Gold pass or sorcerer pass?

[juju]

We have a voucher for a gold AP that we purchased about a year ago and plan to redeem in about a week. I’m not sure it makes a difference and I am aware of the changes after we redeem but after looking at the Disney app I am wondering if technically we will have a gold pass or a sorcerer pass.

 

[CarolMN]

We have a voucher for a gold AP that we purchased about a year ago and plan to redeem in about a week. I’m not sure it makes a difference and I am aware of the changes after we redeem but after looking at the Disney app I am wondering if technically we will have a gold pass or a sorcerer pass.

Don't think it matters what MDE is currently calling your voucher. When you redeem your voucher, you will get a Sorcerer's Pass with the photo pass add-on. That pass has block out periods for Thanksgiving & Christmas-New Year's, but is good for Easter.

 

[CarolynFH]

We have a voucher for a gold AP that we purchased about a year ago and plan to redeem in about a week. I’m not sure it makes a difference and I am aware of the changes after we redeem but after looking at the Disney app I am wondering if technically we will have a gold pass or a sorcerer pass.

As above, you’ll get a Sorcerer pass with PhotoPass. If you have resort reservations and park passes for Thanksgiving that you booked before the new APs were announced, you’ll need to talk to them so they can fix it. I think they’ve been giving park hopper tickets for the specific dates, but I could be wrong.

 

[gharter]

We renewed our Gold pass. When we arrived to active it, it becomes a Sorcerer pass with free PhotoPass. The only difference, as noted, is different block out dates. For us, that wasn't an issue.

 

[DebbieB]

Same here - bought a Gold renewal voucher last March for renewal 10/1 (early so I could make park reservations). Activated on 9/29, got Sorcerer with Photopass. The CM asked if I had Thanksgiving reservations, the Sorcerer blacks out 4 days around Thanksgiving. I did not.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

What will happen if previously purchased Gold APs don't get activated for years down the road? Will they still rectify it if there are any problems? We have two that show that they don't expire until 2030. We have decided to wait a few years to activate them, but I'm afraid we will run into trouble when we do.

 

[CarolynFH]

What will happen if previously purchased Gold APs don't get activated for years down the road? Will they still rectify it if there are any problems? We have two that show that they don't expire until 2030. We have decided to wait a few years to activate them, but I'm afraid we will run into trouble when we do.

Following their pattern currently as well as after previous changes to the AP program, I expect you will get what you paid for: an AP with blackout dates (currently Thanksgiving and Christmas, possibly different when you activate) and with Memory Maker included. What kind of trouble are you afraid of?

Edited to add: Disney has a clear record of honoring the conditions under which a ticket was purchased - e.g. people are still using days from 10-day non-expiring tickets purchased years ago, not to mention people are able to use days remaining on tickets from back when “unused ticket days never expire.”

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Following their pattern currently as well as after previous changes to the AP program, I expect you will get what you paid for: an AP with blackout dates (currently Thanksgiving and Christmas, possibly different when you activate) and with Memory Maker included. What kind of trouble are you afraid of?

Edited to add: Disney has a clear record of honoring the conditions under which a ticket was purchased - e.g. people are still using days from 10-day non-expiring tickets purchased years ago, not to mention people are able to use days remaining on tickets from back when “unused ticket days never expire.”

Yes, we are those who used 10-day NE tickets after they stopped selling them. We used our last ones Thanksgiving 2019. But they didn't have blackout dates. I guess what I'm afraid of is when we do decide to activate them, there will be way more blackout dates which will end up affecting us. Disney is just on a roll with charging more for less, so more blackout dates wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Sandisw]

What will happen if previously purchased Gold APs don't get activated for years down the road? Will they still rectify it if there are any problems? We have two that show that they don't expire until 2030. We have decided to wait a few years to activate them, but I'm afraid we will run into trouble when we do.

Honestly there is no way to know for sure until we are down the road and others try.

I think this is one of the reasons they have now given vouchers a one year expiration so that of not activated and something new takes it’s place, it’s worth only the value.

However, I would not expect an exemption to block outs. Those calendars are done yearly so other than 2021 which was published already before the change, there are no current gold calendars out there showing Thanksgiving as not blocked.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yes, we are those who used 10-day NE tickets after they stopped selling them. We used our last ones Thanksgiving 2019. But they didn't have blackout dates. I guess what I'm afraid of is when we do decide to activate them, there will be way more blackout dates which will end up affecting us. Disney is just on a roll with charging more for less, so more blackout dates wouldn't surprise me.

Yes, I think I understand your concern - instead of Thanksgiving and Christmas blackouts, they might have Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter blocked out by the time you activate them. Unfortunately we will have to wait and see on that issue.

 

[dcfromva]

Yes, we are those who used 10-day NE tickets after they stopped selling them. We used our last ones Thanksgiving 2019. But they didn't have blackout dates. I guess what I'm afraid of is when we do decide to activate them, there will be way more blackout dates which will end up affecting us. Disney is just on a roll with charging more for less, so more blackout dates wouldn't surprise me.

I'm not sure what will happen. If you purchased a pass based on the published block out dates and they changed you to a different pass with different block out dates, I think they would have to make that right. (Plus adding in the photopass)

But, I think it would be a gamble for future years where they have not published the block out dates.

I compared the published block out dates on the Gold pass (30) vs the published dates on the Sorcerer Pass (18) and discovered there are actually fewer block out dates on the Sorcerer Pass.
The Gold pass: Dec 17-Jan1 and Apr 9-22
The Sorcerer: Nov 24-27 and Dec 18-31

I'm actually a little surprised Spring Break is not blocked off on the Sorcerer since it seems to be a really busy time.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Chances are we won't visit on one of the holidays, but we just aren't sure yet. When we finally activate them, we will likely use them in November, April (hopefully not around Easter), and October. But we may want one of our trips during the year to be with the entire family. If that's the case, we will be more limited due to trying to find a time everyone can go. The last time we took our whole family, it was Thanksgiving 2019. But probably by the time we do activate them, all our family members will be out of college and hopefully, can get time off work at various times throughout the year. When you have family members that go to two or three different colleges, it's tough to find a time that is not summer, and I refuse to go during the summer.

 

[Sandisw]

I'm not sure what will happen. If you purchased a pass based on the published block out dates and they changed you to a different pass with different block out dates, I think they would have to make that right. (Plus adding in the photopass)

But, I think it would be a gamble for future years where they have not published the block out dates.

I compared the published block out dates on the Gold pass (30) vs the published dates on the Sorcerer Pass (18) and discovered there are actually fewer block out dates on the Sorcerer Pass.
The Gold pass: Dec 17-Jan1 and Apr 9-22
The Sorcerer: Nov 24-27 and Dec 18-31

I'm actually a little surprised Spring Break is not blocked off on the Sorcerer since it seems to be a really busy time.

The thing is that the block out dates for passes are published yearly so no one bought a gold pass with any dates beyond October 2022 listed.

So, I don’t think they have to honor anything beyond that..which really means just this Thanksgiving..

 

[npatellye]

I compared the published block out dates on the Gold pass (30) vs the published dates on the Sorcerer Pass (18) and discovered there are actually fewer block out dates on the Sorcerer Pass.
The Gold pass: Dec 17-Jan1 and Apr 9-22
The Sorcerer: Nov 24-27 and Dec 18-31

We have a Gold Pass renewal linked to each of us. Our current passes expire later this month. The renewal voucher doesn’t allow me to book 1/1 park reservations since it’s Gold but do you think I will be able to activate the renewal on 1/1 and try to make a reservation same day?

It seems from everything I’ve read that our Gold renewals will convert to Sorcerer’s so 1/1 will no longer be blocked out. I’m not sure if I should call MS to verify this and to try to see if I can book a park for 1/1 (we weren’t planning to be in a park on 1/1 but I wouldn’t mind popping in to a park for a few hours if possible) or if I should just take my chances on 1/1.

 

[Sandisw]

We have a Gold Pass renewal linked to each of us. Our current passes expire later this month. The renewal voucher doesn’t allow me to book 1/1 park reservations since it’s Gold but do you think I will be able to activate the renewal on 1/1 and try to make a reservation same day?

It seems from everything I’ve read that our Gold renewals will convert to Sorcerer’s so 1/1 will no longer be blocked out. I’m not sure if I should call MS to verify this and to try to see if I can book a park for 1/1 (we weren’t planning to be in a park on 1/1 but I wouldn’t mind popping in to a park for a few hours if possible) or if I should just take my chances on 1/1.

Id just worry when you get there.

 

[dcfromva]

We have a Gold Pass renewal linked to each of us. Our current passes expire later this month. The renewal voucher doesn’t allow me to book 1/1 park reservations since it’s Gold but do you think I will be able to activate the renewal on 1/1 and try to make a reservation same day?

It seems from everything I’ve read that our Gold renewals will convert to Sorcerer’s so 1/1 will no longer be blocked out. I’m not sure if I should call MS to verify this and to try to see if I can book a park for 1/1 (we weren’t planning to be in a park on 1/1 but I wouldn’t mind popping in to a park for a few hours if possible) or if I should just take my chances on 1/1.

All my gosh--that is an interesting question. I wonder if you could call someone in guest services to see if they could do a little magic for you ahead of time in terms of getting a reservation for one of the parks?

If it is a voucher for a new pass--(that starts on your next visit)- that is what they have been doing...