HELP me decide which ticket to get 8 year old nephew!

[ReneeQ]

I can't decide what to do! My nephew is 8 and we are going to Disney again in April 2006. This will be his 6th trip. We go every year, with a various assortment of family. This trip will be me, my sister and my nephew (they are mother and son).

We last went with him in Jan '05. At that time I convinced my sister to buy him a 10 day base ticket that never expires, no hopping, no plusses. It was only $100 more than the 4 day ticket he REALLY needed for that 1/05 trip, so for $100 she could still have six days admission left on his ticket. Using the 6 days wouldn't be a problem, as we go each year. I told her, oh, no, we'll NEVER need the park hopping.

For this 4/06 trip we're only doing MK and MGM, one day each, and won't need hopping, so we're still good. He'll leave this trip with 4 days still left on his ticket.

The next trip is 2/07. He will be 9. It will be me, the same sister, the same nephew, and my brother. My brother likes to park hop. We're going to parks 3 days that trip, MK, MGM, AK, and then hopping to Epcot each evening, so we can "walk home" to the Boardwalk Villas. Oops, nephew doesn't have hopping on his ticket!

With me so far?

So, I thought, no big deal, I'll just buy him a 3 day ticket WITH hopping that DOES expire to use on that trip. Well, it's nearly $200!!! A much better deal would be the 7 day, never expires, park hopping allowed and 6 plusses ticket. (Did I mention, I get my tickets at Ticketmania, with the discount through the Mousesavers newsletter? I didn't. Okay, sorry.)

BUT (sorry this is so long, I can't figure out how else to explain it) he will STILL have his original no hopping allowed ticket with 4 days left on it, AND the new 7 day never expires, with 4 days left on it and all the plusses left on it. AND HE WILL NOW BE 9!

So, what to do? The next time he goes he'll be 10, and will need an adult ticket. I THINK he can use up these tickets, even if age 10 or over, as long as they were FIRST used when he was under 9, right? But he'll be pushing 13 by the time we use up all these tickets, and who knows when we'll use up all the plusses, he might be 30!

What would you do? Thanks!

 

[dis-happy]

Good news---you are correct. As long as he uses the ticket once before he turns 9, they will upgrade it to adult ticket for free later on. The first time I heard this I thought it was too good to be true, but sure enough was able to do it with my ds's ticket.

Another option for you: get a second non-hopping ticket and use it alternately with the other ticket on the same day. It "might" be cheaper for what you want, you'll have to do the math.

 

[ReneeQ]

dis-happy,
Does the ticket have to be used once BEFORE he turns 9, or before he turns 10? And do you know if when they upgrade it to an adult, do they upgrade all the plusses left on it, too?

I thought of getting a second non-hopping ticket, but a 3 day, expires, no hopping is $156, and I'd be using a total of 6 days (3 on each ticket). I think the other options are cheaper. Just can't figure out what's the best deal.

 

[dis-happy]

I guess you are right--the child ages are 3-9, so it would be one use before he turns 10. Sorry for the confusion/mistake.

As far as the plusses go...YES! My ds's ticket had plusses on it as well. HTH

 

[seashoreCM]

The best deal that fits your needs would be a new 10 day non-expiring ticket with hopping.

Your nephew can then use up the remains of both tickets in any order at his convenience. The best safeguard against wasting days is to carry only one of them on any given day. He would have to make up his mind at the beginning of each day whether to park hop, and then bring the correct ticket.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm