Child AP voucher

[goofy4wdw2]

I totally forgot to buy our AP vouchers (2 adult, 2 children) before the price increase. I'm not too worried about the $6/adult increase, but the child increase is a bummer. I've seen mention on other threads of the old prices still being honored by Maple Leaf or other ticket vendors. I figure that isn't an option to buy those and still get the DVC discount since I believe the DVC discount is only available when buying directly from Disney, but I figured I'd ask just to be sure I'm not missing anything. Thank you!

 

[vicki_c]

You can't buy APs from 3rd party companies like Maple Leaf or UT, only direct from Disney.

You *could* purchase a ticket from one of those companies though (UT is still selling at the old prices right now) and upgrade it to the DVC AP at the parks though. That would save you money.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Thank you for your reply! So how would that work when we arrive in Disney to upgrade and which ticket would be best to buy since UT doesn't sell APs? Just wondering how much we would actually save and how it would work. Thanks again!

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Any tips on which child ticket to buy from UT to use to upgrade to an AP? If we do this, what value will Disney assign to the discounted tickets we've purchased? Trying to figure out how much we'd actually save. Thanks in advance!

 

[vicki_c]

1 - You need to buy whatever child's ticket has the largest discount from the gate price (that is marked on the UT website*) that does not cost more than the AP you are planning on purchasing.

2 - once you use the ticket once, Disney will value it at the current gate price for that ticket. You will owe the difference between that price & the price of the AP you are buying.

*last I looked (few days ago), UT is still selling tickets @ the old prices and their stated savings amount reflects that. For example, I bought 6 day PH which were $26 off gate price. But since Disney raised prices last weekend, those tickets are now a $48-ish discount from gate price. UT had not yet updated their "savings" number a few days ago, it still said $26.

So it's best to find out the current price of the tickets from Disney yourself and compare that to what UT is selling them for to see the current discount amount.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

If you're getting a regular DVC AP (and not the PAP), I think the 6-day Hopper is still the best discount. Be sure to use the ticket at least once before upgrading it. Disney will upgrade used tickets based on their current price for the same ticket. If you upgrade an unused ticket, Disney will only credit the amount they were paid for the ticket.

So get your tickets from UCT, enter the park, then go into Guest Relations to upgrade your tickets. Do the math to determine roughly how much the upgrade should cost you. Not all cast members are created equal, and this isn't a transaction they do every day. You're entitled to the full face value of the 6-day hopper ticket if the ticket is used. If the cast member isn't giving you that amount of credit, ask them if they bridged the ticket to the current price. If they're still not giving you the proper credit, just walk away and do the upgrade somewhere else.

For more details, check out Cheshire Figment's ticket stickey on the Theme Park board.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Another quick note on price bridging. I've just been catching up on the Theme Park board, and read that Disney has changed some of the bridging rules as part of the recent ticket price increase.

Tickets that were purchased directly at a WDW Ticket window are no longer eligible for price bridging.

This rule change does not effect tickets from Undercover Tourist or other third party discount ticket brokers, nor those purchased as part of a Disney package, nor those from the Disney Store. Those tickets still qualify for price bridging. What this does do, however, is add a new level of complexity to price bridging. There was apparently some confusion when this policy change was implemented, and some on the Theme Park board were reporting that cast members in ticketing were mistakenly telling guests that all price bridging had been ended.

The odds have changed (not in our favor) in the game of Cast Member Roulette for finding a cast member who understands this transaction and will give you the correct upgrade price. Stick to your guns. Also remember the walk-away strategy.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Thank you so much! Even if Disney changes the policy for tickets bought from UT, etc., I'm assuming we would at least get a credit for what we paid so we won't lose anything...so I guess it's worth a try! Can we stay in the park for the day when we first use the park hopper and then do the upgrade to the APs that evening or the next morning? One other question as we've never bought tickets from Undercover Tourist...do they mail us vouchers after we pay online?

 

[bumbershoot]

UCT mails the actual tickets.


Go to the Theme Parks board and find the "sticky" thread by Cheshire_Figment that's all about tickets. He gives good info about upgrading tickets. He also has a current thread on that board (non-sticky) giving the up to date info as he finds it out (he's a ticketing CM).

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Can we stay in the park for the day when we first use the park hopper and then do the upgrade to the APs that evening or the next morning?

You can do the upgrade whenever you want during your trip (up to 14 days after first use of the ticket) so long as you still have at least one day left on the ticket. Your only incentive for doing it early in the trip is the 10% discount you get on all merchandise purchases with the annual pass.

 

[mybabesuz]

Thank you so much! Even if Disney changes the policy for tickets bought from UT, etc., I'm assuming we would at least get a credit for what we paid so we won't lose anything...so I guess it's worth a try! Can we stay in the park for the day when we first use the park hopper and then do the upgrade to the APs that evening or the next morning? One other question as we've never bought tickets from Undercover Tourist...do they mail us vouchers after we pay online?

Actually... They would not bridge our UT Tickets last year and they actually gave us $50 less than we paid for them.
They said that was the price UT bought them for, not what we paid for them.
Two hours more of arguing with 3 different managers we finally at least got what we paid for them back with the receipt in hand.
Not fun at all. I would never do it again.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Actually... They would not bridge our UT Tickets last year and they actually gave us $50 less than we paid for them.
They said that was the price UT bought them for, not what we paid for them.
Two hours more of arguing with 3 different managers we finally at least got what we paid for them back with the receipt in hand.
Not fun at all. I would never do it again.

Oh no...this is what I'm worried could happen. Hmm...

 

[kdzgon]

You can't buy APs from 3rd party companies like Maple Leaf or UT, only direct from Disney.

You *could* purchase a ticket from one of those companies though (UT is still selling at the old prices right now) and upgrade it to the DVC AP at the parks though. That would save you money.

Juat a note, Fl residents can buy APs from AAA (price was less and now is the same again as DVC discount price).

 

[SUSIEQ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goofy4wdw2

Thank you so much! Even if Disney changes the policy for tickets bought from UT, etc., I'm assuming we would at least get a credit for what we paid so we won't lose anything...so I guess it's worth a try! Can we stay in the park for the day when we first use the park hopper and then do the upgrade to the APs that evening or the next morning? One other question as we've never bought tickets from Undercover Tourist...do they mail us vouchers after we pay online?

Actually... They would not bridge our UT Tickets last year and they actually gave us $50 less than we paid for them.
They said that was the price UT bought them for, not what we paid for them.
Two hours more of arguing with 3 different managers we finally at least got what we paid for them back with the receipt in hand.
Not fun at all. I would never do it again.

Now, that's really, really SCARY!!!


Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

 

[vicki_c]

Juat a note, Fl residents can buy APs from AAA (price was less and now is the same again as DVC discount price).

Thanks for the clarification - I forget about AAA South options for FL residents.

 

[vicki_c]

Now, that's really, really SCARY!!!


Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

The key is - if you really start to run into trouble and difficult cast members, just take your tickets back and say "never mind". Try the next day at a different location and chances are you won't have any trouble.