Any downside to buying ticket at gate?

[brenda1966]

Other than the fact that there is no opportunity for a small discount, is there any downside to waiting to buy tickets at the gate?

My dilemma is unsure travel plans. Not sure we'll go into the parks the first day or not, so don't know how many days to buy. Also a bit of concern about trip cancellation, so would like to buy with very short notice. With Ares I know you have to buy a few days in advance so they can get your "tickets" to the ticket booth.

Is there anywhere to buy online where they send you something you can present in your phone? Or does it always have to be a paper printout?

We will probably go over and get our tickets in the evening/late afternoon, so shouldn't have a huge line at the ticket booth. (With ares you have to go to the booth anyways...)

My main concern is the Magic Morning -- you still get 1 no matter where you buy your 3+ day hopper, right??!!

 

[figment_jii]

Unfortunately, if you buy your tickets at the gate, they do not include Magic Morning.

From Disneyland.com's Theme Park Ticket Page:
"Tickets purchased at the Ticket Booth do not include the Magic Morning entitlement."

 

[brenda1966]

Oh crud! Good to know. Looks like I will be buying in advance and finding somewhere to print out a voucher or ticket order. Shoot. Is there anywhere that gives you a scanable code in your phone? Disney needs to get onboard with that.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

I had no idea that the tickets at the ticket booth didn't include Magic Morning! We purchased tickets from the booth last year and decided not to use the Magic Morning that we thought was attached to our tickets (too many people, too early in the morning), but I guess we didn't. Good thing we didn't try - that would have been embarrassing! lol

 

[figment_jii]

You can buy tickets through the Disneyland App and it says:

Skip the Ticket Lines
Buy park tickets with the app and show your barcode at the gate for admission when you first get to the park! No ticket booth lines to stand in or e-tickets to print out. †

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/download-disneyland-mobile-app/

I haven't bought tickets through the app, but I have linked my AP and used the app to enter the park. You have to be willing to hand your phone to the CM sometimes (some people don't like letting other touch/hold their phones), but other than that, it worked pretty good for me.

 

[brenda1966]

Perfect! And Duh! I had just recently downloaded the app. Forgot all about the "buy tickets" link. AND it includes Magic Mornings. I think we are set!
Do we then get a paper ticket? I'm guessing they have to give you one so you can get FP's.

 

[KCmike]

We made this mistake this year. We went for early magic morning and were denied because we waited to buy our 5 day park passes at the gate. Isn't that crazy that they wouldn't include it????
So after we were let in at 7:30am we decided to goof around and then at rope drop we went towards Frontierland. Something we usually never do. We were first on Haunted Mansion, then no wait on pirates, Indy, etc. Don't go to Fantasyland if you miss magic morning. I checked the app and Peter Pan was at 40 min. at 8am.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

Perfect! And Duh! I had just recently downloaded the app. Forgot all about the "buy tickets" link. AND it includes Magic Mornings. I think we are set!
Do we then get a paper ticket? I'm guessing they have to give you one so you can get FP's.

Yes, you will get a paper ticket at the gate. We bough tickets off of Last Minute Travel, and that is what they do for all voucher/e-ticket type ticket purchases.

 

[disneychrista]

I didn't buy my ticket on the APP. I bought it online. But as soon as I signed into the APP my ticket was there. I loved not having to worry about printing it out. They scanned my phone and then gave me a paper ticket.

 

[quiltymom]

This is good to know. Thanks!

 

[Phoenixrising]

I'd call your hotel and see if they've got tickets that you can buy from them. I always buy my tickets at the hotel, as for some strange reason the Disney website doesn't like my CC, even though it's good. I know that when I stay at BWPPI that when I book my hotel room, I email them to let them know that I'm going to need tickets, and have never had a problem. Hope this helps.

 

[Bud Ice]

Also, buying at the gate. Means you stand in a line while others enjoy the wonder day

 

[Leilanie94]

Thanks everyone for the info. I will definitely purchase our tickets online.

 

[rileyz]

If we buy tickets at the the hotel or gate but are staying at GCH we get early entry each day we are there, correct?

 

[Geemo]

If we buy tickets at the the hotel or gate but are staying at GCH we get early entry each day we are there, correct?

On-site guests have EE for the parks.
Don't waste time in line at a ticket booth, get your tickets when you check-in to the GCH.

Getting park tickets at the hotel is great!

 

[whoever]

Waiting in line behind people who are trying to redeem X, Y, or Z, trying to argue with the CMs, trying to con the CMs, etc... Buy ahead. Buying at the park has always been a nightmare.

 

[bcla]

I'd call your hotel and see if they've got tickets that you can buy from them. I always buy my tickets at the hotel, as for some strange reason the Disney website doesn't like my CC, even though it's good. I know that when I stay at BWPPI that when I book my hotel room, I email them to let them know that I'm going to need tickets, and have never had a problem. Hope this helps.

Depends on the hotel. Some of the "Good Neighbor" hotels sell vouchers that are exchanged at the gate. We bought ours last week at our hotel with a "Disney Desk" with a real Disney cast member. The tickets we got were like the ones issued at the main ticket booth or gates. The CM asked us for our exact names to have printed on the tickets. A Disney Desk can handle any ticket and can even do annual passes.