Thinking about buying an AP for first time & have questions

[wendy1974]

I searched the forum and didn't find an answer to the question so I hope there are some AP experts that might help!
I've already purchased a 4 day ticket for my trip in January. As I understand it, I should be able to purchase an AP when I arrive and they will credit any unused days from my 4 day ticket and I can pay the difference. So here's my question-I already made FP selections for my January trip so if I transfer my 4 day ticket to an AP and attach it to my MDE will I lose the FP selections I made on the 4 day ticket?
Sorry if this is a stupid question!

 

[Accident]

You can upgrade at any guest relations, which is found at the entrance of every park (both sides of the "turnstyle") and there is one in disney springs also. It does not impact your fast passes.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

This is where our good friend Cheshire Figment was so wonderful! He is missed!

One thing you CAN NOT do is transfer your ticket after ALL THE DAYS have been used. You do NOT have to do it BEOFRE you enter the park. I strongly suggest changing your ticket AFTER you enter a park to avoid waiting in a LONG Guest Services Line, if you can. One of the BEST places for tickets matters is Magic Kingdom.

It also used to be possible to do something called bridging, where if you bought form an outside vendor, you could keep your discount. When last I tried, WDW was trying to eliminate that - so that converting tickets = paying full price. Also, and this is hard to explain - I was accused of stealing my ticket because it came from a discount vendor (UT). Just be aware that if you didn't buy your ticket form WDW, you could be questioned. UT pays WHOLESALE prices, which is less than what they charge when they sell tickets (Makes sense, right?). since I was not listed as the person who bought the ticket from WDW, I was questioned. At least I think that is why it happened. I walked away and went to a different CM, but I still felt bad about the accusation. (a few years ago)

The gist is- DO YOUR HOMEWORK- before you go so that you don't get overcharged. (or rather have your current ticket undervalued) WDW might try to value your ticket at the WHOLESALE price instead of the price you paid. Unless you bought your ticket through WDW.

If you bought through WDW, you are not out of the woods. Also do your math. If prices have GONE UP since you bought you ticket (and AP rates did just go up), then that might be a factor. Your tickets might only be valued at the price you paid, and not the current gate price of the entitlements you bought. (or maybe they will? again, I'm not 100% on current policy in these matters.)

However, an AP means you qualify to book WDW hotels with the AP discount. The lead guest has to be an AP holder. (the person who books the room). you also might want to look into Tables in Wonderland for 20% off at many TS. Otherwise your AP does qualify for SOME discounts in the parks- often 10% off (or at least AP's used to come with discount perks).you only get the discounts though if you remember to ASK for them!!

One thing that in the past was sometimes an issue was if you had DDP and tried to convert the park ticket (that was part of the dining package) to an AP. Sometimes ticket changes meant DDP credits were deleted. I have no idea if that glitch has been fixed.

 

[wendy1974]

Thank you! That's the main thing that worried me was losing my FP selections because of the upgrade.

 

[wendy1974]

Thanks mickeyluv'r! I was planning to go to Guest Relations at Disney Springs the evening I arrive to purchase the AP so I won't use any of my days on my ticket. Hopefully the lines aren't crazy!

 

[jcdean]

They don't credit unused ticket days, they credit the purchase price of the ticket toward the AP price. Whether you upgrade on your first day, or last, the cost will be the same.

 

[DWillowBay]

You won't lose your Fps. Be sure to upgrade after you enter a park for the first time.

 

[wendy1974]

You won't lose your Fps. Be sure to upgrade after you enter a park for the first time.

What's the reason for entering the park before upgrading?

 

[CarolynFH]

If you bought your ticket from an authorized reseller like UT, entering a park "freezes" your ticket's value at the price it would have been if you had bought it at WDW that day (instead of the discounted price you paid UT, or worse, the price UT paid Disney). You pay only the difference between that current gate price for your ticket and the cost of the new ticket. If you bought your ticket from Disney, it doesn't matter- your ticket is worth what you paid for it.

 

[Accident]

What's the reason for entering the park before upgrading?

It's shorter lines and will take less time. Outside the park before the turnstyle is everyone who has to visit guest relations in order to get into the park. When upgrading, you have a ticket to get in and can take advantage of the inside the park guest relations with no line.

If you've purchased from a discounted ticket reseller, my understanding, as PP mentioned is use it once to get the lowest cost upgrade. If your ticket came from disney, it doesn't matter.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

What others have said is true, mostly.

Disney no longer allows guests to modify a ticket that is fully used. (Thanks to folks who tried to sell them online.)

If you bought your ticket from an authorized reseller like UT, entering a park "freezes" your ticket's value at the price it would have been if you had bought it at WDW that day (instead of the discounted price you paid UT, or worse, the price UT paid Disney). You pay only the difference between that current gate price for your ticket and the cost of the new ticket. If you bought your ticket from Disney, it doesn't matter- your ticket is worth what you paid for it.

Disregard this paragraph if you bought your ticket direct from WDW: The Disney term for freezing the value of the ticket is BRIDGING (As in the CM bridges the full value to the new ticket). This is why you NEED to know the math. Nowadays, CM's will often try to value your ticket at the price paid vs. the current price/value of your ticket. When last I attempted to bridge a ticket, the regular Guests Services employee didn't know how to do it. I had to get a manager, but the manager DID bridge it for me, and as a result the cost to covert my ticket to an AP was at least $30 less.

As others have said though, if you bought the ticket from WDW, it doesn't matter- no bridging. Your ticket is ONLY worth what you paid.


What JC dean said is mostly correct. When you convert a ticket to an AP, you are not credited on the number of days remaining, but the total value of your ticket; except as I said- you have to do it before the entitlements are fully used and within 14 days of first using the ticket.

ALSO important to KNOW- if you convert a partly used ticket, the EXPIRATION of the new AP will be based on the FIRST day you used the ticket. If you convert your ticket at DTD, the expiration day will be the day you GET the AP. Again, there may be value in waiting until later in your trip to convert it. Getting one extra day COULD help if you plan to visit WDW at the SAME TIME next year. An AP is valid for 366 days, and 2016 is a leap year.

(I'm not 1005 sure, but usually an AP expires at the end of day 366. So if you are going over a specific holiday, like MLKjr, weekend AND plan to visit WDW NEXT MKLjr weekend- that one extra day might = having an extra WDW vacation covered under the same AP.) Hopefully this all makes sense.

 

[siskaren]

As others have said though, if you bought the ticket from WDW, it doesn't matter- no bridging.

Not if it's part of a package - if it's part of a package, it is eligible for bridging.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Not if it's part of a package - if it's part of a package, it is eligible for bridging.

Oh good to know! thanks! I try to stay up to date.

Cheshire Figment was our resident expert. There used to be a super sticky on all things ticket related.

 

[bumbershoot]

It also used to be possible to do something called bridging, where if you bought form an outside vendor, you could keep your discount. When last I tried, WDW was trying to eliminate that - so that converting tickets = paying full price.

You got a bad CM. WDW wasn't eliminating bridging. But some CMs are bad and need to have more training. We need to know our stuff and be prepared to get our ticket back and just walk away if we encounter someone who didn't pay attention in training and won't look it up.

Also, and this is hard to explain - I was accused of stealing my ticket because it came from a discount vendor (UT).

Again, bad CM. Walk away and go report the CM.


Bridging is still done (as long as the CM paid attention and/or will read the info in their online training guide) for tickets purchased from authorized resellers (like undercovertourist) and for tickets purchased as part of a package. If you just buy from wdw.com or at the gate, there is no bridging done.


So, OP, if you bought directly from disneyworld's website, don't bother (if it's inconvenient) entering a park before upgrading. You will pay the difference between the chosen AP and what you paid for that ticket.

If, however, it's from a package or a reseller, DO. Know the cost of the gate price of the ticket you have and know the cost of what you're upgrading to. If the CM does the bridging right, it should be the difference between those two numbers.

And there is no one place that does it better. Within one month I had a *perfect* experience inside the park at GR (or Services, whatever it's called) at AK, and then another Dis'er had a miserable experience that went on and on, got UCT involved, got retraining for some people, etc. SAME location, not even a month apart.

 

[UnderTheRialto]

I have a related question.. I have an AP. I want MM so plan on upgrading to a new AP with MM on Thursday. I am staying at CR and will take monorail to Epcot for my first park. Where should I make the AP transaction? TTC, outside Epcot, inside Epcot, somewhere else? Thanks!

 

[AngiTN]

I have a related question.. I have an AP. I want MM so plan on upgrading to a new AP with MM on Thursday. I am staying at CR and will take monorail to Epcot for my first park. Where should I make the AP transaction? TTC, outside Epcot, inside Epcot, somewhere else? Thanks!

I would go to the Guest Services counter outside of Epcot. That's where we bridged our tickets to AP last May, and bought out TIW card. It may have been pure luck or maybe they are good at training at that counter but I didn't have any issues with proper bridging.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I have a related question.. I have an AP. I want MM so plan on upgrading to a new AP with MM on Thursday. I am staying at CR and will take monorail to Epcot for my first park. Where should I make the AP transaction? TTC, outside Epcot, inside Epcot, somewhere else? Thanks!

Wherever the line is shorter?

The one Epcot location I would tell you to avoid is the outside the IG. In large part because there might only be one staff member there. most other locations have multiple CM's.

For me, I find the best location if possible is MK, especially the inside MK location. more or less, every other location has been hit or miss for us over the years. I think it is a function of volume. MK sees the highest volume. Disney needs efficient CM's at MK.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

You got a bad CM.

Thanks, but I'm not an idiot. You are incorrect.
I have multiple experiences to relay. In the 2nd experience, I was actually told BY A MANAGER that bridging was being phased out. Thanks.

*******

To fill out what bumbershoot said, I'm relaying more than one experience! Here are slightly longer versions:

First, the horrible experience I had at Epcot, where I was accused of stealing my ticket, involved more than one CM. I did protest! Two Cm's tried to confiscate my ticket! (and a third was within earshot) I felt lucky that they gave it back to me when I asked. If they hadn't, I would have been out over $400!

I then took my ticket to the CM outside the gate. He was nicer, but also treated me with suspicion. He boldly asked me if I had a receipt. I panicked for one second in my head, then remembered I had taken a photo of the UT package and all my ticket numbers. Truly, UT doesn't send much of a receipt- it is just a paper in plastic that says what entitlements are on the tickets you bought. I only took a picture in case the tickets got lost. (really the image was attempting to capture the ticket ID numbers) I'd left the actual UT paper back home!

I should have learned my lesson, but a year later....long story short...our plans changed- kind of last minute (After I'd bought tickets). This second time, our first stop was AK. Our original plan was to convert our ticket to AP's on our second day, but something about my ticket wouldn't scan properly. Turns out- the WRONG ticket had been prioritized. (In addition to the 6 day ticket, I had a one day MK ticket attached to me in MDE. I think that's is why I directed to GS. the gate CM simply said something wasn't right about my ticket.

Inside GS, we got the right ticket prioritized (and the one day ticket credited back to my account). then we asked to make the 6 day tickets into AP's. The first CM quoted my a non-bridged price. I kind of insisted, and she offered to get the manager. At first, the manager didn't want to bridge either. In short, he told us he was only bridging our tickets as a courtesy. Further, we spent over an HOUR in GS that morning!


I'm happy if other DISers are able to report better experiences than what we had!

 

[AngiTN]

I think the issue is your experiences are old.
Bridging of UT tickets is now being done without accusing people of stealing tickets. Regularly.
So while that may have been the case a few years ago it does not seem to be the case now

 

[EPCOTatNight]

I think the issue is your experiences are old.
Bridging of UT tickets is now being done without accusing people of stealing tickets. Regularly.
So while that may have been the case a few years ago it does not seem to be the case now

Thanks for that info. Off to UT to buy tickets.