some info on SoCal AP renewal and adding a soon-to-be 3dd

[halfmonkey]

I called DLR customer service yesterday to ask about our expiring SoCal AP. Our AP's expires on a Monday and I was asking if I go to DLR on the Sunday before expiration (which happens to be a black out date for the SoCal AP), will be given a day pass if we renew on that day? The lady on the phone told me that it is not their policy to allow you to enter the park if you renew on a black out date. If you purchase a new AP on a black out date, you'll be allowed to enter but if you renew, you're not guaranteed a courtesy day pass. She said the person at the ticket booth might give you a day pass but it is up to their judgment.

Also, I confirmed as I was previously told that if you have an immediate family member such as a 2 year old that is about to turn 3, you can purchase a SoCal pass for them so that the family is not broken up with varying AP. Unfortunately for us, we will not all be on the same expiration date as our dd will start her pass one day before the rest of us. One is not a big deal but wish we could just have them all of the same day to make things easier. Anyway, they told us the new SoCal for 3dd will be $409 and the renewals will be $389 if I remember correctly.

 

[ashley0139]

I called DLR customer service yesterday to ask about our expiring SoCal AP. Our AP's expires on a Monday and I was asking if I go to DLR on the Sunday before expiration (which happens to be a black out date for the SoCal AP), will be given a day pass if we renew on that day? The lady on the phone told me that it is not their policy to allow you to enter the park if you renew on a black out date. If you purchase a new AP on a black out date, you'll be allowed to enter but if you renew, you're not guaranteed a courtesy day pass. She said the person at the ticket booth might give you a day pass but it is up to their judgment.

Also, I confirmed as I was previously told that if you have an immediate family member such as a 2 year old that is about to turn 3, you can purchase a SoCal pass for them so that the family is not broken up with varying AP. Unfortunately for us, we will not all be on the same expiration date as our dd will start her pass one day before the rest of us. One is not a big deal but wish we could just have them all of the same day to make things easier. Anyway, they told us the new SoCal for 3dd will be $409 and the renewals will be $389 if I remember correctly.

The Cast Member was incorrect. If you are within your renewal time, you will get a blockout pass on the day you renew if it is a blockout day. I just did this a couple weeks ago, and did it last year for my renewal as well. They will absolutely do it. It's even called an AP renewal blockout pass or something like that.

 

[halfmonkey]

The Cast Member was incorrect. If you are within your renewal time, you will get a blockout pass on the day you renew if it is a blockout day. I just did this a couple weeks ago, and did it last year for my renewal as well. They will absolutely do it. It's even called an AP renewal blockout pass or something like that.

That's interesting. It looks like I'll be calling them back to get clarification. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[ashley0139]

That's interesting. It looks like I'll be calling them back to get clarification. Thanks for letting me know.

Call center CMs are notorious for having the wrong information. You can call 3 times and get 3 different answers. But really, it makes no sense that it would be up to the CM whether you get in that day or not. The company would never say "well if you feel like giving a renewal blockout day pass you can." Just make sure you ask for it if they don't automatically give you one.

 

[halfmonkey]

Call center CMs are notorious for having the wrong information. You can call 3 times and get 3 different answers. But really, it makes no sense that it would be up to the CM whether you get in that day or not. The company would never say "well if you feel like giving a renewal blockout day pass you can." Just make sure you ask for it if they don't automatically give you one.

I just called again and the person I spoke to said they do not offer a courtesy renewal day pass as that is their policy. The person I spoke to offered to get a supervisor on the phone and he said the same thing. I asked if they could let me speak to the ticket booth and they said that the ticket booth doesn't take calls. They did mention that if you renew in person an exception might be made but it's not guaranteed so it sounds like the official policy is to not offer a courtesy day pass for renewals.

If anybody else has had success with a courtesy day pass for renewals, can you take a picture of the pass to see it it actually says something like the previous poster says on the pass like AP renewal blockout pass?

 

[SMD]

It doesn't. It just says "BLOCKOUT DAY EXCEPTION" across the top with a date on it. I can see where they would say it's discretionary and not a hard policy. After the crowds on the 24 hour day they might want the discretion to say no to exceptions. Imagine how many people must renew on 12/31 or 7/17 adding to crowds that would already reach capacity without blocked APs using the exception to get in as well.

 

[ashley0139]

I still had mine in my wallet from the day I went. This is what it looks like. I knew it had pass information on it.

 

[halfmonkey]

I still had mine in my wallet from the day I went. This is what it looks like. I knew it had pass information on it.

So on the ticket, it says that it was "issued with upgrade to AP on blackout day." Did you upgrade to a brand new AP or a higher level AP or did you renew your existing AP?

 

[ashley0139]

So on the ticket, it says that it was "issued with upgrade to AP on blackout day." Did you upgrade to a brand new AP or a higher level AP or did you renew your existing AP?

I renewed my existing AP. No upgrade.

 

[halfmonkey]

I renewed my existing AP. No upgrade.

Thank you very much for being so responsive. It seems that over the phone maybe the "official" answer of no we don't offer a courtesy day pass when renewing but if you're at the park and it's not busy, it seems that it may be an option depending on park crowds. I guess as someone previously commented, if someone were to go on a slow day, they may be more inclined to offer a courtesy blackout pass but if you go on 12/31, they may not be so inclined to extend that same courtesy.

 

[SMD]

You should definitely try, but the fact that they have a print out does not mean it isn't still at the discretion of the CM. Just make sure you ask before you renew if they'll be able to issue an exception on that day. Having discretion doesn't mean that they regularly don't issue them, it just means that there could be circumstances where they don't.

 

[ashley0139]

Thank you very much for being so responsive. It seems that over the phone maybe the "official" answer of no we don't offer a courtesy day pass when renewing but if you're at the park and it's not busy, it seems that it may be an option depending on park crowds. I guess as someone previously commented, if someone were to go on a slow day, they may be more inclined to offer a courtesy blackout pass but if you go on 12/31, they may not be so inclined to extend that same courtesy.

Yes, I suppose it's possible that if it's a very busy day they wouldn't do it. I have asked at guest services outside the park in addition to asking at the ticket booths, and every time they have said that they do offer it. They've never qualified it with "if it's not busy." But yes I could see if the park were getting close to capacity they wouldn't do it. It still seems odd to me that they said on the phone that they do not offer a renewal day pass.