need help figuring out what to do with GAD tickets...

[iluvdiscruises]

OK, I know you all will know what to do...

Currently, before my GAD tix arrive, I have the following:

Adult tix: 4 people x 3 days of tickets (leftover from another trip)
Child tix: 1 child x 3 days and 1 child x 2 days

We will be getting 5 GAD tix (4 adult/1 child).

For our upcoming trip, we will do 4 park days. In my figuring, we have everyone covered except will need 2 children x 1 day each.

So, I am thinking, is it better to maybe use the 5 to UPGRADE instead to some sort of multi-day option (with leftover days is fine) for 4 adults and 1 child and have child #2 use 4 out of the 5 days left on the child tickets we already have?

Please let me know what you think...I was thinking maybe a 10 day non-expiring ticket?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Actually it looks as if all you will need to buy is a two day child ticket (which is $133). That way you will use up all of the tickets you currently have with no leftovers.

Then for your next trip you can buy what is needed, possibly with a package or from a discounter and would not have to pay for the No Expire option.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

It looks like day 5 is about the break-even point for non expire 10 day tickets. If you use more than 5 days at a time when you go, it is cheaper to just buy the ticket you need each time. If you use less than 5 days each time you go, it is cheaper to get the non-expire tickets. This is figured as price per day.

Upgrading your GAD tickets would save you about $80 per adult ticket, but you would still have a very large expense if you upgrade them all to 10 day no expire. If you do that, I would recommend spending the extra money to get the waterpark option as well since it amounts to a little over $5 per entry and they would not expire--you could go once per trip for 10 trips if you wanted to. Even once you've used all the park admissions on the ticket, the plus admissions can still be used later.

Also, your break even point is anything 6 days or less is a better deal with non-expire if you want park hoppers (otherwise you have to pay the hopper fee every time instead of once with non-expire tickets).

None of this ever does me any good, as we always go for 10 days and use up our 10 day ticket every time. We don't go often enough for APs (and we've been going during free dining, so we'd have to buy one day base tickets anyway).

 

[leight]

there's currently a 4 day special for 99.00 can we use the GAD towards these like other multi day passes?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

There are currently two $99 four day offers. However, both have qualifications and blockout dates. For one you must be a Florida Resident and for the other you must be (or be married to) someone currently in or retired from the armed forces.

You might want to look at the Everything About WDW Tickets locked sticky in the TPA&S Forum. Especially the items bolded in the list below.

Post and Contents

1. This Table of Contents
2. Magic Your Way (MYW) Ticket Basics Including Definitions
3. Annual Passes and Water Park Tickets
4. Tickets Available Only to Florida Residents
5. Tickets Not Available to the General Public
6. Upgrading MYW Tickets (Not to Annual Passes)
7. Upgrading Tickets to Annual Passes
8. Dealing With Tickets Issued Prior to 1 January 2005 (Pre-MYW)
9. Children and Adults
10. Special Events
11. Comprehensive MYW Ticket Example
12. Hotel Card (Key To The World (KTTW))
13. Lost Tickets
14. Finger Scans
15. Frequently Asked Ticket Questions.
15A. Hopping Rules
15B. WPF&M With No Expire
15C. No Expire Upgrades
15D. Upgrading an Unused Ticket
15E. Upgrading Special Tickets
15F. Checking on Old Tickets
15G. Renewing Annual Passes
15H. Upgrading a Completely Used Ticket
16. 2010 Give A Day, Get A Day Promotion
17. Information on Disney's Armed Forces Salute 2010
18. Prices Effective August 2, 2009
19. Special Promotions and "Free" Tickets
19A. AP 15 Months for Price of 12 Renewal
19B. Florida Resident Four Day Dream Ticket

To get there directly, follow the link in my signature.

 

[iluvdiscruises]

Actually it looks as if all you will need to buy is a two day child ticket (which is $133). That way you will use up all of the tickets you currently have with no leftovers.

Then for your next trip you can buy what is needed, possibly with a package or from a discounter and would not have to pay for the No Expire option.

Never thought of that...but this could work. I hated to waste the "value" of the GAD tickets so this wasn't on my radar.

It looks like day 5 is about the break-even point for non expire 10 day tickets. If you use more than 5 days at a time when you go, it is cheaper to just buy the ticket you need each time. If you use less than 5 days each time you go, it is cheaper to get the non-expire tickets. This is figured as price per day.

Upgrading your GAD tickets would save you about $80 per adult ticket, but you would still have a very large expense if you upgrade them all to 10 day no expire. If you do that, I would recommend spending the extra money to get the waterpark option as well since it amounts to a little over $5 per entry and they would not expire--you could go once per trip for 10 trips if you wanted to. Even once you've used all the park admissions on the ticket, the plus admissions can still be used later.



Also, your break even point is anything 6 days or less is a better deal with non-expire if you want park hoppers (otherwise you have to pay the hopper fee every time instead of once with non-expire tickets).


None of this ever does me any good, as we always go for 10 days and use up our 10 day ticket every time. We don't go often enough for APs (and we've been going during free dining, so we'd have to buy one day base tickets anyway).

We usually do 4 days at a time...I could see doing 5 or 6 maybe later on, so I am thinking a 10 day would last me 2 trips + the extra bits I need on the tickets I currently have. We have hoppers now, and we haven't really taken advantage of them. Last trip, out of 4 days, we hopped 1x. Does it pay to upgrade my GAD tix to 10 day non-park hoppers?

 

[mickeymaker2003]

Never thought of that...but this could work. I hated to waste the "value" of the GAD tickets so this wasn't on my radar.



We usually do 4 days at a time...I could see doing 5 or 6 maybe later on, so I am thinking a 10 day would last me 2 trips + the extra bits I need on the tickets I currently have. We have hoppers now, and we haven't really taken advantage of them. Last trip, out of 4 days, we hopped 1x. Does it pay to upgrade my GAD tix to 10 day non-park hoppers?

If you are using 4 days or less at a time (and can afford the initial cash outlay), 10 day non expires are your best per day price. You would get $79 credit for each adult GAD ticket and $68 credit for each child GAD ticket. Regular price is $452 for an adult 10 day no expire and $419 for a child's 10 day no expire (so $373 for an adult and $351 for a child after using the GAD to upgrade--plus tax). Adding the waterpark option would be $52 (plus tax) more per ticket for 10 entries.

Remember, you have to use the GAD ticket the day you upgrade it (so plan accordingly).

 

[iluvdiscruises]

If you are using 4 days or less at a time (and can afford the initial cash outlay), 10 day non expires are your best per day price. You would get $79 credit for each adult GAD ticket and $68 credit for each child GAD ticket. Regular price is $452 for an adult 10 day no expire and $419 for a child's 10 day no expire (so $373 for an adult and $351 for a child after using the GAD to upgrade--plus tax). Adding the waterpark option would be $52 (plus tax) more per ticket for 10 entries.

Remember, you have to use the GAD ticket the day you upgrade it (so plan accordingly).

Thank you to everyone! This info helps alot...one question...I am assuming the above tickets are NON-park hoppers, right?

 

[mommymeg]

I just had a thought..

Are GAD tickets transferrable? I've been blessed to take my family to the World just a few times...and we cannot wait to have the chance to go again. Maybe in a year or two...

Is it possible to participate with GAD, then donate your ticket to someone who has never been, and quite possibly never be able to go?

Sometimes I think we take things for granted...there are many people in this country struggling to keep their children fed, their heat on...the last thing on their mind is a trip to Disney World.

Anyone have any info on whether the tickets that are earned through GAD can be donated?

 

[LilyWDW]

I just had a thought..

Are GAD tickets transferrable? I've been blessed to take my family to the World just a few times...and we cannot wait to have the chance to go again. Maybe in a year or two...

Is it possible to participate with GAD, then donate your ticket to someone who has never been, and quite possibly never be able to go?

Sometimes I think we take things for granted...there are many people in this country struggling to keep their children fed, their heat on...the last thing on their mind is a trip to Disney World.

Anyone have any info on whether the tickets that are earned through GAD can be donated?

They can be donated to specific groups through Disney. When they send you your email you can choose to print or donate the ticket. Disney then hands out the tickets to the groups they have chosen.

You can NOT donate it yourself. When you print off your voucher, you then have to take this to the park. An ID is required and that ID must match the name on the voucher. Then and only then will they give you the ticket. This ticket will also be issued to the person whose name is on the voucher (and thus the ID).

 

[mickeymaker2003]

I just had a thought..

Are GAD tickets transferrable? I've been blessed to take my family to the World just a few times...and we cannot wait to have the chance to go again. Maybe in a year or two...

Is it possible to participate with GAD, then donate your ticket to someone who has never been, and quite possibly never be able to go?

Sometimes I think we take things for granted...there are many people in this country struggling to keep their children fed, their heat on...the last thing on their mind is a trip to Disney World.

Anyone have any info on whether the tickets that are earned through GAD can be donated?

You can only donate them directly through Disney to one of their specified recipients. The volunteer opportunities are open to anyone, so anyone who wants them can do something to earn them. If the person has some sort of limitation that makes them unable to do a volunteer project themselves, you could help them do one of the mailable projects (like Project Linus).

 

[wdwfan16]

OK, I know you all will know what to do...

Currently, before my GAD tix arrive, I have the following:

Adult tix: 4 people x 3 days of tickets (leftover from another trip)
Child tix: 1 child x 3 days and 1 child x 2 days

We will be getting 5 GAD tix (4 adult/1 child).

For our upcoming trip, we will do 4 park days. In my figuring, we have everyone covered except will need 2 children x 1 day each.

So, I am thinking, is it better to maybe use the 5 to UPGRADE instead to some sort of multi-day option (with leftover days is fine) for 4 adults and 1 child and have child #2 use 4 out of the 5 days left on the child tickets we already have?

Please let me know what you think...I was thinking maybe a 10 day non-expiring ticket?

Use the tickets you have and the GADs. The 4 adults will have 3 days from the tickets and the 1 day from the GAD to cover 4 days. The child will have the 3 days left and the 1 day from the GAD to cover the 4 days. Have the last child use the 2 days left and then buy 2 child's tickets.

I would do this to use up the tickets and get everybody back on the same cycle for the next trip.