Conflicting information about upgrading Annual Pass to the new AP

[Music City Mama]

Well, I guess I'm in the same boat as you all. I have 3 trips on my AP -- first one was this past June and I didn't do MM that time. I was probably going to do it for our June 2016 trip, but we're also visiting next month. I should probably go ahead and upgrade next month and then have the photos for both November and next June. As stated above, it will be almost $70 in savings from the advanced purchase price of MM, and I'll get it on 2 trips vs. 1.

 

[parsons98]

So only one of us would need to upgrade to the new annual pass to be able to get the memory maker? The other 3 could just stay with their old passes (all expire in January)? Also, does anyone know if you can cancel memorymaker once you have already purchased it for a future trip? We go next week and bought it about 2 weeks ago. But if I can upgrade one of us and save the $$, I would have to cancel that purchase.

 

[patrickpiteo]

So only one of us would need to upgrade to the new annual pass to be able to get the memory maker? The other 3 could just stay with their old passes (all expire in January)? Also, does anyone know if you can cancel memorymaker once you have already purchased it for a future trip? We go next week and bought it about 2 weeks ago. But if I can upgrade one of us and save the $$, I would have to cancel that purchase.

There are posts of people cancelling and getting a refund on the MM.

 

[elgerber]

Can you upgrade from a regular AP with DVC discount, to the new Gold pass with some blackout dates, with DVC discount to get the photopass?

 

[ninafeliz]

We have 1 or 2 trips left on our APs before they expire in early Feb, and I was going to buy MM for 1 of them ( the other is a short 2 night stay for F&W without kids). Is there any downside to upgrading one of our APs to get the MM included for both trips?

 

[karrit2000]

We have 1 or 2 trips left on our APs before they expire in early Feb, and I was going to buy MM for 1 of them ( the other is a short 2 night stay for F&W without kids). Is there any downside to upgrading one of our APs to get the MM included for both trips?

The downside would be if you intend to visit the parks during the blackout dates. Your choices are to stay with what you have, downgrade your current pass to the Gold for $20 more with blackout dates in order to get MM, or upgrade to Platinum with no Blackout dates & MM for around $100 more.

 

[ninafeliz]

The downside would be if you intend to visit the parks during the blackout dates. Your choices are to stay with what you have, downgrade your current pass to the Gold for $20 more with blackout dates in order to get MM, or upgrade to Platinum with no Blackout dates & MM for around $100 more.

I hadn't thought of technically downgrading to a pass with blackout dates... I assume I cannot, we're going CHristmas week which I would presume would be blacked out. But to upgrade for $100 would still save $60 on the one MM plus get me the other one included for free (essentially), right? Are there any other changes in the passes that mean you lose something if you change to the new AP? I didn't see any with a cursory glance, but I still don't trust it. So if I upgrade to the pass without blackout dates that would be the most like what we have, cost $100, but save $60 based on not purchasing MM for $160 preorder? Right? For some reason this makes me nervous, but it seems like I should upgrade either my pass of my DHs pass during our Nov trip to get MM for both it and our Christmas trip, when I was planning to buy it anyway. If this works it will save money this one time, but if we would decide to get APs again it's going to cost us a lot more. We might not get them again at $775 a person, we'll see. I don't want blackout dates, and am not a DVC member, and don't need the one for DL and WDW, so I think we'd be in the $775 range, I can't remember what they call that one now...

 

[cvjw]

Can you upgrade from a regular AP with DVC discount, to the new Gold pass with some blackout dates, with DVC discount to get the photopass?

Yes you can. Cost $21 to upgrade and you get Photopass right after the upgrade.

 

[elgerber]

Yes you can. Cost $21 to upgrade and you get Photopass right after the upgrade.

Thank you. Very interesting. Does it have to be done in person?

 

[karrit2000]

I hadn't thought of technically downgrading to a pass with blackout dates... I assume I cannot, we're going CHristmas week which I would presume would be blacked out. But to upgrade for $100 would still save $60 on the one MM plus get me the other one included for free (essentially), right? Are there any other changes in the passes that mean you lose something if you change to the new AP? I didn't see any with a cursory glance, but I still don't trust it. So if I upgrade to the pass without blackout dates that would be the most like what we have, cost $100, but save $60 based on not purchasing MM for $160 preorder? Right? For some reason this makes me nervous, but it seems like I should upgrade either my pass of my DHs pass during our Nov trip to get MM for both it and our Christmas trip, when I was planning to buy it anyway. If this works it will save money this one time, but if we would decide to get APs again it's going to cost us a lot more. We might not get them again at $775 a person, we'll see. I don't want blackout dates, and am not a DVC member, and don't need the one for DL and WDW, so I think we'd be in the $775 range, I can't remember what they call that one now...

The "downgrade" is a fact that a lot of people are glossing over because the $20 isn't much if you are looking at $169 to buy the MM. But for people like you who have trips planned during the Blackout dates you need to upgrade at least one to the Platinum to have no blackout dates & have MM included. Not too bad for now but in the future everyone needs to buy the new tiered passes when they renew.

 

[patrickpiteo]

Thank you. Very interesting. Does it have to be done in person?

Yes in person

 

[elgerber]

Yes in person

Thank you!! Sorry one more question. Are the photopass benefits immediate, without the 3 day waiting period of the memory maker? Our next trip is only 4 days, so it wouldn't be very beneficial if I had to wait.

Thanks!

 

[patrickpiteo]

Thank you!! Sorry one more question. Are the photopass benefits immediate, without the 3 day waiting period of the memory maker? Our next trip is only 4 days, so it wouldn't be very beneficial if I had to wait.

Thanks!

From everything I have read yes I will be there tomorrow most likely going to gold ap..

 

[brinkley07]

We happened to be there the day of the upgrade and wanted to upgrade our tickets to annual passes. When I was in guest relations they told us that they were only given the information 10 minutes prior to starting their day, and no written information was available yet. Unfortunately it led to some confusion, so it may be what is playing into your getting different answers. I'm sure when you are there it will be much easier than over the phone. Good luck!

 

[elgerber]

From everything I have read yes I will be there tomorrow most likely going to gold ap..

Great thanks! If you could report back here that would be wonderful.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

You guys do realize that ravenclawtrekkie is an actual Disney CM who actually processes (and has processed) these upgrades, right? So when you hear from her, you're hearing what is actually going to happen and it isn't speculation or conjecture, right?

 

[BeerMe]

The AP photo pass does NOT include friends and family like the Memory Maker does.

 

[Music City Mama]

The AP photo pass does NOT include friends and family like the Memory Maker does.

Hmmmmm, I had asked this question on another thread the other day, but no one addressed it. Here was my question:

I was intending on upgrading just my AP in November so I could get photos for our Nov. and June trips, but I wonder if it only works with a MagicBand that is linked to the AP with the PhotoPass entitlement. We'd more than likely be taking all photos together, but 1) it's possible that we would be separated and 2) if we are together, do I have to make sure they always scan MY band?

So, you're saying that I would definitely have to scan my MB each time if I'm the only one that upgrades to the new AP?

 

[luvallprincesses]

Hmmmmm, I had asked this question on another thread the other day, but no one addressed it. Here was my question:



So, you're saying that I would definitely have to scan my MB each time if I'm the only one that upgrades to the new AP?

I called Disney. I was told that if I upgrade just my AP to the Platinum that the only photos that I could download for free are those that are scanned with MY band. No other members in your party or MDE account. This seems to agree with previous posts here.

 

[Music City Mama]

I called Disney. I was told that if I upgrade just my AP to the Platinum that the only photos that I could download for free are those that are scanned with MY band. No other members in your party or MDE account. This seems to agree with previous posts here.

Thanks for reporting back. Fortunately, it shouldn't be too much of a problem to always scan my band, but I'd be curious to hear back from people going on trips soon who can test this out for us.