Bridging from 10 day ticket to AP;for me no value

[Dean1953]

at Epcot tonight, I asked 3 different customer service persons to bridge a 10 day ticket to an AP that sells for $779.00, plus tax I bought the ticket 18 months ago from Undercover Tourist for $388. The current value if bought from Disney is $440. The current value of the AP if bought from Disney is $829. Both prices include tax. I expected to be paying $389.00. However, all 3 customer service persons quoted me $440.00, which is the difference between what I originally paid for the 10 day ticket through U.T. And the $829 cost of the AP. I thought that I was following the bridging rules and use the ticket to enter a Park at least once (my step daughter to whom I gave the ticket went to both Magic Kingdom and AK before Epcot). The kicker is, after the second customer service person checked with her supervisor, I caved in and paid the $440, took the magic band which is attached to the ticket, back outside the entrance gate and gave it back to my step daughter. The magic band didn't work, which necessitated another visit to a customer service representative. The second Customer Represenative screwed up the transaction. It took the third person 20 minutes to get the AP on the right account. In all, I spent almost 90 minutes between the three Customer Represenatives. Have I mis interpreted the bridging rules or did Disney chance the rules in the last couple of months. I'm waiting on comments here before sending a complaint to Disney.

 

[hiroMYhero]

When the new Ticket Pricing went into effect in February, the benefits of Upgrading changed based on when the original ticket was purchased.

@Robo explains this in his Ticket Sticky:
Post #5 - Upgrading Tickets

 

[alex9179]

Since you bought the tickets before they were restructured in 2/2016, you need to use the gate price before the change.

Edit : Oops! $426 includes tax, so I mixed them up, too.

Tax included, (AP) 829.64 - (10 day base before 2/16)426 = 403.64

Your math isn't working out for me because you're mixing pre-taxed and taxed values but, yes, you were overcharged according to the bridging guidelines in Robo's linked post.

You don't have to use the ticket before being able to bridge. You only have to find the rare CM who knows how to do it. More often than not, it's a huge hassle.

 

[Robo]

1. an AP that sells for $779.00, plus tax
2. I bought the ticket 18 months ago from Undercover Tourist for $388.
3. The current value if bought from Disney is $440.
The current value of the AP if bought from Disney is $829.
4. Both prices include tax.
5. I expected to be paying $389.00.
However, all 3 customer service persons quoted me $440.00,
6. which is the difference between what I originally paid for the 10 day ticket through U.T. And the $829 cost of the AP.
7. I thought that I was following the bridging rules and use the ticket to enter a Park at least once...
8. Have I mis interpreted the bridging rules or did Disney chance the rules in the last couple of months. I'm waiting on comments here before sending a complaint to Disney.

1. That's 829.64 with tax.
2. What you paid UT is not a part of the upgrade procedure.
3. Yes, or $468.60 with tax.
4. I'm not sure which "both" you mean.
5. I think you are making a calculation error.
$829.64
-468.60
=361.04
6. What you paid UT is not a part of the upgrade procedure.
What they SHOULD be giving you for the value of your UT 10-day base ticket is $426 with tax.
(That was the full price of a 10-day base ticket before the latest price increase of Feb. 12, 2017.)
So, below is what should be the equation and end result:
$829.64
-426.00
=403.64
7. Using a ticket before upgrading (while it is perfectly OK to do) does not affect the upgrade price, one way or the other.
8. Somewhat.
The price for the upgrade should have been $403.64

 

[Robo]

1. 10 day MYW base prior to Feb. 12, 2017 was $426 (WITH tax)
2. current AP is $779 (WITHOUT tax.) The current AP is $829.64 (WITH tax.)

So
$829.64
-426
=403.64

 

[alex9179]

You're mixing pre-tax and post-tax prices, too.

1. 10 day MYW base was $426 (WITH tax)
2. current AP is $779 (WITHOUT tax.) The current AP is $829.64 (WITH tax.)

I was editing to fix it, LOL! I didn't see Allears message, at first.

 

[Robo]

I was editing to fix it, LOL! I didn't see Allears message, at first.

Yup.
Lots of numbers to juggle.

Oh... the JOYS of ticket equations!

 

[Robo]

did Disney chance the rules in the last couple of months.

Yes. On Feb. 12, 2017.
But, there have been several reports of ticket CM errors since then.
Certain ill-trained CMs who seemed intent to "punish" a guest with a too-low price for their old ticket.

HOWEVER, there have also been several reports of ticket CMs offering a better price than the "new rules" state, too.
Some guests have gotten the price difference of the CURRENT value of their "old ticket" in the upgrade transaction (as used to be the normal case in upgrading discounted tickets.)

 

[Accident]

Is it just me or does it seem that anyone that has issues getting full value has that problem at epcot?

Also the college program just changed so there is a lot of barely trained cast members all over the place.. They are as charming as brick.

 

[Dean1953]

So, according to the bridging rules, I was overcharged $37.00. You have to love Disney's rules. I had bought the ticket to upgrade to AP this summer, along with a 10 day base ticket for my 9 year old (which I still have). When the 13 months for 12 months AP offer came out, I decided to get those by the deadline, January 3. However, Disney wouldn't upgrade over the phone, only in person, meaning I had to pay $1,600 for 2 AP's. Disney has the right to change rules but shouldn't penalize customers that previously bought tickets with the intention of bridging at a later time. In that respect, it's like the airlines and their baggage policies. I don't like surprises from the airlines when you are midway through your round trip and they know you can't do anything about it. There's not much you can do when standing in front of a Disney employee and they all say the upgrade will cost thirty seven dollars more than you expect The second representative was right in saying that the rule had changed three months ago. The third representative said that, in his four years of working at Disney, he had never bridged a ticket like I was describing to him. I think that a letter to Disney is in order, when you add the screw up of the upgrade by the second representative, which required a third visit with a representative.

 

[Robo]

I think that a letter to Disney is in order...

Agreed.

 

[bladiator]

Is it just me or does it seem that anyone that has issues getting full value has that problem at epcot?

Also the college program just changed so there is a lot of barely trained cast members all over the place.. They are as charming as brick.

 

[ajfd]

Is it just me or does it seem that anyone that has issues getting full value has that problem at epcot?

Funny because my perception (both from these boards and in person) is the exact opposite. Again, that is my perception which has little relation to reality.

I've always gone to EPCOT without issue (usually the IG, but sometimes the front).

 

[Accident]

Funny because my perception (both from these boards and in person) is the exact opposite. Again, that is my perception which has little relation to reality.

I've always gone to EPCOT without issue (usually the IG, but sometimes the front).

I've found the ticket / info windows at IG to be amazing. I suspect because there isn't that many so they need to be more competent instead of having someone nearby to help them.

but I was mentioning from threads posted. It just seems that epcot is in the description whenever it comes to bridging tickets for an upgrade. (not saying others don't pop up, but epcot seems to pop up more). but I also don't read everything so it could just be me.

 

[bumbershoot]

There's not much you can do when standing in front of a Disney employee and they all say the upgrade will cost thirty seven dollars more than you expec

Yiu do what you did with the first two CMs. Take the tickets and leave. Then post here and find out.

Agreed.

Double agreed.

 

[cigar95]

I've always gone to EPCOT without issue (usually the IG, but sometimes the front).

The Guest Relations desk in Innoventions East is the one place that I suspect is more prone to issues like this. It is staffed largely by International Program CMs who, while always polite and enthusiastic, will tend to be less experienced than the "lifers" you figure to find elsewhere.
While it's strictly anecdotal, the one time I had an issue with a ticket upgrade was with a young lady from France who had no idea of bridging. (I made sure not to use the word "bridging", but her understanding was to go entirely by the value of the ticket that appeared on her screen, which was far less than my original purchase price.)
I've since become a convert to saving on tickets by using discounted gift cards, which avoids the problem altogether. Admittedly, that would not have helped our original poster. who was in a different situation.

 

[alex9179]

I've only bridged tickets once in 2012. Neither GR in DHS or Innovations East knew the procedure and thought that what the reseller paid is what I should have been credited. I did get it corrected at the Epcot location, but it took some hands on hips posturing - ha! I was polite the entire time because I know how hard it is to want to help a jerk.

I anticipate having issues at GR in DS when we arrive. I need it for my room and food discounts so I'll just keep trying to get it corrected, afterwards. I'm also mentally composing my disgruntled letter to Disney

 

[bladiator]

So in any of these cases, do you EVER use the term "bridging" with the CM or do you let them just figure it out themselves and if they don't ... you just move on?

 

[Robo]

So in any of these cases, do you EVER use the term "bridging" with the CM or do you let them just figure it out themselves and if they don't ... you just move on?

No particular reason to use the term, or to not use the term.
It might help, or it might not.
This whole thing totally depends on the particular CM(s) you happen to get.

 

[wilkeliza]

Don't use the term bridging. That means nothing to ticket CMs. Just say you would like to know the price to upgrade your current ticket to an annual pass.