DVC AP and upgrading from undercover tourist

[disynut]

So if I buy a discounted ticket from UT, I understand I can upgrade it to my AP that I want to buy. We are still undecided on whether we are going to buy PAP or AP, but it looks like the 8 day w/water park and park hopping is the best bet. My question is: Do you have to have a non-expiring ticket to be able to use it to upgrade?

TIA<
Jen

 

[erionm]

No, the no-expire option is not required when upgrading tickets. If you buy a ticket with water parks & more and use one of those, you will be required to upgrade to a PAP.

Also, any ticket upgrades must be done within 14 days of first use if the ticket has already been used. This applies even if the no-expire option was purchased.

 

[disneynutz]

The ticket should also be used for one admission to get the best value on the upgrade.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We just did this last week for my mother. Had bought an 8 day park hopper but decided it's better for her to have an AP. I was amazed at the process that they have to go thru to do the upgrade but it wasn't a problem other than clarifying that we had just begun using it in the past 14 days rather than the date of purchase that shows on the ticket from UT. And we got full gate value against the AP. She used the park hopper for the whole trip and we upgraded just before leaving. If you are getting the non-expiring with water park then you should be able to use those options during your trip and then could upgrade to a standard AP before leaving I would assume.

 

[Disneycouple99]

These are the best deals if you sign up for mousesavers.com e-news letter. This has a link to UT for a bigger discount.
For the PAP, buy a 8 day PH&WPM, with No exp. It will cost a dollar plus tax to upgrade and you save 37 dollars per adult ticket.
For the AP, buy a 8 day, PH & WPM. It will cost 48 dollars plus tax. You save 26 dollars per adult ticket.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

For the AP, buy a 6 day, PH, with No exp. It will cost 22 dollars plus tax. You save 23 dollars per adult ticket.

Is this $23 savings off the DVC AP price?

 

[Tara]

If you are getting the non-expiring with water park then you should be able to use those options during your trip and then could upgrade to a standard AP before leaving I would assume.

Actually, you can't do this. If you use any water park options, you can ONLY upgrade to a PAP.

OP, just do your calculations carefully. You want to choose the pass that is the biggest discount off the gate price without the gate price going over the price of the AP, because you won't get any money back.

 

[Disneycouple99]

Is this $23 savings off the DVC AP price?

Yes

 

[DizGirl20]

Sorry to barge in here... I am very interested in this thread b/c I just purchased tickets from UT (7 day MYW) for our trip next week and now wishing I bought an AP instead!

So you guys are saying when we get there I can upgrade to an AP?
Where can I do this... at the Resort or at the Parks?
I assume I get my DVC discount if I show my card (anyone know the going rate)?

Sorry so many questions! Thanks!

 

[Disneycouple99]

Sorry to barge in here... I am very interested in this thread b/c I just purchased tickets from UT (7 day MYW) for our trip next week and now wishing I bought an AP instead!

So you guys are saying when we get there I can upgrade to an AP?
Where can I do this... at the Resort or at the Parks?
I assume I get my DVC discount if I show my card (anyone know the going rate)?

Sorry so many questions! Thanks!

Yes. Use the pass once. Go to Guest Services at any park and show your membership card and photo ID to upgrade. DVC AP is 389.00 befor tax.

 

[DizGirl20]

Yes. Use the pass once. Go to Guest Services at any park and show your membership card and photo ID to upgrade. DVC AP is 389.00 befor tax.

Great thanks for the quick response... can I ask, why do I have to use my tickets once?

 

[Disneycouple99]

Your discounted ticket price will get full current gate price. If not used first, you will only get the price you paid for the ticket.

 

[DizGirl20]

OK - I think I sorta get it - thanks!

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Just recapping because this is something I've never done and my OC behavior makes me want to memorize the instructions :

1. Subscribe to mousesavers newsletter to get best discount on MYW park pass.
2. Purchase MYW park pass from UT with mousesavers promo code.
3. Use MYW park pass for one day.
4. Next day go to guest services and upgrade to DVC AP.
5. Unused MYW park pass value is applied to cost of DVC AP for greatest discount. (BTW, current DVC adult AP is $414 including tax.)

More questions:
1) Do I have to buy a MYW hopper?
2) How many days of MYW do I need to buy to achieve the greatest discount?
3) Can the MYW pass be the expiring kind?

I'm thanking everyone in advance for their patience.

If there is a link to an existing thread with these detailed instructions, that would be great, and I apologize for rehashing all of this. This is the first time in ten yeats that I don't have in hand an AP to renew, so I'm starting fresh and wwwaayyy confused.

 

[Tara]

Just recapping because this is something I've never done and my OC behavior makes me want to memorize the instructions :

1. Subscribe to mousesavers newsletter to get best discount on MYW park pass.
2. Purchase MYW park pass from UT with mousesavers promo code.
3. Use MYW park pass for one day.
4. Next day go to guest services and upgrade to DVC AP.

   It does not have to be the next day - can be any day within 14 days of first use.
   

   [*]Unused MYW park pass value is applied to cost of DVC AP for greatest discount. (BTW, current DVC adult AP is $414 including tax.)

More questions:
1) Do I have to buy a MYW hopper?

No, and you can buy a pass with water park options, but if you use any of those water park options, you can ONLY upgrade to a PAP, not an AP.

2) How many days of MYW do I need to buy to achieve the greatest discount?

The amount of discount available changes from time to time. At least, I think it does - it seems like the pass I bought last time doesn't offer as big a discount this time, anyway.

As I said above, pick the pass that has the best discount off gate price that also isn't more valuable at gate price than the AP.

3) Can the MYW pass be the expiring kind?

Yes, it can be any kind of pass.

If there is a link to an existing thread with these detailed instructions, that would be great, and I apologize for rehashing all of this. This is the first time in ten yeats that I don't have in hand an AP to renew, so I'm starting fresh and wwwaayyy confused.

I don't know that there are any instructions, but look for the Everything about Tickets thread on the Theme Parks board, posted by Cheshire Figment. It has a great deal of information about upgrading tickets.

It really is easy to do, BUT you have to be sure of your calculations - how much your pass will be worth when you upgrade it, and how much you will owe on the new AP. Not all CMs do this transaction smoothly and some will end up trying to charge you more. In my case, I was supposed to owe $51 total on an upgrade to 3 APs and the CM at first tried to tell me I owed over $200! I explained to him that was wrong and he did the transaction again (with help) and got it right.

 

[DizGirl20]

My final question... Tara, can you come with me to WDW next week to double check my transaction when I do the upgrade?!?! You guys are amazing how you figured this all out. I am still a bit confused but I think I get it and will upgrade after I use my MYW tickets at least once... uhhhh, right?

OP- Thanks for posting!

 

[Tara]

My final question... Tara, can you come with me to WDW next week to double check my transaction when I do the upgrade?!?!

Sure, just send me my plane ticket!

You guys are amazing how you figured this all out. I am still a bit confused but I think I get it and will upgrade after I use my MYW tickets at least once... uhhhh, right?

You should have an easy time - and if the CM doesn't know how to do it, just ask nicely if they can ask a manager for help. I think the CM who helped me got confused because not only was my ticket going from discounted to gate price, I bought it before the August 2009 price increase. (double bonus!) We saved $125 total on the transaction thanks to buying through UT then upgrading after the price increase!

Good luck!

 

[WDWCrazyfromGA]

Sure, just send me my plane ticket!



You should have an easy time - and if the CM doesn't know how to do it, just ask nicely if they can ask a manager for help. I think the CM who helped me got confused because not only was my ticket going from discounted to gate price, I bought it before the August 2009 price increase. (double bonus!) We saved $125 total on the transaction thanks to buying through UT then upgrading after the price increase!

Good luck!

Hi Tara - Thank you so much for the great information !! Can I purchase our tickets from UT prior to this August price increase to use for our November trip?

 

[Tara]

Hi Tara - Thank you so much for the great information !! Can I purchase our tickets from UT prior to this August price increase to use for our November trip?

Absolutely - it's a very smart thing to do IMO! And I assume there will be a price increase in August, but no one really knows for sure or when it would be - they usually announce it a few days prior to the increase. If there is an increase, you can bet there will be a thread on the Theme Parks board with the new prices probably 48-72 hours before the increase so you can decide what UT pass you want to buy.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

These are the best deals if you sign up for mousesavers.com e-news letter. This has a link to UT for a bigger discount.
For the PAP, buy a 8 day PH&WPM, with No exp. It will cost a dollar plus tax to upgrade and you save 37 dollars per adult ticket.
For the AP, buy a 6 day, PH, with No exp. It will cost 22 dollars plus tax. You save 23 dollars per adult ticket.

I bought an 8 day PH & WPM adult ticket from UT using MS discount for $334.95 and a child ticket for $308.95. I am going to the WDW in a couple days and plan to use the tickets on the first day & then upgrade to DVC AP's because we have another trip planned for this July. I think the DVC AP's are $414.29 for an adult and $366.36 for a child. I guess I should have looked at the price of a 6 day PH No Exp., for the best deal. Oh well, I am new to the DVC AP's thing.

Enjoy your next trip!