Ticket question - need expert advice...

[dormouse72]

We have a large group going (a variety of people arriving at different times/dates). Our "core group" is...

Me
My BF
My DD #1 (14)
My DD #2 (11)
My DD #3 (7)
My BFF
BFF's DH

My BFF and her DH live in Florida (Miami) and my family lives in NY. So we are flying into Miami on 10/9 and driving up with her on 10/10 (we were able to get MUCH better deals into Miami than into Orlando). We leave Disney 10/17 back for Miami and fly home on 10/18.

We'll check in to Port Orleans Riverside at about noon. We got the MYW package with free dining and included a one-day, one-park ticket; we had to do it this way because BFF and her DH get a discount that we don't get and we have two rooms on the same reservation.

Originally we thought to have that first day at the hotel and go down to DTD at night, purchasing a 5 day park hopper and upgrading our one-day/one-park ticket to a park hopper (giving us six days in the parks). But I was looking at the Disney website and saw that the difference between the five day and six day packages (without taxes) was only $15. It seems crazy (even after you factor in taxes) to pay the extra $50 to upgrade the one-day/one-park I already have when it might be cheaper to just buy the six day package and have an extra day!

Is it worthwhile to buy the six day? If I purchase a six day park-hopper, can I keep my one-day/one-park separate so I can go to only one park either the day we arrive or the day we leave?

Any thoughts?

[Missytara]

If purchased through the package deal, everyone on the reservation has to have the same package. So if one upgrades, you all have to upgrade, at least for one room.

It is worth it to me to upgrade - I arrive at 11:00 am on a Saturday and don't have to be on the ME until 3:00 pm the following Saturday. The difference between a 7 day and an 8 day ticket was about $3.00, so it was worth it to me to get the extra day - since I am leaving so late on the following Saturday. Even if we get a late start on our last Saturday, and only get a few hours in the parks, it was worth it.

Enjoy POR - it is my home resort!

[cepmom]

you can just upgrade your 1 day tickets at the guest service window at any park to a 6 day hopper, paying the difference between a 1 day base ticket adn the 6 day hopper(plus tax). An adult 6 day hopper is $283, minus the value of the 1 day base ticket ($79) and you would pay $204 (before tax). A child 6 day hopper is $250, minus the 1 day base ($68) you pay $182.

[Cheshire Figment]

Originally Posted by dormouse72

Originally we thought to have that first day at the hotel and go down to DTD at night, purchasing a 5 day park hopper and upgrading our one-day/one-park ticket to a park hopper (giving us six days in the parks).

This is where you got confused. Once the one-day/one-park tickets are issued you then upgrade them to what you need. So you make your tickets into six day hoppers while the others upgrade their tickets to Florida Resident rate tickets (positive identification required).

You might want to look at the Everything About WDW Tickets locked sticky in this Forum. Especially the items bolded in the list below.

Post and Contents

1. This Table of Contents
2. Magic Your Way (MYW) Ticket Basics Including Definitions
3. Annual Passes and Water Park Tickets
4. Tickets Available Only to Florida Residents
5. Tickets Not Available to the General Public
6. Upgrading MYW Tickets (Not to Annual Passes)
7. Upgrading Tickets to Annual Passes
8. Dealing With Tickets Issued Prior to 1 January 2005 (Pre-MYW)
9. Children and Adults
10. Special Events
11. Comprehensive MYW Ticket Example
12. Hotel Card (Key To The World (KTTW))
13. Lost Tickets
14. Finger Scans
15. Frequently Asked Ticket Questions.
15A. Hopping Rules
15B. WPF&M With No Expire
15C. No Expire Upgrades
15D. Upgrading an Unused Ticket
15E. Upgrading Special Tickets
15F. Checking on Old Tickets
15G. Renewing Annual Passes
15H. Upgrading a Completely Used Ticket
16. 2009 Free On Your Birthday Promotion
17. Information on Disney's Armed Forces Salute 2009
18. Prices Effective August 2, 2009

To get there directly, follow the link in my signature.

[seashoreCM]

Originally Posted by dormouse72

Is it worthwhile to buy the six day? If I purchase a six day park-hopper, can I keep my one-day/one-park separate so I can go to only one park either the day we arrive or the day we leave? d3

No it is not worthwhile to buy the 6 day separatley as you described. With rare exceptions, only one ticket card per person should be used on any one vacation. Upgrade the ticket that came with the package as described up above.

It is not a waste to use a hopper ticket on a day you go to only one park when you will park-hop on other days during that vacation. The cost of hopping is the same (aboput $55.) per ticket card regardless of how many days the ticket card had.

If you needed a seventh day, for example you decided at the last minute to go to a park before going home on checkout day, you can upgrade the ticket again to add that extra day for roughly three dollars.

[dormouse72]

Thank you so much for all your help!!!

From what I've read, it seems the only thing to do is upgrade the ticket included in the package when we get there. We'll all have to talk about if we want to upgrade to add five or six days.

Now BFF's Florida Resident tickets (since she already has three or four days from her last trip), should I tell her to check the dates on her tickets to make sure they are not over six months old - if I read that correctly, her tickets are good for six months after first use??? She goes to Disney fairly frequently but I'd hate to have a nasty surprise when we get there.

Another question...we have two rooms with two of my kids listed in my room and one listed in hers. This shouldn't make a difference when upgrading the tickets, should it? Because my daughter isn't eligible for the Florida discount but is listed in the room of two people who are.

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by Missytara

If purchased through the package deal, everyone on the reservation has to have the same package. So if one upgrades, you all have to upgrade, at least for one room.

That's not accurate. Well, it's accurate if you're talking about BEFORE the vacation. But once your party checks-in at the resort front desk and you receive your tickets, it's "every man for himself," so to speak ... the park tickets are no longer tied together, and each individual can do with his/her ticket as he/she desires. In other words, one person can upgrade to a park hopper, one person can add 5 days, one person can upgrade to a Premium Annual Pass, and so on.

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by dormouse72

Another question...we have two rooms with two of my kids listed in my room and one listed in hers. This shouldn't make a difference when upgrading the tickets, should it? Because my daughter isn't eligible for the Florida discount but is listed in the room of two people who are.

After check-in, each individual can do whatever they want with their own ticket (as explained immediately above). It doesn't matter what other people are or are not doing with their own tickets.

[dormouse72]

That settles it then...we'll do it when we get there. It works better since we have another person being added to the reservation (my BF's BFF who is coming for his first trip ever) and he isn't sure he wants to do more than 4 days in the parks. This way he can purchase just what he needs.

36 days to go till we drive back through those bright red gates!!!

[seashoreCM]

BFF with her leftover tickets may have a problem:

1. Use up the old ticket and upgrade the package ticket for the rest of the vacation (probably 3 more days).

2. Upgrade the old ticket to a non-expiring* with enough days to do this entire vacation, and save the 1 day package ticket for later,

3. Use up the old ticket and upgrade the package ticket for many more days than the rest of the vacation needs, and add non-expiration.

None of the above are particularly inexpensive.

4. Provided BFF can do yet another vacation with just the leftover tickets saved for that purpose, she can upgrade the new 1 day package ticket for this vacation in the same manner as other in your party.

*Since the Florida Resident Play ticket underwent usage more than 13 days ago, upgrading beyond 4 days total means going to Regular Magic Your Way With Non-Expiration (or going to Annual Pass).

[redrosesix]

Originally Posted by CleveRocks

That's not accurate. Well, it's accurate if you're talking about BEFORE the vacation. But once your party checks-in at the resort front desk and you receive your tickets, it's "every man for himself," so to speak ... the park tickets are no longer tied together, and each individual can do with his/her ticket as he/she desires. In other words, one person can upgrade to a park hopper, one person can add 5 days, one person can upgrade to a Premium Annual Pass, and so on.

Good catch Cleve -- you're absolutely correct