Annual pass renewal with ticket from free dining?

[Ginger03]

My annual pass expires this coming Monday, and I arrive for free dining package on Monday as well. If I want to renew my annual pass and use the package ticket towards that, how would I do that? Do I enter the gate Tuesday with my ticket, And then ask to convert it to an AP? Will I get the renewal price?

 

[Robo]

My annual pass expires this coming Monday, and I arrive for free dining package on Monday as well. If I want to renew my annual pass and use the package ticket towards that, how would I do that? Do I enter the gate Tuesday with my ticket, And then ask to convert it to an AP? Will I get the renewal price?

You don't need to enter a park with your free dining ticket at all.
(In fact, I would NOT do that.)
You can go to any Guest Relations after you check in (use on-line check-in and specify an early arrival time) and before you enter a park and ask that the value of your resort package ticket be applied to your AP renewal.
(Yes, you can get the AP renewal price, and no, if won't negatively affect your "free" dining.)

 

[Ginger03]

You don't need to enter a park with your free dining ticket at all.
(In fact, I would NOT do that.)
You can go to any Guest Relations after you check in (use on-line check-in and specify an early arrival time) and before you enter a park and ask that the value of your resort package ticket be applied to your AP renewal.
(Yes, you can get the AP renewal price, and no, if won't negatively affect your "free" dining.)

Thanks, that is very helpful. Monday morning activity. Do you know when guest relations at HS will be open for the extra extra magic hours?

 

[Robo]

Thanks, that is very helpful. Monday morning activity. Do you know when guest relations at HS will be open for the extra extra magic hours?

30 minutes before guests are admitted to the park.

 

[gismo1554]

Sorry to jump in but how far after your AP expires can you do this or does it need to be before the expiry date? Also can you do this at the hotel Guest Relations or does it need to be a park one? My AP expires 12th September but I'm visiting again on the 16th and planning to upgrade my current ticket (a UK free dining ticket) so I can use in May but wasn't sure if I could do this against the upgrade price or only against the full ticket price (I think its about $100 cheaper for the upgrade price than a new ticket). Oh and would it need to be done before using the ticket or could I still do it in the parks if needed?

 

[Robo]

Sorry to jump in but
1. how far after your AP expires can you do this or
2. does it need to be before the expiry date?
3. Also can you do this at the hotel Guest Relations or
4. does it need to be a park one?
5. My AP expires 12th September but I'm visiting again on the 16th and planning to upgrade my current ticket (a UK free dining ticket) so I can use in May but
6. wasn't sure if I could do this against the upgrade price or only against the full ticket price (I think its about $100 cheaper for the upgrade price than a new ticket).
7. Oh and would it need to be done before using the ticket or could I still do it in the parks if needed?

1. Up to 30 days.
2. No.
3. Unclear, but you can ask at the hotel concierge. If the clerk seems uncomfortable, don't do the deal there.
(Different computer "system" at resorts and at non-resorts.)
5. Not a problem.
6. If you are upgrading and AP, you can do so from 60 days prior to your anniversary (expiration) date...
all the way to 30 days following. (And still get the "renewal" discount.
7. Although you likely would be OK if you enter a park with your "regular" ticket first,
I would not want to complicate the issue with a CM by using your "regular" ticket first.

 

[gismo1554]

1. Up to 30 days.
2. No.
3. Unclear, but you can ask at the hotel concierge. (If the clerk sbooth. (Different computer "system" at resorts and at non-resorts.)
5. Not a problem.
6. If you are upgrading and AP, you can do so from 60 days prior to your anniversary (expiration) date...
all the way to 30 days following. (And still get the "renewal" discount.
7. Although you likely would be OK if you enter a park with your "regular" ticket first,
I would not want to complicate the issue with a CM by using your "regular" ticket first.

Thanks so much for this :d

 

[Selket]

1. Up to 30 days.
2. No.
3. Unclear, but you can ask at the hotel concierge. (If the clerk sbooth. (Different computer "system" at resorts and at non-resorts.)
5. Not a problem.
6. If you are upgrading and AP, you can do so from 60 days prior to your anniversary (expiration) date...
all the way to 30 days following. (And still get the "renewal" discount.
7. Although you likely would be OK if you enter a park with your "regular" ticket first,
I would not want to complicate the issue with a CM by using your "regular" ticket first.

Robo can you do this after you return home (use an unused ticket purchashed during the free dining promotion to upgrade an expired AP) or do you need to do it at the resort?

I just got back and my unused free dining 7 day PH did not show up on my account anywhere. I called Disney and they found it and offered to either 1) give me a 7 day non expiring PH but he said I could NOT use it to apply to an AP or 2) put a note in my "file" that I had this ticket and the value of it would still be there to apply to either an AP or another park ticket in the future. My AP also just expired 5 days ago. I'm still on the fence on whether to renew it. I didn't know if they can do this over the phone (apply this ticket to an AP renewal) or I need to be there. I might rather buy a new AP my next trip so my anniversary date is different...that's what's kept me on the fence. Thanks!

 

[Robo]

Robo can you do this after you return home
A. (use an unused ticket purchashed during the free dining promotion to upgrade an expired AP) or do you need to do it at the resort?

I just got back and my unused free dining 7 day PH did not show up on my account anywhere. I called Disney and they found it and offered to either
1) give me a 7 day non expiring PH
B. but he said I could NOT use it to apply to an AP or
C. 2) put a note in my "file" that I had this ticket and the value of it would still be there to apply to either an AP or another park ticket in the future. My AP also just expired 5 days ago. I'm still on the fence on whether to renew it.
D. I didn't know if they can do this over the phone (apply this ticket to an AP renewal)
E. or I need to be there.
F. I might rather buy a new AP my next trip so my anniversary date is different...that's what's kept me on the fence. Thanks!

A. You should be able to do so, but it can be more complicated and it might depend on your luck of getting a CM on the phone who can get it to work.
B. I don't know how or why "he" could control something like that.
C. Now THAT is a rather common standard procedure.
D. See "A" above.
E. That's the easier of the two, for sure.
F. If your future plans can benefit from having a later AP anniversary date (with a brand new AP,) that would be a good choice.

 

[Selket]

A. You should be able to do so, but it can be more complicated and it might depend on your luck of getting a CM on the phone who can get it to work.
B. I don't know how or why "he" could control something like that.
C. Now THAT is a rather common standard procedure.
D. See "A" above.
E. That's the easier of the two, for sure.
F. If your future plans can benefit from having a later AP anniversary date (with a brand new AP,) that would be a good choice.

Thank you thank you!

He said that he can make the ticket a non-expiring one but because of that feature I could never use it to apply to buying an annual pass. He said also something like it would be a “flex ticket.” I think I’m going to ask him to just keep a note in my file because I don’t want to lose the opportunity to use it to help buy an annual pass. The downside of this is that I don’t have a ticket I can use right now to make fast passes for my October trip so I’ll be out of luck for fast passes.

So I had a crazy thought of buying a park ticket for my October trip but if I decide to convert it to an annual pass would they let me apply the value of the one I bought plus the value of the one that I have on file? ( so applying two tickets to the cost of the annual pass) or is that too iffy of a chance to take?

 

[Robo]

Thank you thank you!

1. He said that he can make the ticket a non-expiring one but because of that feature I could never use it to apply to buying an annual pass.
2. He said also something like it would be a “flex ticket.”
3. I think I’m going to ask him to just keep a note in my file because I don’t want to lose the opportunity to use it to help buy an annual pass.
4. The downside of this is that I don’t have a ticket I can use right now to make fast passes for my October trip so I’ll be out of luck for fast passes.

5. So I had a crazy thought of buying a park ticket for my October trip but if I decide to convert it to an annual pass would they let me apply the value of the one I bought plus the value of the one that I have on file? ( so applying two tickets to the cost of the annual pass) or is that too iffy of a chance to take?

1. That explanation sounds strange to me. I don't know of any current ticket that is considered "non-expiring."
2. Hmmmm.
3. Unless you have some way to get the same guy on the phone, I'm wondering what a different CM will say.
4. If your ticket expires in the mean time, that's the situation.
5. Sorry, but no. Upgrades rules are that only one ticket can be used to upgrade to another ticket.

 

[Bjkandma]

If you never use a ticket it is not a non expiring ticket. But the value of that ticket (at time of purchase) can be applied to a new ticket or annual pass.

 

[gismo1554]

Sorry final question -I'm going to Magic Kingdom the first day using Disney buses. Is there a guest relations outside of the park but near where the buses drop off or would I need to get the monorail/boat back to the transportation and ticket center to sort this if I can't do it at the hotel?

 

[Robo]

Sorry final question -I'm going to Magic Kingdom the first day using Disney buses. Is there a guest relations outside of the park but near where the buses drop off or would I need to get the monorail/boat back to the transportation and ticket center to sort this if I can't do it at the hotel?

See #9 below-

 

[gismo1554]

See #9 below-

View attachment 430226

Ah fab thank you! What a useful image!

 

[Robo]

Ah fab thank you!

What a useful image!

Thanks!

Just as an aside...
That image is the very first image on the "MAPS:" Sticky post always found near the top of this forum.

 

[Selket]

1. That explanation sounds strange to me. I don't know of any current ticket that is considered "non-expiring."
2. Hmmmm.
3. Unless you have some way to get the same guy on the phone, I'm wondering what a different CM will say.
4. If your ticket expires in the mean time, that's the situation.
5. Sorry, but no. Upgrades rules are that only one ticket can be used to upgrade to another ticket.

Yes he def said it will never expire but I can never use it to upgrade another ticket. He said Disney doesn't sell these non expiring ones anymore but he can issue one. I didn't know that was possible either - lol! I do have a way of talking to him directly - and actually he is calling me back today as I requested he just call me on Weds. and I'd decide which I wanted. I'm going to go with the note in the file and just keep my options open with the full value of that ticket - although I will probably not be able to get some of the most popular fast passes.

I wonder why I can't convert that ticket to one I can use for the upcoming trip (so it expires after my return date) and then I could decide while I'm down there whether to upgrade to the AP or not.

 

[Robo]

I wonder why I can't convert that ticket to one I can use for the upcoming trip (so it expires after my return date) and then I could decide while I'm down there whether to upgrade to the AP or not.

You can certainly "ask nicely."
If he can decide on his own, arbitrarily, to "create" what amounts to a "non-expiring ticket" in your file,
but one that "can never be upgraded to an AP," it seems to me like he can do just about anything.

 

[gismo1554]

That image is the very first image on the "MAPS:" Sticky post always found near the top of this forum.

This proves I never read the stickys!