applying 1 day tickts to ap

[rt2dz]

Here is my recent experience on upgrading a ticket to an AP:

We purchased tickets from a well known ticket broker for our trip this past October. They were park hopper multi day tickets. We used these tickets for 3 days and on the 4th day went to the TTC to upgrade to an AP. We were NOT given credit for the current gate price - in fact they were able to tell us exactly what the original price paid for the ticket was and the date it was purchased by the ticket broker. We were given credit ONLY for the full gate value of the ticket at the time it was purchased - it was purchased PRIOR to the last ticket increase. No amount of discussion, asking for a supervisor, etc. got us anywhere on getting the current full gate value of the tickets applied to our purchase.

Finally I conceded and accepted that at least I didn't lose any money and as we walked out I looked at the expiration date on the APs and they weren't dated to expire on the first day we used them, i.e. 4 days ago but on the date the ticket broker purchased the tickets--June of this year. I returned to the counter and it took another 30 minutes of back and forth for them to agree to redo the tickets and set the expiration to the first time we USED them to enter the park. Note: these were NOT used tickets - they were purchased from a well known ticket broker that I'm sure many of you have purchased from. Disney also verified the tickets had not been used - but we were informed they could tell in their system the date the tickets were originally sold and the full gate value of the ticket at the time of resale.

It cost us $150 more for the upgrade of 2 tickets than I expected (1 adult and 1 child) this was due to the increase in ticket prices and the discount the broker sold us the tickets. I'm not the only person that has experienced this issue -- the other 2 families had the same problem and both of them just returned from Disney.

Your experience may be different - I just wanted to let people know so they can be prepared that Disney may have recently changed their policy and to be sure to check the expiration date of any AP ticket you purchase as an upgrade. I did save my receipt and have been searching and searching for some official Disney policy on ticket upgrades so that we can get the money back - its not like we won't just turn around and give it back to Disney--we are going back in January! If anyone has a link to a page on the Disney site that says they will give you CURRENT full gate price for any ticket you use please let me know.

Maybe one of the experts can help, like mbanks21 ??? TYIA to anyone that can help!

What happened was you got someone who did not know what they were doing. When we went Halloween week (two weeks ago), I needed to upgrade some of our tickets (HIGHLY discounted through DH’s company) to APs. The CM at guest relations did not bridge the price. I knew it was more than I was expecting—wasn’t planning on upgrading that day because we got a late start so I didn’t have the prices with me, but my AP (hadn’t expired) was demagnetized and I had to replace it. At the time, I just thought maybe I did a math error and thought nothing of it. Of course when we got back to the resort I realized it was way off and the CM did not make an intermediate ticket to bridge the price. I flipped out (it was several hundred dollars off) and came to the DIS to talk to a ticket CM who gave me fantastic advice/directions to correct the problem. What to say, what to do, etc.

I went to a different guest relations office the next day with receipts in hand. I explained what happened, using key words. The CM knew exactly what I was talking about, but wasn’t sure she could fix it since I left with the incorrect price, and from a different guest relations office. The guest relations manager said they aren’t supposed to fix it after the fact, but would do so for me as a onetime curtsey. It took A LOT of time, but it was done. They even gave us fast passes for our inconvenience. Not necessary, but hey, I’ll take them!

I found out (and recommend abundantly) to ALWAYS have the prices with you. If the entire staff, management, is clueless, just thank them and go to a different guest relations office. You gain nothing by waiting to upgrade. Your AP expires from the first date of use and all you do is cut yourself off from discounts. Plus, if there is a problem, you have less time to get it fixed. Also, it is always recommended that you check the dates on APs. Sometimes, they give you the expiration date from when the voucher was purchased. It’s very common. I think they probably have a step to do in conversions that gets skipped/forgotten from time to time.

The big moral of the story is: Be polite, but persistent. Know what you should be paying. Don’t delay in case of problems. And check everything before you walk away from the counter and the CM clears the computer.

As far as links--THIS one is a sticky on here, written by a CM that sells tickets (I think a guest relations manager), who is very active on the DIS and took this straight from training guides and other published information. This sticky is kept very updated, as you can tell from the last couple of posts.

 

[rt2dz]

I'm still a little confused by all this.

I just took advantage of the 4/3 deal and purchased a one day base ticket (no hopping) with that deal becuase I plan on getting a new AP upon my arrival to WDW in April 2009. I have two questions?

1. Can I put the value of that one day base ticket (no hopping) towards the purchase of a new AP? or is it only good for renewing an existing AP? Also, do I have to activate that one day base ticket, leave the park, then upgrade to an AP, or can I upgrade to an AP without the one day base ticket being used.

2. With this package is the one day base ticket programmed on my resort room key? Will I still be able to keep my room key or will I have to get a new one after upgrading to an AP? Or can they separate the room key and give me a separate media/ticket for the one day base ticket at check in?

1. Yes, you may put the value of any ticket you purchase towards the purchase of a new AP. It would be better to get a 7 day ticket, giving you $9 of credit free with this offer, than a one day base ticket. You do not need to leave the park. Use the ticket to get into the park, walk over to guest relations inside the park, and do the upgrade. The sooner the better. Come armed with your numbers (see previous post). AP upgrades MUST be done at park guest relations, not at resorts. You may upgrade any ticket without using it, but you will only get the value of what Disney sold it for. No big deal if it was gate price (as with this offer assuming no ticket price increases between booking and using), but if you bought a ticket that gave you free days or from a discount broker you’ll be losing money. Especially if you purchased from a discount broker because you’d get less credit than what you paid for it.

2. Yes, the ticket will be on your resort key. You should, especially if you have a dining plan, go to concierge at your resort and have the ticket removed from your key and put on a separate media. Guest relations just aren’t good at that step. You will keep your room key. If guest relations does it, you may lose your dining credits for the rest of the day until you get back to your hotel and may have to have your room key reprogrammed. Easy, but inconvenient and time consuming.

 

[baj0505]

rt2dz thanks for your response. I guess I will keep writing to Disney and hope someone gives us a 'one time exception'.

I really did everything I could to get them to fix it. I was at the TTC over an hour and talked to 2 supervisors and we even tried at the Epcot Guest Relations but again no go.

1. Yes, we had all the numbers written down and that's why I knew right away the upgrade price was too much. I even gave them the amount I was expecting to pay on each ticket. No go. Totally shot down in every way.

2. I did check the expiration dates and after another round and round got those fixed.

3. I did try again at the Epcot Guest Relations center and explained our case. They pulled up all the original transaction informtion and confirmed in their opinion we were charged correctly. The supervisor said there is no written policy that we should be given full current gate price on a ticket upgrade and basically accused me of being a thief if I expected Disney to give me more than the gate price of the ticket at time of purchase.


4. I was polite and when I felt like I was going to cross into being non-polite I left and asked my husband to give it a try but he had no more luck than I did - in fact they wrote down on a piece of paper exactly what the tickets were worth (original gate price) --it was a very, very non-magical moment--well actually 2 hours total getting no where on all this.

Maybe I made a mistake walking away but at some point you realize you are getting no where and I could let it ruin our last day at the parks and or finish off the day, come home and try and see if we could get some help to straighten everything out after the fact. I did have my 8 yr old son with me and I didn't want him to witness mommy or daddy 'wigging' out over money.

Thanks again. I will try again by emailing Disney and see if anyone will contact me back. So far no response.

 

[rt2dz]

rt2dz thanks for your response. I guess I will keep writing to Disney and hope someone gives us a 'one time exception'.

I really did everything I could to get them to fix it. I was at the TTC over an hour and talked to 2 supervisors and we even tried at the Epcot Guest Relations but again no go.

1. Yes, we had all the numbers written down and that's why I knew right away the upgrade price was too much. I even gave them the amount I was expecting to pay on each ticket. No go. Totally shot down in every way.

2. I did check the expiration dates and after another round and round got those fixed.

3. I did try again at the Epcot Guest Relations center and explained our case. They pulled up all the original transaction informtion and confirmed in their opinion we were charged correctly. The supervisor said there is no written policy that we should be given full current gate price on a ticket upgrade and basically accused me of being a thief if I expected Disney to give me more than the gate price of the ticket at time of purchase.


4. I was polite and when I felt like I was going to cross into being non-polite I left and asked my husband to give it a try but he had no more luck than I did - in fact they wrote down on a piece of paper exactly what the tickets were worth (original gate price) --it was a very, very non-magical moment--well actually 2 hours total getting no where on all this.

Maybe I made a mistake walking away but at some point you realize you are getting no where and I could let it ruin our last day at the parks and or finish off the day, come home and try and see if we could get some help to straighten everything out after the fact. I did have my 8 yr old son with me and I didn't want him to witness mommy or daddy 'wigging' out over money.

Thanks again. I will try again by emailing Disney and see if anyone will contact me back. So far no response.

I am so sorry for your experience. That should not have happened. I don't blame you for walking away. Write Disney. Use snail mail, it carries more weight. Also, go over to the theme parks board and post your experience there and ask for advice. Cheshire Figment can surely help in some way.

 

[baj0505]

I am so sorry for your experience. That should not have happened. I don't blame you for walking away. Write Disney. Use snail mail, it carries more weight. Also, go over to the theme parks board and post your experience there and ask for advice. Cheshire Figment can surely help in some way.

Thanks rt2dz, I will do that. I saved the email 'contact us' message that I sent when we got back and I resent it today. I will put it in snail mail and try that also. Its not like Disney wouldn't have eventually received the $150 back, we are going to the Poly Jan 09 and BCV in June 09. Again thanks for all your help and I will followup on your suggestions.

 

[mbanks21]

That is definately shady. I wouldve walked away and gone to a differant ticket counter at MK or TTC or anywhere else because thats not right at all. I would definately send a letter, they basically told you that you "used" your ticket the second it was purchased (by the wholesaler) even though it never went through the turnstyle. Very shady by them

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

1. Yes, you may put the value of any ticket you purchase towards the purchase of a new AP. It would be better to get a 7 day ticket, giving you $9 of credit free with this offer, than a one day base ticket. You do not need to leave the park. Use the ticket to get into the park, walk over to guest relations inside the park, and do the upgrade. The sooner the better. Come armed with your numbers (see previous post). AP upgrades MUST be done at park guest relations, not at resorts. You may upgrade any ticket without using it, but you will only get the value of what Disney sold it for. No big deal if it was gate price (as with this offer assuming no ticket price increases between booking and using), but if you bought a ticket that gave you free days or from a discount broker you’ll be losing money. Especially if you purchased from a discount broker because you’d get less credit than what you paid for it.

2. Yes, the ticket will be on your resort key. You should, especially if you have a dining plan, go to concierge at your resort and have the ticket removed from your key and put on a separate media. Guest relations just aren’t good at that step. You will keep your room key. If guest relations does it, you may lose your dining credits for the rest of the day until you get back to your hotel and may have to have your room key reprogrammed. Easy, but inconvenient and time consuming.

Thanks very much. We are not on the dining plan for this 4/3 package. So I guess what I will do is upon check in, go to the concierge desk at the Poly (that's where we are staying) and ask them to separate my room key from my ticket. then upon arriving at the MK, go to guest relations to upgrade my one day base ticket to the purchase of the new AP. OK given that the prices don't go up between now and April the AP should cost $499.49 w/tax and the one day base ticket value should be $79.88 that would mean I would have to pay approximately $419.61.

 

[baj0505]

That is definately shady. I wouldve walked away and gone to a differant ticket counter at MK or TTC or anywhere else because thats not right at all. I would definately send a letter, they basically told you that you "used" your ticket the second it was purchased (by the wholesaler) even though it never went through the turnstyle. Very shady by them

Thanks for the input mbanks21. It took an hour of asking for supervisors but finally we were successful getting the expiration dates fixed, just a no go on getting credited for the full current gate price of the tickets--this about a $150 difference because the broker had purchased them before the last price increase. Another lesson I learned the hardway is don't wait until the last day to upgrade - I should have done it day one after using the tickets of course! Since we had used them for 3 previous days I never expected any problems. Time flies so fast at Disney. I did try the Epcot Guest Relations and they gave us the same story - no go on crediting current full gate price for the tickets. My husband (bless his heart) even tried when my patience had hit non-magical limits, he did get them to write down how they came up with the amounts on a piece of paper for us and it confirms that we received the original gate price of the ticket and not the current.

It would be nice if Disney had all the rules written somewhere! I honestly thought that since we had 2 supervisors involved and 2 different locations that they had changed the computers and weren't giving anyone the full gate value any more. I resent my email inquiry with all the details including the receipt reference number and our annual pass information. I'm sending a snail mail letter too - I basically asked them to tell me what is their policy on these type upgrades.

 

[mbanks21]

It shouldnt matter either what the wholesaler paid for them, you shouldve at the very least gotten the price before the increase which is only a differance of like $4 a piece.

 

[baj0505]

It shouldnt matter either what the wholesaler paid for them, you shouldve at the very least gotten the price before the increase which is only a differance of like $4 a piece.

Agreed. Here is more info and yes, we had used the tickets for 3 days and upgraded on the 4th day:

Tickets we turned in to upgrade were:
Adult 6 day PH NE current gate price $378.08 (per mousesavers inc/tax)
Price quoted us for Adult AP DVC discount inc/tax 392.99
Diff of 14.91

Child 6 day PH NE current gate price $340.80 (per mousesavers inc/tax)
Price quoted us for Child AP DVC discount inc/tax 347.19
Diff of 6.39

I admit I am math deficient, tax inept and totally confused when reading all Disney's ticket prices plus add ons and I very well could have made a mistake in figuring this up...but I don't see how the upgrade cost they charged me of $174.15 inc/tax to upgrade both tickets to DVC AP is correct--my math isn't even close. Did I get a decimal off somewhere? I just don't get how their math worked

 

[rt2dz]

With an unused ticket you do only get the value of what *Disney* sold them for. Not what you bought them for. So, if you get them from a discount broker, you only get credited what the discount broker paid for them, if they are unused.

If they are used, you should get *current gate value* regardless of what gate value was wehn you purchased them.

That's all there is to it. Of course, baj0505 got a raw deal and didn't get credit for the tickets as they should have been applied.