Question About Ticket Upgrades....

[speedyf]

I posted this over on the budget board...but, I figured I would post it over here to try to find an answer as well.

Try to stay with me on this one. I have a friend who has a cousin who is a CM at WDW. My friend and her family are traveling to WDW at the same time that we are going in June. She offered to get me tickets through her cousin at the CM rate.....so, I jumped at the opportunity to save a few dollars.

She informed her cousin to purchase 7 day base tickets.....but, for some reason....he purchased 6 day base tickets. The difference between a 6 day base ticket and a 7 day base ticket is maybe $2 when you purchase in advance.

So....now I have 3 adult 6-day base tickets that I paid about $190 each and 1 child 6-day base ticket that I paid about $155.

Here are my questions....

1. Is the ticket that the CM purchased marked in any way to show that we only paid around $190 for the ticket?

2. The CM quoted us a price of $193.xx for the ticket including tax for a 6-day base ticket. He then quoted us around $194.xx for a 7-day base ticket. A regular 6-day base ticket on Disney's site is $215.xx and a regular 7-day base ticket on Disney's site is $217.xx.

My question is will I be charged the difference between the CM prices of $194.xx and $193.xx....which is only about a $1 difference? Or will they charge me the difference between the regular 7-day base ticket of $217.xx and the price I paid for the 6-day ticket at $193.xx?....which is a $24 difference per ticket...ouch!

Thanks,
Speed

 

[speedyf]

Bumpin'

Speed

 

[bicker]

I suspect that CM tickets work just like tickets from brokers: Disney knows precisely how much cash they received for the tickets, and will only apply that much towards the upgraded ticket retail price. Sorry.

 

[seashoreCM]

I believe that to add the seventh day (or any other feature) to Magic Your Way tickets it costs the same no matter where you bought the ticket or how much you paid. In other words you pay #3 but not #1 or #2 below.

1. The wholesale versus retail differential
2. The 2005 to 2006 differential (for tickets bought last year)
3. The gate price difference as posted above the ticket window now. About two dollars for the seventh day on an expiring pass.

The above applies only to unused tickets or tickets not used more than 14 days ago. A somewhat less favorable "dollar value trade-up formula" applies otherwise and I think #1 and #2 apply also.

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

 

[speedyf]

seashoreCM...

I really appreciate your help. I read on another board that this is the case as well.

I read that when Disney changed over to the MYW ticket, they stopped "worrying" about the original price of the ticket. I guess with so many options to upgrade and customize your ticket, that it makes sense.

I did also put out an e-mail to Disney. I'm hoping that they respond with the same answer that you posted....a couple dollars more to upgrade it to a 7-day pass.

Thanks!
Speed

 

[bicker]

I've read reports to the opposite, here on the DIS. What's the real story?

 

[seashoreCM]

Pre 2005 park hoppers, when traded in, took into account wholesale versus retail pricing, and yesteryear's pricing. In 2006 at least the partially used hoppers may no longer be traded in but of course may be used as-is.

I'll stand corrected when I see reports with numbers contradicting what I said for Magic Your Way passes. It would be ludicrous for someone with an unused 10 day non-expiring 10 day basic pass bought last year to have to pay $75. instead of the now posted $43. incl. tax to add hopping because the pass upon being remodeled had to first be brought up to 2006 building codes (sorry about that). (Non-expiration on a 10 day costs $31. more in 2006.)

Last year: 10 days $223., hopping $37., non-expiration $107.
This year: 10 days $224., hopping $43., non-expiration $138.

 

[Allison]

I've read reports to the opposite, here on the DIS. What's the real story?

I bought an 8 day ticket from ticketmania and then needed to change it to a 10 day non-expiring. I did NOT pay based on what ticketmania paid. I simply paid the price difference between Disney's listed price for an 8 day ticket and a 10 day ticket. The fact that I purchased from ticketmania did not factor into the equation in any way.

 

[speedyf]

Allison,

Thanks for posting. I figured someone had some first hand experience with this.

I do have an e-mail into Disney about it...but, I don't know how long it will take for them to get back to me. We don't travel until June, so I'm not in a big rush.

Thanks Again,
Speed

 

[Cmbar]

I bought an 8 day ticket from ticketmania and then needed to change it to a 10 day non-expiring. I did NOT pay based on what ticketmania paid. I simply paid the price difference between Disney's listed price for an 8 day ticket and a 10 day ticket. The fact that I purchased from ticketmania did not factor into the equation in any way.

Allison, where did you do the upgrade?

Just curious, because we bought a 6dh with a package that offered the free hopper/water park when we bought in November and then went on our trip in February. When I went to upgrade to add a day and add non expiring at the resort it wasn't just a difference between adding a day plus the non expiring option. The CM quoted that it would be but when they went into the system to do it they were not allowed. They had to figure out what I paid for the ticket (low price since we paid for a base ticket but go the hopper/water free) and then charge me the difference to what the cost was currently (which of course included the price hike on Jan 1st). So what I though would/should cost about 220.00 ended up costing 350.00 for all our tickets. I tried it with two different CM's also and they both came up with the same thing so I gave up.

So the answer is..... You probably won't know until you try to do it. Good luck!

 

[Allison]

Allison, where did you do the upgrade?

Just curious, because we bought a 6dh with a package that offered the free hopper/water park when we bought in November and then went on our trip in February. When I went to upgrade to add a day and add non expiring at the resort it wasn't just a difference between adding a day plus the non expiring option. The CM quoted that it would be but when they went into the system to do it they were not allowed. They had to figure out what I paid for the ticket (low price since we paid for a base ticket but go the hopper/water free) and then charge me the difference to what the cost was currently (which of course included the price hike on Jan 1st). So what I though would/should cost about 220.00 ended up costing 350.00 for all our tickets. I tried it with two different CM's also and they both came up with the same thing so I gave up.

So the answer is..... You probably won't know until you try to do it. Good luck!

At Epcot. But, I think the difference is you bought your tickets directly from Disney. Is that right? So, it sounds like you ended up paying for the hopper/extras when it went from free to not free. By the way, that's a bummer.

My situation is they don't distinguish tickets purchased from a ticket broker from those purchased directly from Disney.

It sounds like the OP situation is more like yours and may end up costing more money.

 

[speedyf]

I think I'm just going to chance it and try to upgrade at Guest Serivces.

I looked into possibly selling the tickets on eBay...but, the eBay fees and PayPal fees would end up costing me almost as much as the $24 fee to upgrade at the park....so, it's not worth it.

Thanks for all your help. I'm hoping to receive something official from my e-mail to Disney. If they give me the right answer, I can print the e-mail and bring it with me when I try to do the upgrade.

Thanks,
Speed

 

[bicker]

See why I am confused?

 

[GoldenOldie]

First off, Disney will not tell you anything about upgrading or the price of adding days on the phone or by email. You will get a very generic "take them to Guest Relations and have them scanned" answer.

Now, as to the OP's situation, under normal circumstances you should be able to add the day using the gate price differential.

Allison is right about the use of gate prices for the MYW upgrades. SeashoreCM is right about the way the old tickets used to be valued using the wholesale cost.

Remember that the entire ticketing structure has changed from top to bottom over the past 14 months even to the point of changing what you can do with pre-MYW tickets.

Most of all OP, remember this. When you want to do a transaction that isn't handled every day like what you seek to do, you will get different answers on what can be done and how much it will cost from different CMs. They do have some latitude in upgrades but not all will exercise it.

Good luck!

 

[speedyf]

GoldenOldie,

Thanks for the response. I will just hope for the best and try to upgrade the tickets at Guest Serivces. If I have to pay the extra $25 per person....then, I guess that's the price I have to pay for trying to be too cheap.

I've learned my lesson and will pay the few extra dollars to a ticket broker to do it right next time.

Thanks for everyone's input on this strange situation.....

Speed

 

[Mystic7070]

I upgraded a 5 day hopper to non expiring. Bought the ticket through AAA. When I upgraded at POR they charged me the 40 for the upgrade and said since the ticket was a discounted one they would have to add the difference which came to about $55. Good luck. Asked 2 CMs and got same answer.

 

[seashoreCM]

Who wants to write to Disney after they did the upgrade and after they get back home to complain?

This will reveal a real official answer.

We'll all have to wait with baited breath.

 

[speedyf]

I did talk to my friend who has the tickets. Her cousin is the CM who purchased the tickets for us.

I told her that the tickets may be marked a special way to indicate that they were purchased at the CM rate.

She told me the code on the back of the ticket has CAS in it....like (# substituted for actual numbers):

##/##/## WDW:CAS### ###

Looking at an old ticket I have from last year (purchased through TicketMania)...my ticket doesn't have the CAS on it. It shows:

WTS:005 03/14/05 2618

We were thinking that this CAS might signify that it is a ticket purchased at a Cast Member discounted price. Sounding more and more like we will have to pay the $24 difference instead of the $2 difference.

Speed