Buying New APs

[gabby]

I have read on this forum in the past that if you have a one day pass and you want to upgrade to an annual pass you should use it by going through the turnstile into the park and then going to guest relations inside the park and they will apply your now used card (?) towards your new pass at that day's rate. Is this correct? Why wouldn't Disney consider that card used? I'm a little confused. Someone please explain. I don't want to go into the park and then find out that I now used the card and have to pay full price for the card. How does this benefit Disney if you do this? Thanks for answering this question.

 

[snykymom]

Yes, it sounds odd but it works. You can upgrade a fully (or partially) used ticket within 14 days of its first use, and get the full value of the ticket applied to your upgrade.

The trick about using it first is only necessary if you bought the ticket for less than the current gate price (for example, from a discounter, or before ticket prices went up). If you upgrade it before using it, you'll only get credit for what Disney sold it for, which may be less than you actually paid for it in the case of a discounter. If you upgrade it after you've used it at least once, you'll get credit for the full current gate price of the ticket regardless of what Disney sold it for or what you paid for it.

It does work. I did this in January with a ticket I bought at a discount from Undercover Tourist before the prices went up in August. I entered MK and went to Guest Relations. I applied it towards an AP and got the full credit for the current gate price of my 7 day park hopper applied to my AP. It saved me about $40!

 

[jcanary]

BUT doesn't your AP actually get dated the day you used your ticket? if you used your ticket 5 days before you turn it in for the AP then the date will be 5 days previous. I believe that is the only catch, if not please let me know.
thanks

 

[clanmcculloch]

The trick about using it first is only necessary if you bought the ticket for less than the current gate price (for example, from a discounter, or before ticket prices went up). If you upgrade it before using it, you'll only get credit for what Disney sold it for, which may be less than you actually paid for it in the case of a discounter. If you upgrade it after you've used it at least once, you'll get credit for the full current gate price of the ticket regardless of what Disney sold it for or what you paid for it.

Is this also true for people who get their tickets as part of a package? For instance, the 4/3 deals or big kids at little kids prices deals; do you have to use the tickets before upgrading in order to get full value of the tickets off the AP price?

 

[snykymom]

Is this also true for people who get their tickets as part of a package? For instance, the 4/3 deals or big kids at little kids prices deals; do you have to use the tickets before upgrading in order to get full value of the tickets off the AP price?

Yes, that's how it works even if you got your tickets through a package. Once you check in, the "package" designation becomes meaningless. A ticket is a ticket is a ticket and all the normal upgrade procedures apply.

 

[sanapunk]

BUT doesn't your AP actually get dated the day you used your ticket? if you used your ticket 5 days before you turn it in for the AP then the date will be 5 days previous. I believe that is the only catch, if not please let me know.
thanks

Yes, this is true. A friend of mine had the florida 4 day play pass and she used it in September. She went back in November and upgraded it to a season pass, and her season pass expiration date was in September, not November.

 

[Tess]

BUT doesn't your AP actually get dated the day you used your ticket? if you used your ticket 5 days before you turn it in for the AP then the date will be 5 days previous. I believe that is the only catch, if not please let me know.
thanks

Yes, this is true. A friend of mine had the florida 4 day play pass and she used it in September. She went back in November and upgraded it to a season pass, and her season pass expiration date was in September, not November.

Maybe we were just lucky, but we upgraded two different passes while at Disney last week. My husband upgraded his 10 day PH to an AP and the expiration of the AP was one year from the date of the actual upgrade, i.e., 5/19/09 and expiring 5/19/10.

I, too, thought it would have been backdated to the date of first use, i.e., 5/12/09. Had I known, we would have waited until 5/22 (our last day) to do the upgrade.

Again, on 5/22/09, I upgraded my daughter's 10 day PH to an AP in my name (my original will expire in June and the renewal rate was $471 versus the upgrade price of $141 on the 10 day PH). I upgraded it after we entered the park for the last time and the expiration date on that AP is 5/22/10.

As I said, maybe we were just lucky on the dates, but since it occurred twice with two separate upgrades and CMs, I have to wonder?

Just for informational purposes, these were discounted 10 day PH from Undercover Tourist. I also utilized two of the 10% Passholder Referral Discount cards for the upgrades. Even though I held an AP, I was able to purchase a new one (not a renewal) and use the 10% card on my PH upgrade.