New here and have an annual pass question

[g_i_titus]

Hi all, I'm glad I found your site. I'm told you all know the answers to just about anything. I have a question about annual passes.

I have heard you can upgrade tickets to an annual pass, is this true? I have also heard you need to know alot of information about your activity with the tickets in order to upgrade.

I am planing on taking my daughter in a month. We will be driving and plan on stopping on our way to her mothers for 3 days and then her mother will be taking her back for 2 days on her way back to me. There will be a week gap. Her mother will be using my ticket and would like to upgrade both her and our daugher. I have already purchased the 5 day park hopper tickets. My question is if they ask a lot of questions, what does her mother need to know in order to upgrade their tickets?

 

[CrazyDuck]

Hi all, I'm glad I found your site. I'm told you all know the answers to just about anything. I have a question about annual passes.

I have heard you can upgrade tickets to an annual pass, is this true? I have also heard you need to know alot of information about your activity with the tickets in order to upgrade.

I am planing on taking my daughter in a month. We will be driving and plan on stopping on our way to her mothers for 3 days and then her mother will be taking her back for 2 days on her way back to me. There will be a week gap. Her mother will be using my ticket and would like to upgrade both her and our daugher. I have already purchased the 5 day park hopper tickets. My question is if they ask a lot of questions, what does her mother need to know in order to upgrade their tickets?

Ohh... kind of a gray area you are treading into. Technically what you are trying to do is against the rules (the sharing 1 hopper part). So don't be surprised if you don't get a lot of help from people on these boards. Just a FYI...

 

[g_i_titus]

Didn't realize it was against the rules, kinda stuck now though

 

[Sherry E]

CrazyDuck is right. OP, I know you weren't aware so it's not your fault, but, yes, that is a hot button issue around here - more than one person sharing a Hopper. I know that, in theory, it doesn't seem like there is anything wrong with it - especially if one person won't be able to use the remaining days on a Hopper and those days will go to waste otherwise - but many people see it as cheating Disney out of money.

In any case, to answer your main question, I will just tell you what the general process is to upgrade. There won't be a lot of questions about upgrading the Hopper to an AP, per se. All you do is go to one of the ticket booths and say, "I want to upgrade this Hopper to an AP," and then you tell them whatever level of AP you want to upgrade to (there are four levels, so make sure you know which one you want in advance). Then you show your ID, give your address, phone #, e-mail, etc., pay whatever the difference is to upgrade, and then the CM hands you a slip of paper with printed info, and instructs you where to go in the park to get your photo taken and get the actual 'card' that is your AP. There may be a long line to get the picture taken, but it can't be avoided, It must be done. Then, it becomes active right away, and you can start using it for discounts on food - or if it is the Premium AP, for merchandise - right away.

 

[Sherry E]

Sorry - I had to sign off really quickly before I was done with my post, but I had to finish my thought!

If I am not mistaken, somewhere in the fine print on DLR tickets it says "non-transferable." I could be wrong on that, but I think so. So Disney frowns upon more than one person using a Hopper. In any case, it would be better if your daughter's mom got herself a separate ticket and upgraded that instead of taking yours.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

In any case, to answer your main question, I will just tell you what the general process is to upgrade. There won't be a lot of questions about upgrading the Hopper to an AP, per se.

Actually Sherry, when we upgraded our hoppers to an AP, we got absolutely grilled by the CM. Wanting to know when MM was used, etc. I know they do that because they are trying to prevent the passes from being shared or partially used tickets being bought off Ebay, etc.

 

[Sherry E]

Actually Sherry, when we upgraded our hoppers to an AP, we got absolutely grilled by the CM. Wanting to know when MM was used, etc. I know they do that because they are trying to prevent the passes from being shared or partially used tickets being bought off Ebay, etc.

That may not be the case with every person who does it, though. You know how the CMs are - some are very 'by the book' and some are much 'looser' with things. So what one CM does may not be what they all do. I think we would hear a lot more about it happening if everyone were getting the third degree. I know that my friends upgraded their Hoppers to APs in the last couple of years, and they didn't get a bunch of questions - certainly nothing about MM or any of that. It may be that the CMs are cracking down more often now, to prevent Hopper-sharing, or it could just be that there are certain CMs who are more inquisitive than others.

I do know that if you are doing what I did - applying multiple unused tickets as money towards one Hopper or one AP - they do have to check with the DL Bank and check with supervisors to okay that, because many of the CMs don't know that DLR views unused tickets as money.

 

[clairabell29]

I've heard they ask all kinds of crazy questions. I don't even think I'd be able to answer all of them with my own ticket, let alone someone elses. Although I'm going to try this trip. I just am hoping exhastion and momsimers doesn't get the best of me!

Have your DD mom buy her own ticket and upgrade that, would hate for your daughter to lose out because her mother answered the questions wrong! Or upgrade yourself and your DD so you can go back with her in the next year.

 

[clairabell29]

Sheree how did you have multiple unused tickets? Just curious!

 

[Sherry E]

I've heard they ask all kinds of crazy questions. I don't even think I'd be able to answer all of them with my own ticket, let alone someone elses. Although I'm going to try this trip. I just am hoping exhastion and momsimers doesn't get the best of me!

Have your DD mom buy her own ticket and upgrade that, would hate for your daughter to lose out because her mother answered the questions wrong! Or upgrade yourself and your DD so you can go back with her in the next year.

Hey, Clairabell29! It's been a while since you have been on this side of the DIS, hasn't it? Up until last week, I hadn't seen you around in ages!

Anyway, I think it is great if DLR IS starting to somehow crack down in some way on the Hopper-sharers, and if they can manage to do that by asking questions, even better. My friends upgraded their Hoppers to APs within the last year or two, so they seem to have escaped the grilling by the DLR CMs, as their questions were really basic. Somehow I have a feeling that those people who are insistent on bypassing the system will find a way to do it one way or the other, questions or no questions.

But I had to chuckle when I read your statement, "I've heard they ask all kinds of crazy questions." Instantly an image popped into my mind of the CMs throwing out all kinds of wacky stuff like, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" or "Which came first? The chicken or the egg?" That would be hilarious!!!!

 

[LuLusApple]

I wouldn't share hoppers at all. When we went 2/11 this month I purchased an eticket/4 day hopper for my 80year old mother. The next use day they quized her when was the ticket purchased and if she had used her MM which she never did the entire trip, because we have APs. That was my 80 year old mom who had no idea what a MM even is or when I had purchased the ticket, heck I didn't even remember the date of purchase.
This whole exchange was casual but,
I would be to nervous to use anyones hopper I would completely flub up

 

[Sherry E]

Sheree how did you have multiple unused tickets? Just curious!

I had a client who did a lot of charity work for sick kids, and she was always buying bunches of 1-day/1-park tickets to give to the kids (she didn't believe in getting Hoppers because she had only been to DL herself and didn't see the need for DCA!!). So whenever I would do a particularly intensive project for her, or if she was particularly pesty that month, she would give me several of the tickets as a thank you. They had no expiration date, so I hung on to them until my friends and I went. Some of them I gave to friends to upgrade to Hoppers and the rest of them I applied as money towards an AP. I used 3 unused one-day/one-park tickets towards one Premium AP, and got the PAP for less than half price!! Then, I just used 6 one-day/one-park tickets and applied them as money towards 3 one-day Hoppers, AND the CM gave me a $123 Disney gift card for the difference left over!!

I was told several times by CMs on the phone that the DL Bank "views the UNUSED tickets as money," and so that's how I was able to apply multiple tickets towards one AP or towards one-day Hoppers. So it was not an "upgrade" so much as it was a "swap."

 

[clairabell29]

Hey, Clairabell29! It's been a while since you have been on this side of the DIS, hasn't it? Up until last week, I hadn't seen you around in ages!

Anyway, I think it is great if DLR IS starting to somehow crack down in some way on the Hopper-sharers, and if they can manage to do that by asking questions, even better. My friends upgraded their Hoppers to APs within the last year or two, so they seem to have escaped the grilling by the DLR CMs, as their questions were really basic. Somehow I have a feeling that those people who are insistent on bypassing the system will find a way to do it one way or the other, questions or no questions.

But I had to chuckle when I read your statement, "I've heard they ask all kinds of crazy questions." Instantly an image popped into my mind of the CMs throwing out all kinds of wacky stuff like, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" or "Which came first? The chicken or the egg?" That would be hilarious!!!!

Hi! Ya it's been awhile, I was off planning and doing WDW. I decided I like DL MUCH better. We also had been dealing with some medical issues with my youngest.
Now I'm in the process of doing a spur of the moment, suprise trip for my oldest, and getting APs for DS and I, and of course had to come back to DIS! I've missed being on here, but didn't think I would be traveling again until Oct. and I was doing some schooling and helping deliver babies, you know, just life

 

[clairabell29]

I had a client who did a lot of charity work for sick kids, and she was always buying bunches of 1-day/1-park tickets to give to the kids (she didn't believe in getting Hoppers because she had only been to DL herself and didn't see the need for DCA!!). So whenever I would do a particularly intensive project for her, or if she was particularly pesty that month, she would give me several of the tickets as a thank you. They had no expiration date, so I hung on to them until my friends and I went. Some of them I gave to friends to upgrade to Hoppers and the rest of them I applied as money towards an AP. I used 3 unused one-day/one-park tickets towards one Premium AP, and got the PAP for less than half price!! Then, I just used 6 one-day/one-park tickets and applied them as money towards 3 one-day Hoppers, AND the CM gave me a $123 Disney gift card for the difference left over!!

I was told several times by CMs on the phone that the DL Bank "views the UNUSED tickets as money," and so that's how I was able to apply multiple tickets towards one AP or towards one-day Hoppers. So it was not an "upgrade" so much as it was a "swap."

That is very cool that they do that, both your client and disney! What a great deal you have going on there!

 

[FlameGirl]

Anyway, I think it is great if DLR IS starting to somehow crack down in some way on the Hopper-sharers, and if they can manage to do that by asking questions, even better.

See, I disagree. I get pretty insulted by businesses that essentially accuse their clientele of trying to steal (I'm looking at you, Costco).

I wish Disney would either do away with the policy of upgrading the tickets altogether, or otherwise just assume that 95% of people out there are going to be honest and not try to get away with something. It seems out of character that one would have to endure the Spanish Inquisition at Disneyland.

 

[clairabell29]

I wonder what they do when they catch someone? Do they bar them from the park or just make them pay what they should have paid in the first place? Just curious, I have my tickets in hand from disney!

 

[Sherry E]

See, I disagree. I get pretty insulted by businesses that essentially accuse their clientele of trying to steal (I'm looking at you, Costco).

I wish Disney would either do away with the policy of upgrading the tickets altogether, or otherwise just assume that 95% of people out there are going to be honest and not try to get away with something. It seems out of character that one would have to endure the Spanish Inquisition at Disneyland.

Well, yeah, that's why I was kind of surprised to hear (in this thread) that supposedly DLR is now asking more questions to essentially 'screen' the Hopper/AP holders. How much could they possibly ask other than the basic info needed to create the AP holder account? First of all, if they are ALL doing that now as a precaution, it seems that people can still always bypass the system when they upgrade. So asking crazy questions is only going to hold up the lines and aggravate people. Some folks do get tickets/Hoppers and APs as gifts (purchased by other folks) and all they care about is getting into the park or getting their AP and that's it. They don't want to be grilled. Some folks don't have any clue about MMs! Some folks have no clue that if a person with a 5-day Hopper gives them the remaining 2 days on that Hopper that there is anything wrong with that.

So, let me clarify that IF this method of the Spanish Inquisition is actually working effectively for DLR in getting rid of all the people sharing Hoppers, then I applaud them in being able to weed them out. BUT, I just have a feeling that it won't be fool proof no matter what questions they ask, and it will tick innocent, non-Hopper sharing people off more than anything.

 

[clairabell29]

I heard they are asking crazy things like when you hopped and when you got fast passes and for what, like I said I hope I remember everything and pass their quiz

 

[Sherry E]

I heard they are asking crazy things like when you hopped and when you got fast passes and for what, like I said I hope I remember everything and pass their quiz

See, all that seems a bit much. Unless they were asking because they were doing some kind of park research or something, they can't expect everyone will be able to answer or remember that stuff - even the ones who have no intention of sharing Hoppers. That is just going to hold up the lines waaaaay too long and make people mad.

Oh, and by the way, Clairabell29 - sadly, my client pretty much ran out of work for me to do, so the DLR ticket well ran dry!! Oh well, it was good while it lasted and it came in very handy, so I am very grateful! And yes, DLR is very cool to make the swap. But it was totally legitimate and 'legal' by Disney standards, so they were fine with it! As long as the 1-day/1-park tickets had not been used, they were basically seen as money by DLR.....Can't wait to hear about your upcoming surprise DLR trip for your oldest!!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

That may not be the case with every person who does it, though. You know how the CMs are - some are very 'by the book' and some are much 'looser' with things. So what one CM does may not be what they all do. I think we would hear a lot more about it happening if everyone were getting the third degree. I know that my friends upgraded their Hoppers to APs in the last couple of years, and they didn't get a bunch of questions - certainly nothing about MM or any of that. It may be that the CMs are cracking down more often now, to prevent Hopper-sharing, or it could just be that there are certain CMs who are more inquisitive than others.

This is very true - I am sure it depends on the CM. We definitely had an all business-do everything by the book CM. This was back in January of '09 and my aunt did purchase the tickets for us, so maybe that was what set the questioning off. Maybe they only ask when names don't match or something, I don't know. But we got asked when the first use was, the name of the person that purchased them, when MM was used, if we hopped and when, and so on....

On the same trip, I over heard a guy talking on his cell phone to someone about how he was questioned upgrading his hoppers too.