Help with Hopper to Annual

[dcraythorn]

I know I have read about this before, but I just can't remember the details. We will have 5 day hoppers when we go in September and want to upgrade to an annual pass. I still want to use the early entry on one of the days. Am I correct in thinking that I can upgrade to an annual if I use the hoppers, but I need to do it before the 5th day?

 

[DisCatGirl]

yup.

 

[mamapenguin]

The question becomes, what is more valuable: Magic morning or AP discount? I have this dilemma also. My only option for MM is the last day of my trip though, so I will probably just upgrade the first day to maximize discount opportunities. Luckily, we have almost 6 months to decide.

 

[figment_jii]

As the PP said, yes, you can upgrade the hopper to an annual pass at any point while the ticket it still valid (i.e., you have until the end of the operating day on the 5th day you use the ticket to upgrade). Once you've upgraded to the AP, you do lose the Magic Morning benefit, so most folks recommend using MM first, then upgrading. However, as mamapenguin pointed out, it does mean a trade-off between the Magic Morning and the Annual Pass discounts (usually 10 to 20% in select shops and 10 to 15% for select dining, depending on the level of AP).

 

[my*gracie*girl]

We upgraded a few weeks ago and waited until our last day because it was a blockout day with the level of pass we were selecting and we wanted to be able to go in the park that day. We realized we should have been holding off on souvenir purchases until that day, but decided the % off was less important to us than the extra day in the parks!

 

[northshoremama]

i was thinking of upgrading our 4-day park hoppers too. but since we are staying onsite, it shouldn't matter in terms of MM, right? like if we upgraded before using the MM, because we now have AP and are staying onsite, don't we get to go into the parks an hour early anyways (on designated days) by showing our room key?

 

[ParkHopper1]

Use your MM early, then upgrade as soon as possible for AP discounts. Upgrade just needs to be completed before the end of the 5th day of use. On day 6...ticket is worthless. Be sure to check the blackout calendar for the AP you wanna upgrade to. Would suck to upgrade then find out you are blacked out for subsequent days. You can however use your AP on the day you upgrade even if THAT day is blacked out, but not any blackout days after that.

If you are staying onsite, you get EE every day.

 

[PHXscuba]

You still have to take your PH out to a ticket booth in the esplanade to change it to an AP, right? It's been a few years since I turned a PH into an AP.

PHXscuba

 

[northshoremama]

You still have to take your PH out to a ticket booth in the esplanade to change it to an AP, right? It's been a few years since I turned a PH into an AP.

PHXscuba

Same here...been a few years...but I remember doing ours in City Hall? but maybe that's changed. Hope someone can confirm!

 

[agamble]

Same here...been a few years...but I remember doing ours in City Hall? but maybe that's changed. Hope someone can confirm!

All AP processing is done at the ticket booths now. You will also have to get a photo taken that day.

 

[scrapperkimmydee]

We just did this very thing at the end of March. I wanted the free parking and food/store discounts and didn't want to lose my early entrance. When I went to the ticket booth to upgrade, I asked them about it and they gave us a separate ticket for the early entrance. So we got the free parking/discounts AND the early entrance.

And, they didn't take our pics for the AP at the ticket booth.

 

[starry_solo]

i was thinking of upgrading our 4-day park hoppers too. but since we are staying onsite, it shouldn't matter in terms of MM, right? like if we upgraded before using the MM, because we now have AP and are staying onsite, don't we get to go into the parks an hour early anyways (on designated days) by showing our room key?

Correct, since you're staying on property, you get extra magic hours to dca or dl, depending on day of week.

Magic morning are only good for dl

 

[northshoremama]

All AP processing is done at the ticket booths now. You will also have to get a photo taken that day.

Where is the picture taken? at the ticket booth?

 

[scrapperkimmydee]

They take the pic the first day you use the AP, at the gates.

 

[dcraythorn]

Thanks for everyone's help on this. I think we will use the 5 days and do the annual at the end of the 5 days. That way I will be able to plan my trip next September within the couple of weeks before it expires, if we choose to not renew....