relations at WDW for a pass that will go into effect the moment the exchange is complete, i.e., that day.

To Purchase Walt Disney World Passes at a Discount, see
Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation!

Mike writes:

"hello john, i wonder if you could clarify something for me? we have a universal pass from march 2000.  [Is it still valid?] we have asked several people over here (uk) but have not had a definite answer."

Universal's single and multi-day passes never expire.

Becky writes:

"I wanted to say thanks for all of the great tips in your book. My husband and I are taking our 4 year old to WDW the first week of February 2002. Although we are still in the planning stages, it looks like we will be taking the grandparents along as well and it isn't going to cost us any more than we had originally planned just for the three of us.

I have called WDW several times over the last few weeks during the process of planning a vacation to Disney and let me say...you are so very correct in informing your readers of continuing to call and speak with different operators. They all seem to have different information. It is almost as though they work for different companies. With 3 phone calls I received 3 different rates on the same room for the same week.

Which brings me to my question. I am not currently an annual pass holder, but I am considering the purchase of one annual pass for my family. No one at WDW seems to know what the annual pass holder rates for the Ft. Wilderness Cabins will be in Feb. 2002, nor do they seem to know when they will be provided this information. If you have any idea where I might find such information, it would be greatly appreciated."

Disney usually releases Annual Pass rates a few months in advance. AP discounts can be substantial - up to 45%! As a rule of thumb, take the regular prices in the book and subtract 30%. That will give you a good ballpark figure. We post current AP specials in our Addendum.

Karen writes:

"You said that Disney requires each person in the party [buying Florida resident passes] to show Florida ID. To purchase the tickets [do] you have to show ID at the entrance to the parks [or when you buy them]?"

They will ask for ID at time of purchase.

William writes:

"How about Florida residents? [relatives] are coming ... I'd like to take them to Disney and see a couple of parks over a 3 or 4 day stay at some reasonable hotel nearby...."

You personally won't have a problem qualifying for the Florida discount for the room, but only Florida residents may qualify for the Florida discount for passes. They will probably ask everyone in your party for ID when you buy your passes.

Bob writes:

"I have told quite a few of my friends how much I saved by purchasing your e-book, so I will be looking forward to a check for my referrals. HAHAHAHAHAHA"

Thanks for referring your friends! We do have a referral program. For details, click here.

Amy and Kevin write:

"As always, we turn to you for some Disney advice. We were planning to go to Disney sometime next spring, April/May, but now it looks as if the whole family is going to go with us to the Marathon in January, too. We don't plan to spend a ton of time in the parks (3 or 4 days each time). But it looks like that it would be more economical if we consider the Annual Pass. Is this right? Anyway, how do we purchase the Passes?"

You can buy the actual pass at a WDW theme park ticket window, park Guest Services, or Guest Services at Downtown Disney and Downtown Disney West Side. You can also purchase the actual pass off property at:

• Orlando International Airport: Disney's Flights Fantastic and The Magic of Disney

• Belz Mall in Orlando: Character Premiere (Building 1) and Character Warehouse (Building 2)

• Orlando Premium Outlets Mall Lake Buena Vista: Character Premiere

• Ocala Information Center (on I-95)

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