Buying Theme Park Tickets?

[ladydancer]

I have read somewhere on this board in the past, people purchasing there tickets, in advance for a future trip. The reason given was paying @ today's price as the price might go up.

I have only purchased the whole package (room w/tickets) when we have gone and never have purchased the tickets before hand.

Can you purchase the park hopper tickets in advance without a date as to when they will be used? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[mom2of2]

absolutley you can since they never expire. I would check out all the discount brokers and see what they offer.

go to mousesavers.com for a list of the best ones to use. I used Maple leaf last time and they were great

 

[DisneyBill]

When you go to mousesavers.com, be sure to subscribe to their monthly email newsletter that comes out on the 15th of each month. There is always links-through that save you money, or provide other value-added features.

 

[blujaymama]

some discounted tickets through Mapleleaf (or other discount brokers) DO expire. I bought tickets for 4 day pk hoppers and they were much cheaper however they warned me ( and I had already heard) they expire 14 days after the 1st use. The only ones that don't expire are those purchased directly from Disney.

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by blujaymama
The only ones that don't expire are those purchased directly from Disney.

I'm not sure that this is exactly what you meant.

Almost ALL Park Hoppers and Park Hopper Pluses do NOT expire no matter from where they are bought - Disney, or one of the ticket wholesellers.

There are a few hoppers out there that do expire - convention passes and 4 day expiry being 2 of them.

 

[blujaymama]

I just bought my park hoppers from Mapleleaf last week and they informed me that these tickets expire 14 days after their first use.

A while back, I asked one of these threads if they had any experience with these tickets and a few people wrote back and told me that some companies (not Disney) buy these discounted tickets and sell them but they have expirations. So I called Disney to ask about them and they told me if you buy directly from them, they never expire.

I don't know if it was just those tickets that I bought that had the expiration (from Mapleleaf) or what but I intend to use all of the days of my hopper on this trip, so I really wasn't concerned with it and didn't investigate further.

Take that as you wish, that was just what I was told.
If anyone gets to the bottom of the mystery, let me know!

 

[Brian Noble]

It is true that all tickets bought from Disney never expire. It is not true that all "no expiration" tickets are sold by Disney.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

How much were the 4-day Park Hoppers (adult and child) from Mapleleaf?

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by Brian Noble
It is true that all tickets bought from Disney never expire. It is not true that all "no expiration" tickets are sold by Disney.

Exactly Brian!

blujaymama, I was just saying that I did not think that you meant to say that ONLY Disney sells tickets that do not expire.

What MapleLeaf is selling is a ticket called 4 Day Expiry - a 4 day hopper that expires on the 14th day after first use that sells for less than the "regular" 4 day hoppers. It's a great budget option! This is a special ticket that is sold by some ticket wholesellers. (Ticketmania and DiscountOrlandoVacations also sell these tickets.) MapleLeaf, the other ticket wholesellers AND Disney all sell other Park Hoppers which never expire.

(And to completely confuse the issue, Disney DOES sell hoppers that expire - they just do not sell these to the general public. Disney sells convention tickets to people who are going to conventions or other groups activities and these tickets DO expire. So has this all made everything as clear as mud to everyone? )

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

How much $$$ for 4-Day Park Hoppers from Mapleleaf???? Website doesn't list the price!

 

[blujaymama]

Definitely confusing!
The ones I bought from Mapleleaf last week were $205 for the 4 day park hopper for adults. If you want them mailed to you it is another $5.
I think they make you call because they want to tell you about the expiration thing.

 

[pplasky]

Hotwire has the cheapest price for parkhoppers. They do not expire. Hope this helps.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

I'm just waiting until the AP discount comes out for our time period.

Assuming the AP rate is only a few dollars better than BDP code, we'll pass on the AP and buy 4 Park Hoppers -- probably from Hotwire rather than Mapleleaf (I'll have to join and cancel). If the AP rate is a lot better, than I'll buy 3 Hoppers.

 

[Scotch]

When you buy discounted Hopper tickets from an agency such as Hotwire, Mapleleaf, Ticketmania, etc., and you lose your tickets, can you still get a replacement if you show CMs a photocopy of the back of your ticket with the codes, etc.?

 

[dis-happy]

Food for thought---

The maple pass doesn't sound like such a great deal to me---my aaa (carolinas)sells 4 day hoppers for $209. (no add'l tax), and no expiration. And for only $23. more I can get an extra day (5 day hopper=$232).

If there's a chance you won't use all four days, I would look into aaa. Personally, I like not having to go to the parks 4 days in a row!!!