Quick question about upgrading tickets

[cinnderly]

I read the sticky, but I just need some clarification/reassurance.

I have 2 day MYW tickets that I bought with a resort package prior to the price increase in June. I want to upgrade them to 7 day PH WPF&M. I can get the upgrade for the same price before the increase? And in order to do that I must use one day first? (And why is that, exactly?) I check into POR in 5 days.

 

[Dan Murphy]

By using your tickets for a park admission, those tickets will be brought up to today's current value for the tickets you have (more than what you paid for them). Then when you upgrade, you will pay the difference between your now increased value tickets and the ones your are upgrading to.

Does that sound clear?

 

[Robo]

I have 2 day MYW tickets that I bought with a resort package prior to the price increase in June.

I want to upgrade them to 7 day PH WPF&M.

1- I can get the upgrade for the same price before the increase?

2- And in order to do that I must use one day first?

3- (And why is that, exactly?)

1- The cost to upgrade is the current NEW gate price of the ticket that you HAVE subtracted from the current NEW gate price of the ticket that you WANT.

2- Yes. Enter a theme park using your current ticket at least one time BEFORE you upgrade.

3- Don't worry about it. It's a Disney accounting thing.
It makes your tickets into "used" tickets, and they are tallied differently
in upgrades than fully new, never-used tickets.

 

[cinnderly]

1- The cost to upgrade is the current NEW gate price of the ticket that you HAVE subtracted from the current NEW gate price of the ticket that you WANT.

2- Yes. Enter a theme park using your current ticket at least one time BEFORE you upgrade.

3- Don't worry about it. It's a Disney accounting thing.
It makes your tickets into "used" tickets, and they are tallied differently
in upgrades than fully new, never-used tickets.

So, I have to pay the new price? I'm not locked into the old pricing? That's kind of a bummer.

 

[Robo]

So, I have to pay the new price? I'm not locked into the old pricing? That's kind of a bummer.

Yes.

But, you will get the CURRENT NEW PRICE for the ticket that you bought at the old price when you do the upgrade.
So, you will be saving money over just buying the new ticket at full current price.

 

[hakepb]

So, I have to pay the new price? I'm not locked into the old pricing? That's kind of a bummer.

You bought $176 tickets (for adult). But if you use one day, Disney will give you a credit of $184 towards your upgraded, new ticket!

 

[POOHsie]

This is the math that explains why posters are telling you to use your tickets first before upgrading, to get today's price credit for your old tickets.

Old price (June 3, 2012-June 1-2013) for MYW tickets:
2 day base = $176
7-day base = $288
WPF&M option = $57
__________________
$288 7-Day Base Ticket - $176 2-Day Base Ticket = $112
Add WPF&M $57 + $112 = $169 to upgrade prior to June 2, 2013 + Tax

New price (June 2, 2013) for MYW tickets:
2 day base = $184
7-day base = $309
WPF&M Option = $59
__________________
$309 7-Day Base Ticket - $184 2-Day Base Ticket = $125
Add WPF&M $59 + $125 = $184 to upgrade after June 2, 2013 + Tax

Price increase (June 2, 2013) additional cost per ticket: $184 - $169 = $15 + tax.

If you do your upgrade AFTER using your ticket at least once, you get credit for Disney's current price of your ticket ($184).
This is called PRICE BRIDGING.
$309 7-day Base Ticket (new price). Add WPF&M (new price) $59 = $368
$368 - $184 credit = $184 upgrade cost + tax

If you do your upgrade BEFORE using your ticket at least once, you only get credit for Disney's old price of your ticket ($176).
$309 7-day Base Ticket (new price). Add WPF&M (new price) $59 = $368
$368 - $176 credit = $192 upgrade cost + tax

Not using your tickets first will cost an additional $8 per ticket + tax.

If your tickets are older than the June 3, 2012 price increase, and you upgrade before using your old tickets, your ticket credit will be even less. In other words, the older your unused tickets are, the less credit you get towards your cost to upgrade.

WDW Ticket Price History: http://allears.net/tix/tixpix10.htm

 

[ShellieB]

Thank you for laying this out....I had the same question too! I have one other question....the where to do this We are going in Feb 2014, and going to Epcot on arrival day. After I go through the turnstile, I want to get this taken care of asap...so it doesnt hang over my head Where do I go? Do I have to exit the park first?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You might want to look at the Everything About WDW Tickets locked sticky in this Forum. Especially the items bolded in the list below.

Post and Contents

1. This Table of Contents
2. Magic Your Way (MYW) Ticket Basics Including Definitions
3. Annual Passes and Water Park Tickets
4. Tickets Available Only to Florida Residents
5. Tickets Not Available to the General Public
6. Upgrading MYW Tickets (Not to Annual Passes)
7. Upgrading Tickets to Annual Passes
8. Dealing With Tickets Issued Prior to 1 January 2005 (Pre-MYW)
9. Children and Adults
10. Special Events
11. Comprehensive MYW Ticket Example
12. Hotel Card (Key To The World (KTTW))
13. Lost Tickets
14. Finger Scans
15. Frequently Asked Ticket Questions.
15A(1) Hopping Rules
15A(2) I Want To Hop For Only One Day On A Multi-Day Stay
15B. WPF&M With No Expire
15C. No Expire Upgrades
15D. Upgrading an Unused Ticket
15E. Upgrading Special Tickets
15F. Checking on Old Tickets
15G. Renewing Annual Passes
15H. Upgrading a Completely Used Ticket
15I. Getting Park Tickets Before Package Start Date
15J. Upgrading After Departure

Page Two of the Sticky

16. 2013 MNSSHP and MVMCP Information
17. 2012/2013 Armed Forces Salute Tickets
18A. Prices Effective June 1, 2013
18B. Reserved for Future Use
18C. How to Save Money on Annual Pass Purchases
19A. "Free" Tickets and Special Promotions
19B. Special DVC Member Premium Annual Pass Promotion
20. Ticket Purchase/Upgrade Locations and Telephones
21. Florida Resident Installment Purchases of Annual Passes
22. All About Price-Bridging (Or Not)

To get there directly, follow the link in my signature. The ticket sticky is your friend!

 

[POOHsie]

Thank you for laying this out....I had the same question too! I have one other question....the where to do this We are going in Feb 2014, and going to Epcot on arrival day. After I go through the turnstile, I want to get this taken care of asap...so it doesnt hang over my head Where do I go? Do I have to exit the park first?

You can go to a ticket booth or Guest Relations anywhere, including DTD. Each park has a Guest Relations outside and just inside the park entrance. Here is a map for Guest Relations locations in the parks.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/guest-relations/

At Epcot, there is Guest Relations outside the gate, one inside the gate on the left path around Space Ship Earth as you approach from the gate, and one at the International Gateway (not sure if inside or outside that gate). IG is on the path leading to Beach Club, between Epcot's United Kingdom and France. SSE location may be crowded. If so, try IG.

To be best prepared, read Post #6 and Post #22 from the Ticket Sticky "Everything About WDW Tickets" by Cheshire Figment, a WDW Ticketing CM. CF is posting official Disney info, so his info should be how your situation is handled by Disney CMs.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684

Post #6 explains upgrading a MYW ticket. Post #18 is Current Gate Price List (not including tax). Post #22 explains Price Bridging, the topic here, pertaining to upgrading an old or discounted ticket (of less value) but getting Disney full price credit during an upgrade transaction. Not every ticket is qualified for Price Bridging. And you must use your ticket thru a park gate first in order to qualify. Important you read this section.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684&page=2

Last, there are some posts of Disney CMs not Price-Bridging even when they should. Your strategy should be:

1. Know what the upgrade cost should be by doing your math ahead of time. Go to Post #18 of the ticket sticky for current gate prices not including tax. Find the target ticket price. Subtract your ticket price. This is the upgrade cost. Multiply your ticket upgrade amount by 1.065 to get your tax.​

2. Ask the ticketing CM what the upgrade cost would be, as if you are just looking for info. If the CM's numbers are right on or very close to your calculations, then go ahead and do the upgrade.​

3. If the CM's numbers are much higher than your calculations, ask CM if he/she Price-Bridged your tickets. CM may say "what is that?" or "we don't do that with your kind of ticket" or something like that. Ask to involve a supervisor. If their answer is still 'No to Price Bridging,' kindly ask for your old ticket back and go to another qualified location and try your transaction again.​

4. If you are quite sure your ticket qualifies for Price Bridging, per Post #22 of the Ticket Sticky, then don't let a CM tell you different. You are the one with the official Disney knowledge and they are (apparently, and regretfully) unaware of proper Disney procedure. Just smile, take your ticket back, and go to one of many other ticketing locations.​

 

[ratlenhum]

Does bridging apply to APs too. We have a package in Oct with 5 day park hoppers but plan on upgrading to APs

 

[Robo]

Does bridging apply to APs too. We have a package in Oct with 5 day park hoppers but plan on upgrading to APs

Yes.

The "bridging" applies to the ORIGINAL ticket, anyway.

It doesn't matter TO which ticket you wish to upgrade.

 

[jenga1030]

Ok, what about this situation. We have 2 day base tickets. We want to add days so we are planning on using them first.

But we may add waterpark and more option to them too. If we do that, can we add that option to the 2 day tickets before we use them? Will it just be $59 no matter what? Do we have to use them first?

 

[hakepb]

Ok, what about this situation. We have 2 day base tickets. We want to add days so we are planning on using them first.

But we may add waterpark and more option to them too. If we do that, can we add that option to the 2 day tickets before we use them? Will it just be $59 no matter what? Do we have to use them first?

If you don't use the ticket, Disney will only give you credit for what was paid for that ticket. You are not really "adding on" to an old ticket. You are upgrading that old ticket to a new 2013 2 day base +Water Parks. Do you want a low trade-in value for that ticket (then don't use it), or do you want a higher trade-in value (first use the ticket)

 

[cinnderly]

Ok, I finally get it. I have my math and my strategy ready to go. Thank god for all of you smart peeps.

 

[jenga1030]

If you don't use the ticket, Disney will only give you credit for what was paid for that ticket. You are not really "adding on" to an old ticket. You are upgrading that old ticket to a new 2013 2 day base +Water Parks. Do you want a low trade-in value for that ticket (then don't use it), or do you want a higher trade-in value (first use the ticket)

I understand bridging. I was just wondering about adding an option to tickets. Does it just cost $59 or will it be the new price of a 2 day plus waterpark ticket. If I understand correctly what you're saying, then price bridging applies to adding options to tickets too. I guess that is basically what I was asking. I know I need to use it first to add days, I just wanted to know if I needed to use it first to add options to it too.

 

[Robo]

I understand bridging. I was just wondering about adding an option to tickets. Does it just cost $59 or will it be the new price of a 2 day plus waterpark ticket. If I understand correctly what you're saying, then price bridging applies to adding options to tickets too. I guess that is basically what I was asking. I know I need to use it first to add days, I just wanted to know if I needed to use it first to add options to it too.

Don't break things down into "options" vs "days" vs "tickets."

If you have an older (but never used) ticket, or a ticket purchased at a discount price,
and you wish to modify it by adding "options" or "days" in any way...
USE that ticket to enter a theme park at least one time before upgrading.

It can't HURT to use the ticket before the upgrade, and in many cases, it can HELP financially.

 

[jenga1030]

Don't break things down into "options" vs "days" vs "tickets."

If you have an older (but never used) ticket, or a ticket purchased at a discount price,
and you wish to modify it by adding "options" or "days" in any way...
USE that ticket to enter a theme park at least one time before upgrading.

It can't HURT to use the ticket before the upgrade, and in many cases, it can HELP financially.

Ok, got it! Thanks for your help! I will use the ticket first before messing with it.

 

[POOHsie]

Ok, what about this situation. We have 2 day base tickets. We want to add days so we are planning on using them first.

But we may add waterpark and more option to them too. If we do that, can we add that option to the 2 day tickets before we use them? Will it just be $59 no matter what? Do we have to use them first?

Yes, use your tickets first for best credit for your old tickets.

Are you saying you want to go to a waterpark first before going to a park? There's two things you can do.

You can buy a one-day waterpark admission. Keep the receipt. After your visit (SAME DAY), enter a park and do your park ticket upgrade. Ask for Price Bridging, ask for the WPF&M option, ask that your used one-day waterpark admission be applied to the cost of the WPF&M option. Check your math against CM's math. If done properly, you will get your proper park upgrade cost, plus full credit for your water park visit deducted from cost of the WPF&M option. Note, the waterpark visit will count against the total visits you get with your WPF&M purchase. One day Adult Water Park Visit: $53 + tax. WPF&M option: $59 + Tax. Combo WPF&M & Park Hopper: $84 + Tax (Save $34 on cost of Park Hopper)

From the Ticket Sticky, Post #6, Last Para. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684
At the water parks and Disney Quest only, if you have a one day water park or Disney Quest ticket that is unused or has been used that day you can combine that ticket with a MYW ticket to add the WPF&M option to the MYW ticket, only paying the difference between what was paid for the water park or Disney Quest ticket and the current price of the MYW option (plus tax). This will not work if the MYW ticket is already a hopper, as the cost to upgrade would be less than the price of a one day water park or DQ ticket and we do not give refunds.​

From the Ticket Sticky, Post #6, Para. 3
Any upgrade must be done at WDW at a location with access to the Automated Ticketing System (ATS). Basically this is any park (including water park) ticket window or Guest Services location, or one of the Downtown Disney Guest Services locations. The Lobby Concierge staff at the Resorts do not have all the accesses as the Parks. It cannot be done at a Disney Store.
​

Second thing you can do is, do the entire upgrade plus WPF&M option before entering any park, or at the waterpark ticket office before or after leaving the waterpark (with your waterpark receipt). You will only get credit for the cost of a 2-day base ticket at the previous time of purchase. If it was during the period between June 3, 2012 and the June 2, 2013 price increase, the difference (as shown in my post above, is Old price $176, New price $184, additional cost to you: $8 + tax. Not a big deal (to some, or if time was short). If your tickets were older, refer to the WDW Ticket Price History link http://allears.net/tix/tixpix10.htm

 

[jenga1030]

Thanks! That was what I was needing to do. We were considering going to Disneyquest or a water park before going to a theme park. But I knew I had to use my ticket first before adding days to it. Thanks for your help!