Annual Pass purchase

Is the best way to purchase an Annual Pass directly through Disney? Or are there other sites that sell as well (such as undercover tourist for daily tickets)?
You have to purchase APs directly from Disney. There are a couple of ways to save money on the AP.
  1. Purchase regular tickets from a discounter (like UCT) at a price that is much lower than the gate price. Then upgrade that ticket to an AP at Disney. The gate price (not what you paid) will be applied to the upgrade and you will then pay the difference.
  2. Buy Disney gift cards at a discount off of the face value (check the Disney GC deals thread) and pay for your AP with them.
  3. Combine both #1 and #2 to maximize your savings.
 
You have to purchase APs directly from Disney. There are a couple of ways to save money on the AP.
  1. Purchase regular tickets from a discounter (like UCT) at a price that is much lower than the gate price. Then upgrade that ticket to an AP at Disney. The gate price (not what you paid) will be applied to the upgrade and you will then pay the difference.
  2. Buy Disney gift cards at a discount off of the face value (check the Disney GC deals thread) and pay for your AP with them.
  3. Combine both #1 and #2 to maximize your savings.

Which discounters will take Disney GCs? When I asked on the TPAS thread about tickets, I was told none of them will.

I didn't find any discounters with tickets "much" lower than Disney's website price (which is also lower than the gate price). Since I generally purchase Disney GCs at a rate that is lower than the discount offered by UT and the like, buying directly from Disney seems to be less expensive. If I could use Disney GCs to buy from a discounter, that would be a game changer.
 
Which discounters will take Disney GCs? When I asked on the TPAS thread about tickets, I was told none of them will.

I didn't find any discounters with tickets "much" lower than Disney's website price (which is also lower than the gate price). Since I generally purchase Disney GCs at a rate that is lower than the discount offered by UT and the like, buying directly from Disney seems to be less expensive. If I could use Disney GCs to buy from a discounter, that would be a game changer.

The PP meant combining #1 and #2 by first purchasing the discounted tickets (with a regular credit card), then going to WDW and upgrading to an AP with discounted gift cards.
 


AAA has APs. Well, at least my region does.
Sams club also has them for the same price if you aren't a AAA member.
 
You have to purchase APs directly from Disney. There are a couple of ways to save money on the AP.
  1. Purchase regular tickets from a discounter (like UCT) at a price that is much lower than the gate price. Then upgrade that ticket to an AP at Disney. The gate price (not what you paid) will be applied to the upgrade and you will then pay the difference.
  2. Buy Disney gift cards at a discount off of the face value (check the Disney GC deals thread) and pay for your AP with them.
  3. Combine both #1 and #2 to maximize your savings.

That’s a good idea. My only thought on it would be though: if during the course of my planning Disney offered a room-only discount to AP holders (seeing as how periodically they can be significant), I’d imagine I’d be counting myself out of those promotions?

I do also have a chase visa, but I feel as if the AP discounts are more often and better deals (could be wrong)
 
That’s a good idea. My only thought on it would be though: if during the course of my planning Disney offered a room-only discount to AP holders (seeing as how periodically they can be significant), I’d imagine I’d be counting myself out of those promotions?

I do also have a chase visa, but I feel as if the AP discounts are more often and better deals (could be wrong)
You can book a room with an AP discount without having an AP at the time of booking. You just need to have an AP at the start of your stay.
 


One other thing not mentioned here. If you're staying onsite and want to make your FP+ reservations 60 days in advance, you'll have to have an admission ticket linked to your MDX account by the 60-day mark or you won't be able to make your FP+ reservations. So if you don't buy the AP until you get to WDW, you won't have it on your MDX account 60 days before arrival, and you won't be able to make FP+ reservations until the 30-day mark.

If, however, you buy your ticket from a third-party seller (like UT) and link that ticket to your account, planning to upgrade to AP when you get to WDW, then you can make the FP+ reservations at the 60-day mark.

This is relevant only if you're staying onsite or at one of the nearby hotels that has a 60-day booking window. If you're staying off-site, then the point is moot, since your booking window would be 30 days anyway.
 
You can book a room with an AP discount without having an AP at the time of booking. You just need to have an AP at the start of your stay.

This is what I have been reading about. Now, what I’m wondering, since I plan on purchasing prior to my vacation, and activating it on my day of arrival. Does the voucher I received when I purchased online have to be activated when I’m checking in for the AP discounted rate? Or will having the voucher ready to be activated good enough?

And possible secondary question, how to people work around AP discounts and activating a new AP. I don’t want to activate the pass too early so I can maximize my usage time.
 
One other thing not mentioned here. If you're staying onsite and want to make your FP+ reservations 60 days in advance, you'll have to have an admission ticket linked to your MDX account by the 60-day mark or you won't be able to make your FP+ reservations. So if you don't buy the AP until you get to WDW, you won't have it on your MDX account 60 days before arrival, and you won't be able to make FP+ reservations until the 30-day mark.

If, however, you buy your ticket from a third-party seller (like UT) and link that ticket to your account, planning to upgrade to AP when you get to WDW, then you can make the FP+ reservations at the 60-day mark.

This is relevant only if you're staying onsite or at one of the nearby hotels that has a 60-day booking window. If you're staying off-site, then the point is moot, since your booking window would be 30 days anyway.
You can purchase an AP voucher ahead of time and it satisfies the "valid admission media" requirement for FP reservations. You don't need an active AP at the time that you reserve because Disney knows you're not going to enter the parks and use those FPs until you have activated your AP.
 
And possible secondary question, how to people work around AP discounts and activating a new AP. I don’t want to activate the pass too early so I can maximize my usage time.
It's not a "work around". You have to have an activated AP when you check in. That would entail either exchanging your AP voucher for an actual AP hard ticket or upgrading your multiday ticket to an active AP prior to checking in. Disney computers can tell if you're trying to game the system. If a valid AP is not in your MDE account on check in day, you will be expected to stop at the front desk to check in, with proof of an AP, before you will be given your room assignment.
 
Just a caveat: If you plan to buy discounted tickets with the plan to upgrade to an AP, the upgrade can only be done while onsite at WDW. If Disney raises the price of an AP before you arrive, you will pay the new price for the AP in the upgrade, possibly negating any savings you had if you had just purchased an AP voucher directly from Disney.
 
You have to have an activated AP when you check in. That would entail either exchanging your AP voucher for an actual AP hard ticket or upgrading your multiday ticket to an active AP prior to checking in.

Last I knew, you have 24 hours after check-in to show the AP at the front desk and retain the discount. That allows guests to check-in at their resort and then go to the parks to buy or activate an AP. Has that changed?


And possible secondary question, how to people work around AP discounts and activating a new AP. I don’t want to activate the pass too early so I can maximize my usage time.

It isn't possible to activate an AP early, unless you live close enough to stop by WDW at some point. An AP gets activated on first use.

Enjoy your vacation!
 
You can purchase an AP voucher ahead of time and it satisfies the "valid admission media" requirement for FP reservations. You don't need an active AP at the time that you reserve because Disney knows you're not going to enter the parks and use those FPs until you have activated your AP.
Yes. I didn't mean to imply that the ticket had to be activated, but it does have to be purchased.
 
Yes. I didn't mean to imply that the ticket had to be activated, but it does have to be purchased.

Ok. That’s the main concern I had. The AP will be purchased well ahead of time, but since it’ll be my first day using it (after checking in) I wanted to make sure I’d still qualify if a good AP is to arise
 
I purchased my AP through AAA last year. I used a Dreams Agent to book my room with the AP rate. I checked into the Boardwalk in the evening and activated my AP the next day at the IG entrance to EPCOT.
 
I purchased my AP through AAA last year. I used a Dreams Agent to book my room with the AP rate. I checked into the Boardwalk in the evening and activated my AP the next day at the IG entrance to EPCOT.

Beautiful! Thank you!
 

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