Ticket upgrade plan -- does this work?

[NonScents]

This is my plan, after looking at the various info and options I have found on the DISboards. I would appreciate any feedback, whether I am interpreting the "rules" correctly, or if I am way off base:

Planning to be at WDW from 11/15-22ish. I'm a FL resident, and my b'day is the 19th and I have signed up for the b'day promo. I don't have passes yet, but I do want to get the FL resident seasonal pass.

On Sunday, I will buy the 3 day with Park Hopper, $134 + 26 according to the table posted in the "Everything about WDW Tickets" sticky. I will visit the parks Sun, Tues and Wed. using that ticket.

Then on my b'day, Thursday, I will upgrade to a FL Seasonal pass, which is $249, less the b'day credit of $75, so I will just have to pay another $14 and I will be all set for a year, well, 15 months actually!
(I know all prices are before tax.)

Does this work? I would hate to embarass myself at the ticket window!!! Please check my logic. TIA!

 

[jamstew]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think there's any "birthday credit." You either get free admission on your birthday or a $75 gift card, which cannot be applied to a ticket purchase.

 

[NonScents]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think there's any "birthday credit." You either get free admission on your birthday or a $75 gift card, which cannot be applied to a ticket purchase.

When I called Disney, I was told that I could upgrade a ticket and deduct the value of the 1 day ticket from a Seasonal pass.
But we all know that sometimes we get the wrong info on the phone -- that is why I am running it by everyone, to see if anyone has a similar experience?

 

[KellyNY]

I heard you can use Bday ticket toward Florida pass. Why don't you go on your bday as a first day then you would not need 3day hopper. Can you move your dates.

 

[NonScents]

I heard you can use Bday ticket toward Florida pass. Why don't you go on your bday as a first day then you would not need 3day hopper. Can you move your dates.

That would be too simple! LOL
No, I can't change even if I could move my rezzies at this late point.

 

[seashoreCM]

When I called Disney, I was told that I could upgrade a ticket and deduct the value of the 1 day ticket from a Seasonal pass.?

It has to be the birthday ticket card that is upgraded to apply the value of free admission on your birthday towards the seasonal pass.

You would pay the difference between a 1 day base ticket and the seasonal pass.

Except all this does not work if your birthday is a blackout day for the seasonal pass. (If you had a seasonal pass to begin with, you would not be able to get into a park with it on a blackout date amd you would have needed another ticket card for that day anyway.)

If you upgraded a different ticket card, you pay the difference between that ticket and the seasonal pass (or other kind of ticket desired) while the birthday ticket does not figure into the calculations.

 

[DisneyWisher]

The problem I see is that technically on your birthday you don't have a ticket to get into the park on that day which by Disney's rule you can't get a Birthday Fun Card but the solution is easy just buy a 4 day ticket, its $26 more than a 3 day ticket. You will end up with a balance on your birthday card but you can use the extra for a t-shirt or gift for yourself. The leftover balance will be less than $20 (the birthday card is worth $79). Otherwise no problem. A great thing is that the SP will be good for 15 months so your expiration date will be Feb 15, 2011, has a nice ring to it.

 

[NonScents]

It has to be the birthday ticket card that is upgraded, not a different ticket card purchased separately.

You would pay the difference between a 1 day base ticket and the seasonal pass.

Except all this does not work if your birthday is a blackout day for the seasonal pass. (If you had a seasonal pass to begin with, you would not be able to get into a park with it on a blackout date amd you would have needed another ticket card for that day anyway.)

Yes, so I am trying to do an upgrade from 3 day to FL seasonal.

It is not a blackout day, it is 11/19 (see OP).

 

[DisneyWisher]

It has to be the birthday ticket card that is upgraded to apply the value of free admission on your birthday towards the seasonal pass.

You would pay the difference between a 1 day base ticket and the seasonal pass.

Except all this does not work if your birthday is a blackout day for the seasonal pass. (If you had a seasonal pass to begin with, you would not be able to get into a park with it on a blackout date amd you would have needed another ticket card for that day anyway.)

If you upgraded a different ticket card, you pay the difference between that ticket and the seasonal pass (or other kind of ticket desired) while the birthday ticket does not figure into the calculations.

I have read posts by Robo that say you can use the birthday card to upgrade an existing ticket.

 

[disneyfan55]

WHat you sound like you are trying to do is use 2 tickets (your 3 day and the free birthday) to turn into a FL pass. You can't use 2 tickets to do so anymore.

 

[joe1946]

Why not just buy the seasonal pass on Sunday 11/15 and not bother with the 3 (or 4) day hopper at all? Then get the gift card on your birthday.

 

[NonScents]

Why not just buy the seasonal pass on Sunday 11/15 and not bother with the 3 (or 4) day hopper at all? Then get the gift card on your birthday.

I don't want the b'day Fun Card at all, I do not ever buy merchandise in the parks. I know this is heresy.

I may be stuck, as the promo seems to work best when your b'day is Day 1 of your vacation, and that does not work for me. Rats.

 

[ukcatfan]

Why not just buy the seasonal pass on Sunday 11/15 and not bother with the 3 (or 4) day hopper at all? Then get the gift card on your birthday.

That is my thinking. I would never have a problem spending $75 over a few days time.

 

[NonScents]

That is my thinking. I would never have a problem spending $75 over a few days time.

My problem with the Fun Card is that you can't use it on food and I don't buy souvenirs, which is basically what it is good for.

 

[ukcatfan]

Well, I "think" you can take a ticket with unused days and apply all of the original value towards a SP or AP. The stipulation is that the first day on your SP will be the first day you used the original ticket (not a problem for you). So, then you would buy the four day ticket, go three days, and then take that ticket with one unused day to a ticket booth on your birthday and upgrade it along with your birthday discount. Call the Ticketing office instead of the regular number as they know all the rules. It is 407-566-4985 and select the option to check on a ticket order ( I think it is #2).

 

[NonScents]

Well, I "think" you can take a ticket with unused days and apply all of the original value towards a SP or AP. The stipulation is that the first day on your SP will be the first day you used the original ticket (not a problem for you). So, then you would buy the four day ticket, go three days, and then take that ticket with one unused day to a ticket booth on your birthday and upgrade it along with your birthday discount. Call the Ticketing office instead of the regular number as they know all the rules. It is 407-566-4985 and select the option to check on a ticket order ( I think it is #2).

Thanx for that phone number, ukcatfan, that's a good suggestion.

 

[doconeill]

As has already been pointed out, if you get a 3-day pass, use up all three days, and then on the fourth day on your birthday show up at the park, you no longer have a valid multi-day ticket so you DO NOT get to choose any options - you only get the free admission on your birthday. You CAN, however, upgrade that to a SP at a savings of $49 before tax, so it would cost you another $170, so you've spent $330 at this point.

If, however, you got the 4-day pass with PH ($164+26 = $190), went on the 4th day and opted for the merch card AND were able to apply it to an upgrade as people have reported (but isn't guaranteed that I know of), $59 from the merch card would go to the upgrade so your out of pocket expense is still only $190, and you have $20 left on the card for something. You've saved $140 and get a $20 bonus.

A minor difference is when the clock starts on the SP - in the first scenario, it starts on the day you first used the first ticket. In the second, it starts on your birthday. May not matter to you, but those three days are kind of expensive...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You plan, as planned, will not work.

First of all on Thursday (11/19) you will have two tickets in hand. One will be the fully-used Play-3 ticket. The other will be the Free on Your Birthday one-day, one-park, pass. You are looking to combine the two passes to upgrade to a SP. An upgrade, by definition, is taking one ticket and adding cash (or something similar to cash) to that ticket to end up with one ticket with more days/features.

However, if you purchase a Play-4 hopper, with a face of $190 when you go to Will Call on Thursday you will have a valid multi-day ticket in your possession (with one day remaining on the Play-4). You can then get a Birthday Fun Card worth $79.00. Take your Play-4 to a ticket window and upgrade it to a SP, a difference of $59 (plus tax). You can then use part of the Birthday Fun Card to make the payment.

The SP will have an effective date of November 15, the day you first used the Play-4, and the expiration will be 15 months from that date (Feb 15, 2011).

 

[NonScents]

As has already been pointed out, if you get a 3-day pass, use up all three days, and then on the fourth day on your birthday show up at the park, you no longer have a valid multi-day ticket so you DO NOT get to choose any options - you only get the free admission on your birthday. You CAN, however, upgrade that to a SP at a savings of $49 before tax, so it would cost you another $170, so you've spent $330 at this point.

This would not work out well, then I'm spending $330 instead of $249?

If, however, you got the 4-day pass with PH ($164+26 = $190), went on the 4th day and opted for the merch card AND were able to apply it to an upgrade as people have reported (but isn't guaranteed that I know of), $59 from the merch card would go to the upgrade so your out of pocket expense is still only $190, and you have $20 left on the card for something. You've saved $140 and get a $20 bonus.

I didn't catch the part about needing to have days left on the pass in order to upgrade, but that makes sense. So I could not buy the 3 day, would need the 4 day pass, thanks for pointing that out!

A minor difference is when the clock starts on the SP - in the first scenario, it starts on the day you first used the first ticket. In the second, it starts on your birthday. May not matter to you, but those three days are kind of expensive...

My understanding is that when you upgrade, the clock starts ticking on the original first use date, not the upgrade date; so you are right, it would be a waste of money to do it the way I first suggested.


Thanks so much everyone, I knew the collective brains would get me straightened out! I will call the Ticketing # tomorrow just to make triple sure.
Gettin' antsy to be there.

(Just saw the post from CheshireFigment, similar to doconeill's. You both gave me great info, thanks very much, would have really been totally discombobulated!)

 

[doconeill]

My understanding is that when you upgrade, the clock starts ticking on the original first use date, not the upgrade date; so you are right, it would be a waste of money to do it the way I first suggested.

Whoops...I had the scenarios backwards...in the first scenario, whe nyou upgrade the free day, it starts on that day. In the second scenario, when you upgrade a play-4 ticket, that starts on the day you first used the play-4 ticket.