Airmiles WDW Base ticket question

[martin33]

Hi there,
I just received a 5 day base ticket for WDW that I ordered via mail. We wont be using it for another year but I got it now to save with the promo on points needed to buy this ticket (at least it was advertised as a promo at 2950 airmiles. It came as a voucher I have to trade in on arrival. We always stay 9 days on site, and always get a park hopper, and always book at 60 day window for fast passes.
My question is will this 5 day base "voucher" stop my ability to book our 9 days of fast passes at the 60 day window, or is there a way to upgrade this voucher at Disney to have the appropriate pass (9 day park hopper) in time for our 60 day window. Coincidentally we leave for Disney next week so I could actually bring the voucher with me- but we won't need it for this trip
Any insight appreciated

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

You can only book FP ahead for the amount of days that you currently have on your passes.

And unfortunately unless something has changed, you'll have to upgrade at the Parks - and if you are holding the Canadian 25%off pass (?) you'll need passports in hand when you turn your voucher into an actual pass.

SO, as of now you will only be able to book 5 days of FPs. We had they same circumstances with our 7 day tickets. We upgraded when we arrived to 10 days. Could only pre-book 7 days of Fps.

That's the upgrade info. I have. If it's outdated (we haven't been since last October) someone will be along to correct me.

 

[martin33]

Thanks- I was afraid of that! I am going to bring the voucher with me next week and see about "cashing it in" for an upgrade, with the key point being that it wouldn't be activated until I use it next year

 

[Donald - my hero]

Just be aware that you will (probably) NOT get gate price for the voucher you are planning on upgrading --- there is clearly no question as to the value of these passes, regardless of the method you obtained them. Also, the voucher has no expiry date but i *think* that once you upgrade it to whatever you plan on getting that you would now be under the new expiry dates they added with the last price increase. SO you're correct that it won't be activated until you first enter a park, but if you're not 100% sure of when you'll be going ... you will lose the non-expiry feature these vouchers come with right now.

The only advantage i can see in upgrading your vouchers next week is that you will lock in at the current price and avoid any extra increase the following year. (Sorry if i come off as a wet blanket but i want you to go in prepared for what will probably happen)

 

[ottawamom]

If having the ability to get 9 days worth of FP is important then by all means take the vouchers with you and ask how much the upgrade would be. Do some research over on the Theme Parks Forum to have a rough idea of what your upgrade should cost. Robo should be able to help steer you on that front. Armed with what you consider to be a reasonable upgrade cost you will be able to decide at the Ticket window if you want to proceed.

I've been reading about so many different combinations of upgrades recently its difficult to know what to do.

OP please report back here when you return to let us know what info you found out at the source. Safe travels.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

I've been reading about so many different combinations of upgrades recently its difficult to know what to do.

OP please report back here when you return to let us know what info you found out at the source. Safe travels.

Not to mention the many different responses from the CMs. - which is the norm - but it seems even worse now with the added confusion of expiring tickets, new gate prices, etc.

So much confusion!

 

[martin33]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate your tips and insight. The advantage I hope to have is that by redeeming the voucher this trip in person (for a hard ticket for a later trip), I will be able to have a 9 day pass that I can keep for use next March (meaning I can plan at the 60 day window for our whole stay ). Incidentally Ottawa mom we fly out of YOW (Barrhavenites) I will let people know how the airmiles ticket upgrade attempt for future use goes.

 

[mab2012]

Just be aware that you will (probably) NOT get gate price for the voucher you are planning on upgrading --- there is clearly no question as to the value of these passes, regardless of the method you obtained them. Also, the voucher has no expiry date but i *think* that once you upgrade it to whatever you plan on getting that you would now be under the new expiry dates they added with the last price increase. SO you're correct that it won't be activated until you first enter a park, but if you're not 100% sure of when you'll be going ... you will lose the non-expiry feature these vouchers come with right now.

The only advantage i can see in upgrading your vouchers next week is that you will lock in at the current price and avoid any extra increase the following year. (Sorry if i come off as a wet blanket but i want you to go in prepared for what will probably happen)

But isn't it possible that while the promotion is still on, the tickets can be upgraded under the terms of the Canadian Resident discount? This isn't bridging, it's just applying the ongoing promotional rate to the upgrade.

I know there was at least one report earlier of someone doing this successfully. Won't work for an AP, because they're not part of the promotion. But I'd expect to be able to add days, or switch a base pass to hoppers.

Anyway, I'm definitely going to try this in a couple of weeks. I have a 5-day base pass from Air Miles, and I want to upgrade it to a 7-day hopper (but not activate it) at the Canadian Resident rate. Will post back with the result!

 

[Donald - my hero]

But isn't it possible that while the promotion is still on, the tickets can be upgraded under the terms of the Canadian Resident discount? This isn't bridging, it's just applying the ongoing promotional rate to the upgrade.

I know there was at least one report earlier of someone doing this successfully. Won't work for an AP, because they're not part of the promotion. But I'd expect to be able to add days, or switch a base pass to hoppers.

Anyway, I'm definitely going to try this in a couple of weeks. I have a 5-day base pass from Air Miles, and I want to upgrade it to a 7-day hopper (but not activate it) at the Canadian Resident rate. Will post back with the result!

Hate to be the resident wet-blanket but the Canadian Resident rates are NOT available on-site. I'm not saying it isn't worth trying but just be aware that you might not have much success. There are lots of us who will be waiting to hear how you make out because several people are wanting to upgrade the vouchers that Airmiles is providing since they don't offer hoppers.

 

[ottawamom]

But isn't it possible that while the promotion is still on, the tickets can be upgraded under the terms of the Canadian Resident discount? This isn't bridging, it's just applying the ongoing promotional rate to the upgrade.

I know there was at least one report earlier of someone doing this successfully. Won't work for an AP, because they're not part of the promotion. But I'd expect to be able to add days, or switch a base pass to hoppers.

Anyway, I'm definitely going to try this in a couple of weeks. I have a 5-day base pass from Air Miles, and I want to upgrade it to a 7-day hopper (but not activate it) at the Canadian Resident rate. Will post back with the result!

Definitely an interesting concept. I have 7 day base tickets I purchased from AM last summer (not the Canadian offer). The cost to upgrade these to PH+ is ridiculous ($1000Cdn, 5people) I can't justify that. If your theory works at the gate I could maybe upgrade these tickets to 7 day PH+ and not be out of pocket any money (I know its a pipe-dream) Will be waiting to hear of your experience. I'm off to the world in May so I could take these tickets with me and see if its possible to do this for my May 2018 trip.

 

[mab2012]

Definitely an interesting concept. I have 7 day base tickets I purchased from AM last summer (not the Canadian offer). The cost to upgrade these to PH+ is ridiculous ($1000Cdn, 5people) I can't justify that. If your theory works at the gate I could maybe upgrade these tickets to 7 day PH+ and not be out of pocket any money (I know its a pipe-dream) Will be waiting to hear of your experience. I'm off to the world in May so I could take these tickets with me and see if its possible to do this for my May 2018 trip.

It's been done, at least once. Whether or not that success can be repeated remains to be seen!

I hadn't thought about doing this with tickets that weren't Canadian Resident tickets to begin with, but I can't see why not. *If* they are willing to upgrade based on the promotional price, then I guess that should work with any tickets?

 

[Donald - my hero]

Definitely an interesting concept. I have 7 day base tickets I purchased from AM last summer (not the Canadian offer). The cost to upgrade these to PH+ is ridiculous ($1000Cdn, 5people) I can't justify that. If your theory works at the gate I could maybe upgrade these tickets to 7 day PH+ and not be out of pocket any money (I know its a pipe-dream) Will be waiting to hear of your experience. I'm off to the world in May so I could take these tickets with me and see if its possible to do this for my May 2018 trip.

Hey there ... i just looked at your post and did the math -- I'm wondering what numbers you plugged in? You will get full gate price for the tickets since they are NOT the discounted ones -- those are what we used in January to upgrade ... *if* your 5 people are all adults I ended up with $612.50 US -- and using the current on-line converter it comes to $819.10 -- pretty close to your $1,000.00 but every penny saved helps, right?

 

[ottawamom]

The math I used $370 7 day Base ticket (02/11/17), $500 7 day PH+ tickets (02/12/17) (difference $130)pre tax

130x5x1.065x1.34=$927Cdn
5 people
1.065 US tax
1.34 my exchange rate

I also wasn't sure if I would be charged the $20 fee/ticket for gate purchases. That's how I got to the $1000. It's all too confusing!

 

[Donald - my hero]

Post deleted because it appears i'm out of touch with how upgrades will work from this point forward, sorry @ottawamom

 

[mab2012]

Hey there ... i just looked at your post and did the math -- I'm wondering what numbers you plugged in? You will get full gate price for the tickets since they are NOT the discounted ones -- those are what we used in January to upgrade ... *if* your 5 people are all adults I ended up with $612.50 US -- and using the current on-line converter it comes to $819.10 -- pretty close to your $1,000.00 but every penny saved helps, right?

Recent info is that "old" tickets (ie. before the most recent price hike) will only be bridged to full gate price *before* the last increase. Have a look at the "All about tickets" sticky on the Attractions and Strategies board, specifically "Upgrade Cost" section.

And 7 day tickets took a BIG jump. Now who's being the wet blanket?

Have to say though, even if it's "only" ~$100 US per person, that still seems like an awful lot just for hoppers. Especially x5.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Recent info is that "old" tickets (ie. before the most recent price hike) will only be bridged to full gate price *before* the last increase. Have a look at the "All about tickets" sticky on the Attractions and Strategies board, specifically "Upgrade Cost" section.

And 7 day tickets took a BIG jump. Now who's being the wet blanket?

Have to say though, even if it's "only" ~$100 US per person, that still seems like an awful lot just for hoppers. Especially x5.

Well crap that's annoying and really sucks now doesn't it?!?! Sorry if i mislead anyone with this information, I was only going on our experience in January before the new tickets came out. Once we don't have a trip planned i rarely, if ever, venture out past the confines of the Canadian Forum because i don't like to pass on information that's not recent, guess it's time to stop again, sorry.

 

[ottawamom]

Don't feel bad Donald, I'm not even certain the calculations I've made will be accurate. There are still conflicting reports over on the Tickets thread. It seems the CM's can't even get it consistently the same way. That's why I'm hoping someone with post 02/11/2017 experience can post there results. On a per ticket basis it appears that to add hoppers is $75, water parks are another $15 on top of that. Then there's the price increase 02/11/17 - 02/12/17 $40 on a 7 day ticket plus maybe a $20 gate charge. We're not going until 2018 (on those tickets) so there could be another price increase before we are able to upgrade.

It's a good thing I have a financial background because it is starting to look like one needs it just to figure out the tickets theses days.

I was watching Crashed Ice last night (from the warmth of my living room, I wasn't downtown) when I posted so I wasn't as clear as I might have been with my earlier math.

 

[mab2012]

Well crap that's annoying and really sucks now doesn't it?!?! Sorry if i mislead anyone with this information, I was only going on our experience in January before the new tickets came out. Once we don't have a trip planned i rarely, if ever, venture out past the confines of the Canadian Forum because i don't like to pass on information that's not recent, guess it's time to stop again, sorry.

I agree with @ottawamom, no need to feel bad! This is a very recent change, and goodness knows that CMs won't be consistent in applying it. I only stumbled on it the other day myself, and took note because I do have a trip coming up, and I plan to upgrade an "old" 7-day hopper to an AP.

I was watching Crashed Ice last night (from the warmth of my living room, I wasn't downtown) when I posted so I wasn't as clear as I might have been with my earlier math.

Off topic, but those people are crazy. I have a co-worker who is also a part-time paramedic, and he was covering this event. I'm sure he will be full of stories tomorrow. If I were ever in favour of a healthcare stupidity tax (I'm not, really), this would have to be pretty near the top of the list.

 

[martin33]

Well crap that's annoying and really sucks now doesn't it?!?! Sorry if i mislead anyone with this information, I was only going on our experience in January before the new tickets came out. Once we don't have a trip planned i rarely, if ever, venture out past the confines of the Canadian Forum because i don't like to pass on information that's not recent, guess it's time to stop again, sorry.

Ok we are back from a great trip to WDW and I have some updates re my OP about the 5 day airmiles base ticket
I went to guest relations at EPCOT and asked them about upgrading it to a 9 day park hopper - it would have cost me $309 usd for the upgrade (ie not worth it), and the current value for the 5 day base was $249 USD (essentially they could not honour the Cdn discount even with my Cdn ID, and the upgrade would not factor in any current Cdn discount promo (ie the promo for passes expiring May 20)
They also confirmed that I could not upgrade the hard ticket by phone at anytime, and so I felt had to make a decision while there, as the 5 day base was not practical for me (we go longer, and use the 60 day FP booking window)
Sooo...I upgraded to a gold annual pass which cost me $345, and will not be activated until I choose to do so. (I believe the gold annual pass cost is $598 after tax), so I saved $253 roughly. We will be back in March 2018, so I will link it to my account in time for that for FP booking, and it will become active on the first day of use ie for me sometime March 2018, and hence expire March 2019 (so I will get 2 trips out of it, for a total of 18 park days)
If you go online and buy a 9 day park hopper it costs $366 incl tax, so I conclude that I saved marginally ($15) over the current Cdn promo, and get the bonus of another 9 days the year later (saving me another $366 at the very least) and discounts of being an AP holder, but most importantly got rid of my 5 day base ticket and applied its value of $249 (but free for me) to a usable pass.
Note I bought gold pass as we are DVC so eligible for this pass
If this sounds confusing, it is ! (at least for me)
Cheers
Martin

 

[ottawamom]

Thanks for the update @martin33. Looks like my hopes for upgrading are out the window. We'll just have to do one trip without hopping. I'll pay for the water parks OP. Or maybe the hopeful side of me hopes that they will change their mind before our May 2018 trip and the upgrade won't include the price increase just the marginal add ons.

I just tried to replicate the math they told you for upgrading and using the value they quoted you of 249 for the ticket (website has a value of 255) a 9 day PH (regular US pricing) is 505 (before taxes) 505-249=256 or $272 after tax. This is still quite a bit less than the $309 they told you it would cost. (Someone at Disney can't do the math in other words) You were wise to make your other choice.

Never mind they also added the $40 Purchase at the gate fee on to the total they quoted you.

Here's the math $505 (reg US price)-$255(Cdn discounted ticket on website)+$40(park gate ticket fee)+tax = $309