Updating to an annual pass

[Wyattsmom]

We are going in November (staying at all Star Sports, with 5 day park hoppers an upgraded meal plan on the free dining).
I'd like to upgrade our park hoppers to season passes (we have part time Florida residency) in November so that we can have season passes from November 2015 to November 2016.


I'm thinking that we should do it as late into our trip as we can (because our free dining is contingent upon having the package, not season passes, right?)

How do I upgrade to a season pass, when, where etc? I see the documents that I need, but I don't know when to upgrade or physically what will happen. Can I do it before we leave the park on our last day, so we don't waste ride time?

Can anyone walk me through it?

 

[Robo]

Do it at any ticket booth or Guest Relations.

Not much will "physically" happen.
You will get an AP ID card (used for discounts, etc.)
I recommend doing the upgrade at least before you enter the last park.
That way, you should get your AP MagicBand sent to you after you return home.

 

[Wyattsmom]

Ok. Does it matter when? If I do it on the first day, do I lose my free dining since I'll no longer have the original package?

 

[Robo]

If I do it on the first day, do I lose my free dining since I'll no longer have the original package?

Actually, no.

 

[Wyattsmom]

Really? Great! So whenever we have downtime I just go show them my stuff? What happens? Do we get pictures taken?

 

[Robo]

Really? Great! So whenever we have downtime I just go show them my stuff? What happens? Do we get pictures taken?

No pictures are used.
Reread my first reply about what "happens."

 

[Wood Nymph]

We are going in November (staying at all Star Sports, with 5 day park hoppers an upgraded meal plan on the free dining).
I'd like to upgrade our park hoppers to season passes (we have part time Florida residency) in November so that we can have season passes from November 2015 to November 2016.


I'm thinking that we should do it as late into our trip as we can (because our free dining is contingent upon having the package, not season passes, right?)

How do I upgrade to a season pass, when, where etc? I see the documents that I need, but I don't know when to upgrade or physically what will happen. Can I do it before we leave the park on our last day, so we don't waste ride time?

Can anyone walk me through it?

We upgraded to an annual pass on our second night as we were leaving Epcot. We choose that park because the Guest Services line is very short in the evening. MK usually has long GS lines and we didn't want to spend a long time in line.

We went to guest services and asked to upgrade our tickets to annual passes. I had already calculated how much I should pay for the upgrade, since I had heard that some CM's don't do this correctly. Luckily we got a CM who knew exactly how to do this. They will ask for a picture ID, like a driver's license. They will give you new passes which will be a card, not a MB. You will need to use that card to enter the parks once you have done the upgrade. The whole process takes maybe fifteen minutes so don't do this if you are in a hurry.

You will receive AP MagicBands after you have activated your AP. It will be in your MDE account under the MagicBands and cards section. You will receive a passholder slider with the bands. The MB's will ship shortly after you have customized them.

 

[ars0525]

I have had the best of luck changing regular tickets to APs at the Guest Services in HS. I try to pick a quiet time (during the day after the morning rush last time). Just need your FL ID also.

 

[lucybalue]

We went to guest services and asked to upgrade our tickets to annual passes. I had already calculated how much I should pay for the upgrade, since I had heard that some CM's don't do this correctly. Luckily we got a CM who knew exactly how to do this. They will ask for a picture ID, like a driver's license. They will give you new passes which will be a card, not a MB. You will need to use that card to enter the parks once you have done the upgrade. The whole process takes maybe fifteen minutes so don't do this if you are in a hurry.

We just did this last week and did not need to use the cards to enter parks. The magic bands we had for that trip worked fine. You do have to use the cards for merchandise/restaurant discounts though.

 

[bumbershoot]

Luckily we got a CM who knew exactly how to do this. They will ask for a picture ID, like a driver's license. They will give you new passes which will be a card, not a MB. You will need to use that card to enter the parks once you have done the upgrade.

I think it's UNlucky when people get CMs who don't know how to do it. All CMs should know how, so it's not lucky when you get someone who does their job properly.

The card you get, assuming you have an MDE account and MBs of some sort already, is just the discount card (though I believe you can ASK for an actual admission AP card). The OP will have MBs on his MDE already, and the AP will link to the MDE account, so the normal MBs will work just fine. The AP MBs they get later will *also* work.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The card you get, assuming you have an MDE account and MBs of some sort already, is just the discount card (though I believe you can ASK for an actual admission AP card). The OP will have MBs on his MDE already, and the AP will link to the MDE account, so the normal MBs will work just fine. The AP MBs they get later will *also* work.

I have both an AP card and a merchandise discount card. But you are right that all of the MBs in the MDE account will work fine.