Black Out Date Ticket Purchase - Upgrade to Gold Pass

[supersnoop]

We are planning Universal Studios Day(s) Now this makes sense ^^ but from my understanding you cannot upgrade the pass unless you still have a valid park day left. Meaning I would have to upgrade on day 9 with one more day left. I could do that and plan only 9 park days with the day 10 possibly being voided out? Kinda take a chance. Or I could just upgrade to the no black out one. Ugh decisions....its a $400 difference for my fam of 4.

That's not true. You can upgrade on the last day.

 

[jmcdonnell04]

Meaning I would have to upgrade on day 9 with one more day left. I could do that and plan only 9 park days with the day 10 possibly being voided out? Kinda take a chance. Or I could just upgrade to the no black out one. Ugh decisions....its a $400 difference for my fam of 4.

To be on the safe side I could purchase a 6 day ticket which is only say $ 10 more than a 5 day ticket that way I can get 5 full days at the parks during the blackout time and then upgrade as we exit on our last day. Paying $ 40 extra dollars for peace of mind and saving $ 400 for our family seems like a good return and the extra money would go towards the annual pass too.

 

[nabi]

I'll be lurking to see how this all works out. We renewed to the original AP 2 days prior to the changes and now feel compelled to go during Christmas and Easter since the non-blackout passes are so much higher for next year. Good luck!

 

[supersnoop]

To be on the safe side I could purchase a 6 day ticket which is only say $ 10 more than a 5 day ticket that way I can get 5 full days at the parks during the blackout time and then upgrade as we exit on our last day. Paying $ 40 extra dollars for peace of mind and saving $ 400 for our family seems like a good return and the extra money would go towards the annual pass too.

That's unnecessary:

That's not true. You can upgrade on the last day.

 

[Pirate Granny]

Hummmmm, when we upgraded 10 day park hoppers plus water park on the last day, we were forced to get the premium pass since we went to the water parks. My guess is that they will NOT give you the gold pass, cause you used five days in the black out period (same as us with the water park thing). They can't issue you an annual pass for something you weren't entited to, meaning the first five days you would've not be entitled to go into the parks. My guess is that you will have to purchase the non black out pass. Time will tell, you may get a cast member that will issue.

 

[ljcrochet]

Hummmmm, when we upgraded 10 day park hoppers plus water park on the last day, we were forced to get the premium pass since we went to the water parks. My guess is that they will NOT give you the gold pass, cause you used five days in the black out period (same as us with the water park thing). They can't issue you an annual pass for something you weren't entited to, meaning the first five days you would've not be entitled to go into the parks. My guess is that you will have to purchase the non black out pass. Time will tell, you may get a cast member that will issue.

I don't think you can can compare going to a water park to black out dates. FLorida residents have always had a season pass that they could upgrade to even if they went during the blacked out periods

 

[Anchored]

I just did this over spring break - it is not the same as water park
I paid for a 3 day ticket and used it over spring break(blackout dates for the pass I was getting), on our last day in the park, around 6pm, I went to guest services and upgraded my ticket to a pass with blackout dates
I could not get BACK IN that day, but they totally let me, my mom, my son, my niece, and my daughter all upgrade

 

[jmcdonnell04]

I just did this over spring break - it is not the same as water park
I paid for a 3 day ticket and used it over spring break(blackout dates for the pass I was getting), on our last day in the park, around 6pm, I went to guest services and upgraded my ticket to a pass with blackout dates
I could not get BACK IN that day, but they totally let me, my mom, my son, my niece, and my daughter all upgrade

I talked to DVC Member Services regarding changing my room reservation and the rep said that yes I can use my 5- day ticket during the blackout date and on my last day go to Guest Services and upgrade to the GOLD pass with blackout dates. As SuperSnoop advised, I do not have to add an extra day to my ticket purchase. Thank you to all for your comments and advice.

 

[Ali]

I was not allowed to do this a few years ago, it would be nice if you could do it Waiting for more reports.

 

[jmcdonnell04]

Here is Guest Relations answer to my original post -- Good News for all

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World® Resort

You will be pleased to learn you are invited to upgrade or modify your existing Magic Your Way Tickets any time in person within 14 days from the date of first use as long as there are entitlements remaining. After 14 days from the date of first use or if there are no longer entitlements remaining, no Ticket modifications or upgrades may take place. As you stated, all upgrades need to be done in person at any of our Guest Relations windows.

A Cast Member at Guest Relations will discuss pricing information with you, as this electronic mail department is unable to quote Magic Your Way Ticket upgrades.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.

Have a Disney day!

Sincerely,

T**** D*****

eCommerce Sales and Service Team

PLEASE NOTE: All information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to your visit.


Original Message Follows: ------------------------

I need your help. Please let me spell out what I am trying to accomplish and see if this possible. Recently as in 3 weeks ago, I booked a trip to Disneyworld to see the Osborne Lights one last time and booked a 1 BR at SS. I was hoping for a Premium Pass discount but was surprised by the AP price hike and now our trip is during the blackout dates.

1. Purchase a 5-Day Magic Your Way Pass for $ 400 and go to the parks for those 5 days.
2. Once I go thru the gate on the 5th day, I go to the Guest Services and upgrade my ticket to a Gold AP
3. I will pay the difference in prices. $ 549 DVC Gold Pass minus $ 400 ticket price so I pay $ 149 + tax.

Can I do this?
Do I have the sequence correct?
Do I roughly have the upgrade price correct?
Thank you for your assistance

 

[ldo]

This would be cool if we can. Buy a ticket for the blackout and then upgrade to gold for the rest of the year. Anyone who is (not) sucessful, please report back.

 

[Brian Noble]

Here is Guest Relations answer to my original post -- Good News for all

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World® Resort

...

Unfortunately, that response does not directly answer your question. It says you can upgrade, but does not specifically say you can upgrade to a Gold pass. What's more, it explicitly says that they can't quote a price for you. So, if you were told you had to upgrade to a Platinum Pass when you got to the ticket booth, this email would still be technically correct.

I may be reading too much into this response, but I personally would not take this as confirmation that you can do what you are hoping to do.

 

[abja09]

I talked to DVC Member Services regarding changing my room reservation and the rep said that yes I can use my 5- day ticket during the blackout date and on my last day go to Guest Services and upgrade to the GOLD pass with blackout dates. As SuperSnoop advised, I do not have to add an extra day to my ticket purchase. Thank you to all for your comments and advice.

I hoping to do this myself over Spring break. I guess we will all have to wait and see what happens for those that try to upgrade at the Christmas black out times.

 

[tazleiten12]

I'm confused you are saying that you can use the 5th day of a 5 day ticket and then upgrade, but the reply from Disney was you have to have an entitlement left. So you would not have an entitlement left if you used your 5th day correct? So wouldn't you need to add a 6th day, so you have one day left on the ticket, before upgrading?

 

[DisDadDVC]

Unfortunately, that response does not directly answer your question. It says you can upgrade, but does not specifically say you can upgrade to a Gold pass. What's more, it explicitly says that they can't quote a price for you. So, if you were told you had to upgrade to a Platinum Pass when you got to the ticket booth, this email would still be technically correct.

I may be reading too much into this response, but I personally would not take this as confirmation that you can do what you are hoping to do.

I agree. It is simply a canned response from them. It may very well work, but it won't be because they fully understood their question.

 

[jmcdonnell04]

Unfortunately, that response does not directly answer your question. It says you can upgrade, but does not specifically say you can upgrade to a Gold pass. What's more, it explicitly says that they can't quote a price for you. So, if you were told you had to upgrade to a Platinum Pass when you got to the ticket booth, this email would still be technically correct.

I may be reading too much into this response, but I personally would not take this as confirmation that you can do what you are hoping to do.

My email to Guest Relations specifically mentioned a GOLD PASS. I agree that it reads like a canned response but I will have the email for support.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'm confused you are saying that you can use the 5th day of a 5 day ticket and then upgrade, but the reply from Disney was you have to have an entitlement left. So you would not have an entitlement left if you used your 5th day correct? So wouldn't you need to add a 6th day, so you have one day left on the ticket, before upgrading?

The upgrade has to be done before the end of the 5th day in that example. The park entry would still be valid - so an existing entitlement to enter a park.

 

[tazleiten12]

I see. I'm thinking about doing the same thing with a 10 day pass i have. Upgrading it to a AP. I was thinking i would only be able to use 9 days, and i would lose the 10th day. So i wouldn't have to, I could use the 10th day and upgrade before leaving the park at guest relations?
THANKS!

The upgrade has to be done before the end of the 5th day in that example. The park entry would still be valid - so an existing entitlement to enter a park.