You always have to stop at guest services the first time you're using a new annual pass, regardless of whether it's a completely new pass or the first visit after your renewal date. The new valid through date on MDE allows you to make fastpasses and to see annual passholder resort discounts but you still need to physically activate the renewal at guest services in order to enter a park.I'm getting conflicting information- my AP now shows as valid through the end of 2020 in MDE. Do I have to stop at guest services one day one of my vacation or can I just use my magic band like always and stop by GS later for my new card?
If you're renewing there's no need to stop by guest service except for a new AP card which you can get at any time. There's nothing to activate as you're renewing, so nothing is ending or just being started up. You can simply enter a park just like you did previously throughout the year
Does it show as being valid through 12/31/20 or through the same month/day in 2020 that your current one expired? We just renewed our DVC Gold APs, and until we activated them last week (at the DS Ticket Store) they showed an expiration of 12/31/2020 but now show expiration of 10/15/2020, which is one year after the old ones expired. I admit that since these are DVC Gold, they may function differently from non-discounted APs since we have to show our DVC membership cards as well as photo IDs to activate them.I'm getting conflicting information- my AP now shows as valid through the end of 2020 in MDE. Do I have to stop at guest services one day one of my vacation or can I just use my magic band like always and stop by GS later for my new card?
It shows valid through the same date my previous AP expired (or the day after).Does it show as being valid through 12/31/20 or through the same month/day in 2020 that your current one expired? We just renewed our DVC Gold APs, and until we activated them last week (at the DS Ticket Store) they showed an expiration of 12/31/2020 but now show expiration of 10/15/2020, which is one year after the old ones expired. I admit that since these are DVC Gold, they may function differently from non-discounted APs since we have to show our DVC membership cards as well as photo IDs to activate them.
It shows valid through the same date my previous AP expired (or the day after).
I sure will! (I have a platinum pass, no DVC) Thanks for taking the time to reply!Then I guess your AP is different from mine and you’re good to go! Enjoy!
(But please let us know if it turns out you do have to activate it after all.)
Online renewals, which are only available to FL Residents and Tourists (non-discounted), no longer need activated prior to usage. DVC passes can only be renewed by phone or in person at WDW. Phone renewals must be activated prior to usage.Does it show as being valid through 12/31/20 or through the same month/day in 2020 that your current one expired? We just renewed our DVC Gold APs, and until we activated them last week (at the DS Ticket Store) they showed an expiration of 12/31/2020 but now show expiration of 10/15/2020, which is one year after the old ones expired. I admit that since these are DVC Gold, they may function differently from non-discounted APs since we have to show our DVC membership cards as well as photo IDs to activate them.
Online renewals, which are only available to FL Residents and Tourists (non-discounted), no longer need activated prior to usage. DVC passes can only be renewed by phone or in person at WDW. Phone renewals must be activated prior to usage.
Wow! I sincerely apologize for giving the wrong information if this is true. We have always stopped at guest services to activate our renewals. If that isn't what was happening then I'm not sure what the cast members were doing on their computers while we were standing there and waiting!If you're renewing there's no need to stop by guest service except for a new AP card which you can get at any time. There's nothing to activate as you're renewing, so nothing is ending or just being started up. You can simply enter a park just like you did previously throughout the year
I’m back with an update- I was able to scan and enter Hollywood Studios (at 6 am) with no issue.