Annual Pass Questions?

[MinnieYC]

Three questions about Annual Passes...

1) How much do they cost?

2) Where can I buy them? Can I send for them in advance, or do I have to buy them at the park? Can I buy them at the Disney Store in Paris?

3) Has anyone ever had problems getting the discounts with them (e.g. the ones at shops and restaurants)?

Thanks!

 

[diberry]

The international telephone number for passports is: 00 33 1 60 30 60 69.

There are 2 types of annual passes for visitors not living in the area - Fantasia and Dream - it must be on the official website if you hunt around or someone else on this board will no doubt have more useful info. You could also look at this site http://www.dlp-guidebook.de/HintsInfos/Passport/Fantasy.htm which is brilliant for all sorts of info on DLRP.

You can buy them by post and then go to the annual passport office when you arrive and get a proper version with photo.

I've never had a problem getting discounts.

 

[Cyrano]

When we bought ours in the summer. Bought day passes at Disney Store.
Entered the park using these - saved queuing to buy tickets before entering park.
Went to Annual Pass Office which is beside entrance to Discoveryland.
There they deducted the costs of day passes, took our photographs and we had our passposts within 15 minutes. Also don't forget to ask for family discount if you are buying a few passports.
Have never had any difficulty in getting discount from shops or restaurants, but remember to show at the start in shops as they might have to re-enter shopping if they have totalled out!

Reid

 

[jodyb]

The AP's are very reasonable and I think a great value! This year we are getting a really great room only rate at Sequoia Lodge using my AP Dream. We stayed for a week last january and our trip next week comes in at just under a year later so our passes are still good! As already mentioned, restaurants and shops are happy to honor the passes and that discount can add up to a lot of savings on food and souvenirs!

I ordered the passes by phone, and in about a week I received the temporary passes by mail. These are good for entrance to the park for one day, and sometime that day you make your way to the AP office where they take your picture, give your your permanent plastic pass, and some gifts - last year we received a picture album and a stuffed doll - both of which were priced at approx. 12 Euros in the shops!

I've always bought AP's -either at DLP or at WDW - even though we only travel to Disney once per year, we make them loooong trips, and space them so we get two trips on each pass, so it's well worth it.

Hope this helped!

 

[magicmouse2]

I bought APs too. We got free Mickey mugs when we bought them, discounts in shops and free fastpasses. Also got 20% off restaurants though we never ate a sit down meal as they are so pricey!

 

[MinnieYC]

Thanks everyone!

I can't seem to find the exact price of an AP online. I know I can call to find out, but I'm trying to save those phone card minutes (very expensive to call from US to UK/France). Is an AP worth it for either 3 or 4 days of park admission? Plus, we will be having at least one sit-down meal a day at DLP (we're not really big fans of fast food).
Thanks again!

 

[MorganB]

The Fantasy passport is 119 euros and the Dream passport is 159 euros.

 

[MinnieYC]

Thank you, Morgan!
Hmmm...it looks like we'll be going to the parks for 2 full days and 2 half days, making for 4 admissions. The Dream is definitely worth it! Perhaps even the Fantasy! I should calculate how much we stand to save if we get the Fantasy, I suppose.
Thanks to all!

 

[Cyrano]

Don't forget Dream pass also gives you some additional benefits -
1 hour earlier entry into park
Free hire of strollers (maybe not of use, but one we've saved a number of €6.50 on)
Free use of guest storage
20% of vouchers for shopping and meals (once used you can get the standard 10% on production of your pass)

Reid

 

[MinnieYC]

Oops, I should have switched Dream and Fantasy around in my last post!

Thanks so much, you all are great!

 

[mrsdrudge]

Defintely worth it - the price of a three day hopper (as advertised at our hotel) was 110 euro - as against 159 euro for a dream pass. The pass will give you 20% off your meals for one day for each passport bought - a free glass of kir at every meal- at every table service restaurant in the park - including the hotel ones. (though there are exceptions like Rain Forest and Planet Hollywood) We got a micky mug each as a gift. Other benefits include 20% off at all disney stores for one day for each passport (10% after that ) and fastpass tickets. We also got a discount as we were buying five passports - think the discount kicks in at over three. No problems getting the discounts - they give you vouchers for the 20% days which you give to the restaurant staff, in the shops the first shop writes a date on the voucher and you can use it in any shop afterwards on that date - including the hotel shops. After you have used the vouchers then you just need to show your passport and the 10% is automatically taken off
Liz

 

[DisneyRGB]

We have the Fantasy passport and have saved LOADS of money. There are some "blackout" days when you have to pay to go into the park, but these are only on the busiest days (e.g. Christmas), and we prefer to go when the kids are at school anyway as it's a lot less busy. I don't think the Dream passport has blackout days so this might be more suitable if you want to go at the busiest times.

Reid is right, you have to present your passport for discounts before they start totalling up your shopping or they have to re-total it - which is a bit of hassle and in one case a cast member wouldn't do it for us again so we didn't get the discount. The same in restaurants - hand your passport as you ask for the bill, not when you've got the bill. Get the most out of your discounts - use your passport everywhere!!

Rhiannon

 

[AGlossop]

1 hour earlier entry into park

Are you sure about that?

 

[Ware Bears]

Yes, but it is only with the Dream Passport.....you get early bird access to Fantasyland one hour before park opening.

Elaine

 

[diberry]

If you have a Fantasyland breakfast (if you stay at Santa Fe, Cheyenne, Sequoia Lodge or Newport Bay Club) you can get in an hour early anyway whether you have an AP or not.

 

[DisneyRGB]

Yeah, you just go up to the Castle where everyone's waiting for the ropedrop, show the Cast Member your breakfast vouchers and they let you through, while everyone else looks on jealously! (That's what I like to think anyway!!)

Rhiannon

 

[Cyrano]

Your so right, Disney VIP

Reid

 

[MinnieYC]

After all of this, we're not getting APs after all. We found out that if we modified our reservation to be room-only, it would cost us about $300 MORE!!! Even with the discounts, we'd be loosing quite a bit of money if we got an AP. So, regular park passes for us!

 

[DisneyRGB]

Oh dear Minnie YC, sorry!! The passports have saved us a lot of money but they're obviously not right in your circumstances - at least you know now that you've got the best deal for you.

Reid - Think I might change my user name, Disney VIP has a very nice ring to it!!! Suppose we could all call ourselves that!!

 

[Cyrano]

MinnieYC sorry to here that annual passes did not work for you.

DisneyRGB although I claim copyright on the idea DisneyVIP go for it girl

Reid