New Ticket Upgrade Policy?

[zuzu310]

So I am so confused right now. I just bought tickets from UT in January and then we decided that once we get there we would like to add a day. So can you still price bridge a ticket and not have to pay over $100 for a single day ticket? I understand that the upgrade might cost more based on new gate prices but I am hoping we don't have to pay another $100 for a single day ticket. UT says you can still price bridge and allears says you can't....Arghh.

 

[MamaBear58]

Who ever explained this to them either did not understand whatever the new policy was or whoever wrote this didn't understand what the person was saying. The sentence is just nonsense. Even with bridging you weren't "pro rating" tickets or "adding at a discount. You always paid the difference in price between what you had and what you want. That's just normal - that's not special policy. If the price to add hopping is $60, and I pay $60 that's not a discount. If what they mean is that if you want to alter a discounted ticket you first have to pay the difference in price, then just say that.

But I agree from a business point of view, this is just stupid. The amount they get is a rounding error in terms of disney income. There is no reason if two people have the same ticket that one should be charged more than the other to add the same option. At least most other Disney changes there are plausible rationales for why it's done a certain way. But I can't think of any other reason than greed if they have authorized other people to sell their tickets that they don't treat all those tickets the same. This is even all the more true because the system they created to wring more money from people doesn't even work. Would be a really easy system to just charge the different in current price for any upgrade. Very simple, uniform, no confusion.

The point is that Disney has decided that it no longer wants these viewed as the same ticket. They are now different products. Buy at a discount but your price does not include insurance against a price increase. Or buy at gate, which includes insurance against price increases. It is actually great marketing because one product is solely Disney's to sell.

 

[DebbieB]

Right - clear as mud. That site's credibility has gone from bad to worse for me.

It's not their fault if the contacts at Disney are giving them conflicting information. From the experiences posted of people being told no upgrades today in person and then UCT posting something different, Disney doesn't have all their cm's on the same page. They've had issues with price bridging training for a long time.

 

[vicki_c]

The point is that Disney has decided that it no longer wants these viewed as the same ticket. They are now different products. Buy at a discount but your price does not include insurance against a price increase. Or buy at gate, which includes insurance against price increases. It is actually great marketing because one product is solely Disney's to sell.

This is incorrect. Disney did away with bridging of their own gate sold tickets a while ago. So they have no insurance against future price increases.

 

[TLSnell1981]

The most recent increase was for all tickets, not just one day. Here is a chart of prices for single days...

http://allears.net/tix/tixincrease.htm

I'll try to find one for multi days and post it.

ETA: Does this one help? Looks like the most recent price increase is not listed, though.

http://allears.net/tix/MYWhistory.htm

The news articles, that I've read, stated only one day tickets were increased. I had no idea, they were raised across the board.

 

[cigar95]

This is incorrect. Disney did away with bridging of their own gate sold tickets a while ago. So they have no insurance against future price increases.

. . . and thus it will be interesting to see how tickets from Disney Store or WDTC are treated, since these are considered technically to be third-party for certain purposes, and thus are eligible for bridging.

Try to explain to the typical guest how a ticket they bought from "Disney" when they booked their package is actually a third-party ticket!

 

[MamaBear58]

This is incorrect. Disney did away with bridging of their own gate sold tickets a while ago. So they have no insurance against future price increases.

I should have clarified. By Disney I meant through a package. Yes I know that is technically a 3rd party sale but it is not at a meaningful discount. My guess is that the Disney travel company will be excluded from this new policy, to push people toward packages.

 

[Order66]

Planning a Disney trip used to bring excitement and anticipation.....now it's just bringing me anxiety and stress headaches.

Sunday and yesterday I was impressed with the quick replies to my concerns I was getting from UT customer service. I never bought from them before, but was pretty happy they seemed to want to take care of their customers.

I'm still not quite clear and emailed them yet again today. Only difference is today.......no reply at all. I understand they likely have a mountain of concerned customers, but they replied multiple times over 2 days. I think in the morning I'm going to call them and ask how I just return these tickets when they do arrive. I really have no desire to show up at Disney with unannounced and ever changing confusing policies about adding days to my tickets.

regards

 

[TLSnell1981]

Planning a Disney trip used to bring excitement and anticipation.....now it's just bringing me anxiety and stress headaches.
.

I feel your pain.

 

[michelle06]

The news articles, that I've read, stated only one day tickets were increased. I had no idea, they were raised across the board.

I know. That's what I thought too! 2 major price increases in one year is ridiculous. I can't imagine them now raising the prices again this June.

 

[digiMom]

Planning a Disney trip used to bring excitement and anticipation.....now it's just bringing me anxiety and stress headaches. Sunday and yesterday I was impressed with the quick replies to my concerns I was getting from UT customer service. I never bought from them before, but was pretty happy they seemed to want to take care of their customers. I'm still not quite clear and emailed them yet again today. Only difference is today.......no reply at all. I understand they likely have a mountain of concerned customers, but they replied multiple times over 2 days. I think in the morning I'm going to call them and ask how I just return these tickets when they do arrive. I really have no desire to show up at Disney with unannounced and ever changing confusing policies about adding days to my tickets. regards

I agree, things seem stressed.

FWIW, I emailed them earlier today and just got a response, so they must be working late trying to get to everyone. I'm thinking of exchanging tickets with UT to the one I want so I have it before I leave. That way I won't have the worry if I can bridge or even upgrade it at all once I get there. It sounds like they're willing to work with me on that as long as the tickets are in the same condition in which they were sent to me.

 

[zuzu310]

I agree, things seem stressed.

FWIW, I emailed them earlier today and just got a response, so they must be working late trying to get to everyone. I'm thinking of exchanging tickets with UT to the one I want so I have it before I leave. That way I won't have the worry if I can bridge or even upgrade it at all once I get there. It sounds like they're willing to work with me on that as long as the tickets are in the same condition in which they were sent to me.

So what did UT say? Did they say that you can price bridge them? I am so stressed out now. So much for a special 10 year anniversary trip...

 

[DebbieB]

So what did UT say? Did they say that you can price bridge them? I am so stressed out now. So much for a special 10 year anniversary trip...

They posted on the previous page.

Originally Posted by UnderCoverTourist

Hi There,

Disney wants you to be able to upgrade. We get our tickets from Disney, there are no differences between a real ticket from us and a real ticket from the gate.

You can upgrade. The policy is correct.

We have always taken care of our customers and we suggest you try and buy the ticket you need, if you don't know exactly - be reassured that you can upgrade. If there happens to be a price rise between purchase and upgrade just be aware that you still lock in your savings but you won't receive the new gate price as a credit.

We move our stock quickly, honestly nobody wants to hold onto stock.

For the other possible wrinkles mentioned, we always take care of our customers

Thank you

Undercover Tourist

 

[digiMom]

So what did UT say? Did they say that you can price bridge them? I am so stressed out now. So much for a special 10 year anniversary trip...

Here's what they said about bridging:

"They will let you add days at the guest service desk. They give you the credit for your ticket, and you pay the difference, of the gate price."

After trying to figure this out, that's what I worked out, too. If I knew for a fact that this is what will happen, I would just let it be. I'm still getting a discount. But there are very recent (like yesterday and today) reports of people bridging and others being turned away. Like at several parks. I don't want to spend my day on buses going from park to park trying to find someone at Disney that knows what they're doing. That's just BS.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

After trying to figure this out, that's what I worked out, too. If I knew for a fact that this is what will happen, I would just let it be. I'm still getting a discount. But there are very recent (like yesterday and today) reports of people bridging and others being turned away. Like at several parks. I don't want to spend my day on buses going from park to park trying to find someone at Disney that knows what they're doing. That's just BS.

But again...this is nothing new. There have always been CMs who aren't properly trained on price bridging, and then CMs who know exactly what to do. You get one who doesn't know what to do, simply try another one.

ETA: With Disney (unfortunately) you can't ever "know for a fact" what's going to happen with anything, because there are so many inconsistencies from CM to CM. When you're dealing with a human element, there will never be 100% certainty.

 

[digiMom]

But again...this is nothing new. There have always been CMs who aren't properly trained on price bridging, and then CMs who know exactly what to do. You get one who doesn't know what to do, simply try another one. ETA: With Disney (unfortunately) you can't ever "know for a fact" what's going to happen with anything, because there are so many inconsistencies from CM to CM. When you're dealing with a human element, there will never be 100% certainty.

If there's a CM that isn't aware of how to do this, then fine. Annoying, but fine. But people are saying that even the supervisors don't know about it? Or how to do it? That doesn't seem right ...

 

[Missyrose]

If there's a CM that isn't aware of how to do this, then fine. Annoying, but fine. But people are saying that even the supervisors don't know about it? Or how to do it? That doesn't seem right ...

There have always been supervisors who didn't understand the bridging policy, that's nothing new.

 

[michelle06]

You know, I've read this entire thread. I've been thinking about this a lot since it was first posted. I've come to the following conclusion regarding my own tickets. I bought 5 day base tickets from UCT last June. Back then anything after 5 days was $10/day for additional days. Currently it is $10/day for additional days. I already have my ticket. I've already paid for the first 5 days regardless of ticket increases. It does not seem right that if I want to add more days, I have to pay more than $10/days as I now have to pay the price increase on days already purchased. That seems unfair. Now if additional days now cost $12 instead of $10, I could understand that. That's logical. But paying additional money for days I already purchased just seems wrong.

Yes, Disney can do what they want. But it's just not logical. To me, it's like pre-ordering a DVD. After it's available, they tell you they decided to increase the price so if you still want it, you have to pay more.

 

[Robo]

You know, I've read this entire thread. I've been thinking about this a lot since it was first posted. I've come to the following conclusion regarding my own tickets. I bought 5 day base tickets from UCT last June. Back then anything after 5 days was $10/day for additional days. Currently it is $10/day for additional days. I already have my ticket. I've already paid for the first 5 days regardless of ticket increases. It does not seem right that if I want to add more days, I have to pay more than $10/days as I now have to pay the price increase on days already purchased. That seems unfair. Now if additional days now cost $12 instead of $10, I could understand that. That's logical. But paying additional money for days I already purchased just seems wrong.

For the reasons you site above (and more)

I'm not yet convinced that there really IS a "new policy" on ticket upgrades.

Few people (many untrained ticket CM's included) seem to realize that "price-bridging" discounted ticket to the current
gate-rate for the purposes of upgrading does NOT cost Disney "extra money."

To change the long-standing price-bridge policy would just be petty and cause immeasurable upgrade problems
at the ticket booth.

 

[JanaDee]

You know, I've read this entire thread. I've been thinking about this a lot since it was first posted. I've come to the following conclusion regarding my own tickets. I bought 5 day base tickets from UCT last June. Back then anything after 5 days was $10/day for additional days. Currently it is $10/day for additional days. I already have my ticket. I've already paid for the first 5 days regardless of ticket increases. It does not seem right that if I want to add more days, I have to pay more than $10/days as I now have to pay the price increase on days already purchased. That seems unfair. Now if additional days now cost $12 instead of $10, I could understand that. That's logical. But paying additional money for days I already purchased just seems wrong. Yes, Disney can do what they want. But it's just not logical. To me, it's like pre-ordering a DVD. After it's available, they tell you they decided to increase the price so if you still want it, you have to pay more.

I don't understand it, either. It does not make any logical sense.