Park Entry Pass from 1989

[Disney Pal]

Hi!
I have a 3 day Disney Park entry Pass from 1989 (I don't know what they called them then, but you could go to all the parks, like today's Park Hopper). The thing is that I never used all 3 days on the ticket, there is one day left. (Back then they stamped the tickets). Now I have heard that tickets are good for a lifetime (I have a heard a nasty rumor that the new passes have an expiration date, a BAD move on Disney's part if true, another fleecing of America (or Americas parents anyway).
So is it true that all the older passes are forever valid? With the price of passes what they are and me going to Disney in October with my three 2 year old DD's (or 1 set of DT's I guess (Disney triplets) , OH! I like that, it fits!), but every penny helps.
If it is true that it is still valid, how would I go about redeeming it when I get to the park w/o the magnetic strip on back? The old ones were stamped, very old tech.

Thanks for your help, Disney Pal.

 

[CharmedLife]

I went with my parents a few years ago and they also had some old passes (not sure if they were '89, but older than the current style). They were able to use them - when they got to the gate they were directed to an office where they were exchanged for new-style tickets with the correct number of days left.

The new Disney ticket options allow the tickets to expire after 14 days. You can pay an additional fee to make them "no expiration". I guess it's nice for folks who are planning to use them all up during their trip - saves money. I personally am buying 10-day tickets for our next trip with the "no expire" option so I can use them for two trips a few years apart - this will save us a few hundred dollars in the long run.

 

[MKCP5]

You can absolutely use them still. If you are not sure what you have left on them you can go to downtown disney when you first get into town and go to gest services. They will give you an up to date pass with whatever is left over from the last time.

PS You can opt for expiry or pay additional $$ for non expiry now on your tickets. The more days you buy the cheaper it gets--ridiculously so in fact. If you tack on a non expiration to that you could use them for your grandkids 15 more years form now!!

 

[NancyIL]

I think WDW is competing with Universal, which has less expensive multi-day tickets that expire within a week or two of first use. For the family that stays at WDW for a week or more, the expiring park hoppers can be a very good deal. I can buy an 8-day park hopper at Ticket Mania for $233!!! That's about what the old 5-day hoppers that never expired cost. It allows you to go to a park on the day you arrive and the day you leave, because after 5 days, each additional day costs only $1 plus tax.

 

[eeyore0062]

Hi!
I have a 3 day Disney Park entry Pass from 1989 (I don't know what they called them then, but you could go to all the parks, like today's Park Hopper). The thing is that I never used all 3 days on the ticket, there is one day left. (Back then they stamped the tickets). Now I have heard that tickets are good for a lifetime (I have a heard a nasty rumor that the new passes have an expiration date, a BAD move on Disney's part if true, another fleecing of America (or Americas parents anyway).
So is it true that all the older passes are forever valid? With the price of passes what they are and me going to Disney in October with my three 2 year old DD's (or 1 set of DT's I guess (Disney triplets) , OH! I like that, it fits!), but every penny helps.
If it is true that it is still valid, how would I go about redeeming it when I get to the park w/o the magnetic strip on back? The old ones were stamped, very old tech.

Thanks for your help, Disney Pal.

Most Definitely you may still use the remaining day on your 1989 tickets, however, you must 1st visit WDW Guest Relations at one of the parks or Downtown Disney to have it converted to a one day remaining PH ( or how many days you may have left)... These tickets will be good to go through the machines in the front of the park, as well as the fastpass machines. Do note, that these new tickets are Non upgradeable, and cannot be used as credit toward any other ticket.

 

[pearlieq]

You might not be able to use it at AK--as I recall you can only use the ticket on parks that were open at the time of issue. But, once you have it converted to new media, you can definintely use it at MK, EPCOT, and MGM.

 

[TiggerStac]

They use to have you pay a difference to add AK to the old passes. Recently (may) my parents went down and they have been using up old passes forever (plus I had worked for the disney store, so I got a nice discount..so they stocked up, too) anyways..they were able to change some pre- AK passes to current passes that included AK and they were not charged. I'm not sure which ones they would have traded in, if it was some from cast member (I worked there when AK opened) or if they had bought them before. ug: ug: ug: ug: ug: ug:

 

[Disney Pal]

You might not be able to use it at AK--as I recall you can only use the ticket on parks that were open at the time of issue. But, once you have it converted to new media, you can definintely use it at MK, EPCOT, and MGM.

Actually when I went (April 1989) MGM wasn't open yet. It may have opened later that year, so maybe it will work there, maybe not. But thanks for all the replies!

 

[swilshire]

I seem to recall that they dropped the restrictions on letting you in the new parks with the old passes a few years ago. I guess it just got too complicated.

Sheila

 

[scottrob]

We have some passes that are a couple of years old and we are pretty sure that at least two of the four have days left on them. Does anyone know where to take them at WDW where they can be scanned and we can find out the number of days left on the ticket? We are hoping to give them to my son and his family to take our granddaugher to MK for the first time. Thanks.

 

[MKOATEYW]

The only way to find out how many days are on your tickets is to go to WDW Guest Relations at one of the parks or Downtown Disney.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you want to keep the old 1989 pass as a souvenir, ask the ticket agent CM before exchanging it for a magnetic stripe pass. It is not Disney's policy to give back the old pass (Does Disney sell the take-backs on eBay?) but a ticket agent might oblige in your favor and stamp the pass with a big black "VOID".

Do the exchange at the Guest Relations window outside the turnstiles. If your vacation is for 5 to 10 theme park days and you need a new ticket also, get the new ticket for the entire vacation and tuck the modernized old ticket way away for the future.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/dispass.htm