Ticket start date change question

[beercity]

I am having a hard time getting info from WDW on this.
So I have a 10 day hopper ticket purchased from Undercover Tourist, with a start date of Dec 9 2019.
Travel plans changed and I now can arrive in the morning of Dec 7.
The Dec 7 start date is about $4 cheaper total than the Dec 9 start date.

However if I try to change my ticket on MDE, they want a $36.25 change fee. Is this normal for a change fee to be assessed even when moving the ticket to a cheaper start date?
Ultimately I would like to change the ticket start date so I can get FP starting on Dec 7. We are considering upgrading our ticket to an AP when we arrive, but we have not decided for sure on that yet.

 

[Robo]

Is this normal for a change fee to be assessed even when moving the ticket to a cheaper start date?

Anything is possible.
Regardless, CALL WDW and ask to change the start-date and see how that goes, price-wise.

(It MIGHT be that you are being up-charged to the full "Disney Price" in the date-change.)

 

[beercity]

Thanks. I just hate waiting so long on hold to get to talk to someone. The email support has been 10-14 days between replies and they are not helpful.

I did think that maybe they were upcharging me to gate price, but the price increase is not as much as gate. Also I am not sure but I did not think that third party ticket sellers transmit ticket sales price info back to Disney, but that is just speculation on my part.

 

[lanejudy]

When did you buy your ticket? You may have bought prior to the most recent price increase (maybe March 2019?), in which case they are charging you to upgrade to the current price. But be aware, I don't believe they'll refund a price difference if the ticket you want is lower priced.

If you don't resolve it in advance, I believe I've read reports that you can change the date by a day or two once onsite. That would mean no advanced FP+ for the early days, though.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

 

[CastAStone]

But be aware, I don't believe they'll refund a price difference if the ticket you want is lower priced.

This is correct. No refunds for moving to a cheaper date.

 

[Robo]

Thanks.
1. I just hate waiting so long on hold to get to talk to someone.
The email support has been 10-14 days between replies and they are not helpful.

I did think that maybe they were upcharging me to gate price, but the price increase is not as much as gate.
2. Also I am not sure but I did not think that third party ticket sellers transmit ticket sales price info back to Disney, but that is just speculation on my part.

1. I'm thinking the phone response time will be faster than 10-14 days, however.
2. I don't think that really factors in, anyway.
Disney only knows what the DISCOUNTER paid for the ticket (not what the guest paid the discounter.)
But, what the guest paid does not figure into the upgrade cost.
Only the DATE on which Disney sold the original ticket to the discounter matters, as that date
is the determining factor in how much "Disney value" is given the guest in the upgrade transaction.