AP info - Basics

[MommiePrincess]

I know there are many posts about AP's that I need to take the time to find, so please excuse my lack of knowledge on this. I apologize in advance for these basic questions.

We are planning to take the family twice a year to DLR. (DH, me DD4 and DD 15 months). This April when we go for 8 nights, we have purchased a hotel and park ticket package through Disney. We plan to go again in December for approximately 6 nights.

Can we take the package-purchased 6 day park hopper tickets and apply the value of them towards a AP (non-SC)?
We would be buying a 1 day park hopper as well (because we want to go to the park 7 days and DIsney does not sell a 7 day park hopper) - can we apply that as well?
If one of days we would be going to the park is a blockout days for AP's, can I buy the one day park hopper ticket that I mentioned above and use it for attendance that day and then apply the value of it to the AP?

How/where do I do this....on the phone now, when we arrive at GCH, etc?

If I wanted to get the dining etc discounts, I should convert the tickets prior to or at arrival, correct?



Thanks in advance!!

 

[arliepooh68]

well u usualy are not paying for the dining res, tell them you are getting an ap when you get there when you made the reservation. as for the tickets . . i'd call and ask . . . or email and ask . . . sorry can't help you there, but good luck!

 

[Eeee-va]

For the tickets, I THINK that you can only apply the value of ONE ticket admission and then any UNUSED tickets.

In other words, if you used a 1-day ticket to get into the park and then you had a 6-day ticket that had NOT been used, you could use both to upgrade to an AP (provided the price of the 6-day ticket + the price of your 1-day ticket is less than the price of your AP). Or if you were on day 3 of your 6-day ticket, you could upgrade that to an AP and add your unused 1-day ticket to it.

However, if you used part of your 6-day ticket and ALSO used your 1-day ticket, and tried to upgrade them together, I don't think it would work.

Personally, I would always get a Park Hopper first for Magic Morning, and then upgrade that, even if that means you may miss discounts for a few meals. But discounts may mean more to you?

Unless the problem is that Day 7 is a blockout date, I think your best route is:

*Buy a Park Hopper
*After your blockout date (and after you've used your Magic Morning), upgrade the hopper to an AP

If your blockout date is later in your trip, you can do the math about discounts and figure out if it's worth waiting until you pass your blockout date, and possibly upgrade one pass to an AP when you get into the park and then upgrade the others after the blockout date. You would have to spend $450 or so on food after upgrading a single ticket but before your blockout date for this strategy to be worth it. Plus you would have to wait in the AP lines twice. I probably wouldn't recommend it, but it might work for you.

Even if Day 7 is a blockout date, you'll still save money if you:

*Buy a Park Hopper
*After you've used your Magic Morning, upgrade the hopper to an AP
*On your blockout date, buy a $45 "blockout" park-hopper for each AP-holder (instead of a pricey 1-day pass)

Have a great trip!

 

[bumbershoot]

The upgrade value of the 6 day ticket will probably be the prepurchase value of a 6 day ticket. Not the super-special rates (buy 3 get 5, or pay kid's price), but the normal pre-purchase price found on disneyland.com.

Since you are planning on upgrading to APs do NOT buy the 1 day tickets. There's absolutely no point to that.

If your hotel is one of the on-site hotels, you don't even have to worry about the Magic Morning day you get with your ticket, as, unless something drastic has changed and no one has reported back yet, you get to take part in the Magic Mornings during your stay (including checkin day if you're there early enough, and checkout day, if either or both is a MM day).

 

[Raindown]

You also might think about getting the passes or at least one, for the discounts.