Buying all days needed ahead of time with room vs upgrading tickets when we arrive

[RunDanceSkate]

My head is hurting from trying to figure this out so I would appreciate a fresh set of eyes. We will be at my happy place with free dining Aug 23rd (around 3pm) to Sept 2nd (leaving early AM). Giving us 9 full park days. Having enjoyed many days there last year we do not have many must do, except Everest and enjoying the parks. We would like to go to a water park. We do not plan to be back within the year so no annual passes this time. Currently I have a package booked with 1 day tickets.

Our party consists of :

DH (has 1 single day single park ticket from volunteering must be used this year)
ME (have a single day left on old ticket)
DS12 (single day volunteer ticket)
DD (no old tickets)

We all have a single day from last years free dining because we had annual passes. If I wait to upgrade then rumour has it that I may be able to apply last years single and this years single but I lose the advantage of buying ahead. The following calculations are using gate prices.

Possible ticket combos (using 1 adult as an example) are:

No H2O or Disney quest
8 day ticket $219.39 or 24.50per day for 9 main park days

1 H2O day and 8 main park days
7 day ticket $217.26
1 H2O day $37.28
equals $254.54 or $28.28 per day

3 H2O days and 6 main park days
5 day ticket $211.94
H2O add $53.25
equals $265.19 or $29.40 per day

3 H2O days and 6 park days plus park hopper (because we have fewer park days)
5 day ticket $211.94
H2O add $53.25
Hopper $42.60
equals $307.79 or $34.10 per day

10 day non expiring ticket plus 6 H20 passes (use 5 park and 3 days H2O plus single days now so total will be divided in half )
10day ticket $223.65
H2O add $53.25
Non'expire $143.78
total $420.68 divided by 2 $210.34 or $23.37 per day this trip ($26.29 per day future trip)

10 day non expiring ticket plus 6 H20 passes plus park hopper (because we have fewer park days)
10day ticket $223.65
H2O add $53.25
Non'expire $143.78
Hopper $42.60
total $463.28 divided by 2 $231.64 or $25.73per day this trip ($28.95 per day future trip)

I guess it comes down to two questions, give up the advanced purchase discount ($18 or so per person ) on the chance that I can upgrade last years ticket.

and

No water parks but 9 park days

or

3 H2O days and 6 park days

Am I missing anything in my calculation?

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Wow! And I thought I was the only one who gets out the calculator and figures all the angles down to the penny! We must be soulmates! Let's see if I can give you some answers...

You cannot use both last year's 1-day pass and this year's 1-day pass to apply to the same ticket upgrade. You can use either last year's ticket or this year's pass. To get the advance-purchase discount, you might want to get the upgrade done before you make your final payment on the package. I'm also unsure as to whether some of your current 1-day passes are upgradeable (certain comp tickets and convention passes aren't).

So, let's say that you upgrade everyone from 1-day passes from the package to 8-day passes. Everyone will have 9 park days except your DD. Just upgrade her ticket to a 9-day pass at check in. The difference in cost between an 8-day pass and a 9-day pass is (drumroll please....)....$2.13! Then again, for that price I would upgrade everyone to 9-day passes and save the 1-day passes for another time.

 

[RunDanceSkate]

I made my final payment yesterday. Yup I figure it out to the penny. It does seem to make sense to just buy what we need now. Save last year's single day due to free dining for next time but I still have 2 complimentaries to use this year before Jan 1.