Premium Annual Passes for DVC Members for $399!

[emilymad]

I didn't read the whole thread so sorry if this question has been already answered. Can you pay for the vouchers from MS using gift cards?

We weren't planning on going back to WDW until 2014 but this might change our minds. Too bad we already used all our points.

 

[gmi3804]

I didn't read the whole thread so sorry if this question has been already answered. Can you pay for the vouchers from MS using gift cards?

We weren't planning on going back to WDW until 2014 but this might change our minds. Too bad we already used all our points.

Yes. Any venue which accepts credit cards will accept gift cards. Unless they're the Disney Store-only kind of gift cards; those are usually bonus card you receive when you purchase "regular" gift cards at places like Costco.

 

[papertraveller]

I'll apologize in advance for asking this, assuming that the answers are somewhere on the many pages in this thread. But there are so many options relating to WDW pass possibilities that my head is spinning!

We have regular annual passes that were purchased in August using the DVC renewal discount. We will be buying the vouchers for the Premium passes in December and intend to activate them in 2013 when the current passes expire.

Question 1: Is it possible to upgrade these regular passes to the premium annual pass when we visit next month?

Question 2: Once we've ordered the vouchers through Member Services, will it make any difference when we pick them up? Could be December, could be March, could be August.

 

[tjkraz]

Question 1: Is it possible to upgrade these regular passes to the premium annual pass when we visit next month?

If you paid less than $399 (plus tax) for your current APs, yes. You just pay the difference and APs will be upgraded to PAPs with original end date retained.

If you paid more than $399 + tax, maybe. The original policy only allowed for upgrades if new pass cost more than old. But some people have reported successful upgrades nonetheless.

Question 2: Once we've ordered the vouchers through Member Services, will it make any difference when we pick them up? Could be December, could be March, could be August.

Does not matter.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. Since the DVC AP Renewal rate is $385, you would pay $14.91 including tax for the upgrades during December.

2. Once a ticket purchase is in the will-call system, it remains there until picked up.

 

[MSUmom]

Okay - please hold my hand for this. I purchased 3 first time APs with DVC discount in March and 2 more first time APs with DVC discount in May. We are going back in December. I take all 5 Aps to ????? and they will automatically update them to PAPs?

Now say I want to renew my pass because I am coming back in May - Do I get a voucher for PAPs for $399 for 2013?

Thanks

 

[tjkraz]

Okay - please hold my hand for this. I purchased 3 first time APs with DVC discount in March and 2 more first time APs with DVC discount in May. We are going back in December. I take all 5 Aps to ????? and they will automatically update them to PAPs?

If the passes are already live / active, it depends upon how much you paid for them. Upgrades are (officially?) only allowed if you paid less than $399 pre-tax for the APs. I don't have access to historical pricing but my recollection is that in March & May 2012 non-renewal DVC APs were UNDER $399 for a child's pass but OVER $399 for an adult.

You would be able to upgrade any active child APs (age 3-9) by paying around $15 each. Officially the adult passes would not be eligible for an upgrade. HOWEVER, there have been multiple reports of adult passes being upgraded at no cost so you could certainly give it a try.

Now say I want to renew my pass because I am coming back in May - Do I get a voucher for PAPs for $399 for 2013?

Yes. Voucher purchase must be made by 12/31/12 and it must be activated before the end of 2013.

 

[keishashadow]

Another apology in advance if this has been answered in thread, did search to no avail.

When i called MS last year to purchase an AP voucher before the price jump (which i haven't redeemed yet and probably won't for yet another year) I was informed i could only use two forms of payment (1 disney gift card and then a credit card for remainder due).

Does anybody know if there is the same restriction now? Need to know if i have to hunt down the elusive $500 disney gift gards (difficult to find in local grocery store with fuel perk program tie-in) or if i can use multiple $100 ones.

 

[ses1230]

Would someone kindly be able to check my math? I want to make sure I have the right numbers before I try to upgrade.

From UT I bought 2 adult 6-day MYW tickets for $279.65 each and 2 child 6-day MYW tickets for $259.95 each. When I use them once the adult ticket value becomes $296.07 ($278 plus 6.5% tax) and the child ticket value becomes $276.90 ($260 plus 6.5% tax).

So I pay $102.93 to upgrade each adult ticket and $122.10 to upgrade each child ticket to DVC PAP.

Does that look right?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

What you paid to UCT does not matter in the equation at all.

Adult six day base = $278, child = $260.

Upgrade cost is $121 + $7.87 tax = $128.87 each adult and $139 + $9.04 tax = $148.04 each child

 

[BrerNashville]

Has it been confirmed that if you buy the vouchers in 2012, but are not able to activate in 2013, the voucher would still be a credit for, say, an AP that you would purchase in 2014? Or are you out $2000 for a family of 5?

 

[ses1230]

What you paid to UCT does not matter in the equation at all.

Adult six day base = $278, child = $260.

Upgrade cost is $121 + $7.87 tax = $128.87 each adult and $139 + $9.04 tax = $148.04 each child

Thank you. I am glad I asked.

 

[keishashadow]

Has it been confirmed that if you buy the vouchers in 2012, but are not able to activate in 2013, the voucher would still be a credit for, say, an AP that you would purchase in 2014? Or are you out $2000 for a family of 5?

This voucher must be activated in 2013 as opposed to that in the past

 

[BrerNashville]

Right, but somebody (CF?) stated somewhere on here that there are *rumors* that if the pass weren't actually activated by the 2013 deadline, purchasers wouldn't be out the money -- they could use it towards the price of another AP or PAP in the future. It *is* hard to believe that Disney would just make someone eat that money if they weren't able to come. Again, for my family of 5, i'll have to shell out $2000 for the five vouchers. Right now, I'm planning on getting to Disney in 2013; if, however, my plans fall through, I'd really hate to be out the $2000.

 

[TheDalys]

This deal is too much ( not in a bad way)... I still have a family of 3 with 7 no expiration day tickets left... Now i have to pitch this sale to the wife to save the no expiration tickets for 2014 and use the PAP in 2013.

Are there discounts available in restaurants and such with the PAP?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Has it been confirmed that if you buy the vouchers in 2012, but are not able to activate in 2013, the voucher would still be a credit for, say, an AP that you would purchase in 2014? Or are you out $2000 for a family of 5?

Officially I have not heard anything about this.

However, if someone came to my window in 2014 or later with a set of unused vouchers I would accept them at their value of $399 (plus tax) each toward the purchase of any tickets with a higher cost without asking for permission. And I do not know of any ticket or Guest Relations Manager who would not allow such a transaction.

You would not be able to just exchange them for an AP, but you would not lose the amount that you paid for them.

 

[BrerNashville]

Thanks, CF. Would one be better off with hard copy of the voucher, or will call? In other words, if the voucher was only will call, might the system cancel them out? I don't know enough about will call to know whether this would be an issue.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

To the best of my knowledge and belief, any ticket reservation in the system will not be purged until some time after the ticket is issued. Actually, as storage is not expensive, I don't think they ever purge the reservations but will keep them on record showing what booth and terminal, and when, the tickets were actually picked up.

 

[nuzmom]

We purchased DVC PAP vouchers earlier this year & have not yet used them. We are going to WDW in early December. I understand that Disney doesn't typically issue credits/refunds, but what do you think the odds are for getting these vouchers changed to the DVC PAP (at $399 each) & receiving a credit? For our four tickets, we're talking quite a bit of difference in cost (a pretty hefty credit).
If we had purchased AP vouchers, they would be upgraded. My complaint is that we spent the extra money to buy what is now costing $399 each (we spent $524 each!). Just seems like we got a bum deal by paying for these PAP vouchers ahead of time. Sigh.

If you think we have a chance, would you suggest calling or trying MS after we get there?

Cheshire - what do you think our odds are of getting a credit? Is it best to wait until we get to WDW? Our first day will be at HS - just go to guest services???
I've seen one post of a credit being issued (on a disney gift card - which would be great for us), but haven't found many asking this question.

 

[wehavesix]

Cheshire - what do you think our odds are of getting a credit? Is it best to wait until we get to WDW? Our first day will be at HS - just go to guest services???
I've seen one post of a credit being issued (on a disney gift card - which would be great for us), but haven't found many asking this question.

We upgraded our regular DVC APs to PAPs this morning. They were first activated in June so were actual tickets, not vouchers. We were given a refund in the form of a gift card. We were so happy to be allowed to upgrade at all that we never even considered asking for a refund! That was just icing on the cake!