Alternate (Cheaper) Source for AP Purchase?

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Bill From PA
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
4,292
We've been saving $$ for years buying WDW passes from UT, I don't see APs offered there. Is Disney the only vendor for these or are there discounts available?

Thanks,
Bill From PA
 
We've been saving $$ for years buying WDW passes from UT, I don't see APs offered there. Is Disney the only vendor for these or are there discounts available?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

No AP's at UT.

BUT-

There is a way to buy AP's for Disney World and still get a "discount."
It's easy, but requires a few "steps" to accomplish.

Here's the deal:

First, find the absolute best deal you can on a multi-day MYW ticket from a reputable WDW ticket discounter.

You will want to choose a ticket to buy from the discounter that offers the most savings, but only on a ticket that costs
(at the WDW gate) LESS than an AP.

-----------------------------------------------------
Here are some popular, reliable links for info and/or tickets:

http://www.mousesavers.com

http://www.undercovertourist.com

http://www.ticketmania.com

http://www.mapleleaftickets.com

And, AAA travel offices can often be a good source.
-----------------------------------------------------

Buy your MYW ticket from the discounter.
(Likely the best deal will be on a ticket with a larger number of days on it.)

When you get to WDW, USE your discounted ticket to go into a THEME PARK at least one time
BEFORE you do the upgrade.

THEN, go to any Guest Relations or Ticket Window at the park, TTC, or DTD.

Upgrade to an AP.

Since you have USED a day of your discounted ticket, you will receive the CURRENT GATE PRICE when you trade in your discounted ticket.

So...

You will get to "keep the discount" you got on the MYW ticket, but you will then be buying an AP as if you had paid full current gate price for the MYW you are trading-in.
 
No AP's at UT.

BUT-

There is a way to buy AP's for Disney World and still get a "discount."
It's easy, but requires a few "steps" to accomplish.

Here's the deal:

First, find the absolute best deal you can on a multi-day MYW ticket from a reputable WDW ticket discounter.

You will want to choose a ticket to buy from the discounter that offers the most savings, but only on a ticket that costs
(at the WDW gate) LESS than an AP.

-----------------------------------------------------
Here are some popular, reliable links for info and/or tickets:

http://www.mousesavers.com

http://www.undercovertourist.com

http://www.ticketmania.com

http://www.mapleleaftickets.com

And, AAA travel offices can often be a good source.
-----------------------------------------------------

Buy your MYW ticket from the discounter.
(Likely the best deal will be on a ticket with a larger number of days on it.)

When you get to WDW, USE your discounted ticket to go into a THEME PARK at least one time
BEFORE you do the upgrade.

THEN, go to any Guest Relations or Ticket Window at the park, TTC, or DTD.

Upgrade to an AP.

Since you have USED a day of your discounted ticket, you will receive the CURRENT GATE PRICE when you trade in your discounted ticket.

So...

You will get to "keep the discount" you got on the MYW ticket, but you will then be buying an AP as if you had paid full current gate price for the MYW you are trading-in.

Thanks, sounds like a plan. We're comparing an AP for 2 which comes to $1350.42 from Disney vs the 4 8 Day Hoppers we'd need for 2 Oct trips a year apart at $1609.32 from UT. We're going from 10/16 - 10/25 this year and we'll start Oct 1 in 2015. We're saving bucks as it is but a little more is better.

Bill From PA
 
THEN, go to any Guest Relations or Ticket Window at the park, TTC, or DTD.

Upgrade to an AP.

Since you have USED a day of your discounted ticket, you will receive the CURRENT GATE PRICE when you trade in your discounted ticket.

So...

You will get to "keep the discount" you got on the MYW ticket, but you will then be buying an AP as if you had paid full current gate price for the MYW you are trading-in.

I'm not sure I follow what is actually happening. Say I buy a 10 day MYM ticket from UT for 365.42. (36.50 per day) and I enter the MK. Say an AP is $700 and a MK ticket is $100. Is this what they are doing?

AP: 700
- 10 Day MYW (365)
+ Used one day 36.50
- 1 Day at MK (100)

= $271.50 for the upgrade and a total cost of $636? Or I guess a simpler way of saying it is you save whatever the difference in a 1 day park ticket minus the average price per day of the package you purchased.

If I'm understanding that correctly, would it not be even better to use 9 of the 10 days and then upgrade? Would you be comped 9 days instead of 1?

*********************

Edit: Also, does Disney know that you bought the 10 Day MYW from UT and paid 365 instead of the 376 they charge? Do you also get that 11 dollars built into your upgrade?
 

No AP's at UT.

BUT-

There is a way to buy AP's for Disney World and still get a "discount."
It's easy, but requires a few "steps" to accomplish.

Here's the deal:

First, find the absolute best deal you can on a multi-day MYW ticket from a reputable WDW ticket discounter.

You will want to choose a ticket to buy from the discounter that offers the most savings, but only on a ticket that costs
(at the WDW gate) LESS than an AP.

-----------------------------------------------------
Here are some popular, reliable links for info and/or tickets:

http://www.mousesavers.com

http://www.undercovertourist.com

http://www.ticketmania.com

http://www.mapleleaftickets.com

And, AAA travel offices can often be a good source.
-----------------------------------------------------

Buy your MYW ticket from the discounter.
(Likely the best deal will be on a ticket with a larger number of days on it.)

When you get to WDW, USE your discounted ticket to go into a THEME PARK at least one time
BEFORE you do the upgrade.

THEN, go to any Guest Relations or Ticket Window at the park, TTC, or DTD.

Upgrade to an AP.

Since you have USED a day of your discounted ticket, you will receive the CURRENT GATE PRICE when you trade in your discounted ticket.

So...

You will get to "keep the discount" you got on the MYW ticket, but you will then be buying an AP as if you had paid full current gate price for the MYW you are trading-in.

+1 that's what we did a few years ago when we got ours for the first time. We went to AAA. used a day then upgraded.

worked fine!
 
I'm not sure I follow what is actually happening. Say I buy a 10 day MYM ticket from UT for 365.42. (36.50 per day) and I enter the MK. Say an AP is $700 and a MK ticket is $100. Is this what they are doing?

AP: 700
- 10 Day MYW (365)
+ Used one day 36.50
- 1 Day at MK (100)

= $271.50 for the upgrade and a total cost of $636? Or I guess a simpler way of saying it is you save whatever the difference in a 1 day park ticket minus the average price per day of the package you purchased.

If I'm understanding that correctly, would it not be even better to use 9 of the 10 days and then upgrade? Would you be comped 9 days instead of 1?

*********************

Edit: Also, does Disney know that you bought the 10 Day MYW from UT and paid 365 instead of the 376 they charge? Do you also get that 11 dollars built into your upgrade?

They don't give you credit for the one day used...they give you credit for what the entire 10 day ticket would have cost through WDW. Using the numbers in your example, this is how it would work:

700 (AP cost)
-376 (cost if you had bought the 10 day at WDW...this is what Disney counts your 10 day ticket as, IF you used one day of it already)
______
$324 your cash cost to upgrade your 10 day ticket to AP.

so the discount you're getting is just the $11 discount you saved by purchasing the tickets elsewhere. The procedure to use one day on the ticket is just to get Disney to count the value of your 10 day ticket the same as if you had bought it through Disney.

If you do NOT use the ticket first, Disney will charge the upgrade this way:

700 (AP cost)
-365 (discounted ticket, not used at all yet)
______
$335 your cash cost to upgrade your 10 day ticket to AP...Disney has only given you credit for the amount you paid the outside source
-:thumbsup2
 
I'm not sure I follow what is actually happening. Say I buy a 10 day MYM ticket from UT for 365.42. (36.50 per day) and I enter the MK. Say an AP is $700 and a MK ticket is $100. Is this what they are doing?

AP: 700
- 10 Day MYW (365)
+ Used one day 36.50
- 1 Day at MK (100)

= $271.50 for the upgrade and a total cost of $636? Or I guess a simpler way of saying it is you save whatever the difference in a 1 day park ticket minus the average price per day of the package you purchased.

If I'm understanding that correctly, would it not be even better to use 9 of the 10 days and then upgrade? Would you be comped 9 days instead of 1?

*********************

Edit: Also, does Disney know that you bought the 10 Day MYW from UT and paid 365 instead of the 376 they charge? Do you also get that 11 dollars built into your upgrade?

I am sure Robo will be back on here shortly to clarify, but if I understand it correctly, you don't have to discount the ticket price for the 1 day you use. If you bought a 10 MYW ticket, you get the gate price of a 10 day MYW ticket as credit towards an AP, even after you have used 1 day... correct?

Robo, didn't I read on here somewhere the other day that Disney was greatly limiting what can be done with a ticket that was sold by a third party?
 
I am sure Robo will be back on here shortly to clarify, but if I understand it correctly, you don't have to discount the ticket price for the 1 day you use. If you bought a 10 MYW ticket, you get the gate price of a 10 day MYW ticket as credit towards an AP, even after you have used 1 day... correct?

Robo, didn't I read on here somewhere the other day that Disney was greatly limiting what can be done with a ticket that was sold by a third party?

For some stupid reason, allears posted that 3rd party tickets are no longer bridged to the current gate price, and like any bad internet rumor, people keep reposting and thinks its true, despite many current examples of guests tickets being properly bridged.


Yes, you get credit for all 10 days of that MYW ticket (but your Ap will be back dated to include the first day you entered a park)
 
Thanks, sounds like a plan. We're comparing an AP for 2 which comes to $1350.42 from Disney vs the 4 8 Day Hoppers we'd need for 2 Oct trips a year apart at $1609.32 from UT. We're going from 10/16 - 10/25 this year and we'll start Oct 1 in 2015. We're saving bucks as it is but a little more is better.

Bill From PA
Hi Bill.

The most efficient upgrade is buy a 6 Day MYW Park Hopper & WPF&M no expiration ticket, linked off the Mousesavers newsletter, for $576. Savings will be $66 off of Disney price. Do not use the WPF&M, do one park entry and then upgrade. The UT ticket will be 'worth' $649. Pay the $26 difference for the $675 AP.

We really do have to meet some day at R&C, no?
 
Hi Bill. The most efficient upgrade is buy a 6 Day MYW Park Hopper & WPF&M no expiration ticket, linked off the Mousesavers newsletter, for $576. Savings will be $66 off of Disney price. Do not use the WPF&M, do one park entry and then upgrade. The UT ticket will be 'worth' $649. Pay the $26 difference for the $675 AP. We really do have to meet some day at R&C, no?

Yes, this is what we just did. Be aware it may take 2 or 3 different guest relations booths before you get a CM who knows what they are doing so be prepared to politely say no thank you and move on.
 
I know a guy.

Name is "Tony".

Parks in Epcot "Discovery 52" 3rd from last space every other Thursday.

Tell him a "cricket" sent you ;)
 
Thanks for the clear guide, Robo. I was debating whether we should take advantage of the DVC premium annual pass deal but a regular annual pass fits our family better and with these steps, we can save a little more money, too.

I'm assuming I can still get the DVC discounted price of $516.53 for a regular annual pass using this method. Is that correct?
 
I'm assuming I can still get the DVC discounted price of $516.53 for a regular annual pass using this method. Is that correct?

Just make sure that the ticket that you buy from the discounter has a gate price that is the same or less than the DVC AP price.
 
They don't give you credit for the one day used...they give you credit for what the entire 10 day ticket would have cost through WDW.

Yup.

The AP would have the same start-date as the day that you first used the original ticket.
 
Robo, didn't I read on here somewhere the other day that Disney was greatly limiting what can be done with a ticket that was sold by a third party?

For some stupid reason, allears posted that 3rd party tickets are no longer bridged to the current gate price, and like any bad internet rumor, people keep reposting and thinks its true, despite many current examples of guests tickets being properly bridged.

Yup.

Even a current WDW ticket CM has since reported that there has been no policy change in upgrades.
 
You could buy giftcards through Target and save the 5% when using your red card.
 
Hi Bill.



We really do have to meet some day at R&C, no?


Absolutely , Dan! We're down for 10/16 through 10/25 this year and the first week in Oct in '15. Also, if the first week in March 2015 has crappy weather in Myrtle Beach and Savannah we'll hit WDW then.

Bill From PA
 

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