Bridging 10 Day Hopper plus to AP after one use

[reddog]

Hi,

We seemed to think that a 10 day park hopper with water park option would be enough for our two week stay, but it turns out we may be able to stay a bit longer as well as see a future trip within the year so I realize an AP will be a better choice.

I purchased discount tickets so I understand that I would want to at least use the ticket once so that I can use the current price of the 10 day, rather than the discounted price, applied to an AP. I'm wondering if that one use would include the mini-golf option or Typhoon Lagoon? We're not planning on entering the parks right away but we would most likely use one of the plus options first. I'd like to get the TIW card as well so I'd like to get the AP as soon as possible without having to totally change around our plans.

I've read a variety of threads on upgrading to an AP but haven't seen (or missed it) this specific question.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

If you use a "Fun" entitlement (water parks, etc), you can only upgrade to the Platinum Plus pass. If that isn't the AP you want, keep that in mind.

Price bridging discounted tickets is not dependent on using them once first, contrary to the popular wisdom around here.

 

[Alesia]

It doesn't matter where you use it, but if you use any of the wp&m entitlements, you can only upgrade to a premium AP.

 

[bumbershoot]

Price bridging discounted tickets is not dependent on using them once first, contrary to the popular wisdom around here.

Popular wisdom = knowledge gleaned from an incredibly trusted source who worked in ticketing and had permission (for a time, at least) to post specifics here.

Can you post specifics? Is this just what you choose to do, or is it what your training and the info you can access (not asking for the info directly from what you can access, just IF that info has this info) tells EVERYONE in your position to do?

Can you explain why SO many of your colleagues get it so wrong, telling people that they can't bridge no matter what?

It would be lovely if you could get as specific as you can, rather than comments like the ones I've seen you make...

 

[reddog32]

We would be choosing the same category AP with the waterparks. Glad to know it can be done after one entitlement use or possibly without that for bridging. I could check even before using it since we would be at DS first.

 

[Lynzer4]

I had a 5 day waterparks plus ticket last year when I upgraded. I got a basic AP. I had used theme park entry but not waterpark yet. They apply the whole ticket cost to your new AP.

I knew I would be going to the waterparks too so I also purchased an Waterpark AP but did them separate bc it is actually cheaper to get separate APs ( I'm not a golfer and the platinum included golfing). If you plan to visit the waterparks more then 2 times it cheaper to get an AP.

I've visited Disney more this year hen ever but that was why I got an AP bc I know I would be going a few times. Lol. Getting the most out of my AP.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Popular wisdom = knowledge gleaned from an incredibly trusted source who worked in ticketing and had permission (for a time, at least) to post specifics here.

Can you post specifics? Is this just what you choose to do, or is it what your training and the info you can access (not asking for the info directly from what you can access, just IF that info has this info) tells EVERYONE in your position to do?

Can you explain why SO many of your colleagues get it so wrong, telling people that they can't bridge no matter what?

It would be lovely if you could get as specific as you can, rather than comments like the ones I've seen you make...

The ticketing documentation resource that Vacation Planners have access to has two articles related to price bridging. One has a chart of what tickets are and are not price bridged and under what circumstances. It makes zero mention of whether tickets are used or not. Ticket usage is not mentioned in relation to price bridging in VP Core class. I have asked trainers, coordinators, and managers on Vacation Planning as well as other Vacation Planners who have been in the role for 8-10 years. Nobody is under the impression that tickets must be used to be bridged, at least not anyone I've talked to. Heck, part of our training is to always ask guests who are picking up will call tickets - including third party will call tickets - if they want to upgrade to add days, PH, or WPF&M. Part of that process, if we do our jobs right, is to price bridge.

I'm not sure how much more specific I can get than that? I posted a breakdown once before of exactly what I see in the computer when I bridge tickets. I'd look for it now but I'm on my phone because I just got off work. I can type it out again later if you want.

I can't explain why anyone but me does their job the way they do it. I had good trainers - maybe they didn't. Maybe they don't pay attention to details. Maybe they just don't care? I don't know. I know that I spend a lot of time reading documentation and asking questions about why things work the way they do. I aspire to be a trainer in the near future and I feel like knowing stuff is a good way to get there.

 

[AngiTN]

Good info. I think I'd still use the ticket once, just to be safe, since it can be such a struggle to find a CM that really knows how to do it without a headache being involved. Knock on wood, I've been lucky the times we've bridged and gotten CMs who knew exactly how to do it and got the price right. I know eventually my luck will run out

 

[linzjane88]

The ticketing documentation resource that Vacation Planners have access to has two articles related to price bridging. One has a chart of what tickets are and are not price bridged and under what circumstances. It makes zero mention of whether tickets are used or not. Ticket usage is not mentioned in relation to price bridging in VP Core class. I have asked trainers, coordinators, and managers on Vacation Planning as well as other Vacation Planners who have been in the role for 8-10 years. Nobody is under the impression that tickets must be used to be bridged, at least not anyone I've talked to. Heck, part of our training is to always ask guests who are picking up will call tickets - including third party will call tickets - if they want to upgrade to add days, PH, or WPF&M. Part of that process, if we do our jobs right, is to price bridge.

I'm not sure how much more specific I can get than that? I posted a breakdown once before of exactly what I see in the computer when I bridge tickets. I'd look for it now but I'm on my phone because I just got off work. I can type it out again later if you want.

I can't explain why anyone but me does their job the way they do it. I had good trainers - maybe they didn't. Maybe they don't pay attention to details. Maybe they just don't care? I don't know. I know that I spend a lot of time reading documentation and asking questions about why things work the way they do. I aspire to be a trainer in the near future and I feel like knowing stuff is a good way to get there.

We might need your schedule so we can only visit you when we do this, JK. You seem very knowledgeable about your position and is great to hear it from the source. We don't need to bridge this visit but we have in the past.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Good info. I think I'd still use the ticket once, just to be safe, since it can be such a struggle to find a CM that really knows how to do it without a headache being involved. Knock on wood, I've been lucky the times we've bridged and gotten CMs who knew exactly how to do it and got the price right. I know eventually my luck will run out

Unfortunately, a CM who doesn't know how to do it isn't going to do it right whether the ticket is used or not.

Price bridging is only a semi-automated process in any circumstance. We have an Upgrade function and a Quick Upgrade function. Quick Upgrade is what we use to price bridge. 99% of the time, the computer does the actual work once that function is selected. (In very rare circumstances, we have to select a ticket to bridge to, but not usually.) Then we use Upgrade to do the actual act of adding usage.

For example, if I have a guest with a 4-day park hopper ticket, I see one of these things:
4D PH - if the ticket was purchased direct from Disney at gate price. If I try to Quick Upgrade this, even after a price change, it tells me I can't. I think the message is "no ticket types available" or some such thing.
4D PH TC - if the ticket was with a package. TC means Travel Company. If I Quick Upgrade this, it becomes a 4D PH at gate price, with an "UP" or "UPG" notation showing that it was changed from another ticket type. There are other "alphabet soups" like TC - we see IA, LR, DS, and some others. Most of the common ones work the same.

But using the ticket before upgrading it doesn't hurt anything, and I'm in no way telling people NOT to use their tickets first if that's what their plans dictate... Just that it's not mandatory.

If/when you encounter ticket booth CMs who say they can't or don't know how to price bridge, let Guest Relations know about them so they can receive training. It's really one of the least complex procedures we perform under normal circumstances and there's not much excuse for them not to know the basics.

 

[supersnoop]

Unfortunately, a CM who doesn't know how to do it isn't going to do it right whether the ticket is used or not.

Price bridging is only a semi-automated process in any circumstance. We have an Upgrade function and a Quick Upgrade function. Quick Upgrade is what we use to price bridge. 99% of the time, the computer does the actual work once that function is selected. (In very rare circumstances, we have to select a ticket to bridge to, but not usually.) Then we use Upgrade to do the actual act of adding usage.

For example, if I have a guest with a 4-day park hopper ticket, I see one of these things:
4D PH - if the ticket was purchased direct from Disney at gate price. If I try to Quick Upgrade this, even after a price change, it tells me I can't. I think the message is "no ticket types available" or some such thing.
4D PH TC - if the ticket was with a package. TC means Travel Company. If I Quick Upgrade this, it becomes a 4D PH at gate price, with an "UP" or "UPG" notation showing that it was changed from another ticket type. There are other "alphabet soups" like TC - we see IA, LR, DS, and some others. Most of the common ones work the same.

But using the ticket before upgrading it doesn't hurt anything, and I'm in no way telling people NOT to use their tickets first if that's what their plans dictate... Just that it's not mandatory.

If/when you encounter ticket booth CMs who say they can't or don't know how to price bridge, let Guest Relations know about them so they can receive training. It's really one of the least complex procedures we perform under normal circumstances and there's not much excuse for them not to know the basics.

Any insight into upgrading no-expiration tickets; either adding days or features?

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Any insight into upgrading no-expiration tickets; either adding days or features?

I can't do it, because I don't have the no-expire option in my computer. Any modifications I would make would require the removal of the no-expire option. The only thing I can do is change a child no-expire ticket to an adult no-expire ticket, because we don't penalize kids for growing up. (And because that uses the previously-mentioned Quick Upgrade function, which doesn't require the selection of a new ticket type except in odd circumstances.)

I've been told that Guest Relations has access to it if a guest does want to modify an unused (or first used within the last 14 days) no-expire ticket, but I can't guarantee or verify that.

 

[reddog]

Thank you for your insight. So if I have a discounted ticket (purchased in February from a discount seller) that ticket should give me the current value of the gate price on the day we go to upgrade, even if it hasn't been used at all. Our plan is to visit DS on our first day in the morning and I will see if the price quoted for an upgrade makes sense. If it looks like it would require us to pay the difference between the discount and Disney's price, then I will plan on using it for one entitlement and then make the switch.

I realize that not all CM's will do it exactly the same, so I figure I'll give myself two options this way. If I'm able to do it directly at DS before using the ticket without an extra chunk of $ put on to match Disney's current gate price then great. But if not, I'll go to Plan B and use it for one entitlement and then upgrade it to an AP. I'd prefer to get it done right away as we'd like to get TIW, but if not, we'll live.

Again, thank you all. May has been quite the confusing month to plan, and now with AK back in the mix over Memorial Day, we figured this was our best bet along with a return trip.

 

[nyrebecca]

I think I confuse myself when reading things. I have 3 park hopper tickets bought in a package thru a travel agent for our August trip. It says "6 day Magic Your Way Ticket with Park Hopper Option - Groups & Conventions" when I look it up online. Can I, or can I not, walk up to guest services and upgrade these to an Annual Pass?

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

Unfortunately, a CM who doesn't know how to do it isn't going to do it right whether the ticket is used or not.

Price bridging is only a semi-automated process in any circumstance. We have an Upgrade function and a Quick Upgrade function. Quick Upgrade is what we use to price bridge. 99% of the time, the computer does the actual work once that function is selected. (In very rare circumstances, we have to select a ticket to bridge to, but not usually.) Then we use Upgrade to do the actual act of adding usage.

For example, if I have a guest with a 4-day park hopper ticket, I see one of these things:
4D PH - if the ticket was purchased direct from Disney at gate price. If I try to Quick Upgrade this, even after a price change, it tells me I can't. I think the message is "no ticket types available" or some such thing.
4D PH TC - if the ticket was with a package. TC means Travel Company. If I Quick Upgrade this, it becomes a 4D PH at gate price, with an "UP" or "UPG" notation showing that it was changed from another ticket type. There are other "alphabet soups" like TC - we see IA, LR, DS, and some others. Most of the common ones work the same.

But using the ticket before upgrading it doesn't hurt anything, and I'm in no way telling people NOT to use their tickets first if that's what their plans dictate... Just that it's not mandatory.

If/when you encounter ticket booth CMs who say they can't or don't know how to price bridge, let Guest Relations know about them so they can receive training. It's really one of the least complex procedures we perform under normal circumstances and there's not much excuse for them not to know the basics.

I'm glad price bridging is still going on. I was a little worried with this new pricing policy. I'm contemplating APs. Another question, if I have a 2 day one park ticket from last year that I never used, can I get that bridged and use that ticket toward an AP? The ticket was removed from a package last year.

 

[Robo]

I think I confuse myself when reading things. I have 3 park hopper tickets bought in a package thru a travel agent for our August trip. It says "6 day Magic Your Way Ticket with Park Hopper Option - Groups & Conventions" when I look it up online. Can I, or can I not, walk up to guest services and upgrade these to an Annual Pass?

Certain "convention tickets" can be upgraded. Some cannot.

It sounds like yours MIGHT be able to be upgraded.

 

[Robo]

if I have a 2 day one park ticket from last year that I never used, can I get that bridged and use that ticket toward an AP? The ticket was removed from a package last year.

Yes.

 

[Beth Farrington]

We are going to DW in just a few weeks. We are DVC staying at Tree House villas. If we purchase discount tickets from a third party sold as "seven days for the price of four." And choose to upgrade to Gold AP, would the bridge base be the four day or the seven day price, OR will an upgrade be available at all?
We had not planned to go to the parks for this visit, just pool time and relaxing. But... we invited some extended family members and then found out that they had never been to Disney. Well, of course we couldnt't take them that far without actually going to the parks. The APs would (of course) just be the immediate family.
Also, at what point would the photo downloads be available?
Thanks!

 

[AngiTN]

We are going to DW in just a few weeks. We are DVC staying at Tree House villas. If we purchase discount tickets from a third party sold as "seven days for the price of four." And choose to upgrade to Gold AP, would the bridge base be the four day or the seven day price, OR will an upgrade be available at all?
We had not planned to go to the parks for this visit, just pool time and relaxing. But... we invited some extended family members and then found out that they had never been to Disney. Well, of course we couldnt't take them that far without actually going to the parks. The APs would (of course) just be the immediate family.
Also, at what point would the photo downloads be available?
Thanks!

7 day price

Free photos downloads available as soon as you have an AP