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This may sound silly but... I'm planning on buying an annual pass again this year. I had one two years ago and I remember that it was like a plastic credit card, same style as the room key. However I've been reading that it's no longer like that and that it's paper?! If I purchase the voucher online before hand or if I purchase the pass directly while there will it make a difference? I know it's weird but I'm picky.
First I have heard this. Why on earth would they go back to paper?
when I had my AP back in 2004 it was tear resistant paper
Annual Passes at WDW have been on "paper" for many years - as long as I can remember and at least as far back as 2007 for certain, as I had them then. Are you thinking of the ID-like ones at DLR instead?
The only reason an AP might have been on plastic at WDW was that it was purchased at a resort, which you could do for a short time but I understand there were issues and they remove the option. They were printed on Key To The World card stock because that's all the resorts had to print them on. That might have been around 2 years ago.
If you order APs online and have them sent to you, or purchase through other outlets like the Disney Store or some AAA locations, you get a plastic card - but it isn't actually an AP. It's a "exchange certificate" (also called a voucher), which you still have to turn it at a ticket booth to get the real activated AP.
It isn't really paper, either. Stock answer follows:
The so called "paper" tickets are actually a material called Tyvek, and is very strong and waterproof. Strong enough that you may have heard of it before...they wrap houses in the stuff to protect it before putting on the siding. They also make disposable biohazard suits with it for certain levels of containment.
CMs have reported that they have LESS issues with the Tyvek cards than plastic, especially with regards to the magnetic stripe.
Reasonable care should make them last perfectly fine. If it was a problem, Annual Passes wouldn't be issued on them.
That said, any ticket you get at WDW other than a KTTW card will generally be Tyvek.
Tickets purchased from Disney and mailed to you at least were still plastic somewhat recently. This may be due to them standing up better in the mail. From other sources they could be either.
I've also gotten plastic tickets from AAA, but have also heard of them issuing Tyvek tickets as well.
If you have ANY ticket issues, you should be able to get them reissued very easily. Having copies of the backs of the tickets may make it faster.
Always sign your tickets and always take a picture of the back. Loose it and bring the photo to guest services and the process is so much quicker.
My annual pass several years back was hard plastic like resort key swipe card. Can't recall where it was issued at.
Edit:
I just asked my son for clarification. All ticket venues issue that paper/plastic ticket media at Parks and TTC. Yet if a hard plastic card is requested you can take it to Guest Relations and have it replaced with a plastic card. If you loose the paper/plastic one it is really easy to replace. If you loose the hard plastic card and want it replaced there is a cost attached to replace that.
They might be able to issue hard plastic tickets at the GR locations since they put back the plastic card printers for the Premier Passports. If that's the case, you can't do it at the International Gateway location, since they don't have the printer there.
Odd.
Our three day hoppers we used last month were plastic. They were essentially Key To The World cards without our names on them.
Were they purchased at a resort but separate from your reservation? The resorts only have the one card stock in general (plus the gold ones for concierge guests).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mo Noyz
If you purchase MYW tickets direct from Disney and get them sent to you (at additional cost), you'll also get actual plastic card tickets that work as is (at least I think they still do that), since Disney seems to prefer to send such things in the mail. Last time I saw them they had the same designs as the Tyvek tickets.
We purchased them direct from Disney online.
Like I said, Disney sends hard plastic cards in the mail. But they had the KTTW design? Maybe they have a huge excess of KTTW card stock and with MyMagic+ coming, want to use them up :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mo Noyz
Oh no, I just meant they were in the same type of "credit card" form as the KTTW. I apologize for not being very clear there. Each one had a different character on the front. Same with the Very Merry tickets.
The Disney Stores here have that same hard plastic, gift card type media too. I wonder how all these will change as the touch system is implemented. Maybe they will have to be exchanged when guests arrive.
Have a feeling this is going to change and evolve over time. Disney doesn't seem to be able to make anything stick when it comes to ticket presentation at the 'turnstiles.'
Well, the one thing I will say about it is that the turnstile/ticket process is in BAD need of changes. I can't even count how many times we got stuck behind people whose tickets either didn't work, or couldn't grasp the concept of using the same finger every time you hopped.
CM's did a decent job of keeping things moving, but there is a definitive problem there that needs to be fixed. I realize that due to the fact there are now multiple parks on property, plus the ability to hop, they can't do things like they did in the old days.
But, my goodness...there has GOT to be a better way.
They are already making changes - they've removed a number of the turnstiles and put in RFID readers. Those with the RFID cards (and soon the MagicBands) are able to walk up, scan, finger and in. I've heard it's made things about 25% faster already.
As for the future of purchased tickets, I'm not sure what they'll do. If you buy from Disney, I suppose you could get RFID-enabled tickets mailed to you - or they may get rid of the sending option and you have to pick them up no matter what.
Not sure what third party sellers will do. Undercover Tourist gets the Tyvek tickets and mails those to you.
The finger thing always tends to be the major holdup when we're in line. I just don't get why it is necessary.