Annual pass delays

I was thinking about our May 2020 trip. I know. Highly unusual, but go with me on this.

The plan is to arrive Sunday evening, check into our house rental, then get up early the next morning and RD Hollywood Studios (most likely). But then I realized…I am planning to get myself the annual pass. And this made me wonder if I will need to accommodate any delays in actually getting the annual pass that morning. Will I be able to just show up and head to a guest services window and take care of it in a jiffy? Should my family get in line with their tickets in hand while I get my annual pass and then meet them after I’m done?

The actual obtaining the AP is quick and easy. You tell them who you are, present your ID, and then they write your name on the yellow card and then give it to you.

It’s the line getting up to it that could be a factor and depending when you get there could vary the length of the line. To be safe, I would just expect to send your family on ahead while you get your AP. Worst case, you’re waiting for an hour to get to the desk, best case you walk right up.

Thanks. How early do the windows open up ahead of RD? It is something I’ve never actually experienced because never in my life have I ever NOT had the tickets ahead of time! :slight_smile:

You could also, after checking in to your rental, head over to Guest Services at Disney Springs (or an open park if you prefer) and get your processing done the night before. It won’t activate the 1-year until your first entrance swipe, but you can get the admin stuff done ahead.

Assuming you’re not arriving in the doldrums of totally middle of the night when nothing is open.

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We would probably be arriving at about 8:00 pm in the evening. Perhaps sooner, if the passage through Atlanta goes well. (Being a Sunday, it might.)

But it is a possibility. I could swing by DS on the way to our rental first, actually, to take care of it, rather than circle back.

Other option is buy whatever tickets you are getting for your family, RD that morning, and then head to guest services on way out or during a lag time during touring and upgrade to AP. That’s how I did it anyway although did not RD that day. The Guest Services person somehow charged me $50 less than expected as well. My Memory Maker was activated immediately and retroactively for the 2 hours before and I did not need the parking or AP discount ahead of that time.

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HS after Galaxy’s Edge opens!! No way I would try to set up an AP in the morning. Go somewhere the night before and do it unless you just want the expiration date to be a day later.

This is a good point!

My wife and I have started talking about potentially going to see my parents BEFORE our trip, so that we’re at their house on Sunday morning (which is Mother’s Day) and then heading to Disney Springs for the afternoon and checking into the rental. I could take care of it then if we decide to do that, for sure.

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