Ticket purchase strategy

[TreesyB]

I'm currently looking at the Undercover Tourist website. Currently they are offering a 6 day base ticket for the same price as a 3 day. However, when you add things like park hopper or non-expiration, it changes the ticket's price(suddenly a 6 day is more than 3 day). Is it better then to buy the base ticket and then add park hopper or non-expire when I get to the park? And is it the case I have to use the ticket once to lock in the price before I make changes?

Thanks

[Robo]

Originally Posted by TreesyB

1- Is it better then to buy the base ticket and then add park hopper or non-expire when I get to the park?

2-And is it the case I have to use the ticket once to lock in the price before I make changes?

1- Doesn't matter in the least. It will cost exactly the same amount, either way.

2- Yes. But, again, it won't matter WHEN you add the upgrade(s.)
The upgrade cost will be the same (if you use the ticket at least once, before you upgrade.)

For comparison-
The difference in the cost of a 3 day MYW base ticket and a 6 day MYW base ticket
at the WDW gate is $12, plus tax.

[doconeill]

Taking a glance at UT's current price list, the pricing differences aren't that much different - perhaps a few dollars.

The no expire option gets more expensive the longer the ticket is - so UT isn't likely to give you the same free three days on a no expire ticket.

If I do the numbers correctly, if you get the 3+3 base ticket and add no expire and park hopping at the park, you'll pay $375.79. Getting it from UT in the first place is $370.95. At the gate the whole ticket is $390.86.

[DRT-eagle]

Your best bet is always the 10 day ticket and then use it for several visits. They have pretty much closed down the tricks of shorter trips with carryover days. We keep two tickets - a short no hopper and no expiration and then use our longer ticket if we need to hop or on the extras. The prices keep going up and we got them a few years ago at a great deal.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by doconeill

Taking a glance at UT's current price list, the pricing differences aren't that much different - perhaps a few dollars.

The no expire option gets more expensive the longer the ticket is - so UT isn't likely to give you the same free three days on a no expire ticket.

If I do the numbers correctly, if you get the 3+3 base ticket and add no expire and park hopping at the park, you'll pay $375.79.

Getting it from UT in the first place is $370.95.

At the gate the whole ticket is $390.86.

Yup.

(Showing the "work.")

--------------------------------------------
WDW Gate or Advance Purchase
$231.00 - 6 Day Base (Adult)
$ 52.00 - Hopper
$ 84.00 - Non-Expire (6 days)

$367.00 -Subtotal
$23.86 - Tax
$390.86 -Total, at WDW Gate

--------------------------------------------
Undercover Tourist
$230.95 - 6 Day Hopper (Adult)
$ 55.00 - Hopper (interpolated price)
$ 85.00 - Non-Expire (6 days - interpolated price)

$370.95 -Subtotal
$00.00 - (Tax Included in price)
$370.95 -Total, from UT
--------------------------------------------

So, you're basically saving a bit under 5% (less than sales tax cost) if you buy the whole ticket from UT.

--------------------------------------------
Undercover Tourist
$230.95 - 6 Day Hopper (Adult)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
WDW Gate
$ 52.00 - Hopper
$ 84.00 - Non-Expire (6 days)
$ 08.84 - Tax

$375.79 -Total (If you buy the 6-day from UT and the upgrades at the WDW gate (after using the ticket once)

--------------------------------------------





.

[doconeill]

Originally Posted by DRT-eagle

Your best bet is always the 10 day ticket and then use it for several visits. They have pretty much closed down the tricks of shorter trips with carryover days. We keep two tickets - a short no hopper and no expiration and then use our longer ticket if we need to hop or on the extras. The prices keep going up and we got them a few years ago at a great deal.

I would only comment that it makes sense to use no expire passes IF AND ONLY IF you do not need to purchase additional tickets to fill out a trip, so it requires more planning.

One other thing, especially if you are opting for longer no expire tickets, and have any interest now or in the future of the water parks or Disney Quest - get the Water Parks Fun and More option. You'll get the same number of individual admissions as you do major park days, and they do not expire either. For the $55.38 (including the tax), you can get up to 10 admissions - that's $5.54 each!

[Allison]

Originally Posted by DRT-eagle

Your best bet is always the 10 day ticket and then use it for several visits. They have pretty much closed down the tricks of shorter trips with carryover days. We keep two tickets - a short no hopper and no expiration and then use our longer ticket if we need to hop or on the extras. The prices keep going up and we got them a few years ago at a great deal.

While that may be true in your circumstance that is not advice I would give for every situation. As someone else said, if you end up needing to buy another ticket to cover days on your next vacation, it can be more expensive than buying tickets that exactly cover each trip.

[seashoreCM]

The non-expiring has to last for at least two vacations. (Two non-expires for four vacations where you may use both tickets during each vacation.)

A hopper for just this vacation and a non-expiring non-hopper for the non-hopping days normally does not make sense. But the opposite, an expiring non-hopper (e.g. a base ticket) for just this vacation and a non-expiring hopper for exactly one hopping day, can make sense.

[TreesyB]

Wow, I did the math and a 10 day non-expiry for a child is really expensive! A 10 day non-expiry adds $200+ to a ticket!

[Robo]

Originally Posted by TreesyB

Wow, I did the math and a 10 day non-expiry for a child is really expensive! A 10 day non-expiry adds $200+ to a ticket!

Non-Expiring is rarely a good idea, UNLESS you can plan trips in the future of exactly the right number of days to "fit" your remaining tickets.