New Ticket Upgrade Policy?

[msdaisy]

Wow what confusion indeed. Wonder why they will not enforce this new policy on AAA tickets. Hmmmm....

Again, Disney has a communication issue.

 

[rlduvall]

My name is Gloria and I answer some of the questions that come in to the All Ears website. Obviously there has been a lot of discussion about the new policy change re tickets purchased from outside agencies.

Late last night I received two questions about the new policy and I responded to those questions as best as I could at the time. Apparently my responses (quoted in this thread) have caused some concern about the accuracy of the website.

I apologize if I have caused more confusion about the new policy. My response was my personal response. Below is the "official" reply from the All Ears website. I hope it clears up some of the confusion.

...Last week, after the All Ears Newsletter had been mailed, we became aware of an unannounced change in Disney's policy regarding tickets that were purchased from non-Disney sources. Several guests reported that when they attempted to add a day to their Magic your Way ticket that was purchased from a non-Disney source, they were refused and told that they would have to spend more than $100 for a single day ticket. Several tried at both their resort concierge and at a guest relations window and were told the same thing.

We called the Disney Ticketing office and and spoke to a supervisor. We were told that commencing with last week's price increase "3rd party tickets can no longer be upgraded to passes at a pro-rated rate, have days added, or have options added at a discount." A different call to a second Disney source confirmed it but added that this does not affect AAA.

On the basis of that, we changed our ticket FAQ to reflect the new policy. More refinement of the policy will likely become known as time passes. We will keep watching the situation and listening to our readers' comments about any problems or successes they have had in this area.

Thanks for clarifying, Gloria. While there are still unanswered questions, we certainly appreciate your help.

 

[lurkernj]

Well, I purchased a 5 day park hopper through the Orbitz deal last week. If I am not allowed to upgrade, I can say with certaintly I will not be buying a full priced ticket to fill in the additional two or three days that I need. Universal will be getting that money since I have wanted to see the Harry Potter stuff anyways I'm assuming a lot of people will have that mindset instead of forking out another $100 for an additional day.

 

[konslerg]

Again, I upgraded three 4 day tickets to annual passes and another to a 6 day with no problem. This was Saturday.

As I understand this new policy, tickets purchased from outside vendors CAN be upgraded to annual passes, seasonal passes, etc. without a problem ...just no days or options added to them.

 

[Autumnslight]

Again, I upgraded three 4 day tickets to annual passes and another to a 6 day with no problem. This was Saturday.

Do you mind saying (approximately) when and where you purchased your tickets, just as a reference point? Also, did you upgrade them at guest relations in a park or at a resort concierge desk? Had you used them once prior to conversion? Did you have to ask for them to be bridged, or did the CM just do it?

 

[KittyKat1978]

My name is Gloria and I answer some of the questions that come in to the All Ears website. Obviously there has been a lot of discussion about the new policy change re tickets purchased from outside agencies.

Late last night I received two questions about the new policy and I responded to those questions as best as I could at the time. Apparently my responses (quoted in this thread) have caused some concern about the accuracy of the website.

I apologize if I have caused more confusion about the new policy. My response was my personal response. Below is the "official" reply from the All Ears website. I hope it clears up some of the confusion.

...Last week, after the All Ears Newsletter had been mailed, we became aware of an unannounced change in Disney's policy regarding tickets that were purchased from non-Disney sources. Several guests reported that when they attempted to add a day to their Magic your Way ticket that was purchased from a non-Disney source, they were refused and told that they would have to spend more than $100 for a single day ticket. Several tried at both their resort concierge and at a guest relations window and were told the same thing.

We called the Disney Ticketing office and and spoke to a supervisor. We were told that commencing with last week's price increase "3rd party tickets can no longer be upgraded to passes at a pro-rated rate, have days added, or have options added at a discount." A different call to a second Disney source confirmed it but added that this does not affect AAA.On the basis of that, we changed our ticket FAQ to reflect the new policy. More refinement of the policy will likely become known as time passes. We will keep watching the situation and listening to our readers' comments about any problems or successes they have had in this area.

So, if I am reading this correctly, since I got my tickets from Air Miles, with points, I did not buy at a pro-rated rate, I should be able to add the Park Hopper.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

So, if I am reading this correctly, since I got my tickets from Air Miles, with points, I did not buy at a pro-rated rate, I should be able to add the Park Hopper.

I don't think so.

 

[KittyKat1978]

I don't think so.

Why not?

 

[Marionnette]

Why not?

Because you got your tickets from a 3rd party (i.e. Not Disney)? I'm just taking a guess at it here.

Really, no one knows for sure at this point. Apparently, not even those at Disney.

 

[damo]

My name is Gloria and I answer some of the questions that come in to the All Ears website. Obviously there has been a lot of discussion about the new policy change re tickets purchased from outside agencies.

Late last night I received two questions about the new policy and I responded to those questions as best as I could at the time. Apparently my responses (quoted in this thread) have caused some concern about the accuracy of the website.

I apologize if I have caused more confusion about the new policy. My response was my personal response. Below is the "official" reply from the All Ears website. I hope it clears up some of the confusion.

...Last week, after the All Ears Newsletter had been mailed, we became aware of an unannounced change in Disney's policy regarding tickets that were purchased from non-Disney sources. Several guests reported that when they attempted to add a day to their Magic your Way ticket that was purchased from a non-Disney source, they were refused and told that they would have to spend more than $100 for a single day ticket. Several tried at both their resort concierge and at a guest relations window and were told the same thing.

We called the Disney Ticketing office and and spoke to a supervisor. We were told that commencing with last week's price increase "3rd party tickets can no longer be upgraded to passes at a pro-rated rate, have days added, or have options added at a discount." A different call to a second Disney source confirmed it but added that this does not affect AAA.

On the basis of that, we changed our ticket FAQ to reflect the new policy. More refinement of the policy will likely become known as time passes. We will keep watching the situation and listening to our readers' comments about any problems or successes they have had in this area.

But this is not what is stated on the Allears website. The website says you cannot add options at all. You are saying they can be added but just not at a discounted rate.

 

[KittyKat1978]

Because you got your tickets from a 3rd party (i.e. Not Disney)? I'm just taking a guess at it here.

Really, no one knows for sure at this point. Apparently, not even those at Disney.

Yes, but I didn't pay for them, so I am not getting a reduced rate. They are not losing any money from me.

 

[Marionnette]

Yes, but I didn't pay for them, so I am not getting a reduced rate. They are not losing any money from me.

The tickets are still from a 3rd party, n'est-ce pas?

 

[vicki_c]

Yes, but I didn't pay for them, so I am not getting a reduced rate. They are not losing any money from me.

If they were sold at less than full price to AirMiles, which I'm guessing they were, they would also be affected by this, is my take on it.

 

[that's nice]

In Disney's eyes, what/who is a 3rd party reseller? Is an authorized Disney reseller like UT considered 3rd party?

I love how Disney makes changes on the fly and no one knows their policy one day to the next- including one CM to the next.

 

[JanaDee]

Yes, but I didn't pay for them, so I am not getting a reduced rate. They are not losing any money from me.

You bought them from a 3rd party ticket seller, so if this new policy is true (and it seems to be), your ticket will not be able to have days added at a discount.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

...Last week, after the All Ears Newsletter had been mailed, we became aware of an unannounced change in Disney's policy regarding tickets that were purchased from non-Disney sources. Several guests reported that when they attempted to add a day to their Magic your Way ticket that was purchased from a non-Disney source, they were refused and told that they would have to spend more than $100 for a single day ticket. Several tried at both their resort concierge and at a guest relations window and were told the same thing.

We called the Disney Ticketing office and and spoke to a supervisor. We were told that commencing with last week's price increase "3rd party tickets can no longer be upgraded to passes at a pro-rated rate, have days added, or have options added at a discount." A different call to a second Disney source confirmed it but added that this does not affect AAA.

On the basis of that, we changed our ticket FAQ to reflect the new policy. More refinement of the policy will likely become known as time passes. We will keep watching the situation and listening to our readers' comments about any problems or successes they have had in this area.

I'm sorry, Gloria, but unless we can get confirmation that the written policy has changed, from a CM who has actually seen the written policy on the Hub, I'm not willing to believe this. The fact is you have a few reports of guest experiences but we also know that many CMs are not properly trained on price bridging in general. In October, I tried to add a day to our tickets and was told by a CM it couldn't be done with price bridging. Iasked to speak with a supervisor, who told me the same thing. I took my ticket to a different CM, asked if HE knew how to price bridge, and had my day added for the $10 I was expecting immediately. No offense, but just because you run a Disney website doesn't mean that you have any better luck in getting accurate information from phone CMs or supervisors than the rest of us. Cheshire Figment, who has been unfortunately absent from the boards, has cited the page in the manual where price bridging is explained. Unless he, or another CM with access to the Hub, comes in and says that the section of the manual has been revised, I won't believe the policy has changed.

 

[damo]

You bought them from a 3rd party ticket seller, so if this new policy is true (and it seems to be), your ticket will not be able to have days added at a discount.

But will they be able to have days or parkhopper added not at a discount? Will you be able to pay your $63 and get parkhoppers or are you stuck with non-parkhopper tickets?

 

[vicki_c]

In Disney's eyes, what/who is a 3rd party reseller? Is an authorized Disney reseller like UT considered 3rd party?

I love how Disney makes changes on the fly and no one knows their policy one day to the next- including one CM to the next.

Every place is a "3rd party reseller" (or equivalent) except Disney ticket windows. That includes tickets in packages, tickets from the Disney store, UT, Orlando Ticket Center, etc. If they maintain the same practice as in the past, it covers any location who purchases Disney tickets from Disney at a discounted or wholesaler type rate. This included Disney Travel Company and the Disney Store. They could of course change this approach going forward for their own affiliated companies, but historically, this is how it was.

 

[Robo]

Yes, but I didn't pay for them, so I am not getting a reduced rate. They are not losing any money from me.

Disney is not "losing any money" from anybody.

The resellers (and those who purchase tickets from them) are all part of
Disney's marketing plan.

It is Disney who offers tickets at a wholesale price to authorized resellers so that
those resellers will market the tickets to additional potential guests.

Those guests then go to WDW and spend money.

The resellers are part of Disney's marketing plan for tickets and it is Disney
who makes the wholesale tickets available.

Airmiles (et al) uses the discounted Disney-offered tickets to promote their own business as well as WDW.

Everybody in the chain is "making money" via Disney's "authorized resellers" program.

If the info in the original allears.com post quoted in the OP of this thread is accurate,
(and, it looks like it might not be true… but ANYTHING is POSSIBLE)
then Disney is trashing it's own reseller program.

 

[Marionnette]

But will they be able to have days or parkhopper added not at a discount? Will you be able to pay your $63 and get parkhoppers or are you stuck with non-parkhopper tickets?

It's really going to depend on how the sentence was meant to be interpreted. As in:
3rd party tickets can no longer be upgraded to passes at a pro-rated rate.
3rd party tickets can no longer have days added.
3rd party tickets can no longer have options added at a discount.

That would be entirely different than 3rd party tickets can no longer be upgraded to passes at a pro-rated rate, nor can they have days added at a pro-rated rate, nor can they have options added at a discount (at a pro-rated rate?)