The Most Expensive Free Trip Ever - TR Link is Up! Pg. 164

[glennbo123]

We interrupt this Flashback '05 TR to bring you an update on our current June '10 trip planning.


Okay DISgang, tell me what you think about my park ticket situation.

As you may remember from my early posts in this PTR, we currently have Annual Passes that will be in effect during our trip in June. As part of the trip package we'll receive Park Hopper passes from PChef that I planned to take to Guest Services and upgrade to non-expiring, or whatever it takes, to be able to use them on a future trip.

I talked to Disney about what will be required and they can't tell me because they'd need to see the back of the ticket to see what kind it is. So, we posed the question to the travel planners, and here's the response we got:

"In regards to the Disney Hopper Pass, we are not able to extend the expiration date of the passes. We purchased the pass through a group contract. They must be used within the 7 days of our program (June 6-June 20).
Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Sorry,
name"

I read that and thought, they misunderstand my question. I understand that they can't extend the expiration date, but if I want to, what will it cost?

I called them again and they said, "No, they're a special contract ticket. They have to be used during that time period." To which I replied, "Well, I'm going to have to rethink the whole thing then. I bought-in my son for over $500 and all we get out of it is a dinner." (I'm just thinking "The Most Expensive Free Trip Ever". Ay yi yi.)

So, I called Disney again, and the kind CM I talked to again said they really need to know what kind of ticket it is. "Is it a Magic Your Way ticket or a Comp ticket? If it's a Magic Your Way ticket, just don't use it -- they expire 14 days after the first use. If it's a 'comp' ticket, they have no value and can't be upgraded or added to." That last part may be key -- I know that people can add days to their park tickets if they want to extend their trip, so I don't think they're "Comp" tickets.

I have another call in to the travel group, hoping they can tell me what type of ticket they are. But it just doesn't make sense that they can't be upgraded.

Link to next chapter

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

hopefully they are magic your way tickets...that is my guess anyway.

 

[dd50]

If they got them at a discount you are out of luck. If it is a MYW then just put them away until next time. Your free trip seems to be getting more expensive as time goes on.

 

[glennbo123]

hopefully they are magic your way tickets...that is my guess anyway.

I hope you're right, but I'm getting pretty nervous.

If they got them at a discount you are out of luck. If it is a MYW then just put them away until next time. Your free trip seems to be getting more expensive as time goes on.

I bet they did get them at a discount, since they're buying so many.

Do you think they'll let me scalp 'em outside the front gate?

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

I don't blame you for being nervous about the tickets. I hope things work out!

I am really enjoying your flashback segments. The whole hokey-pokey thing is something we would have stopped to do. I love those things in Disney - the spontaneous stuff. I remember that castle show, too, I think - isn't it the one where Cinderella got coronated? That was the show on our very first trip, and DD absolutely loved it. I think we watched it about 2 1/2 times (once got called due to rain starting) while we were there, then she watched the video at home over and over. Then my DH actually ripped the audio off the video and we had to listen to it on CD in the car over...and over...and over... I know that show pretty well!

Good luck with the ticket issue...keep us posted!

 

[All7OfUs]

Oh man! That really stinks! I guess I would have to go with them being "comp" tickets- a group rate thing that sadly they aren't going to mess with. It's a 6 day ticket, you say?? So theoretically, it would cost less than $20 to add the last 4 days; but get this... It'd be like $200 to make it non-expiring. If I'm reading the ticket chart right. That's a lot, but certainly less than a new ticket by about $43 or so.

I might be searching for a family member of your PChef co. that wants to go, and offer it to them, for a small handling fee.

 

[englishrose47]

I'm confused with the tickets along with everyone else

 

[Flossbolna]

Oh I hope this will all work out!! Have you thought about getting advice on the the Theme Parks Board?

The ticket FAQ there says with regard to upgrading special tickets:

"E. I have a special ticket I would like to upgrade. Can this be done?

The only upgrades that can be done are to regular or Florida Resident MYW tickets, or Annual Passes to a higher level of Annual Pass.

Special Tickets include Touch of Magic, YES (Youth Educational Series) Program, used or unused Special Event Tickets (MNNSHP, MVMCP, NoJ) after the date of the event, any ticket that includes the word “comp” or “complimentary” on it, and any tickets that are not sold at the Park Gates cannot be upgraded or modified in any way. The last group also includes convention tickets and the Ultimate Park Hopper tickets not sold in the US or Canada."

So, you are right, you need to find out what is printed on those tickets. BUT as you said: if people are told that they can upgrade their tickets to include more days, this rule might not apply.

One thing that I don't understand is why you want to put the no-expiration option on them anyway? If you are not planning to use these tickets at all since you have the annual passes, they won't expire anyway (assuming that they are real MYW-tickets).

 

[jordanyosh]

daddy duty or dookie?

I "sniffed' my way over here...

Great retro pix. People get the best pix on the Teacups--you are no exception.

 

[hucifer]

Glennbo!

I've been away from the DIS for several days, and you go on and post like a million updates. Sweet.

I gotta agree with All7OfThem and say that any receipt saved after 3 months is garbage. What's impressive isn't so much that you save them for 5 years, but that you are uber-organized about it too. I can just imagine the filing cabinets in your basement, all filled with grocery receipts from 1989 and plaid couch invoices from 1974.

As far as your current ticket situation...I got nothin'. Good luck with that. Oh, but I did want to add that if you can manage to get a no-expiration bonus added to your Annual Pass, then you truly be da man.

 

[All7OfUs]

That's bad. It's not just about overdrawing your checking -- I've found mistakes by the bank in the past. One time we refinanced our house and while we were at the lawyer's office we had to write a check for the difference between the estimate they gave us prior to closing and what the actual turned out to be. It was literally only a few cents, and I started to reach in my pocket for change, but they wanted it done by check. Well, the bank slipped the decimal point over a few notches and debited our checking account for a few hundred dollars. I found it when I reconciled the checkbook. Do you think the lawyer's office would have found it and corrected it? I think not.

I know. But I did do it for a long time, but never found ANYTHING. Ever. My mom is anal to the point of needing a transplant, and in 40 years of balancing she's only found one mistake. The amount?? $.02!! Yes, you read that right. 2 stinkin cents. I know. Just my luck they'd mess up like $200 or something, but honestly, they'd look a long time until they found that much money there. And I do look online to make sure things are on the up and up- especially with my Disney account! Let's make sure our priorities are straight now.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

daddy duty or dookie?

I "sniffed' my way over here...

Great retro pix. People get the best pix on the Teacups--you are no exception.

i knew you would smell the duty and make your way over,

you should have a T-shirt that says

"i find the duty"

 

[glennbo123]

I don't blame you for being nervous about the tickets. I hope things work out!

As Han Solo, and just about every other Star Wars character says at one point or another, "I've got a bad feeling about this".

I am really enjoying your flashback segments. The whole hokey-pokey thing is something we would have stopped to do. I love those things in Disney - the spontaneous stuff. I remember that castle show, too, I think - isn't it the one where Cinderella got coronated? That was the show on our very first trip, and DD absolutely loved it. I think we watched it about 2 1/2 times (once got called due to rain starting) while we were there, then she watched the video at home over and over. Then my DH actually ripped the audio off the video and we had to listen to it on CD in the car over...and over...and over... I know that show pretty well!

I think during that show I took a couple of pictures and then studied the park map. I didn't pay too much attention to what was happening in the show.

Was it your husbands idea to get the audio off of your recording so you could listen to it in the car over...and over..., or did the kids ask for it?

Good luck with the ticket issue...keep us posted!

Thanks, I will.

Oh man! That really stinks! I guess I would have to go with them being "comp" tickets- a group rate thing that sadly they aren't going to mess with. It's a 6 day ticket, you say?? So theoretically, it would cost less than $20 to add the last 4 days; but get this... It'd be like $200 to make it non-expiring. If I'm reading the ticket chart right. That's a lot, but certainly less than a new ticket by about $43 or so.

They're only 3 day tickets. Not sure what that does to your math.

I might be searching for a family member of your PChef co. that wants to go, and offer it to them, for a small handling fee.

I've thought about that. Or offer them to extended family or something. Of course the handling fee goes down with that. I wonder if there's a place on the Disboards to advertise the availability of stuff like this?

I'm confused with the tickets along with everyone else

Hey, you and me both Rosie!

Oh I hope this will all work out!! Have you thought about getting advice on the the Theme Parks Board?

The ticket FAQ there says with regard to upgrading special tickets:

"E. I have a special ticket I would like to upgrade. Can this be done?

The only upgrades that can be done are to regular or Florida Resident MYW tickets, or Annual Passes to a higher level of Annual Pass.

Special Tickets include Touch of Magic, YES (Youth Educational Series) Program, used or unused Special Event Tickets (MNNSHP, MVMCP, NoJ) after the date of the event, any ticket that includes the word “comp” or “complimentary” on it, and any tickets that are not sold at the Park Gates cannot be upgraded or modified in any way. The last group also includes convention tickets and the Ultimate Park Hopper tickets not sold in the US or Canada."

So, you are right, you need to find out what is printed on those tickets. BUT as you said: if people are told that they can upgrade their tickets to include more days, this rule might not apply.

Thanks for posting this Magdalene. I hadn't thought to look on those boards. The Disney people keep telling me "we just need to know what is written on the back of the ticket", but the travel people I talk to don't actually, physically, have the tickets in front of them. So it's a big mess.

One thing that I don't understand is why you want to put the no-expiration option on them anyway? If you are not planning to use these tickets at all since you have the annual passes, they won't expire anyway (assuming that they are real MYW-tickets).

You're right, if they're real MYW tickets I shouldn't have to do anything with them.

daddy duty or dookie?

I "sniffed' my way over here...

Great retro pix. People get the best pix on the Teacups--you are no exception.

I knew you'd sniff it out.

What else is there to do on the Teacups other than get pictures of the people in your cup spinning their brains out?

Glennbo!

Huce!

I've been away from the DIS for several days, and you go on and post like a million updates. Sweet.

I've noticed. I've had to replace the candles in my basement Hucifer shrine like three times since I last heard from you.

I gotta agree with All7OfThem and say that any receipt saved after 3 months is garbage. What's impressive isn't so much that you save them for 5 years, but that you are uber-organized about it too. I can just imagine the filing cabinets in your basement, all filled with grocery receipts from 1989 and plaid couch invoices from 1974.

Don't be too impressed, it was only this set of receipts that were organized because they were in a folder with all of my Disney vacation planning and important papers for this particular trip. All of the other grocery and plaid couch receipts are just loosey-goosey. Oh -- one other exception -- Christmas receipts are in an envelope to allow for the inevitable returns.

As far as your current ticket situation...I got nothin'. Good luck with that. Oh, but I did want to add that if you can manage to get a no-expiration bonus added to your Annual Pass, then you truly be da man.

Great, I've got something to shoot for. Thanks for giving me a goal.

I know. But I did do it for a long time, but never found ANYTHING. Ever. My mom is anal to the point of needing a transplant, and in 40 years of balancing she's only found one mistake. The amount?? $.02!! Yes, you read that right. 2 stinkin cents. I know. Just my luck they'd mess up like $200 or something, but honestly, they'd look a long time until they found that much money there. And I do look online to make sure things are on the up and up- especially with my Disney account! Let's make sure our priorities are straight now.

I know, but I like to know exactly what my account status is. I realize a lot of people are okay with knowing "about" or an "ish" amount. I don't find it difficult at all to reconcile, you just have to do it every month. If you let it go, you can't get back on track without reconciling every month that was missed.

i knew you would smell the duty and make your way over,

you should have a T-shirt that says

"i find the duty"

Maybe just the first few words of the Boy Scout oath: "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty...."

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Maybe just the first few words of the Boy Scout oath: "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty...."

it will be hard to keep from laughing when parker says that oath when he gets bigger.

he already doubles over laughing when he farts.


sunday before church, he was in the kitchen with candis dad, and farted...candi said dad, gross was that you, she walked in there, and parker is bent over, laughing so hard he was doing a silent laugh trying to catch his breath.

thats my boy.

 

[glennbo123]

it will be hard to keep from laughing when parker says that oath when he gets bigger.

he already doubles over laughing when he farts.


sunday before church, he was in the kitchen with candis dad, and farted...candi said dad, gross was that you, she walked in there, and parker is bent over, laughing so hard he was doing a silent laugh trying to catch his breath.

thats my boy.

That's hilarious!!!

You're going to have to get a dog so he has someone to blame it on when grampa's not around.

 

[eandesmom]

UGH that stinks about the tickets but I bet there is some fine print that restricts you, Disney banks on people not being able to use them with restrictions like that, that's how they make more money off of the conventions and such. Gee...sorry to be cynical.

Can you opt out of the tickets and get a credit with PC?

 

[carissanboys]

I never balance my account. I never write checks. But, I am always checking my account online and looking for mistakes.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

When you win the Glennbo trivia contest with a perfect score it's almost impossible to have your membership revoked. So, you've got that going for you. (I'm thinking Bill Murray in "Caddyshack" here....referring to the Dalai Lama, "He said that on my death bed I shall receive total consciousness. So I've got that going for me." I love that line.)

Hey! Lama! How 'bout a little somethin, you know, for de effort?

Exasperated, I said, “It may be a small world, but it sure is a long way to the exit.” The guy behind me who was sharing our boat, cracked up and said, “Man, you just made my day!” Judy said, “Oh please. Don’t encourage him.” After probably waiting for about 10 minutes, our boats restarted their journey and we were allowed to exit. No wading was necessary.

I think I would have waded out! Being stuck with that music and longer than I have to would literally drive me batty!

I love this one.

Me too! Cute!

I might be searching for a family member of your PChef co. that wants to go, and offer it to them, for a small handling fee.

Yep. Sounds like the way to go

 

[glennbo123]

UGH that stinks about the tickets but I bet there is some fine print that restricts you, Disney banks on people not being able to use them with restrictions like that, that's how they make more money off of the conventions and such. Gee...sorry to be cynical.

Can you opt out of the tickets and get a credit with PC?

Yeah, I think I'm outta luck. Can't opt out of just the tickets. You can opt out of the whole trip and get cash instead, but it's not equivalent. Actually, only a little bit more than the travel allowance, so with the hotel paid for it's still a better deal.

I never balance my account. I never write checks. But, I am always checking my account online and looking for mistakes.

I'm doing more and more online too. I only write a few checks per month anymore.

Hey! Lama! How 'bout a little somethin, you know, for de effort?

Thank you!!! Rebecca knows what I'm talking about!

Big hitter, the Lama. Long!

I think I would have waded out! Being stuck with that music and longer than I have to would literally drive me batty!

Exactly!

Me too! Cute!

That bear's got a pretty big butt.

Yep. Sounds like the way to go

Yes. Unfortunately they would be restricted to that mid-June timeframe though.

 

[hucifer]

I've noticed. I've had to replace the candles in my basement Hucifer shrine like three times since I last heard from you.

I was trying to think of something witty to say in return, but I'm laughing too hard to come up with anything.

Don't be too impressed, it was only this set of receipts that were organized because they were in a folder with all of my Disney vacation planning and important papers for this particular trip. All of the other grocery and plaid couch receipts are just loosey-goosey. Oh -- one other exception -- Christmas receipts are in an envelope to allow for the inevitable returns.

I think you're down-playing your super organizational skills.