My experience upgrading UT park hoppers to Plat AP

[robinb]

We bought special 7-day park hoppers from Undercover Tourist a couple months ago. It was a buy 4 days get 3 free for $419. I attached them to my MDX and made FP+ on them for 7 days. In the past I have always used my PH before trying to upgrade to an AP. However, we arrived on Thursday 12/22 and I needed the AP for a discount at dinner at California Grill before I was able to use the PH. I was assured multiple times on the DIS by people 'in the know' that using the pass first was not necessary.

When I specifically asked the CM at the MK to 'bridge my park hopper' to a DVC platinum renewal (my gold AP expired on 12/18) he scanned our MBs and the price we PAID for the passes popped up. He then said he bridged them to the gate price and but the system was coming up with the purchase price and he couldn't figure it out why there was a problem. I would usually just give up on a confused CM but I needed the discount that night and I couldn't use the passes first because MVMCP was taking place.

I said, 'no. That's not right.' The gate price is $467 and the difference should be $117 each for a total of $351.' He grilled me on where I got the passes and I told him the truth. He grumped at me that I couldn't get passes at a discount and then expect Disney to cover the difference. I just looked at him. He hemmed and hawed. He talked to another CM. Finally he made me fill out the 'permanent record' form and when I asked why he wanted me to fill it out he said he was doing me a 'one time' favor to bridge my passes to the gate price.

What a PITB. Not as much of a PITB as last year's upgrade but close. At least the CMs last year didn't essentially call me a cheater. Ironically the CM made a mistake and calculated the amount to credit us towards the APs wrong the second time too. He multiplied by 4 instead of 3. I corrected him on that mistake too telling him that I was an honest person.

I Dont know for sure why the passes didn't bridge properly but I think it was a combination of the promo ($419 is the gate price for a 4-day PH) and not using it like I usually do.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

You absolutely do not have to use your park hoppers before upgrading. That's a given. Your problem may be that you specifically asked for price bridging. In the legacy thread from the summer about upgrading third-party discounted park hoppers to APs, a good number of words were spent on people complaining about CMs who gave them the runaround when they asked to "price bridge" third party discounted tickets. The consensus was that guests should ask to "upgrade" their tickets to APs and avoid the price bridging language entirely. Irrespective of that, though, Guest Services policy is to price bridge third-party tickets. That's why, in the end, they price bridged you.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We bought special 7-day park hoppers from Undercover Tourist a couple months ago. It was a buy 4 days get 3 free for $419. I attached them to my MDX and made FP+ on them for 7 days. In the past I have always used my PH before trying to upgrade to an AP. However, we arrived on Thursday 12/22 and I needed the AP for a discount at dinner at California Grill before I was able to use the PH. I was assured multiple times on the DIS by people 'in the know' that using the pass first was not necessary.

When I specifically asked the CM at the MK to 'bridge my park hopper' to a DVC platinum renewal (my gold AP expired on 12/18) he scanned our MBs and the price we PAID for the passes popped up. He then said he bridged them to the gate price and but the system was coming up with the purchase price and he couldn't figure it out why there was a problem. I would usually just give up on a confused CM but I needed the discount that night and I couldn't use the passes first because MVMCP was taking place.

I said, 'no. That's not right.' The gate price is $467 and the difference should be $117 each for a total of $351.' He grilled me on where I got the passes and I told him the truth. He grumped at me that I couldn't get passes at a discount and then expect Disney to cover the difference. I just looked at him. He hemmed and hawed. He talked to another CM. Finally he made me fill out the 'permanent record' form and when I asked why he wanted me to fill it out he said he was doing me a 'one time' favor to bridge my passes to the gate price.

What a PITB. Not as much of a PITB as last year's upgrade but close. At least the CMs last year didn't essentially call me a cheater. Ironically the CM made a mistake and calculated the amount to credit us towards the APs wrong the second time too. He multiplied by 4 instead of 3. I corrected him on that mistake too telling him that I was an honest person.

I Dont know for sure why the passes didn't bridge properly but I think it was a combination of the promo ($419 is the gate price for a 4-day PH) and not using it like I usually do.

Well, Robin, now you are all set for your New Year's celebration!! How many WDW NYE's does that make it for you guys? Have fun. And a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and family.

 

[cvjw]

I upgraded three discounted hoppers to gold AP vouchers last week. 2 one day and the third a separate day. All were bridged without being used. Both cm's got the correct price without me having to use the words "price bridge".

Sorry you had a bad experience, I know how you feel! I was prepared for something awful to happen with my transactions, but amazingly, they both went smoothly!

 

[Accident]

@ravenclawtrekkie explained it once in a thread not too long ago.. Bridged is not a term a CM knows or disney uses so it's a dead giveaway that you might be trying to scam them so just saying bridge throws up the alarms on what's going on. Also as ravenclawtrekkie explained it is there is a code that comes up that you need to notice and that tells you how to handle the price adjustment and IIRC said that some just don't pay attention or it was done in training so fast they just don't remember what they are or to look for them.

I don't think using them first does anything but maybe ravenclawtrekkie can say if it does make it appear different in the system where a less knowledgeable CM might be more familiar with how to handle.

 

[robinb]

You absolutely do not have to use your park hoppers before upgrading. That's a given. Your problem may be that you specifically asked for price bridging. In the legacy thread from the summer about upgrading third-party discounted park hoppers to APs, a good number of words were spent on people complaining about CMs who gave them the runaround when they asked to "price bridge" third party discounted tickets. The consensus was that guests should ask to "upgrade" their tickets to APs and avoid the price bridging language entirely. Irrespective of that, though, Guest Services policy is to price bridge third-party tickets. That's why, in the end, they price bridged you.

Actually, I asked to upgrade first and then he scanned the MBs and had a print out with my purchase price on it. It was then I asked him if he was going to bridge to the gate price. I combined those steps in my OP.

 

[robinb]

Well, Robin, now you are all set for your New Year's celebration!! How many WDW NYE's does that make it for you guys? Have fun. And a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and family.

We've only missed two NYE celebrations at WDW since 1999, so that's 15? My DD was just a little baby in '99 and next year she'll be in college. I have a special bottle of champagne for our balcony this year. I'll shoot you a pic when we open it. I think you'll like it .

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Actually, I asked to upgrade first and then he scanned the MBs and had a print out with my purchase price on it. It was then I asked him if he was going to bridge to the gate price. I combined those steps in my OP.

Got it. I have a feeling though it's the policy, they're required to formally note when someone specifically asks for price bridging. Even though they're going to do it anyway. Just one of those arcane Disney things. But you shouldn't ever stress about not using your hoppers first. It doesn't change anything.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We've only missed two NYE celebrations at WDW since 1999, so that's 15? My DD was just a little baby in '99 and next year she'll be in college. I have a special bottle of champagne for our balcony this year. I'll shoot you a pic when we open it. I think you'll like it .

That's a great record, Robin! And yes, time sure does fly. I recall your daughter as a little toddler. A great swimmer now, and now soon to be in college.

Enjoy the celebration. Looking forward to your picture!

 

[robinb]

Got it. I have a feeling though it's the policy, they're required to formally note when someone specifically asks for price bridging. Even though they're going to do it anyway. Just one of those arcane Disney things. But you shouldn't ever stress about not using your hoppers first. It doesn't change anything.

Great. I just love being on the 'naughty list'.

 

[bumbershoot]

Bridged is not a term a CM knows or disney uses so it's a dead giveaway...

Might not be known to newer cms but it was known before. The cm back in 2010 knew it perfectly well and was happy to verify that she did it for me.

CMs putting people on a list are telling the world "I don't know how to do my job and didn't pay attention in training" IMO.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I've never said that price bridging isn't a term Disney uses - I've said it's not a guest-facing term. We use it in our documentation but generally not with guests.

I've only ever needed a Magic file for one price bridging scenario and it involved using a Parksavers ticket towards an AP renewal. It sounds like this was a similar situation. There are two possible ways to do that and it seems like the one we tend to default to doesn't like price bridging properly. The two options are to "quick upgrade" the ticket (which is generally the function that does price bridging) and then to delete that ticket to cash and use that cash to renew the AP the regular way, OR to "quick upgrade" the ticket and then to upgrade it to an independent AP at renewal price and manually set the expire date.

The former is the one we tend to default to and it seems like the quick upgrade to gate price doesn't always make the ticket delete to the right amount of cash. It sounds like this is what happened to the CM helping the OP. The solution here is to "voucher off" the price difference - which requires that Magic file form, because we're writing off money and have to explain it. The CM shouldn't have copped an attitude but other than that, I can't see any part of the situation that was his fault. It's an oddity of our computer system, and using discounted tickets towards AP renewals is something we almost never do. I've been in the job 18 months and done it exactly one time. We don't get trained to do it at all. I have managers who think we can't do it.

Also, the characterization of the Magic system as a "naughty list" bothers me. It's not. It's just documentation that we did something that was perceived as out of the ordinary, for whom, and why. I have a couple entries in Magic myself from when I was a regular guest and AP holder.

I'm gonna get back to working 15 days in a row without a day off now...

 

[robinb]

There are two possible ways to do that and it seems like the one we tend to default to doesn't like price bridging properly. The two options are to "quick upgrade" the ticket (which is generally the function that does price bridging) and then to delete that ticket to cash and use that cash to renew the AP the regular way, OR to "quick upgrade" the ticket and then to upgrade it to an independent AP at renewal price and manually set the expire date.

The former is the one we tend to default to and it seems like the quick upgrade to gate price doesn't always make the ticket delete to the right amount of cash. It sounds like this is what happened to the CM helping the OP. The solution here is to "voucher off" the price difference - which requires that Magic file form, because we're writing off money and have to explain it. The CM shouldn't have copped an attitude but other than that, I can't see any part of the situation that was his fault.

i wonder if he even tried to do a 'quick upgrade' at first and went to 'voucher off' because he printed out the purchase price of the PHs right away. In the past when the numbers don't match what I expect I just walked away and tried another CM another day but I couldn't this time.

Also, the characterization of the Magic system as a "naughty list" bothers me. It's not. It's just documentation that we did something that was perceived as out of the ordinary, for whom, and why. I have a couple entries in Magic myself from when I was a regular guest and AP holder.

I said that because of the push back I was getting from CM and because he stressed this was a 'one time' favor. Like he was giving me my upgrade this one time and documenting it in my prenant file so I can't do it again. Frankly, that bothered me. And yes, I also have prior entries in the Magic system myself.

i'm gonna get back to working 15 days in a row without a day off now...

Thank you for taking the time to provide such a through explanation! I've seen that this time of year is 'all hands on deck!' with managers and the like chipping in. I'm sorry you have to work a whole half month straight . That really sucks. As a guest, i really do appreciate it.