Annual Pass Question - Dining Packages

[4my2girlz]

We have a 8 day trip planned for November and my mother-in-law just surprised the entire family with a Christmas trip! According to my calculations, for our family of four there is only a $76 difference between what we (me & the MIL) will currently be paying and the prices of annual passes....I know AP are exempt from free dining promos BUT I heard that there are actually black-out dates as to when AP holders can PURCHASE the dining plan....any truth to this?

TIA!

 

[Marionnette]

We have a 8 day trip planned for November and my mother-in-law just surprised the entire family with a Christmas trip! According to my calculations, for our family of four there is only a $76 difference between what we (me & the MIL) will currently be paying and the prices of annual passes....I know AP are exempt from free dining promos BUT I heard that there are actually black-out dates as to when AP holders can PURCHASE the dining plan....any truth to this?

TIA!

In order to purchase the dining plan, you have to book a package. Every once in a while, Disney offers AP holders an "Annual Passholder with Dining" package that includes a discounted room and a full-price dining plan. But they aren't always available and as with any Disney promotion, rooms and participating resorts are limited.

If you're traveling to Disney during the Holiday weeks, it's unlikely that there will be any sort of AP room discount and just as likely that there will be no "Annual Passholder with Dining" packages.

 

[TDC Nala]

Annual passholders can purchase a ticketless room/dining package. This is still a package, not a room-only reservation, and is subject to all the same rules regarding deposit, cancellation and change that apply to packages with tickets. If an annual passholder resort room discount is available it can be applied to the package. I dont think there are official "blackout dates" but there may be limited availability on some dates. You won't know unless you call and ask.

For free dining, at least 2 day tickets must be purchased no matter what.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

You can also hold onto that 2 day ticket you need to buy and apply it to your AP renewal. I have done this for years.

 

[4my2girlz]

Thanks so much...but just to be sure I understand...

So if we are traveling 12/19-12/25, I would assume there would be no discounted rooms, but we could still book a room with the dining plan but just not receive any type of discount? Would it be any HIGHER than the price I have been quoted with my vacation package?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I'm not sure where you got your numbers, but a Tourist AP is $574 and an 8-day MYW with both hopping and WPF&M is $377, a difference of $197. Of course a Florida Resident AP is $425, but you do have prove you are a Resident when getting the AP.

But once the tickets are issued and you have entered at least one Park you can go to any ticket window or Guest Relations Office and upgrade your 8-day ticket to an AP.

If you go to the locked sticky Everything About WDW Tickets in the TPA&S Forum, especially Post #7, you can get a lot more information. An easy way to get to the sticky is by clicking on the link in my signature. The ticket sticky is your friend!

 

[4my2girlz]

I'm not sure where you got your numbers, but a Tourist AP is $574 and an 8-day MYW with both hopping and WPF&M is $377, a difference of $197. Of course a Florida Resident AP is $425, but you do have prove you are a Resident when getting the AP.

But once the tickets are issued and you have entered at least one Park you can go to any ticket window or Guest Relations Office and upgrade your 8-day ticket to an AP.

If you go to the locked sticky Everything About WDW Tickets in the TPA&S Forum, especially Post #7, you can get a lot more information. An easy way to get to the sticky is by clicking on the link in my signature. The ticket sticky is your friend!

Thanks for the tip - I will check out the ticket sticky!

I was calculating the 8 day PH for my November trip (Disney quoted me an upgrade value of $378.08 per adult/$358.91 per child) then also taking into consideration what my MIL would be paying for a 6 day PH (at the time we only had a 5 day PH but again Disney quoted me $346.13 per adult/$326.97 per child). So total I would have a $2,820.18 credit towards 2 adult & 2 child AP...so I should actually be getting a CREDIT???

We will not be receiving any kind of promo during our December stay, but will be getting FD in November...I was trying to figure out a way to KEEP FD by waiting until we got there to upgrade to AP, but also not pay an additional for our December trip!

Thanks!

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks for the tip - I will check out the ticket sticky!

I was calculating the 8 day PH for my November trip (Disney quoted me an upgrade value of $378.08 per adult/$358.91 per child) then also taking into consideration what my MIL would be paying for a 6 day PH (at the time we only had a 5 day PH but again Disney quoted me $346.13 per adult/$326.97 per child). So total I would have a $2,820.18 credit towards 2 adult & 2 child AP...so I should actually be getting a CREDIT???

We will not be receiving any kind of promo during our December stay, but will be getting FD in November...I was trying to figure out a way to KEEP FD by waiting until we got there to upgrade to AP, but also not pay an additional for our December trip!

Thanks!

Nope. It doesn't work that way.

You can only upgrade one ticket to one AP. And the upgrade must be made within the first 14 days after the ticket is used and before all of the park days have been used up.

Based on your numbers, you could upgrade your 8-day park hoppers to APs when you're there in November. You will pay the difference between the value of the passes and the cost of the APs at that time. An AP costs $611.31 for non-residents. You would pay an additional $233.23 for each of the adults and $252.40 more for each of the children to upgrade 8-day hoppers to APs.

 

[4my2girlz]

Nope. It doesn't work that way.

You can only upgrade one ticket to one AP. And the upgrade must be made within the first 14 days after the ticket is used and before all of the park days have been used up.

Based on your numbers, you could upgrade your 8-day park hoppers to APs when you're there in November. You will pay the difference between the value of the passes and the cost of the APs at that time. An AP costs $611.31 for non-residents. You would pay an additional $233.23 for each of the adults and $252.40 more for each of the children to upgrade 8-day hoppers to APs.

I understand I'd pay the difference in November, but if I've already paid in full for the December trip (hotel/6 day PH/plus dining package) would I receive a credit on my December package since I would no longer need the 6 day PH since I would then have an AP??

 

[4my2girlz]

and I would be upgrading all four of our 8 day PH to AP (2 adults, 2 kids) in November prior to our December trip.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I understand I'd pay the difference in November, but if I've already paid in full for the December trip (hotel/6 day PH/plus dining package) would I receive a credit on my December package since I would no longer need the 6 day PH since I would then have an AP??

What you need to do is cancel your December reservation and rebook for an AP room rate with the Dining Plan. I am not sure, but you will either receive a full refund and have a new reservation, having to make a deposit (and then pay it off when the refund is credited to your account) or you may be able to have the cost of the new reservation applied and the difference refunded.