Annual Pass Question

[dmcfa2504]

My wife and I are heading to the park in 24 days! We will be there for five days. We are also planning our next trip for about the same time next year for five days. Would it be worth calling Disney to see about upgrading our already purchased tickets to annual passes? Only major question mark is the dates we are planning for next year.

 

[disneylove69]

If you decide to upgrade you can do it once you get to the parks. I believe you have to do it on or before the last day of the ticket.

 

[Marionnette]

If you decide to upgrade you can do it once you get to the parks. I believe you have to do it on or before the last day of the ticket.

AND...not that it matters in the OP's case...it must be done within 14 days of the first day that the ticket was used. In fact, I highly recommend using the ticket at least once if you purchased it prior to the last price hike. This will "bridge" the value of the ticket from the price that Disney sold it for, to the current gate price. Doing so can save a considerable amount of money.

 

[Cinderellly]

AND...not that it matters in the OP's case...it must be done within 14 days of the first day that the ticket was used. In fact, I highly recommend using the ticket at least once if you purchased it prior to the last price hike. This will "bridge" the value of the ticket from the price that Disney sold it for, to the current gate price. Doing so can save a considerable amount of money.

When you say use it once, can I get into the park on the first day and then upgrade my ticket later that afternoon? Or should I wait until the following day to ensure it is "locked in?"

We have purchased 5 day park hoppers so we have plenty of time to upgrade, but since the AP gets backdated to our first day in the park, it makes sense to me to upgrade it sooner than later to take advantage of the food/merchandise discounts. And, we don't have to worry about any black out dates during our trip.

 

[GoofyMB]

Once in the park on the first day you can go to guest services inside the park and upgrade. It is a good idea to know what the upgrade cost should be in advance because sometime the cast members do not process it correctly and could mean you overpay.

 

[POOHsie]

My wife and I are heading to the park in 24 days! We will be there for five days. We are also planning our next trip for about the same time next year for five days. Would it be worth calling Disney to see about upgrading our already purchased tickets to annual passes? Only major question mark is the dates we are planning for next year.

When you upgrade a MYW ticket to an AP, regardless of the day you do it, the new AP will be dated to the first day you used your MYW ticket. The expiration date will be the same as the beginning date of your AP, only a year later. So next year, you will have to finish your park visits earlier than you completed this year's park visits.

 

[Donnainnj]

The only thing I would worry about upgrading ahead of time is loosing your FP+'s. Don't know if it still causes the problem, but in the past a change of passes on a package could make you loose your FP+'s. Again I am not sure this is still a problem, but it was something I read about here before our August trip.
Donna

 

[wajones2]

I have 5 day MYW tickets that I plan to upgrade to annual passes in November. Is the price for the upgrade based on the difference between what I paid for the 5 day pass vs the annual pass cost? I can't seem to find anyone over the phone that can give me a price. I have the receipt showing what I originally paid. TIA

 

[POOHsie]

I have 5 day MYW tickets that I plan to upgrade to annual passes in November. Is the price for the upgrade based on the difference between what I paid for the 5 day pass vs the annual pass cost? I can't seem to find anyone over the phone that can give me a price. I have the receipt showing what I originally paid. TIA

It depends. Where did you purchase your tickets?

 

[Sarangel]

We did this last spring (after we entered the parks), and had no difficulties with our FS+ Reservations.

 

[wajones2]

It depends. Where did you purchase your tickets?

Tickets were purchased through Tickets At Work

 

[Cinderellly]

Once in the park on the first day you can go to guest services inside the park and upgrade. It is a good idea to know what the upgrade cost should be in advance because sometime the cast members do not process it correctly and could mean you overpay.

Good to know! Thanks for the help!

 

[POOHsie]

Tickets were purchased through Tickets At Work

There are differences in what you will owe, based on where you purchased your tickets. If you bought direct from Disney, either online (not connected to a resort stay package) or at a WDW ticketing outlet or Guest Relations, you would owe the difference between what you paid for your original ticket, and the current cost of the upgraded ticket.

Another category of acquiring a ticket involves purchasing Disney tickets, but not directly. This group includes Disney resort package tickets, tickets purchased at the Disney Store, and tickets purchased from authorized third party resellers (such as Tickets At Work). Tickets from these venues can be "price-bridged." That means that the ticket will be given credit for the current day's gate price, regardless of any discount given or any price increases in-between original ticket purchase and upgrade to new ticket. What you paid for your ticket won't come into play. The way you do a price-bridge is to simply use your original ticket to enter a theme park. (You won't get gate price credit if you upgrade before actually using your original ticket.) Once your original ticket has been used, take it to Park Guest Relations for your upgrade. Don't try to do this at your resort. You don't have to do it immediately - only have to do it before the last park day of your ticket is used and done with. A few ticketing personnel don't thoroughly know the price bridging procedure. If you encounter a CM who tells you an amount that is too high, ask if they gave you gate price for your ticket. If they won't change their calculation, find another CM to help you.

Current gate price (including tax) of your 5-day MYW ticket is $323.76.
Current gate price (including tax) of regular AP is $675.21.
Difference you will pay is $351.45.

There could be a price increase between now and November. However, if you follow instructions above, you will still be paying the gate price difference between the two tickets.

 

[wajones2]

POOHsie - Thanks so much! That helps tremendously

 

[dmcfa2504]

There are differences in what you will owe, based on where you purchased your tickets. If you bought direct from Disney, either online (not connected to a resort stay package) or at a WDW ticketing outlet or Guest Relations, you would owe the difference between what you paid for your original ticket, and the current cost of the upgraded ticket. Another category of acquiring a ticket involves purchasing Disney tickets, but not directly. This group includes Disney resort package tickets, tickets purchased at the Disney Store, and tickets purchased from authorized third party resellers (such as Tickets At Work). Tickets from these venues can be "price-bridged." That means that the ticket will be given credit for the current day's gate price, regardless of any discount given or any price increases in-between original ticket purchase and upgrade to new ticket. What you paid for your ticket won't come into play. The way you do a price-bridge is to simply use your original ticket to enter a theme park. (You won't get gate price credit if you upgrade before actually using your original ticket.) Once your original ticket has been used, take it to Park Guest Relations for your upgrade. Don't try to do this at your resort. You don't have to do it immediately - only have to do it before the last park day of your ticket is used and done with. A few ticketing personnel don't thoroughly know the price bridging procedure. If you encounter a CM who tells you an amount that is too high, ask if they gave you gate price for your ticket. If they won't change their calculation, find another CM to help you. Current gate price (including tax) of your 5-day MYW ticket is $323.76. Current gate price (including tax) of regular AP is $675.21. Difference you will pay is $351.45. There could be a price increase between now and November. However, if you follow instructions above, you will still be paying the gate price difference between the two tickets.

Fantastic to know!

 

[Judique]

Fantastic to know!

No one gave you the warning - if you upgrade that ticket to an annual pass for your trip a year from now, I can guarantee it will be burning a hole in your pocket and you will be busy trying to fit in one or two extra trips to get the extra 'value' out of your annual pass!

Bottom line - an annual pass can have a serious effect on creating and maintaining the Disney addiction <g>

Enjoy whatever you decide and after the third trip within a years time you will start enquiring about the savings benefits of DVC

 

[Disney Princess]

There are differences in what you will owe, based on where you purchased your tickets. If you bought direct from Disney, either online (not connected to a resort stay package) or at a WDW ticketing outlet or Guest Relations, you would owe the difference between what you paid for your original ticket, and the current cost of the upgraded ticket.

Another category of acquiring a ticket involves purchasing Disney tickets, but not directly. This group includes Disney resort package tickets, tickets purchased at the Disney Store, and tickets purchased from authorized third party resellers (such as Tickets At Work). Tickets from these venues can be "price-bridged." That means that the ticket will be given credit for the current day's gate price, regardless of any discount given or any price increases in-between original ticket purchase and upgrade to new ticket. What you paid for your ticket won't come into play. The way you do a price-bridge is to simply use your original ticket to enter a theme park. (You won't get gate price credit if you upgrade before actually using your original ticket.) Once your original ticket has been used, take it to Park Guest Relations for your upgrade. Don't try to do this at your resort. You don't have to do it immediately - only have to do it before the last park day of your ticket is used and done with. A few ticketing personnel don't thoroughly know the price bridging procedure. If you encounter a CM who tells you an amount that is too high, ask if they gave you gate price for your ticket. If they won't change their calculation, find another CM to help you.

Current gate price (including tax) of your 5-day MYW ticket is $323.76.
Current gate price (including tax) of regular AP is $675.21.
Difference you will pay is $351.45.

There could be a price increase between now and November. However, if you follow instructions above, you will still be paying the gate price difference between the two tickets.

Thanks for this information! I thought I had read that they were no longer price bridging, so we had given up on the hassle of ordering tickets from UCT and upgrading at the park - now we'll "deal" with it.

 

[lauradis]

If your staying on property would a bounce back offer Might me more savings then an AP

 

[POOHsie]

Thanks for this information! I thought I had read that they were no longer price bridging, so we had given up on the hassle of ordering tickets from UCT and upgrading at the park - now we'll "deal" with it.

In 2012 Disney stopped price-bridging tickets bought directly from Disney, such as from Disneyworld online (will call, mail order), at a WDW ticket booth, or at a WDW Guest Relations facility. But tickets that were sold wholesale by Disney to others, then resold by those others -- such as third party resellers (UCT, AAA, Tickets At Work), Disney resorts (WDTC), and the Disney Store (TDS) -- those tickets are still allowed to be price bridged. Some Disney Ticketing CMs are confused about what ticket qualifies for price-bridging -- and that's why I mentioned (above) moving on to another employee if the one you're dealing with won't price-bridge when the tickets are qualified for it. There have even been reports on these boards by those who were refused price-bridging for their qualified tickets. They overpaid, finished their trip, and wrote Disneyworld about it. In each case posted here, the guests prevailed and received a refund.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

My family went in August. We bought our tickets through UCT. DD and I upgraded to AP, without one question regarding where we bought the tickets. Tickets were bridged, we were told the total we owed, which is what we calculated prior. We did this at DTD. It seems resorts can't upgrade, that's what we were told. My other DD and DH added a day to their ticket at MK. At the ticket window, the CM asked were I bought the tickets. I was like ????, then told her an agency. I think she wanted to know, because she made a small comment regarding the price to add being to high. So she must have bridged the ticket to the $10.++ for each additional day.