ANNUAL PASSES ARE BACK!!!

[Sandisw]

Two questions for the brain trust:
1. Is it a "pro-tip" to add on the photo-pass to only 1 family member's AP?
2. Does anyone know if Disney Gift Cards are accepted when buying online?

1. Yes, we only buy it for one person...not all
2. I think you can use them, but there may be a limit on how many in a transation...we always just use our CC!

 

[ftmill]

We’ve received a lot of Member feedback about one topic in particular: Annual Passes. We’ve been listening and understand that for many Members, Annual Passes enhance their Disney experience. Today I’m pleased to share great news with you: new sales of all Walt Disney World Resort Annual Passes will resume on April 20.

That alone is good news. But we have even better news to share. Eligible Members* may purchase the DVC Disney Sorcerer Pass online starting April 13 – a full week before sales of all Annual Passes resume for all Guests. Passes or a pass type are subject to limited availability and may not be available at any given time. The DVC Disney Sorcerer Pass is expected to be on sale more often throughout the year, even when the pass is not broadly available for sale to Florida Residents.**

Very good news. I am a DVC member and did not receive this information. I have so many questions.

 

[ftmill]

We’ve received a lot of Member feedback about one topic in particular: Annual Passes. We’ve been listening and understand that for many Members, Annual Passes enhance their Disney experience. Today I’m pleased to share great news with you: new sales of all Walt Disney World Resort Annual Passes will resume on April 20.

That alone is good news. But we have even better news to share. Eligible Members* may purchase the DVC Disney Sorcerer Pass online starting April 13 – a full week before sales of all Annual Passes resume for all Guests. Passes or a pass type are subject to limited availability and may not be available at any given time. The DVC Disney Sorcerer Pass is expected to be on sale more often throughout the year, even when the pass is not broadly available for sale to Florida Residents.**

Very good news. I am a DVC member and did not receive this information. I have so many questions.

My wife and I just bought two 4-day passes for May from AAA for an upcoming trip. I wonder if it's possible to apply those as of yet unused tickets to AP purchase? Anyone know?

I have a related question (purchased a Sunday pass because FL pass doesn’t work on Sundays), Was told they are not refundable. I bought through DVC. Perhaps AAA will have a different refund policy.

 

[sheilafri]

They could NOT be bringing them back at all. I doubt they are designing the return of APs “so folks can’t apply those visits’ tickets’”.

I respectfully disagree. I think they did time it to get as many day admissions as possible during Easter Break. APs available after to encourage a new round of buying. They are in business. They are not a charity.

 

[Sandisw]

My wife and I just bought two 4-day passes for May from AAA for an upcoming trip. I wonder if it's possible to apply those as of yet unused tickets to AP purchase? Anyone know?

I have been able to use the value of tickets purchased through a 3rd party seller to my AP, and AP renewal. But, I always had to do it in person...some reports are that WDW ticketing can now do it on the phone.

But, I think getting the value towards a new AP....unless they have changed the rules and the information doesn't seem to indicate they have, it should not be a problem...just don't know if you will be able to do it online or not.

 

[dioxide45]

Disney should have had an FAQ on their site ready to go that answered many of the common questions... Certainly they had to anticipate many of the questions being asked about applying individual tickets, upgrading, tickets purchased 3rd party, etc...

 

[Sandisw]

They could NOT be bringing them back at all. I doubt they are designing the return of APs “so folks can’t apply those visits’ tickets’”.

While they didn't have to bring them back, I bet the timing is very much about being after the Easter visitors.

 

[tidefan]

Only members of the owners household are eligible for the Sorcerer Pass. If your DD is not an owner and no longer lives with you, they will not be allowed to get it.

That is one of the reasons we added our adult children to some of our deeds in 2019...it allows them to have access, now that they are no longer in our home...it isn't something everyone wants to do, but we were comfortable with the decision and all the risks that come with it...especially since we have other points that are not owned by them!

If I understand correctly, though, if they still live at the same address, then they could get the pass, correct?

For Thanksgiving, Sorcerer Pass is blocked out so it would not work for you anyway. Starting April 20th, though, everyone can purchase an Incredi pass..and then you can activate it whenever you get to WDW within that year.

ETA: I just realized you said Thankgiving 2024, not 2023...never mind!

One of our trips will be over Thanksgiving this year. Looks like it's just Wednesday-Saturday that are blocked out, so debating if the Incredi-pass is worth that, or, do we just get the Sorcerer and go Saturday-Tuesday to the parks, then use the Waterpark add-on and go to whatever park is open one or two of those days...

It won't matter for the other trips this year...

 

[Sandisw]

Disney should have had an FAQ on their site ready to go that answered many of the common questions... Certainly they had to anticipate many of the questions being asked about applying individual tickets, upgrading, tickets purchased 3rd party, etc...

That has been standard practice and never included in the official language before, so probably not something they figured was needed...but, this is just announced, so maybe it will be out soon! And, the website has always shown that you can change tickets online too...we have done it...so it is there in that way.

 

[arich35]

Wife are going for basically 6 days next month and have another week trip booked for January, thinking it might be best to buy the pass for this year. I wish I could go into January 2024 and see the ticket prices to see how much extra we would have to pay. We currently only have 3 day park hoppers for May which was $510 a piece (before tax) and were probably planning on 5 or 6 day park hoppers in January. Estimate probably about $1200ish before tax, does that sound right? And is the photo pass add on $99?
If we would buy I guess we would maybe fly down for a weekend or two randomly and take advantage of it since we also have the companion pass with Southwest. Might have to buy more DVC points lol

 

[prncssjas]

Hi everyone, not sure if anyone will find this helpful but happy to share what I just learned. I have an upcoming trip planned May 1-May 7, 2023 at BLT for the week. We (DH, myself and DS) purchased 6 day park hoppers with the water plus option last month directly through Disney. I got the email this morning about the AP's coming back so I called Member Services this afternoon to see if I could upgrade my 6 day unused park hopper to an annual pass (and pay the difference) once April 13th rolls around. After being placed on a long hold while the cast member checked with the right department, she informed me that in the past, this was possible but it has not yet been determined for this new round of sales. She instructed me to call back on April 13th to see if it was an option (which I will do since we now have a February 2024 trip on the books and I'd really like to take advantage of this!).

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

For Thanksgiving, Sorcerer Pass is blocked out so it would not work for you anyway. Starting April 20th, though, everyone can purchase an Incredi pass..and then you can activate it whenever you get to WDW within that year.

ETA: I just realized you said Thankgiving 2024, not 2023...never mind!

Yeah I would have to buy the regular pass.... I wish they would move the black out days back to spring break. Thanksgiving is the week we do WDW.

 

[ftmill]

I have been able to use the value of tickets purchased through a 3rd party seller to my AP, and AP renewal. But, I always had to do it in person...some reports are that WDW ticketing can now do it on the phone.

But, I think getting the value towards a new AP....unless they have changed the rules and the information doesn't seem to indicate they have, it should not be a problem...just don't know if you will be able to do it online or not.

In my case I need to “upgrade” from pixie dust to sorcerer as well as apply the value of 2 tickets I purchased directly from them by phone for a Sunday June. I am both a FL resident and DVC owner.

 

[sheilafri]

In my case I need to “upgrade” from pixie dust to sorcerer as well as apply the value of 2 tickets I purchased directly from them by phone for a Sunday June. I am both a FL resident and DVC owner.

I’m interested to see if you can combine the value of an AP and separate tickets to upgrade the AP.

 

[Sharene0724]

In my case I need to “upgrade” from pixie dust to sorcerer as well as apply the value of 2 tickets I purchased directly from them by phone for a Sunday June. I am both a FL resident and DVC owner.

I have the same situation, FL res and Pixie Pass, wanting to upgrade to Sorcerer. We have 3 day tickets for May and a 1 day ticket for July that I would want to apply. I sent an email asking if this could be done and if so, can it be done online or does it need to be via phone or in person.

I am guessing there are a few people in this same situation so hopefully I can get an answer before the 13th. I will post with any info I receive.

 

[DVCjj]

This is because they changed things last summer to verify that someone is eligible to renew the Sorcerer Pass...once verified on the phone, then the ticketing department will issue them.

It would seem this was to prevent what happened in 2021 when non eligible owners were allowed to purchase the Sorcerer Pass voucher, when they should not have been. So now, they verify first before anyone can purchase. That is why they need the membership number that matches with your eligibility.

Thanks for clearing up. Odd though I renewed DH's about 6 months ago and it worked the old way. Used Membership # of my resale contracts. 5 minutes later it was renewed. No 'only a certain membership, no other department.

 

[BroganMc]

Only members of the owners household are eligible for the Sorcerer Pass. If your DD is not an owner and no longer lives with you, they will not be allowed to get it.

That is one of the reasons we added our adult children to some of our deeds in 2019...it allows them to have access, now that they are no longer in our home...it isn't something everyone wants to do, but we were comfortable with the decision and all the risks that come with it...especially since we have other points that are not owned by them!

Question. When you did that, did that change the membership number for those contracts? My family is in a similar situation. We have adult children that have moved out. We have lots of contracts so we have the ability to add them. But I don't know if that's going to screw up the membership. Right now we have three memberships in 2 use years. Two of those memberships are DVC-Y. And there are 10 contracts between them.

 

[Sammie]

My wife and I just bought two 4-day passes for May from AAA for an upcoming trip. I wonder if it's possible to apply those as of yet unused tickets to AP purchase? Anyone know?

In the past you could. You will have to call MS to do it.

 

[BroganMc]

Two questions for the brain trust:
1. When travelling together, is it a "pro-tip" to add on the photo-pass to only 1 family member's AP?
2. Does anyone know if Disney Gift Cards are accepted when buying online?

Yes and yes. I get the photo pass add-on for my pass. Then everyone in my family, whether they travel with me or not, has access to the photos. I have no qualms about sharing my account information with them.

And I have read you can use gift cards to pay for the annual pass. You cannot use the 0% interest for 6 months on your Disney Visa card.

 

[Mle8308]

Just for blue card members, right? No resale?

Correct.